168 REPORT—1896. 
season prevailed—in other words, it was decidedly cyclonic—and conse- 
quently at both Observatories the lowering of the temperature below the 
average was substantially the same. But in February it was quite other- 
wise, the weather of this month being eminently anticyclonic. Hence, 
on account of the higher temperature at the top accompanying the. anti- 
cyclones, the mean temperature of the month was only 4°-’7 under the 
average, but at Fort William the mean temperature was 7°°6 under the 
average. This effect of the prevailing anticyclones is also well seen in 
the difference of the mean temperature at the two Observatories. From 
the past observations the mean difference in February is 15°-1, whereas 
in February 1895 the difference was only 12°°2. 
Similarly striking contrasts were shown in the weather of the summer 
months at the two Observatories. The following indicates the departures. 
from the mean temperatures from June to September :— 
Tase III. 
Mean Temperature. | Departures from Means. 
June | July | Aug. | Sept. || June July Aug. | Sept. 
ae £ : ae | ae ey in 
een eo io 
ian Or. eer | 6 ° ° ) ° 
Fort William Observ.| 55-4: | 55°4 | 569 | 566. ||) +O1L | —1l4 | —O4 | +34 
Ben Nevis Observ, | 399 | 382 | 412 | 43:3 | +10 | -21 | +13 | +54 
Of these four summer months it was in July when anticyclones prevailed 
least, and it is seen that at the top of the mountain, as compared with 
Fort William, the mean temperature was relatively the lowest of the 
months ; notwithstanding, the difference between the mean temperatures of 
the two Observatories exceeded the average. But in September these 
conditions were all reversed. In this month the weather was strongly 
anticyclonic. Consequently, while at Fort William the mean temperature 
exceeded the average by 3°°4, the excess at the top of the mountain was 
5°-4; and while the mean difference between the top and bottom of the 
mountain has been 15°:3, in September 1895 it was only 13°-3. 
In September the minimum temperature at the top of the Ben was 
30°°3, which is the highest minimum yet recorded for any September; 
thus further evidencing the anticyclonic influence on the weather at this 
high elevation in constantly maintaining a relatively higher temperature. 
Table IV. shows the deviations from the mean temperatures of the 
months from their respective averages :— 
TABLE LV. 
Fort Top of 
William. Ben Nevis. 
) G 
January . : 5 : : : : . —61 —63 
February . ; 5 2 : - : . —76 —47 
March . 5 F 3 A é 4 , 3), iO 1:0 
April . : E : 5 : 5 = oe cD: 21 
May . ; : : : : 3 4 ee is. 35 
June. ; . = é : : ee a 1:0 
Juiy : A : : 3 : : . —14 —2-1 
August - : 3 : : 5 oe OF: 13 
September . : : 5 . 3 SE 54 
October ; : a : : : ‘ . —31 —41 
November . : : : x . 4 . —0O1 03 
December . A : : 2 t ; ee —2:0 
Year, : 5 : —OU —0T 
