THE CLIMATE OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 61 



another site. For guidance in completing the present map twenty stations 

 situated outside the boundaries of the county have been used. 



The rainfall over the county is comparatively slight, ranging from 

 22 inches to 30 inches per aimum. In general the amount decreases from 

 west to east, i.e. from the high ground along the borders of Derbyshire 

 to the lowlands of the Trent. The greatest amount, i.e. over 30 inches, 

 is found upon the small stretch of high ground reaching to 600 feet be- 

 tween Sutton-in-Ashfield and the Derbyshire border, while the highest 

 mean total is that recorded for Hardwick Hall (31.8 inches) which lies 

 just beyond the county boundary. There is, moreover, a very gradual 

 transition from the moister to the drier parts of the county. Relief 

 features naturally influence the amount of rainfall and provide some 

 noteworthy local differences. Thus the high ground at Redhill and 

 Dorket Head (500 ft.) lying to the north of the city receive nearly two 

 inches more per annum than the surrounding district. Mapperley, a 

 part of Nottingham rising to over 400 ft., receives one inch more than the 

 neighbouring quarters of the city which are less elevated. Especially 

 marked is the Belvoir Castle ridge, lying outside the county to the south- 

 east, which is indicated on the rainfall map by the enclosed 25 inch isohyet. 

 Similarly the larger valleys are somewhat drier. An important feature 

 of the map is the long tongue of relatively dry territory, not shown on 

 previous rainfall maps of Nottinghamshire, following the Trent valley 

 and traced out by the 23 inch isohyet. This is explained by the general 

 flatness of the vale in contrast to the more broken and elevated country 

 out of which it has been carved. Locally within this tongue are small 

 areas with a mean annual figm-e of under 22 inches. Such are Lowdham 

 (21.4 inches), the lowest figure for the county, and Sutton Bonington. 

 near which is the Midland Agricultural College (21.7 inches). 



The map further indicates that from the well-watered uplands near the 

 western border rise the streams which feed the chief rivers draining to 

 the Trent. The Erewash and Leen together with the headstreams of the 

 Idle all commence in territory over which there is an average rainfall of 

 more than 27 inches. 



Nottinghamshire then, with the greater part of its surface receiving 

 less than 25 inches of rain per annum, forms part of the relatively dry 

 region of eastern England, though it should not be described as lying 

 within the ' rainshadow ' of the Pennines. For purposes of comparison 

 the following is a selection of mean annual rainfall totals for stations in 

 other centres of the East Midlands: — 



These centres, aU of which are comparatively low-lying, show a marked 

 similarity in their respective totals. 



