132 EAIJfFALL IN HEETFORDSHIKE IN 1879. 



June 1 1 — Gorhambiiry, 1"27. 



July 1 — Gorhambury, l-OO. 



August 2 —"VVatt'ord House, TIO ; "Wansford House, Watford, 1'20 ; Oaklands, 

 Watford, 1'16; Gorhambiuy, l*o4; Rothamsted, 2"37*; Kensworth, 

 2-31:; Nash Mills, 2-50 1 ; Berkhampstead, 2-50 ; Cowroast, 1-40; Brocket 

 Hall, 1-54; Welwyn, 1'44; Datchworth, ri9; Knebworth, 1-70; Stevenage, 

 1-78; Therfield, 2-03; Hitchin, 194; Odsey, 181; Koyston, 3-00. 



Aug. 19— Moor Park, 1-14. 



September 23 — Much Hadhaiu, 1*05 ; East Bamet, 1-30. 



Although in 1879 the number of heavy falls of rain (exceeding 

 one inch in 24 hours) was not so great as in 1878, the remark 

 applied to that year — -that it was characterised by ' ' the number of 

 heavy falls of rain and snow, and the excessive amount of some of 

 these falls " — is also applicable to this. On three occasions a fall 

 exceeding an inch is seen to have been pretty general over the 

 county — viz. on the 1st of January, the 28th of May, and the 2nd 

 of August. Aboiit half the ;imount recorded on the 1st of January 

 was due to snow, and the falls on the other two days were due to 

 thunderstoiTus, that on the uight of the 2nd of August, lasting from 

 about midnight to 3'30 a.m., being very severe and accompanied 

 by heavy hail-stones. The flood which this fall caused will, I 

 believe, form the subject of a paper which will shortly be commu- 

 nicated to the Society by Mr. Littleboy, and therefore only needs a 

 passing mention in this report. It was perhaps as exceptional in 

 its character as any on record, and its sudden rise must have been 

 due to the immense amount of rain which fell in a short time on 

 ground already fully saturated, from four-tenths of an inch to one 

 inch per hour falling in the county in three successive hours. 



The closing paragraph in the previous report, as to the rainfall 

 in recent years having been much above the average, might also be 

 repeated in this, adding one year to the number there given, for we 

 have now had five years in succession of excessive rainfall, and in 

 the last of the five the fall has been the greatest in excess. 



* The observers add the following note : — " Aug. 2. Owing to the enormous 

 rainfall during the night of this date the large gauge-collectors were swamped 

 and overturned. The small 5 inch gauge registered only 2-37 inches, but as there 

 was much hail, and the rain was very heavy, no doubt some would bounce out of 

 this 5 inch funnel ; and as as much as 3^ inches or more is said to have been 

 registered not many miles distant, 3 inches is adopted as the rainfall on that 

 occasion." As, however, the majority of the gauges of our observers are 5 inches 

 in diameter, I have thought it best to adopt for comparison with the amounts 

 recorded by them, the fall actually collected in the small gauge, viz. 2-37 ins. 



t Note by the observers : — " Gauge upset dming the flood of Aug. 2." 



