The Weather of 1902. 269 



had both the absolute minimum of the year and the lowest 

 monthly mean. The average mean temperature for February 

 is 38.1 deg., last year it was only 34 deg., and the 

 average mean minimum temperature for February is 

 32.5; last year it was only 27.7. The months in which the 

 mean temperature was above average were: March, by 2.8 deg. ; 

 October, by 2.6 deg.; November, by 0.8 deg.; and December, 

 by 1.6 deg. — sum of excesses, 7.8 deg. The months in which 

 it was under average were: — January, 0.7 deg.; February, 

 4.1 deg.; May, 4.3 deg.; June, 1.6 deg.; July, 1.8 

 (leg.; August, 2.1 deg.; September, 0.4 deg. — sum of 

 deficiencies, 15 deg. Hence we may expect to find the mean 

 annual temperature to be not up to average, but decidedly below 

 it. The mean annual temperature during the last fifteen years 

 has ranged from 46 deg. in 1892 to 49.5 deg. in 1898. In 1902 

 it has only reached 46.3 deg., which is the lowest of the 15 

 except that of 1892, when it was 46 deg. The average annual 

 temperature is 47.7 deg. The month of April was not men- 

 tioned because it was exactly average. It was not an un- 

 favourable month for the season, but the month of May, on 

 which so much depends, was peculiarly unfavourable, with a 

 prevalence of cold northerly and easterly winds and a low 

 temperature, fully 4 deg. below the mean. The number of 

 days or nights in which the temperature fell to or below 32 

 deg. was in January 13, with an aggregate of 83.2 deg. of frost; 

 in February 14, with an aggregate of 171 deg. ; in March 5, with 

 an aggregate of 10. i deg.; in April 5, with an aggregate of 4.9 

 deg.; in May 3, with an aggregate of 2.3 deg.; October i, with 

 an aggregate of 1.4 deg.; in November 5, with 13.2 deg.; and 

 December 9, with an aggregate of 50.3 deg. ; being for the 

 whole year, 55 nights, with an aggregate of 336.5 deg. of frost. 



Rainfall. — The number of days on which o.oi in. or more 

 of rain or snow fell during the past year was 198 — rain, 191; 

 snow, 7. The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours was registered on 

 the 14th December, when it amounted to 1.03 in., and this 

 was the only day on which it reached or exceeded one inch. 

 The next heaviest was on the following day, when it was 0.95 

 in. The year, however, was singularly free from heavy rainfalls, 

 and the total amount for the year was very much short of the 

 average, being only 30.50 in., as compared with an average of 



