RAINFALL IN HEUTFORDSniRE IN 1807. 31 



at one station, the 20th at one, the 2lth at two stations, the 2-')th 

 at seven, the 2Gth at three, the 30th at ten, the 31st at three, 

 and the 18th and 25th were the wettest at one station. The rain- 

 fall on the 5th was due to a thunderstorm which was especially 

 violent at lloyston. The rain fell so heavily as to flood the streets 

 and find its way from them into the houses, and large hailstones 

 fell, smashing; glass in greenhouses. On the 31st there was 

 a thunderstorm with heavy rain and hail, especially severe at 

 St. Albans. 



September. — About the average amount of rain fell on about 

 the nsiial number of days, and, as in August, the heavier falls 

 ■were due to thunderstorms. On the 1st the fall was consider ahU 

 at ten stations, on the 2nd at six, and on the 5th at three ; on 

 the 29th it was considerable at eight stations, very considerable at 

 nine, great at Royston and Odsey (l'13in.), Throcking Eectory 

 (M5in.), AVeston Park (M9in.), and Southgate (1-21 in.). The 

 1st was the wettest day at twelve stations, the 2nd at two, and 

 the 29th at twenty-eight. On the evening of this day a severe 

 thunderstorm passed over the County. Trees were struck by the 

 lightning and the Lea valley was flooded with the rain. 



October. — A very diy month, with rain on a small number of 

 days, the fall being between one-third and one-fourth the average 

 and on three-fourths the usual number of days. There was no 

 considerable fall of rain. The 2nd was the wettest day at four 

 stations, the 3rd at one station, the 18th at thirty-three stations, 

 the 25th at three, and the 2nd and 18th were the wettest at one 

 station. 



NovEruuER. — Another very dry month, with rain on a small 

 number of days, the fall being between one-half and one-third 

 the average and on three-fourths the usual number of days. As 

 in October, there was no considerable fall of rain. The 8th was 

 the wettest day at four stations, the 27th at twenty-eight, the 

 28th at eight, the 8th and 27th were the wettest at one station, 

 and the 27th and 30th at seven stations. 



December. — Very wet, with rain on more than the usual number 

 of days. On the 1st the fall was considerable at one station (Much 

 Hadham) ; on the 7th it was considerable at eighteen stations and 

 very considerable at eight ; and on the 29th it was considerable at 

 fourteen and very considerable at three. The 1st was the wettest 

 day at two stations, the 7th at thii-ty-three, and the 29th at seven. 



APPENDIX. 



Tlie Floods of February. — The thawing of the snow which 

 fell towards the end of January, and the heavy rains of the first 

 week in February, falling on ground already saturated or perhaps 

 in some places still frozen, caused serious floods over the south of 

 England and especially in the Thames Basin. Hertfordshire 

 suffered severely, the Colne and the Lea, and some of their 

 tributaries, overflowing their banks. The floods commenced on 



