222 J. HOPKIXSON METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



Afgttst. — The temperature increased gradually and almost uni- 

 formly to about the middle of the month, decreasing similarly to 

 the end, when it was slightly lower than at the beginning. The 

 maximum was above 80° on seven days, and was highest on the 

 13th, when it reached 89°, the hottest day in the year and for 

 several years past. On that day, at 3 p.m., there was a difference 

 of more than 20° between the dry- and the wet-bulb, which stood 

 respectively at 88°-4 and 68°'l, showing an extreme dryness of the 

 air. The excessively hot period extended from the 9th to the 

 17th, when the readings of the dry- and wet-bulb at 9 a.m., and 

 maximum and minimum thermometers, were as follows : — 



Dry. Wet. Max. Min. 



August 9 72°-0 Go^-S 82''-5 52"-9 



At the close of this hot period there were several thunderstorms. 

 Thunder was heard on the 15tli at about 6 p.m., and on the 

 evening of the following day, when lightning was also seen, but no 

 rain fell. On the 18th there was a violent thunderstorm from 4 

 to 6 a.m., with rain, which continued to fall for some time after. 

 On the following day there was another thunderstorm from noon 

 to 2 p.m., with heavy rain. Half an inch of rain fell in the two 

 days. A considerable amount fell on the 2nd and 4th, but none 

 from then to the 18th. The wind was westerly until the hot 

 period, then mostly S.E. to N.E., and westerly (S.W. to jS'.W.) 

 again from the 21st to the end of the month. Pressure varied 

 very slightly until the 30th, when the mercury fell (at 9 a.m.) to 

 29-176 ins., a little lower next morning, and rose again before 

 night. Both these were wet days. 



September. — The considerable decrease in mean temperature 

 from last month was mostly due to a few cold days about the 

 middle of the month (11th, 12th, and 13th especially) reducing 

 the mean, and the few hot days in August raising the mean of 

 that month, the average temperature of the two moutlis being about 

 the same. The wind Avas S.W. by W. to N. until the 20th, when 

 it changed to S.E., the prevailing direction to the end of tlie 

 month. Eain fell every day but the 12th, 19th, 20th, and 21st. 

 From the 1st to the 7th inclusive 3-10 ins. fell, and the maximum 

 fall of the year (1-13 in. on the 5th) fell in a few hours during tlie 

 night. Excepting on the 19th, 20th, and 21st, tliree of the four 

 days on whicli no rain fell, pressure was invariably below 30 

 inches. The mean of the six observations on these days was 

 30-312 ins. Thunder was heard on the night of the 17th. 



October. — For the first throe weeks the temperature was 

 about the same as in September, — the cold weather, which com- 



