TAKEX AT WANSFORD HOUSE, WATFORD, IN 1881. 61 



The last five days in the month were ■svarm, the minimnm, as dnrinj^ 

 the tirst eleven, not once falling as low as the mean of the month. 

 Max. above 42° on 5 days ; min. below 32° on 23, below 22° on 15, 

 and below 12° on 8. "Wind N. or X.E. with f(!W exceptions from 

 3rd to 28th. The extreme and long-continued cold, and the heavy 

 snow-storm on the 18th before alluded to, are the remarkable 

 features of the month. 



Eehruary. — Cold, with a humid atmosphere and much rain, and 

 the most gloomy month in the year. The earlier part of the month, 

 with a prevalence of rain, and Avind varying in direction, was much 

 warmer than the latter part. North-easterly winds set in on 1 6th 

 and continued to the end of the month, with a dense mist from 

 16th to 18th and snow on 6 days after 19th. Max. temperature 

 above 42° on 15 days ; min. below 32° on 11. 



March. — Mild, with a rather dry atmosphere, very bright, and 

 windy. All the rain in the month fell between the 3rd and 9th, 

 daily, and the 20tli and 24th, also daily, including two days with 

 slight snow and one with hail (24th). A little snow, too slight to 

 be measured, fell on two other days. The warmest weather oc- 

 curred towards the middle of the month, between the 5th and 24th. 

 Max. above 52° on 12 days ; min. below 32° on 12. 



April. — Rather cold, very dry, bright, and extremely windy. 

 The first week was especially characterised by violent E. and N.E. 

 winds amounting almost to a gale every day, and the wind con- 

 tinued easterly until the 20th, from which day it varied in direction. 

 Max. temperature above 52° on 20 days, above 62° on 3 ; min. 

 below 32° on 7. From the 25th of March to the 10th of April the 

 weather was cold, dry, and bright, and for these seventeen days no 

 rain fell. A few days from the 11th were warm and wet, after 

 which it became colder and drier, and then warm and wet again 

 the last three days. Snow and hail fell on the 20th. 



Mat. — Warm, very bright, with a very dry atmosphere, and a 

 great range of temperature. Max. above 62° on 19 days, above 

 72° on 3 ; min. below 32° on 2. Wind S.W. every day from 14th 

 to 20th, variable at other times. For ten days, 5th to 14th, and 

 again for six days, 19th to 24th, no rain fell. Pressure very high 

 for several days in succession, 7th to 12th, increasing gradually 

 from 2nd and decreasing again to Itith. 



ins. ins. ins. 



2nd 29-631 7tli 30-587 12tli 30-444 



3rd 29-967 8th 30-658 13th 30-225 



4th 30-065 9th 30-621 14th 30-016 



5th 30-207 10th 30-652 15tli 29-776 



6th 30-237 11th 30-649 16th 29-513 



June. — Rather bright, with a dry and calm atmosphere, and of 

 average temperature. Max. above 72° on 5 days ; min. below 42° 

 on 3. The first four days were bright, warm, and without rain ; 

 the next two colder, gloomy, and with 1"26 in. of rain, more than 

 half the total of the month, accompanied on the 6th by a thunder- 

 storm between 5 and 6 p.m. followed by hail and heavy rain 



