IjO RAINFALL IN DORSET. 



POSITION AND SIZE OF THE NEW GAUGES, &c. 



After a series of years mostly dry, the rain in 15 of the 

 previous 20 having been deficient, the present has proved wetter 

 than any since 1872. Taking the county as a whole, the rainfall, 

 with very few exceptions, has only been exceeded thrice in the 

 last 55 years namely, in 1848 when the Dorset record began, 

 in 1852, and in 1872. 



The ratio to the average, deduced from the twenty-four 

 corresponding stations in the Table of Rainfall Constants 

 (Appendix to the Report for 1898), is 1277. At Bridport it was 

 1377, Dorchester Waterworks 137*5, Holwell 135*5; declining 

 to izo'8 at Fleet House, 116-4 Weymouth, and 113*5 at Wyke 

 Regis. If the comparison be restricted to the five stations in 

 the Table of Constants with the longest record, averaging 

 twenty-seven years, it comes out to 129-2. 



Falls above 50 inches occurred at Cattistock 52-o2in., 

 Broad Windsor, Blackdown 51-77111., Melbury 51-34^1., and 

 Broad Windsor Vicarage 51*32. The smallest falls were at 

 Portland High Light 31-55^., Weymouth 33-07111., Kimmeridge, 

 Smedmore 34-68^1., Fleet House 34'88in., and Wyke Regis 

 34'9oin. 



At Weymouth and Wyke, and to a small extent Steepleton, 

 1894 was a wetter year than the present. 



The days having the largest rainfall were the 1 2th of December 

 with an average of ruin., July 25th roSin., August 23rd -96111., 

 October nth -89111., August nth -giin., April 25th 76in., 

 April 28th and May 28th -69^. each. The most copious fall in 



