The Weather of 1902. 207 



February of 30.924 in. Such very high readings are extremely 

 rare in our cHmate, occurring only once in a number of years. 

 Since 1887 there has been only one other record of a reading 

 above 31 in., viz., in January, 1896. The lowest reading of the 

 year was 28.495 in. on the 29th December, which also was 

 exceptionally low, being the lowest for a period of nearly three 

 vears — since the 19th February, 1900, when it was 28.300 in. 

 This gives a very wide annual range of barometrical pressor.', 

 being no less than 2.468 in. The weather of 1902, as a wholi-, 

 was of a changeable and unsettled character. Even dur-ng the 

 summer there was no continuance of fine weather such c s \'. ■: 

 are often favoured with, but for the most part cold and showerv 

 days, although with few heavy rainfalls. The mean pressure 

 for the year was 29.913 in., which is somewhat under average. 

 It may be noticed as a remarkable circumstance that there was 

 only one month in which the mean pressure was up to 30 inches, 

 and that was January. In the previous year there were six, viz., 

 February, May, June, July, August, and September. There 

 were few severe storms, but once in January, and on several 

 occasions in the last four months of the year, the barometer 

 fell below 29 inches, and on each of these the weather was 

 more or less stormy. Strong gales were experienced on the i8th 

 and J 9th March, in the beginning of September, in the early 

 part of October, in the first half of November, and in the middle 

 and end of December. The most notable of these were those 

 which occurred in September and December. On the former 

 date, viz., on September 3rd, there was a sudden fall of the 

 barometer from 29.637 in. in the previous evening to 28.981 

 in. in the forenoon of the 3rd. This was accompanied by a 

 severe gale from south and south-west, and by a heavy rainfall, 

 amounting to i.i6 in. for the two days. The result was that the 

 river was flooded, and an abnormally high spring tide occurring 

 at the same time, the Dock Park am' Whitesands were covered 

 with water to an unusual extent. Eut what was more extra- 

 ordinary than this, the tidal waters, lorced up by the strength 

 of the gale, rose so high as to surm ant the caul or weir, and 

 to raise the ri\cr at the New Bridgt one foot higher than it 

 would have been raised by the rainiall alone. Great damage 

 was done to farms along the seaboar ' wf the Solway shore, and 

 on both sides of the estuary of the Nit 1, many farm fields having 



