RAINFALL IN DORSET. I I I 



OBSERVERS' NOTES. 



MILTON-ON-STOUR. Great thunderstorm on i4th May. 



GILLINGHAM. An extraordinary thunderstorm on Sunday, 

 1 3th May, with continuous rain, also hail; wonderfully vivid 

 lightning and heavy thunder, almost incessant, during the whole 

 time of its continuance, 3 to 10 p.m. The whole of the rain 

 registered, 2'36in., fell during the above period. 



BUCKHORN WESTON. On Sunday, i3th May, this neigh- 

 bourhood was visited by the severest thunderstorm that was 

 known in the memory of the oldest, commencing almost 

 suddenly at 3.30 p m. and lasting without any cessation until 

 ii p.m. From 4 to 5.15 '86in. of rain fell, but there was no 

 damage of any kind in this parish, although the storm was 

 immediately overhead. Cows ran about, being greatly frightened 

 in the darkness, which was intensified by the extraordinary 

 lightning quite appalling. 



On nth March at 8 p.m. there was a most beautiful lunar 

 rainbow, very bright and distinct, which lasted about ten 

 minutes. Again on 8th October I saw another most magnifi- 

 cent lunar rainbow at 10*30 p.m., the whole arch quite perfect 

 and far exceeding the previous one of nth March, both in 

 brightness and the length of time it lasted. 



Some time in the month of June (I carelessly omitted to note 

 the day) I saw a most extraordinary phenomenon "the blue 

 moon" one so often hears of. It was about 7 p.m., the moon 

 being almost full. There was a good deal of thin mist driving 

 across the moon, and the moon, as seen through it, had a blue 

 tint quite as deep as the ordinary blue sky of the evening. The 

 mist passed away, and the moon appeared again in its usual 

 brightness, and after a while was again covered with mist and 

 renewed its blue appearance. 



This summer has been remarkable for its extreme want of sun, 

 during the hay-time especially, when the sun rarely came out 

 with its summer power until noon or later. I am speaking of 

 N. Dorset. I do not know if it has been the same elsewhere. 



