6 



west, North winds were all much above the average, both in frequency and 

 force. North-east, though below the average in frequency, exceeded it con- 

 siderably in foi-ce. East, Southeast, and South, were all below the average, 

 both in' frequency ami force. There were only 6 calms noted out of the 93 

 obseivations, whicli is — 11.} less than the average in January, The strongest 

 winds had a force of 10 4:i lbs. pressure to the squaie foot, and were recorded 

 three times. No hot winds cccuired during the month. So windy a January 

 had not occuried in the previous seven years. 



The Temperature mean was Gl 49 degrees, being — 2.08 degrees less than 

 the 20 years' mean. So cold a January has not hajipened since 185'^, when 

 the mean was only 57 '07 degrees, being Uie coldest January of the last 23year3. 

 In addition to this, 1852, 1S50, 1849, had also colder Januaries than the pre- 

 sent. The mean of the self-registering maxima and minima thermometers ap- 

 proximated very nearly to the foregoing, being 62.00 degrees. The maxmura 

 shade temperatuie of the mouth was only 81 degrees, and was noted on the 

 1st. 185:3 had also the same low maximum, but every other of the 22 years 

 had a higher, ranging up to 105 degrees. The uiinimuin shade temperature was 

 48 degrees. 18C0 and 1861 had the same, and 1841 had 50 degrees, but all the 

 other years were much lower. The month's range, therefore, was only 33 

 degrees, which is the smallest range ever before noted for January. 



The Daily Range of Tem^^erat ure had a mean of only 17'13 degree.*', which 

 is - 3 62 degrees below the 20 years' average. 1853 and 1855 bad a still 

 smaller daily range, but the other 21 years were much higher ; the highest 

 being upwards of 25 degrees. The extreme range on any day was 27 de- 

 grees, on the 1st and 25th. 1850 had only ".S. iO, but every other year was 

 much above the present, the highest being 51*90 degrees. The smallest range 

 on any day of the present month was 11 degrees, on the 12th. 



Solar intensiti/ mean, 107x4 degrees, is — 299 degrees below the average of 

 the previous 8 years, though +1'58 above January 1863. The greatest heat on 

 any day of the month was only 123 degrees on the 1st. Every January of 

 the previous 8 years, had a higher maximum .solar heat than this. 81 degrees 

 was the minimum of the month by this thermometer. 



Terrestrial-radiation had a mean of 50 53 degrees, being — 2 "02 degrees 

 below the 8 years' average. Only 1862, out of the 8, had a lower mean, i.e. 

 50. (0 degrees. The maximum of any day, 57 degrees, was marked in the 

 night of the 9th ; the minin)ura, 43".% occurred in the night of the 4th. 



The Eain-fall, '71 of an inch, was less than half the 20 years' average for 

 January, which is 1.50 inches ; but it ought to be remembered, that every one 

 of the three preceding mouths had a great excess of rain precipitated. The five 

 previous Januaries hud all much more ram than the jjresent month ; indeeil, 

 1859 had the maximum fall, 4 '61 inches, for the last 23 years' Januaries. Jn six 

 years out of the 23, there fell less rain iu January thau the present month 

 has, 1841 the minimum, having the almost inappreciable quantity of '03 

 of an inch. On only one day, the 24th, did sufficient rain fall, — '30 of an inch 

 — to cleanse the surface channels of drainage. Nevertheless, the number of 

 rainy days, 9, was slightly in excess + •34, above the average wet days of the 

 previous nine years' Januaries. 



Snow was seen on Mount "Wellington on the morning of the 6th, but soon 

 disappeared. It is several years since snow was noted on Mount Wellington 

 in this mon!;h. 



Spontaneous-evaporation bore a reverse proportion to precipitation to that 

 recorded in December, 6'58 inches being registered. 



Elastic force of vapor mean, 357, was — '27 less than the 20 years' mean. 



Humidity, 65, was - "3 less than the 20 years' mean for January. 



O/owii mean, 5'77, is +'03 only above the 20 years' average. 



02one was 6. 73, which is +'27 above the mean of the previous six years. 

 Last year's January, however, had still more ozone, i,e. 7'33. This was, no 

 doubt, owing to the abundance of rain in that month. It is remarkable that 

 the greater wind force of the present month has all but compensated for 

 the smaller rain fall, in preserving a high state of atmospheric pui'ity. It 

 is certain that many of the winds indicated by the vane to be from North-west 

 and North points of the compass were really deflected westerly winds, as 

 evidenced by their coldness and purity, as well as being noted as such by 

 the observations of the coast stations. The daily reports from Mount Nelson, 

 Fortesque Bay, and Low Heads, are of great value in correcting our city 

 observations on this point, and an extension of them to the east and west 

 coasts, and interior towns wovdd add much to the knowledge the meteoro- 

 logical returns convey. 



Electricity was never absent at the 62 observations in the month. Positive 

 was noted 24' times, with the high maximum tension of 7, Negative was 

 recorded 38 times with the still higher maximiun tension of 8. These records 



