64 THE WEATHER OF 1907. 
THE WEATHER OF 1907. By Rev. Wm. ANDsON. 
I have to report in the outset that the Dumfries station of 
the Scottish Meteorological Society was visited in September last 
by Mr Watt, the secretary of that society, in succession to the 
late Dr Buchan; and that having compared the instruments used 
with his own standard ones, he found that they retained their 
usual accuracy. The weather of the past year has been peculiar 
in some respects, certainly not very favourable, as will appear 
when we deal with the different elements which combine to dis- 
tinguish its meteorological character. 
I begin first with the barometrical pressure, the variations 
of which largely constitute the foundation of the changes which 
fall to be recorded. The highest reading occurred in January, 
when it rose to a height which has very rarely, if ever, been 
reached during my 21 years of observation. On the 23rd of that 
month the abnormal reading of 30.989 in., almost 31 inches, 
was recorded. In contrast with this, the lowest reading occurred 
in December, on the 4th of which it was found to have fallen to 
28.581 in.—giving an annual range of no less than 2.408 in. 
The mean pressure of the year (reduced to 32 deg. and sea-level) 
was 29.805 in., which is about one-tenth of an inch below ave- 
rage. There were four months in which the monthly mean was 
30 inches and above it, viz., January, March, July, and Septem- 
ber. These were on the whole very favourable months. The 
months in which the lowest means occurred were June, October, 
and December, which ranged from 29.561 in. in June to 29.648 
in December. These months had an almost constant series of 
cyclones, with no less than 75 days out of the 92 in which rain 
fell. The months which had readings below 29 inches were 
January, February, March, May, October, November, and 
December ; and these depressures were usually accompanied by 
more or less severe storms of wind and rain. 
I now proceed to give the facts regarding the temperature 
of the year; it being premised that the observations which follow 
are of temperature in the shade, secured by means of the 
Stevenson screen and 4 feet above the grass. The highest tem- 
perature of the year occurred on the 17th of July, and amounted 
to 84.8 deg. The lowest was in February, when it fell to 18 
