90 J. HOPKmSON — METEOEOIOGICAX OBSERVATIONS 



extreme dryness of th.e air as it was for the intense and persistent 

 cold and small rainfall. 



March. — Of average temperature, and -with an average daily 

 range, a humid atmosphere of low pressure, a rather cloudy sky, 

 and an average rainfall on more than the usual numher of days. 

 Coldest day 3rd, mean 30°-0 ; warmest day 22nd, mean 51°-4. 

 Min. below 32° on 9 days ; max. above 42° on 25 days, above 52° 

 on 12. A "partial drought" of 32 days, with a rainfall of 

 0-17 in., terminated on the 5th. On the 24th, early in the after- 

 noon, there was one of the most destructive gales which has ever 

 passed over Hertfordshire. Many trees were blown down in the 

 neighbourhood of St. Albans and elsewhere nearly all over the 

 county, and other damage was done. An account of this gale has 

 already appeared in the 'Transactions' (Vol. VIII, p. 199). 



April. — Of average temperature, and with an average daily 

 range, a humid atmosphere of average pressure, a sky of average 

 brightness, and a rather small rainfall on the usual number of days. 

 Coldest day 4th, mean 38°-4 ; warmest day 20th, mean 55°-8. 

 Min. below 42° on 19 days, below 32° on 2 (1st and 14th); max. 

 above 52° on 22 days, above 62° on 5 (9th, 17th, 19th, 20th, and 

 29th). Nearly all the rain fell during the last half of the month, 

 the fall from the 1st to the 15th being 0*10 in. and from the 16th 

 to the 31st r22 in. There was a slight fall of snow on the 3rd. 



Mat. — A warm month, with a considerable daily range of 

 temperature, an atmosphere of average humidity and high pressure, 

 a bright sky, and a very small rainfall on very few days. Coldest 

 day 17th, mean 41°-1; warmest day 30th, mean 66°-9. Min. 

 below 42° on 10 days; max. above 52° on 25 days (every day but 

 15th to 20th), above 62° on 20 days, above 72° on 4 (12th, 13th, 

 29th, and 30th), above 82° on one day (30th). The maximum on 

 this day (82°'3) is the highest temperature which I have recorded 

 in any May. Rain fell only on 1st, 17th, 23rd, 30th, and 31st. 

 There was thus an "absolute drought" of 15 days from 2nd to 

 16th. On 17th there was a slight fall of snow early in the 

 morning, and on this day the maximum temperature was only 

 47°'0, giving a range of the maximum of 35°-3 in the month. 



June. — Eather warm, with a large daily range of temperature, 

 a very dry atmosphere of high pressure, a bright sky, and a very 

 small rainfall on very few days. Coldest day 15th, mean 51°'5 ; 

 warmest day 23rd, mean 67°'5. Min. below 52° on 21 days, 

 below 42° on 2 (13th and 15th) ; max. above 62° on 29 days 

 (every day but 12th), above 72° on 10 days. Rain fell only on 

 1st, 4th. 11th, 18th, 28th, and 29th. A "partial drought" of 35 

 days, with 0-33 in. of rain, terminated on the 27th. 



July. — Of average temperature, and with an average daily 

 range, an atmosphere of average humidity and pressure, a sky of 

 average brightness, and an excessively heavy rainfall on the usual 

 number of days. Coldest day 28th, mean 53°-2 ; warmest day 8th, 

 mean 67°-l. Min. below 52° on 12 days; max. above 62° on 30 

 days (every day but 28th), above 72° on 9. Most of the rain fell 



