METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON BEN NEVIS. 221 



barometric observation hitherto made occurred, that observation being 

 27-333 inches, thus giving the range of 3"775 inches, a range which future 

 observation is not likely to increase. The weather at the time was strongly 

 anticyclonic, as the subjoined extracts from the Observatories show : — 



Table II. 



Top of Fort 



Ben Nevis. William. 



Dry bulb 290 26-7 



Wet ditto 21-3 2G-4 



Cloud 10 



Wind ENE2 



Sunshine, to 10 60min. none 



The differences from the mean monthly pressures greatly exceeded the 

 average in January, February, May, July, August, and November, those 

 for January and May being greater than any that had occurred for the 

 previous forty years, and in these months accordingly relatively high 

 temperatures ruled on the top of Ben Nevis. 



The following Table shows the deviations from the mean temperatures 

 of the months from the respective averages : — 



Table III. 



Fort Top of 



William. Ben Nevis. 



January 2*6 44 



February 4-1 42 



March 1-4 1.4 



April 1-3 1-9 



May 41 56 



June M 21 



July -0-2 0-2 



August -0-9 -1-2 



September 04 -09 



October -4-1 -4-3 



November —0-4 1-9 



December -0-5 0-2 



Year 09 10 



Thus it is seen the temperature at the top of Ben Nevis was relatively 

 much higher than at Fort William in January, May, and November, when 

 well developed anticyclones were of most frequent occurrence. 



During the first half of the year temperature was above the average 

 at both Observatories, the mean excess at Fort William being 2°"4 and at 

 the top of Ben Nevis 3° -3. On the other hand, during the second half of 

 the year the mean temperature was 1°'0 under the normal at Fort 

 William, and 0°-8 at the top of Ben Nevis. The two extreme months 

 were February, when mean temperature was fully 4°'0 above the normal, 

 and October, when it was fully 4°0 under it at the two Observatories. 



The absolutely highest temperature recorded during the year was 79°-9, 

 on June 14 at Fort William, and 61 °3, also on June 14, at the top of Ben 

 Nevis. The absolutely lowest temperature was 22°*0 on December 18 at 

 Fort William, and at the top 14°'2 on January 23. The minimum 

 temperatures are exceptionally high for both places. At the top of the 



