21 
beginning of an average December. Shade temperature above 55 0° four 
times; below 35'0° nine times; highest 60°5°; lowest 190°. Severe gale 
from W. on 9th; moderate gale from N.W. on 8th. Rainfall deficient by 
three-quarters-of-an-inch. Fog on four days. Prevailing winds north-westerly. 
Snow fell on two days. Hoar frost on three days. 
DECEMBER. —A very cold, calm, dull, dry, foggy month. Snow fell on 
the 9th, but was gone on the morning of the 1oth, when it rained. Severe 
fog on three days, especially on the 22nd and 23rd. Frost on the ground on 
24 nights. Maximum shade temperature only exceeded 50’0° on nine days, 
and minimum fell to 300° on nine days. Wind rose to the force of a gale on 
the 3oth, from the N.W.; strong W.S.W. wind on the 17th. Rainfall 
deficient, both in amount and number of days on which it fell. Bright sun- 
shine slightly below the average ; 16 days without any. 
As the tables give the meteorological elements for the year 1904 only, 
it is desirable to add a comparison of the winter and spring months of the 
present year in brief, 
SHADE TEMPERATURE, AND DIFFERENCE 
FROM AVERAGE. 
December .. ey 395° Om March ae we 4512-278 
January a ee 39°89-+1°2° April.. . 
February... Ore Cai oa | May .. te 
Mean ve +» 40°6°- 1°29 Mean - 
Winter of 1904-5. | Spring of 1905. 
THE WINTER MontHS.— December—almost normal in temperature, but 
deficient in rainfall. Yanuary—dry and windy, mild and sunny; first two 
weeks very fine; last two cold, with excessively keen winds. ebruary— 
very mild, 2°6° above the average. This is the sixth consecutive month with 
a shortage of rain, the deficiency amounting in all to five inches for the six 
months. An “open” winter; mild, dry, and dull. 
THE SPRING Montus — March—unpleasantly wet, breaking in upon 
the long series of dry months, but only reducing the deficiency by about 
three-quarters-of-an-inch. 4frz/—a very cold and comparatively dry month 
in the amount of the rainfall, with a prevalence of bitterly cold easterly winds. 
May—another dry month, but normal in temperature; very high pressure, 
and prevalence of easterly winds. A cold, dry, backward spring for the last 
two months, in contrast to the wet, mild March. 
NOTEWORTHY PHENOMENA OF 1904. 
Greatest atmospheric pressure .,...... seeee «++ 30°777 in., 22nd January 
Least 5 4 dese vcsecevccess) 26°775 im, Oth February 
Prottest day in Shade ..64. 8s cwiyees ves eee aces 82-6 degrs., 11th July 
Coldest night in shade ........ -.....05 veces 19'0 degrs., 27th December 
Greatest range of temperature in 24 hours ..., 33°7 degrs., 27th September 
Least a re Fr sees 2°2 degrs., 26th February 
Hottest day in Sum 5 .cs0. sie cons veer en +... 126°0 degrs., 6th August 
Coldest night on ground ..... Sannoce sadance 12°5 degrs., 26th February 
Greatest excess of open air temperature over shade temperature, 57-6 degrs., 
30th April 
