WINDS. 163 



to S.S.E., which is the longest line that can be drawn from York 

 over colder land; and the warmest wind from a point nearly 

 S.W. j or in other words in the shortest line over land that can be 

 drawn from York to the warm basin of the Atlantic. 



Generally speaking, especially at the commencement of winter, 

 the snow arrives at York from the N.N.W. ; but in seasons when 

 winter falls on France and Germany with uncommon severity, 

 extreme colds are sometimes accompanied by southerly or south- 

 westerly winds. In ordinary seasons these are productive of 

 rain, and obscure weather; the west wind is frequently fresh, 

 delightful, and invigorating, with a clear sunny sky. 



It is in the colder half of the year, especially in January, 

 February and March, that the superior temperature imparted by 

 the S.W. and W. winds is most manifest ; in July, August, and 

 September, the east wind gives rather the highest temperatures, 

 a circumstance possibly attributable to the greater amount of 

 unclouded sunshine which that dry wind allows. 



From a long series of observations with the old-fashioned oat- 

 beard hygrometer, made at Brandsby, ten miles due north of 

 York, by Francis Cholmeley, Esq., I extract (in sequence) the 

 following results to indicate the comparative dampness of each 

 wind at that place, as it would affect the senses, or manifest 

 itself on organic tissues. 



N. N.E. E. S.E. S. S.W. W. N.W. 



48-54- 54-43 5275 6271+ 62'30 54'26 54-39 51'56 



In this series the driest wind is from the north, or rather a 

 little west of north, while the dampest winds are from the south 

 and S.S.E. ; the former being the direction of the longest tract 

 of land, and the coldest region, which consequently sends forth 

 air to grow warm and gather more moisture; the latter yielding 

 warmer currents, which have traversed a surface of water and 

 arrive to deposit moisture. The S.W. winds might have been 

 expected to show most dampness; but they have already dis- 



M2 



