Climate of IVhitehaven. 57 



frost prevailed. The mean temperature is 0°-68 above the average. 

 On the night between the 2d and 3d, a naked thermometer on the 

 grass fell to 4°, and one on raw wool to 2°'8 below zero, being the 

 lowest temperature I have recorded. The radiation indicated by raw 

 wool was 21°'5. Between one and two o'clock on the morning of 

 the 10th, a terrific thunder-storm burst suddenly over the town, and 

 spread great alarm amongst the slumbering inhabitants. Seven or 

 eight dazzling discharges of the electric fluid, followed by deafening 

 crashes, succeeded each other in abojut as many minutes. The storm 

 was almost vertical ; and between several of the flashes and the ac- 

 companying thunder, there was scarcely an appreciable interval, 

 certainly not more than a single second of time. The war of the 

 elements ceased as suddenly as it commenced, and altogether, the 

 storm did not last more than ten minutes. The wind, which pre- 

 viously blew a heavy gale, lulled almost to a calm as the last peal 

 died away. The storm was followed by a heavy fall of rain and 

 hail. It appears to have been pretty much confined to this town 

 and neighbourhood. Thunder was also heard on the evening of the 

 14th5 and lightning was seen on the nights of the 21st, 26th, and 

 29th. Saturn's ring was perceived at this Observatory on the night 

 of the 31st, after a long continuance of damp, wet weather. As 

 this singular appendage was readily seen, and was well and sharply 

 defined, I have no doubt the instrument would have shewn it ten or 

 fourteen days earlier, had the nights been at all favourable. The 

 ring was also seen on the night of the 11th of September 1848, dur- 

 ing its temporary reappearance. 



February. — A fine, dry, and mild month. The temperature 

 3°*49 above the average of twelve years. On the 11th, the baro- 

 meter attained the remarkably high point of 30*82 at this Observa- 

 tory, which is about 90 feet above the sea level. At the Royal 

 Observatory, Greenwich (40 feet above sea), the maximum was 

 30-85, being greater than any reading since January 1825, when 

 the barometer at the Royal Society's apartments attained to 30*841, 

 at 81 feet above the sea level; and there is no other instance re- 

 corded in the Philosophical Transactions of a reading so high as 30"8, 

 from the commencement of the series in 1774. The maxima of pres- 

 sure recorded on the 11th in various parts of the country, were all 

 found to give a reading of 30*90 at the mean sea level. 



On the 18th, primroses were in flower on the cliff's between Pan- 

 ton and Harrington. 



March. — Similar to February. Temperature 2°*29 above the 

 average, and the complement of the dew-point 2°*40 below the mean 

 of the two preceding years. 



First Quarter. — The temperature of the first quarter of 1849 is 

 2°*16 above the average of twelve years, and the complement of the 

 dew-point is 1°*52 below that of the corresponding quarter in the un- 

 healthy years 1847 and 1848. 



