TAKEN" AT ST. ALBANS IN 1891. 75 



December. — Very mild and bri^lit, with an atmosphere of average 

 humidity and rather high pressure^, and a heavy rainfall on a 

 considerable number of days. Although a warm month on the 

 whole, the week ending 25th in.st. was exceedingly cold, having a 

 mean temperature of only 23°-0 (9 a.m. 23°-5, min. 19°-0, max. 

 36°" 6). ilain fell every day for the first ten days, averaging 

 0"20 in. per day. Coldest day 24th, mean 21°-1 ; warmest day 

 5th, mean 50°-6. Min. below 42° on 24 days, below 32° on 12, 

 below 22° on 5 (20th, and 22nd to 25th), below 12° on 1 day 

 (24th) ; max. above 42° on 26 days, above 52° on 8. (In December, 

 1890, the temperature never rose to 42°.) There was a silver thaw 

 on Christmas Day. For nine days there had been no rain, but 

 much fog, and a white frost every morning. Rain commenced 

 to fall early on the 25th while the temperature was below 32°, and 

 the roads and pavements were soon covered with a sheet of ice 

 which only partially thawed in the afternoon and froze again 

 at night. 



