16 



METEOEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 



As regards years of exceptional rainfall, either low or high, 

 the records show five years in which the rainfall was less than 

 21 inches — the lowest was 18-56 in 1864 — and three years in 

 which it was more than 35 inches — the highest recorded being 

 38-69 inches in 1903. More prolonged periods of wet occurred 

 in 1875 and 1876, and in 1879 and 1880, when 69-34 and 70-0 

 inches fell in two consecutive years. The nine-year period, 

 1875 to 1883 inclusive, was an exceptionally wet one, each 



Ram 

 Inches 



Jan. Feb. Mar. April May June July Au_ 



Fig. 1.— Rainfall : Average of 51 years (1853-1903). 



Sun.shine : Average of 11 years (1892, 1893, and 1895-1903). 

 Mean Temperature : Average of 26 years (1878-1903). 



individual year giving a fail of more than 30 inches, and 

 averaging 33-54 inches over the nine years. Exceptional 

 periods of drought extending over two years are less frequent, 

 and the lowest averages of two consecutive years are 21-7 in 

 1863 and 1864, 221 in 1901 and 1902, and 23-2 in 1870 and 

 1871. The longest consecutive period of years showing under 

 average rainfall was the five years 1867-1871, when the falls 

 ranged from 21-3 to 26-9 inches, and averaged over the five 

 years 24-84 inches. 



In Fig. 1 curves are set out showing the average rainfall, 



