The Meteoeology of 1898. 49 



out of the 31 in January and for 27 in December. The mean 

 annual temperature of the year was 49-5 deg., as compared with 

 an average of 47-5 deg. This is the highest annual meau recorded 

 during the 12 years of observation, the next highest being 49*4 

 deg. in 1893, and only once or twice did it reach, or slightly 

 exceed, 48 deg. The year 1898 may thus be justly considered 

 as in point of temperature an annus mirahilis^ inasmuch as it has 

 been the warmest of twelve, and of I do not know how many 

 more, in this district, as I can only speak of the period to which 

 my observation extends. 



3. Rainfall. — The amount of rain which fell during the 

 year, including melted snow, which formed a very small propor- 

 tion of the whole, was 33'71 in. ; and the number of days on 

 which precipitation took place was 206, on 28 of which the rain- 

 fall did not exceed one-hundredth of an inch. As might be expected 

 from the extreme mildness of the winter months, snow was con- 

 spicuous by its absence. There was no fall worthy of being called 

 a snowstorm, and the slight falls which did occur were chiefly in 

 February. The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours in the course of the 

 year took place on the 1st November, when 1-71 in. were regis- 

 tered by the guage. It was followed by 0-54 in. on the 2d, 

 giving a total of 2-55 in. for the two days. On that occasion the 

 river Nith was in very heavy flood, shewing a depth of 1 1 feet at 

 the New Bridge ; and as a strong- south-westerly gale prevailed 

 at the same time the tide also rose to an abnormal height, and the 

 Sands were flooded to some depth, the water extending up into 

 the adjoining streets of Friars' Vennel, Bank Street, and Nith Place 

 for a considerable distance. This was the heaviest flood of the 

 year, as it was the only instance also in which the rainfall was in 

 excess of one inch. The total amount for the year was less than 

 the average of 12 years by 2-11 in. — 33-71 in., as compared with 

 a mean of 35*82 in. The rainiest month was December, with an 

 amount of 5-03 in., and 27 days on which it fell. The driest was 

 July, a very exceptional circumstance, the amount having been 

 less than a quarter of an inch — ■0'23 in. — as compared with an 

 average of 3*92 in. There was another month in which the 

 amount was under an inch, and less than half the average, viz., 

 March, which had only 079 in., as compared with a mean of 2-12 

 in. The other months were for the most part not far from the 



