216 J. nOPKlNSON — METEOKOLOGICAL OBSEKVATIOXS 



there was not a day without. After the 17th rain fell on only- 

 four (lays. There was no excessive fall ; hut on the three days 

 from the 12th to the 14th rather more than 1 inch fell. 



There were hoar frosts on the mornings of the 1st and 8th, and 

 the mornings of the loth and 19th were foggy.* 



March. 



Atmospheric pressure was generally very high the greater part 

 of the month, decreasing rapidly towards the end. The range, 

 1-425 in., was greater than in any other month in the year. The 

 minimum, 29-229 ins., occurred on the 29th, and the maximum, 

 30-654 ins., on the 16th. 



Temperature still continued low, the mean being only 2° higher 

 than in January. The warm period, which commenced on the 1 3th 

 of the previous month, continued to the 12th, the mean during this 

 period being 45°-3. On the 13th there was a slight fall in temper- 

 ature, which continued almost the same to the l7th, the mean of 

 the five days being 37°-5. From the 18th to the 21st the mean 

 was 47°, with a mean range under 2°, and from the 22nd to the 

 end of the month the mean was 36°, being excessively low for the 

 time of the year, and fully accounting for the low mean temperature 

 of the month. The alternation of the two warm and cold periods, 

 each persistent for several days, is remarkable. 



The wind was generally westerly (S.W. to N.W.) to the 11th, 

 N.E. from the 12th to the 16th, then N. to N.W. to the 26th, 

 S.W. on the 27th, and north-easterly to the end of the month. 



Scarcely any rain (or snow) fell until the 28th, and none what- 

 ever from the 2nd to the 8th, and (excepting a slight fall of snow 

 on the 22nd, not giving 0-01 in. of rain, and therefore not recorded 

 in the table) from the 12th to the 23rd'. After the 23rd snow fell 

 every day to the end of the month, except on the 25th and 27th. 



A remarkably sudden squall, accompanied by a snow-storm, 

 occurred on the 24th (Sunday), and from having caused the loss of 

 H.M.S. Eurydice, is generally known as "the Eurydice squall." 

 It was felt at "Watford almost as severely as on the south coast. 

 The night had been cold, the minimum being 25°-7, but the morning 

 was warm with a slight N.W. breeze. At 9 a.m. the temperature 

 had risen to 36°-9, and by 3 p.m. the maximum registered 44°-2. 

 The barometer had fallen nearly an inch since the 20th, standing 

 then, at 9 a.m., at 30-432 ins., and at the same hour on the 24th at 

 29-635 ins. At 3 p.m. pressure was still decreasing, the only indi- 

 cation of an approaching storm ; but about this time, or a few 



* Hoar frosts are mentioned as having been observed in the mornings, instead 

 of in the nights, which would perhaps more correctly represent the time of their 

 occurrence, simply because the observations are taken in the morning. They are 

 only recorded when lasting until the hour of observation, 9 a.m., and therefore 

 occurred more frequently tlian they are reported to have done in these notes. 

 This explanation will also apply to the omission of notices of some other pheno- 

 mena; and it may be stated that I can very seldom record any phenomena 

 occurring at Watford between 9 a.m. and 6 or 7 p.m. 



