THE WEATHER OF 1886 continukd. 



(29"96) by 278 inches. The great fall of 176 inches on May 13th is unequalled since 

 1877. I'recedetl as it was on the previous day by a fall of 1-2 inches, it caused, as our 

 members will remember, a flood, the height of which equalled that of the historic one 

 of July, 1875. 



The low reading of the barometer on the 8th December is unprecedented during the 

 period that observations have been recorded in Burton, and it will be noticed from ihu 

 following table — a summary of observations of the year — that during the same month 

 (he mercury also registered a height of 30'6l inches, a range of no less than 2'6o inches. 



The following are a few notes on the weather of the in dividual months: — 



January opened with warm weather, but closed with cold, the temperature in the 

 day scarcely rising above freezing point during the last fortnight. 



February was dull and very cold, and had no less than twenty-five frosts. 



March opened with extremely severe weather — cold east winds, and vuiy sharp 

 frosts. On the 19th it turned very warm, and continued so to the end. 



The first fifteen days of April were stormy, and during the remainder cold N.E. 

 winds prevailed, except for a spell of summer-like weather from the 23rd to the 27th. 



With the exception of the first eight days the whole of May was abnormally wet. 

 Details will be found in the table. The Trent was in high flood from the 13th to the 

 i6th. 



Ju.NE on the whole was warm, the last few days being especially so. The rainfiiU 

 was small, and concentrated on a few days. 



The first few days of July were hot, but during the remainder of the month the tem- 

 perature did not rise much above a temperate degree. 



August was fine and warm, the last six days being hot. The rainfall was low. 



September opened and ended with wet weather, with a s]iell of warm and fine 

 between. 



October, with the exception of a few days towards the end, when a cold east wind 

 was blowing, was warm and damp; stormy from 12th to 20th. It was during the early 

 part of this month that the plague of gnats — as it might almost be called — occurred. 



November was characterized by dull, damp, misty weather almost throughout. 



December was a month of storm varied with cairn, of frost varied witli thaw. 

 Gales blew from the W. on the 7th, 9th, and on the 22nd, 24th, and 28th. ."-inow fell 

 on six occasions, but only once in any quantity. Very low temperatures were recorded, 

 and skating took ])lace during the greater part of the month. 



J.G.W. 



