METKOROLOGIC.VL OB,-^EH\AT10N.S ON 1!EN NK\"IS. 



189 



This low minimum temperature occurred at the same time as the lowest 

 barometric reading of a small satellite cyclone passing over the British 

 Islands (see Daily Weather Reports). As the centre of the disturbance 

 advanced, temperature very rapidly fell, and thereafter rose steadily, but 

 more slowly than it had fallen, and the easterly winds acquired a little 

 southing. The wind was high throughout, attaining at 7 A.M. a velocity at 

 the rate of 43 miles an hour, accompanied by constant fog and showers 

 of snow. It is this type of weather, a temperature approaching zei'o, 

 near the point of saturation, and fog drifted onward with very high 

 wind, which is the most disagreeable and prejudicial to health of all 

 weather encountered at this high elevation. It may also be noted that 

 the dip in the temperature was coincident with the dip in the barometric 

 pressure. 



The registrations of the sunshine recorder on the top show 810 hours 

 out of a possible 4,470 hours, being 130 hours more than in 1893. This 

 equals 18 per cent, of the possible sunshine. The maximum was 126 

 liours in September, which is higher than any previously recorded Sep- 

 tember ; and the minimum 3 hours in January, being the lowest yet 

 recorded in this month. At Fort William the number for the year was 

 1,160 hours, being 95 hours in excess of the previous year. As the 

 number of hours of possible sunshine at Fort William is, owing to the 

 surrounding hills, only 3,497 hours, the sunshine of 1894 here was 33 per 

 cent, of the possible number. 



Table IY. — Lowest Ilygrometric Observations dimng each Month o/'1894. 



Of these lowest monthly humidities the lowest (9) occurred at 1 p.m. ou 

 February 1 4, at which hour the dew-point was — 27-6° and the elastic force 

 0-010 inch. The previous month (January) presents a striking contrast to 

 this, the lowest humidity being no lower than 57. It is also to be noted 

 that during the eight months from April to November the dew-point on 

 no occasion fell to zero. 



At the top the percentage of cloud covering the sky was 81, being 3. 

 less than the average of previous years. The variation during the months^ 

 was great, being above 90 per cent, in January, February, and November ; 

 while, on the other hand, the minimum was 58 per cent, in September and 

 69 per cent, in October. At Fort William (he annual mean was 72 per 

 cent., the maximum being 84 per cent, in November, and the minimum 

 54 per cent, in March. 



The mean rainband (scale 0-8) observations at the top was 2-0 for the 

 year, the maximum being 2^7 in February and the minimum 1-5 in Sep- 

 tember, when the weather was eminently anticyclonic. At Fort William 

 the means were for the year 4-0, the maximum 5^3 in July, and the mini- 

 mum 3'0 in January and December. 



