11 



In Jannavy, an anticyclone of a very marked character overspread 

 Europe. On the 10th, the centre of highest pressure was over 

 Eastern France and Switzerland, and rose to 30'512. On the 

 11th, the area of high pressure increased and extended eastward, 

 retreating next day to the position it had occupied on the 10th ; 

 it then advanced eastward, till on the 15th at Lemburg, the read- 

 ing was 31 "004 inches ; it then retreated again a little westward. 

 At Wilna, on the 16th the pressure rose to 31-071, unquestionably 

 one of the highest readings recorded. On the 17th at Berne, the 

 pressure was 31-012. On the 18th it had retreated to the west- 

 ward, so that the southern parts of England and Ireland were 

 covered by it, the pressure being all but 31-000. On the three 

 following days the anticyclone retained very much the same 

 position, but the pressure in the centre fell successively to 30-093 

 inches at Oxford, 30-079 inches at Nottingham, and 30-176 inches 

 at Isle of Wight. From the 11th to the 17th in London, the 

 temperature was high. Mild warm southerly winds prevailed, 

 resembling bright September weather ; the mean temperature of 

 the Metropolis being 5-6 deg. above the average. But as the 

 anticlyclonic centre retreated towards England, the southerly 

 winds gave way — the temperature fell and the fogs began to 

 prevail, so that on the 18th and 19th it was 5-8 deg. below the 

 normal. The highest barometric reading in the British Islands 

 noted was 30-970, at 8 a.m. on the 18th, at Oxford. Probably 

 the highest ever recorded in the British Isles, was at Gordon 

 Castle, Banffshire, where 3r046 was registered at 11 p.m., on 

 January 8th, 1820. The reading yesterday was 30-75, and this 

 morning 30-7 nearly. All must have been physically conscious 

 of these abnormal barometric conditions, in many of us producing 

 great disinclination to active bodily exercise, and in some mental 

 depression of a marked character. It will be interesting to 

 observe the effect of this unusual weather on animal life during 

 the approaching spring. 



Towards the end of the month of January, dense fogs 

 prevailed all along the southern parts of England, and specially 

 in the valley of the Thames and its tributaries. The fog of 

 the afternoon and evening of February 4th, was of peculiar 

 density — objects being invisible at the distance of only three or 

 four feet, while the trains travelled so slowly, that in some cases 

 it took nearly six hours to reach Blackheath from London. 



