CI)c Jfrosts of Ecrcnt gtars. 



By GEOECxE F. BUEDER, M.D., F.R.Met.Soc. 



THE unusual severity of the weather during a portion of 

 the past winter may give an interest to the following 

 brief summary of the more remarkable frosts that have oc- 

 curred within the writer's experience. It is to be under- 

 stood, when nothing to the contrary is stated, that the 

 temperatures given are from observations at Clifton. 



1. The weather in January, 1838, was historical for 

 severity, and the frost continued with less intensity and 

 with some interruptions through a good part of February. 

 From the Greenwich records it has been gathered that the 

 41 days from January 8th to February 17 th had a mean 

 temperature of 26*7, and that the mean of the 12 days from 

 January 9th to January 20th was 20-3. The coldest day by 

 far was the 20th of January, when the thermometer at sun- 

 rise stood within 3 degrees of zero (the self-registering 

 instrument having failed), and the mean temperature of the 

 24 hours was no higher than 10-7. The Thames below Lon- 

 don Bridge was frozen from shore^o shore, and on one day 

 at least persons crossed on foot. There is no doubt that this 

 frost was very severe here also. At Stroud a temperature of 

 5 degrees was observed. 



2. In January, 1841, there was a period of 8 days (from the 



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