XXXIV. 



EErORT ON THE RAINFALL IN IIERTFORDSHIRE IN 1882. 

 By the Ecv. C. W. Harvey, M.A., F.M.S. 



Read at Ware, \Wi April, 1883. 



I AM glad to commence my report by saying that onr staff of 

 observers is still on the increase. Fanhams Hall, Ware, finds its 

 place among our stations for the first time this year. I regret 

 having to omit Oaklands, "Watford, this year ; the register for the 

 first part of the year having been mislaid, Mr. Harrison has not 

 been able to supply me ■with the usual return. 



The mean rainfall for 1882 at 29 stations (30"57 ins.) shows an 

 excess of something like 2"50 ins. above the mean of 1870-79. 

 This is chiefiy attributable to the exceedingly wet October ; and we 

 must go back to the year 1865 to find an October at all like it. 

 The fall in every part of the county was more than double the mean. 

 It may be worth while to place the records of these two extremely 

 wet Octobers side by side for comparison. I am able to give the 

 records of 8 stations for 1865 : — 



1865 1882 



ins. ins. 



Gorliambury 6-95 7-07 



Eothamsted 7-3.5 6-52 



Nash Mills 6-57 6-97 



Berkhampstead 6-55 6-88 



Bavfordbiu-y 6 02 6 -04 



Stevenage 6-30 5-81 



Hitchin 7-07 5-62 



Royston 6-55 6-20 



Mean fall 6-67 6-20 



It will be seen from this that there is not quite half an inch 

 difference in the mean fall of each. 



It is interesting to compare results with other counties. This 

 I am able to do as I did last year as regards Wilts and Norfolk, and 

 by the kindness of Mr. D. Radford Sharpe, of Bocking, I am able 

 to add the mean fall of the neighbouring county of Essex. In 

 Wilts the mean fall at 37 stations was 42-86 ins., more than 

 12 inches above our mean ; in Norfolk the mean fall at 26 stations 

 was 32-51 ins., nearly 2 inches above our mean; whilst in Essex 

 the mean fall at 13 stations was 26-69 inches, or nearly 4 inches 

 below our mean. Last year it will be remembered that our mean 

 fall was as nearly as possible the mean of the three counties 

 (Wilts, Herts, and Norfolk); this year, however, our mean is nearly 

 3 inches below that mean. 



Distrihitmi of Rainfall tliroxighoxd the Year. — This was very 

 unequal, the fall of April representing 10-7°/^ of the whole fall, 

 and that of October representing 12-3% ; while the fall of January 

 only represented 4-4°/^ ; October and April were respectively mo.st 

 in excess of the mean, whilst January and August showed the 



