RAINFALL IN DORSET. 



211 



The approximate elevation of the receiving surfaces of the 

 gauges above the ground and their height above sea-level is given 

 in Table II. ; also the depth of rain in the year, the difference 

 from the average and ratio to the average, the days of rain 

 Olin. and more, days with 'Olin. only, days with at least lin., and 

 finally the greatest depth of rain in one day with the date. 



At none of the Dorset stations did the total rainfall reach lin. 

 in February, May, and September ; and only twice since the 

 commencement of observations in 1848 has the monthly rainfall 

 been less than in February or under *10in. In 1865 September was 

 rainless. Of the 12 gauges then at work the returns from 7 were 

 00. The water collected in the other 5 was the product of either 

 dew or mist. In February 1891 there were 34 gauges at work. 

 Fogs were prevalent, and there was slight rain on the 14th of 

 the month : but no rain was recorded by 12 of the observers; 

 and in February 1895 the schedules of 5 of the 37 are with- 

 out an entry of rain, yet in view of the great differences under 

 the head of days of rain of '01 in. only (Table II.) it is almost 

 certain that in many cases slight falls of rain and snow have not 

 been registered. 



The subjoined comparison for the three months shows that the 

 drought was most severe in September, 1865 : 



In May the country suffered greatly from drought. There was a 

 complete absence of rain in the 28 days ending the 29th at 24 of 

 the stations in the central and western districts. The little rain 

 that fell in the interval at the remaining 13 stations was practically 

 confined to the east. The average number of rainy days this 

 month was 2 -7. 



