University of the State of New York Board of Regents Reports of Meteorological Observations Made at Academies

Chronological by year, then alphabetical by name of academy for most years. Some reports from University of Rochester, 1850-1859, are separately filed in box 20.

These reports were made by volunteer observers after an 1825 resolution of the State Board of Regents directed that all academies under their supervision should keep records of the daily fluctuations in temperature, wind, precipitation and general weather conditions. Not all academies participated.

Summaries of the reported observations were published annually in the Report of the Board of Regents until 1850. Beginning in 1850 the Regents program of weather observations was intergrated into a nationwide network of observation stations under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1849 the Legislature also began subsidizing the program to a small extent. Monthly abstracts of the reports submitted by academies were compiled by Franklin B. Hough and published by the University of the State of New York for the periods 1826-1850 and 1850-1863 under the title, "Results of a Series of Meteorological Observations Made...at Sundry Stations in the State of New York."

This series consists of very detailed reports of daily weather observations made at several academies around the state.

The pre-1850 observation reports are bound by year. They are slightly fire-damaged, but usable. The post-1850 reports are unbound, were made on forms supplied by the Smithsonian Institution, and are too badly damaged to be used.

The pre-1850 reports contain the following data, recorded daily: temperature (recorded in the morning, afternoon, evening, plus the daily average); wind direction (recorded morning and afternoon) "weather" - e.g. "fair," "cloudy," "rain," "snow," etc. (recorded morning and afternoon); inches of precipitation; and remarks ("high winds," "currant bushes in bloom," "heavy thunder," "aurora borealis"). Reports also include monthly and annual summaries of the above categories.

The post-1850 reports were made on forms supplied by the Smithsonian Institution and include observations of the following made at 6:00 A.M., 2:00 P.M., and 10:00 P.M. (later 9:00 P.M.): temperature; barometric pressure (temperature of attached thermometer, observed height of mercury, corrected height at freezing temperature); wind force and direction; cloudiness; "aspect of the sky" (cloud types, rain, etc.); psychrometer - some stations only (wet and dry bulb temperatures, difference between wet and dry bulb temperatures, "force of vapor," and relative humidity); and inches of precipitation. In addition, all reports 1826-1859 include the location, latitude and longitude, and name of observer at the station.

At the end of the series is a weather diary kept by W. J. V. Wagenen. This diary contains four daily observations made at 8:00 A.M., 10:00 A.M., 12:00 noon, and 3:00 P.M. of temperature, general weather conditions (e.g. "warm," "hazy," "clear"), and wind direction. It is unknown where Wagenen made these observations.

Available on microfilm.

Container list.

Reel list.

These records were deposited in the State Library in the nineteenth century and transferred to the State Archives in 1978 as old collection #346, accession number -234. In 1911 they were seriously damaged in the State Capitol Fire.

Restricted: These records were fire damaged, but conservation measures were taken and almost all information remains intact. Only microfilm will be available for general use. Access to the originals may be permitted under special circumstances upon application to and approval by the State Archives.