METEOROLOGICAL NOTES DURING TUE YEAR 1902. 37 



preceding November, the figures being for the maximum 47°, and 

 for the minimum 39°, against 46° and 36° respectively for 1901. 



The open character of the weather prolonged the season of the 

 autumn flowering plants to a marked degree, and though some 

 things were a little bedraggled and weather worn, others kept 

 wonderfully fresh. More dahlia blooms were got in the early 

 part of November than in August and September. The oaks 

 retained their foliage well through the month, whilst grass kept 

 growing, and was in a wonderfull}' fresh condition. 



December. — Though the morning of the 1st was fine, heavy 

 rain fell after midday. The rain continued over the 2nd, accom- 

 panied by a cold easterly wind, the atmospheric conditions therefore 

 were extremely unpleasant. Frost set in on the 4th with some 

 severity, and lasted fully a week. During its prevalence there 

 were two days of disagreeable fogs, when the maximum thermo- 

 meter did not rise above freezing point (32° Fahr.). The wind 

 veering to S.-W., a change set in on the 13th, and for a week 

 thereafter the weather was very unsettled, and heavy rains fell. 

 A few fine days followed, then a recurrence of the changeable 

 stormy weather which lasted till the close of the year — Christmas 

 day being very stormy. 



The barometric readings were exceedingly erratic, and, with 

 the exception of those of January, had the widest range of any 

 month of the year. Beginning with a downward tendency the 

 atmospheric pressure was at 29*20 inches on the 2nd, sharply 

 rising to 30-40 inches on the 4th, then fairly steady until the 

 12th, when it rapidly declined to 29-25 inches on the 16th. With 

 a quick rise for six days it was over 30 00 inches. Another sharp 

 fall occurred on the 25th, and a very notable one from 29 70 

 inches on the 27th to 28-50 inches on the 30th. On the 31st 

 the tendency was upwards. 



The rainfall amounted to 4-84 inches — the greatest for any 

 month of the year. The amount registered for the 24 hours 

 being on several occasions above the normal. Thus, on the 

 morning of the 2nd, the amount was 075 inch ; on the 3rd, 0-50 

 inch; on the 14th, 032 inch; on the 15th, 0-68 inch; on the 16th, 

 0-99 inch; on the 28th, 0-35 inch; and on the 29th, 026 inch. 

 There were 15 dry days. 



