144 



J. nOPKINSON — METEOEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



Table II. — Means of Climatological Observations [tvith Extremes of 

 Temperature) for the Seaso?is 0/ 1897-98. 



Seasons 



"Winter 

 Spring 

 Summer 

 Autumn 



The winter of 1897-98 (Dec. to Feb.) was very mild, both days 

 and nights being nearly four degTees warmer than usual. The air 

 was rather diy, the sky rather cloudy, and the rainfall about 5 per 

 cent, less than the average, and on fewer days than usual. 



The spring (March to May) was cold, owing almost entirely to 

 the coldness of the days, the daily range of temperatm'e therefore 

 being small. The air was rather humid, the sky cloudy, and 

 the rainfall heavy, being 18 per cent, above the average, and 

 there were more wet days than usual. 



The summer (June to August) was rather warm, owing almost 

 entii'cly to the warmth of the days, the daily range of temperature 

 being greater than usual. The air was rather dry, the sky of 

 average brightness, and the rainfall very small, being 47 per cent, 

 below the average, and there were fewer wet days than usual. 



The autumn (Sept. to Nov.) was very warm, the days having 

 a rather greater excess of temperature than the nights, the daily 

 range therefore being greater than usual. The air was rather dry, 

 the sky rather cloudy, and the rainfall small, being 30 per cent, 

 below the average, and there were but few wet days. 



We thus had a very mild and rather dry winter, a cold, wet, 

 and gloomy spring, a rather warm and very dry summer, and 

 a very warm and diy autumn. The only cold months were 

 March, May, and June, and the only wet ones were May, October, 

 November, and December, October ha-\-ing, however, a little less 

 than the average rainfall for the ten years 1887-96. 



In the following notes on the months a few observations taken 

 at other places than our five meteorological stations are included. 

 The observations of temperature referred to Hertford are those 

 taken at Bayfordbury, and printed in the ' Hertfordshire Mercury.' 

 Jantjart. — Exceedingly mild, of average liumidity, very cloudy, 

 and with a very small rainfall on a small number of days. The 

 mean temperature was 6° above the average, but only 0°"2 above 

 that of January, 1890. The excess was rather more due to the 

 warmth of the nights than that of the days, the daily range being 

 smaller than usual. On the night of the 21st, the minimum 

 temperature was as high as 48° at Berkhamsted, 49° at St. Albans, 



