hich are accompanied by tornadoes.The average January minimum temperatures range from -10 degrees C (14 degrees F) in thenorthwest to -1 degrees C (30 degrees F) in the southeast. July maximum temperatures average33 degrees C (92 degrees F) throughout the state. Precipitation occurs throughout the year. Meanannual precipitation ranges from 813 mm (32 in) in the northwest to 1,270 mm (50 in) in thesoutheast. Average annual snowfall is 508 mm (20 in) in the northwest and 130 mm (6.5 in) in thesoutheast.Natural ResourcesMissouri has about 5.5 billion metric tons (6.1 billion U.S. tons) of coal reserves in the Plainsregion, but much of it is in thin seams or of high sulfur content. The state also has vast reserves oftar sands in its western counties, but no economical method of mining this petroleum has yet beenfound. Missouri is the leading lead-mining state in the United States, with deposits in the easternOzarks. Refractory clays are mined in central Missouri, and extensive iron ore deposits are foundin the eastern Ozarks. Limestone, marble, granite, and sandstone are quarried for constructionpurposes. Cement and lime are also important mineral products.Service Industries and ManufacturingManufacturing accounts for about 20% of the total value of goods and services produced inMissouri every year. The largest industry is the manufacture of transportation equipment,especially automobiles, with the state's production ranking third in the nation; aircraft, spacecraft,and railroad equipment are also produced. Other major industries include food processing(primarily brewing, flour milling, and meat-packing), printing and publishing, and the manufactureof chemicals, fabricated metal products, machinery, and electrical equipment. AgricultureMissouri remains an important agricultural state. Its principal crops are soybeans and corn,followed by winter wheat, cotton, and hay. Missouri usually ranks among the ten leading states inthe production of ...
