Chap. II.] CLIMATE. 63 



Colombo are often driven from their anchorage and 

 stranded on the beach. 



July resembles, to a great extent, the month which 



Wind S.W. precedes it, except that, in all parti- 



Temperature, 24 hours: culars, the season is more moderate. 



Mean greatest . 84'8° , i r» ^ • 



Mean least . . 74-9° sliowcrs are Icss ircqucnt, there is 



Rain (inches) . . 34 j^gg ^^.-^^^i^ ^^-^^ ^^^^ absolutC heat. 



August. — In August the weather is charming, not- 

 ^jjj^ g ^y witlistanding a shght increase of heat. 



Temperature, 24 hours: owinc; to diminished evaporation ; and 



Mean Teatest . 84 9° . . 



Mean feast . '. 1A-1° tllC SUU being UOW OU itS rctUHl tO tllC 



Ram (mches) . . 2 8 equator, its powcr is felt in greater 

 force on full exposure to its influence. 



September. — The same atmospheric condition con- 

 wind s w tinues throughout September, but to- 



Temperature, 24 hours: wards its closc the sca-brccze bccomcs 



Mean greatest . 84-9° , , i i i i • , i 



Mean least . . 74-8° Unstcacly aUCl ClOUClS begUl to col- 

 Ram (mches) . . 5-2 \qq{^^ Symptomatic of the approacliing 

 change to the north-east monsoon. The nights are 

 always clear and dehghtfuQy cool. Eain is sometimes 

 abundant. 



October is more unsettled, the wind veering towards 

 Wind S.W. and N.E. ^^^^ uorth, witli pretty frequent rain ; 



Temperature, 24 hours :^ and aS tllC SUU is UOW far tO 



Mean lea*st . *. 73-3° tllC SOUtllWard, tllC llCat COUtinUCS tO 

 Rain (inches) . . 11-2 dcclinC 



November sees the close of the south-west monsoon, 

 Wind N E ^^^^ ^^^ arrival of the north-eastern. 



Temperature, 24 hours: Ii;i^ the Carlv part of tllC mOllth the 

 Mean greatest . 86-3° • -i • • , ^ ■ , c ,^ 



Mean least . . 71-5° Wind visits nearly every point 01 the 

 Ram (mches) . . 10-7 compass, but sliows a marked predi- 

 lection for the nortli, generally veering from N.E. at 

 night and early morning, to N.W. at noon ; calms are 

 frequent and precede gentle showers, and clouds form 

 round the lower range of hills. By degrees as the sun 

 advances in its southern dechnation, and warms the 

 lower half of the great African continent, the current 

 of heated air ascending from the equatorial belt leaves 



