146 J. HOPKTNSON — KEPOET ON THE 



January. — A very dry month, with no snow, the rain falling on 

 two-thirds the average number of days. There was no considerable 

 fall of rain at any station. 



Febkuahy. — An exceedingly dry month, having little more than 

 half the rainfall of January, with scarcely any snow, and rain on 

 little more than half the average number of days. As in January 

 there was no considerable fall of rain at any station. 



Maech. — A very wet month, the rainfall being more than double 

 the average and on a large number of days, with occasional falls of 

 snow. On the 17th the fall of rain was considerable at twenty-six 

 stations, and very considerable at one ; on the 1 8th it was consider- 

 able at two ; on the 20th considerable at thirteen and very considerable 

 at five ; and on the 22nd it was considerable at one. 



April. — A very dry month, with rain on a rather small number 

 of days. A partial drought commenced on the 17th and lasted 

 at all but a few stations to about the end of the following month. 

 There was no considerable fall of rain. 



Mat. — An exceedingly dry month, having even less rain than 

 February, and on a very small number of days, being less than 

 a third the average. The rainfall was about one-seventh the 

 average, and only just over the amount which would have consti- 

 tuted the month one of partial drought throughout the whole 

 county. There was no considerable fall of rain. 



June. — Rainfall about the average, nearly all falling within 

 the first ten days, and the number of wet days being small. On 

 the 7th the fall was considerable at four stations ; on the 10th con- 

 siderable at seventeen, very considerable at twelve, and great at 

 Weston Park (I'OSin.); and on the 24th (on the east of the 

 county only) considerable at five stations, very considerable at one, 

 and very great at the Eed House, Ware (1-32 in.), and at Fanhams 

 Hall, Ware (1-33 in.). 



July. — A dry month, the rainfall being less than half the 

 average and on about two-thirds the usual number of days. On 

 the 7th the fall was considerable at one station and very considerable 

 at one ; and on the 26th it was considerable at eight stations, very 

 considerable at two, and great at Apsley Mills, Hemel Hempstead 

 (1-15 in.). During a violent thunderstorm on the 7th a "re- 

 markably brilliant thunderbolt " is reported to have fallen near 

 Dunstable. 



August. — A rather wet month, with rain on rather more than 

 the usual number of days. On the 9th the fall was coyisiderable 

 at one station, and on the lOth at five ; on the 19th it was con- 

 siderable at eight and very considerable at one ; on the 25th it 

 was considerable at four; and on the 31st it was considerable at ten 

 and very considerable at four. 



September. — An excessively wet month, the rainfall being 

 nearly three times the average and greater than in any previous 

 month since these reports were commenced more than twenty years 

 ago, the only near approach to it being in October, 1891, when 

 the average rainfall throughout the county was 6*24 inches. There 



