The Weather of the Past Agricultural Year. 121 



inch and a half in many places, and amounting to nearly two 

 inches at Ushaw, near Durham. Storms of far greater severity 

 occurred on the 14tli in an area lying a little to the southward 

 and westward of the Metropolis, the rainfall in the space of a 

 few hours amounting to two inches or more in several localities, 

 and to as much as 3'3 in. at Ashford, in Middlesex, 3'5 in. at 

 Staines, and 3' 7 in. at Richmond Park. In the southern 

 suburbs of London the storm was unusually violent, and at 

 Wandsworth Common no fewer than seven persons were killed 

 by lightning. Severe thunderstorms and heavy falls of rain 

 occurred in nearly all districts on July 1 and 2, and further 

 heavy downpours, accompanied in many instances by thunder, 

 were experienced in the north and east of England on Julj'^ 15 

 and 16, in Wales and the south-west of England on July 19, in 

 North Wales and the north-west of England on August 8, and 

 in the western and north-western districts generally between 

 August 23 and 25. On July 19 the rainfall amounted to 3*0 in. 

 at Milverton and to 3*1 in. at Wellington, in Somerset, while on 

 August 8 the observer at Pen-y-Gwryd, at the foot of Snowdon, 

 recorded in the space of twenty-four hours no less than 6*4 in. 

 For the summer as a whole the mean temperature was a little 

 above the average. In the Midlands and also in the north- 

 eastern and south-western districts the total rainfall was also in 

 excess, but in most other parts of the country there was a 

 deficit, the driest weather occurring in the eastern counties. 

 Most places experienced more than the average quantity of 

 bright sunshine, but in the midland and south-western counties 

 the duration was in close agreement with the normal. 



The Autumn of 1914. 



The earlier half of the autumn was for the most part 

 exceedingly fine, warm, and dry, the weather being eminently 

 favourable to the thousands of troops in training for the war, 

 but less satisfactory to the farmer, who would gladly have 

 welcomed a few periods of refreshing showers. The cereal 

 crops continued to be gathered in with scarcely a single inter- 

 ruption, but the roots suffered considerably from the drought, 

 and in many localities the drying up of wells and streams led 

 to a serious deficiency in the water supply. Towards the 

 middle of October the weather gradually broke up, and in 

 November the rainfall was in most cases sufficient for all 

 ordinary requirements. 



Temperature, though usually above the average, seldom 

 rose to any very high level, a feature noticeable, as we have 

 seen, during most of the summer months. The greatest warmth 

 occurred at the beginning of September, the thermometer on 

 the 2nd and 3rd rising slightly above 80'"' in many parts of the 



[Continued on page 124.] 



