METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON BEN NEVlS. 59 



was a very dry one, whilst at the top the amount of precipitation was 

 practically equal to the average. The monthly amounts at the top, 

 however, showed some notable irregularities. Thus January was a very 

 wet month, with a rainfall about 8 inches above the mean, whilst the 

 following month had a deficiency of about 9 inches, and was the second 

 driest February on record. Again, the rainfall of May was more than 

 twice the normal, being the largest total for that month during the 

 series of observations ; whilst, on the other hand, the rainfall for 

 November was the smallest amount yet recorded for that month, being 

 only a little more than half the average. At the top of the mountain, 

 the greatest fall recorded in a single day was 5*92 inches on May 27, the 

 corresponding fall at Fort William being 1"83 inch ; whilst the maximum 

 daily amount at Fort William was 1'99 inch, on January 19, the fall at 

 the top on that day being 2'12 inches. 



At the top of Ben Nevis the number of rainy days was 269, and at 

 Fort William 248, the corresponding numbers for 1901 being 259 and 

 235. A feature of the weather of the year over the country generally was 

 that, though the rainfall was much below the normal, there were more 

 than the average number of rainy days. Thus, at Fort William the rain- 

 fall for the year was 16 per cent, below the normal, and yet there were 

 15 more than the average number of days of rain. At the top the 

 number of rainy days was 8 above the average. In each of the months 

 of February, March, and April, the number of rainy days was one more 

 at the foot than at the top of the mountain, the greatest number of rainy 

 days in a month at either station being 29 in March at Fort William, 

 and the least, 13, in February on Ben Nevis. During the year the num- 

 ber of days on which 1 inch or more fell at the top was 49, whereas at 

 Fort William the number of such days was only 9. The corresponding 

 numbers for 1901 were 54 and 10. 



The sunshine recorder on Ben Nevis registered 601 hours out of a 

 possible of 4,473 hours, or 13'5 per cent, of the possible sunshine, being 

 146 hours below the average of 19 years. So little sunshine has not been 

 recorded since 1890, when the annual amount was 590 hours. June was 

 the sunniest month of the year, with 131 hours, being 4 more than the 

 average and 25 per cent, of the possible. The amount for May was only 

 45 hours, being no less than 75 hours below the mean and the least re- 

 corded in that month since 1885. At Fort William the annual amount 

 was 1,030 hours, being the smallest total in 12 years and 103 hours below 

 the average for that period. May and November differed most from their 

 averages, being respectively 40 and 43 hours below the normal for these 

 months. 



At the Ben Nevis Observatory the mean percentage of cloud was 86, 

 and at Fort William 76, both a little above the average. At the top, May 

 and August were the cloudiest months, each with 93 per cent. No month 

 at either place had a very low cloud amount, whereas in May 1901 the 

 amounts at top and bottom respectively were 56 and 52 per cent. 



Auroras were observed on February 7 ; December 22, 23. 



St. Elmo's Fire:— March 12; April 13; May 4, 5; October 30 ; 

 December 25, 28. 



Zodiacal Light : — Not observed during the year. 



Thunder and Lightning : — June 25 ; December 28. 



Lightning only : — January 3, 4. 



Solar Halos :— February 18 ; March 16, 24 ; April 29 (with Mock 

 Suns) ; May 10, 16, 21 ; July 21 ; September 19 ; October 12, 28. 



