58 



UEPORT— 1903. 



The deviations of the mean temperatures of the months from their 

 averaiL'es are shown in Table II. : — 



Table II. 



Januar}'- 



Februar3' 



I^iarch 



April 



May 



June 



The most remarkable feature of the year as regards temperature was 

 the continued deficiency from April to August. At both Observatories 

 the mean temperature of May was only fractionally above that of April, 

 whilst at the top the mean of the month was fully 10° below that of 

 May 1901. The differences for November are curious. At Fort William, 

 as over Scotland generally, the mean of the month was greatly above the 

 average, whilst at the top there was a comparatively small excess, the 

 main features of the weather there being a very low rainfall, little sun- 

 shine, and an atmosphere almost continuously saturated. The month 

 was characterised by a great excess of strong winds from E. and S.E., and 

 the weather was chiefly of the cyclonic type. The absolutely highest 

 temperature for the year at Fort William was 80°'0 on June 29, and at 

 the top 66°-4 on June 28 ; the lowest at Fort William being 12°-4 or 

 January 30, and at the top 6°-6 on January 26. 



In Table III. are given for each month the lowest observed hygro- 

 metric readings at the top of Ben Nevis (reduced by means of Glaisher's 

 Tables) :— 



Table III. 



Of these relative humidities, the lowest, 8 per cent., occurred on 

 March 28, with a dew-point of -27°'2, that being the lowest dew-point for 

 the year. The minimum humidity for August is unusually high. During 

 that month the atmosphere was continuously saturated on tifteen days, 

 rainfall and sunshine being both deficient. November was a remarkable 

 month, from the 1st to the 13th and from the 23rd to the 30th being 

 periods of uninterrupted saturation, whilst on only five days was the 

 Observatory not continuously enveloped in mist. 



The rainfall for the year at the top was 157"10 inches, or 057 inch 

 below the mean of 18 years ; whilst the annual amount at Fort William 

 was 64"32 inches, or 12'35 inches below the average for the same period. 

 Thus, at the foot of the mountain, as over Scotland generally, the year 



