AUGUST WEATHER. 



The anticipations of rough, stormy weather at the 

 commencement of this month were fully realised, the 

 prevailing weather being wet and stormy, with severe 

 gales from N.W. and S.W. The first four days were 

 wet and stormy from N.W., 1*35 inches of rain 

 falling in 24 hoiirs, from 2 p.m. on 4th. On the next 

 day snow storms set in from the S.W., and the maxi- 

 mum in shade that had been up to 64° on the 2nd, was 

 only 48° on the 5th. The 6th and 7th were fine, and 

 on the 8th there was a hard frost, the terrestrial 

 radiation being down to 23° with a falling barometer 

 and a great deal of thunder and lightning in the 

 evening. Stormy showers with lightning in W. were 

 the rule till the 14th, when the barometer fell to 29*32 

 inches, and, after a heavy fall of '46 inch of rain ia 

 the afternoon, it cleared up somewhat, and there were 

 fine, clear days and frosty nights, with the exception 

 of a shower on the night of the 18th, till 22nd, when 

 the barometer again went down, and S.W. storms set 

 in, with plenty of snow on the hills, till the 26th, 

 when it veered round for awhile to N.W., but was 

 back again next^ day to S.W., and on 28th westerly 

 weather and a rising glass brought in fine weather tiU 

 the end of the month. 



Rain fell on 20 days to the large amount of 4*36 

 inches, being the highest register for August in four 

 years, and was only exceeded in three months during 

 that period, viz. : in November, 1874, when there were 

 5*35 mches ; December, 1875, 5*91 inches ; and No- 

 vember. 1876, 4*52 inches ; making up a total since the 

 beginning of the year of 14*97 inches to 12*04 inches in 

 1876, 13*46 in 1875, and 12*48 in 1874, the rainfaU for 

 August in those years being 2*17 in., 1*93 in. and 1*79 

 inches. 



The evaporation was only 1*86 inches, whereas last 

 year it was 2*45 inches. 



The mean temperature, 46*46°, is about the average 

 for August, and so is the Terrestrial radiation, 31*72°!, 

 while the Solar intensity, 110*90°, is 5° higher. 



The wet character of the month will no doubt retard 

 the spring growth, and be very injurious to crops in 

 stiff, low-lying, and ill-drained lands, yet it will be 

 of great assistance to the grasses and late crops, by 

 enabling them to withstand the dryness of our sxmimer 

 weather, and judging from the dry windy weather that 

 has already set in, they will need all the moisture they 

 have, and a great deal more befere many months. 

 W. E. Shoobridgk, 



oth September, 1877. Bushy Park. 



