IX. — The Twin Storms of January, 1867. — % Nicholas Whitley, 



one, of the Honorary Secretaries of the Royal Institution of Cornwall. 



THE two Storms "which fell with such severity on the western 

 part of the English Channel in January last, had so many 

 points in common, displayed such peculiar variations in the direc- 

 tion and force of the wind, and were accompanied by such ex- 

 treme gradations of cold and heat ; and each of these separate 

 features was so fully developed; that they appear to offer, in 

 unusual completeness, an important subject for investigation. I 

 have undertaken this task, in the hope that thereby some know- 

 ledge may be obtained concerning the origin of such Storms, and 

 some inferences drawn which may tend to give us earlier intima- 

 tion of their approach than has hitherto been attainable, and may 

 also, perhaps, enable us somewhat to guard against their lamentable 

 effects. 



The History. The new year dawned in perfect calm ; on the 

 1st of January, about noon, a little snow fell; on the 2nd, during 

 a north wind, it descended in large flakes ; and on the 3rd the 

 whole country was covered with snow, to an average depth of 

 about six inches. The air in general was still, the weather clear 

 and fine, and the frost intense. The minimum of the thermometer 

 in London was 5°, and at many places in the eastern counties it 

 fell below zero. But the cold was less severe in Cornwall : the 

 lowest which I registered for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, being 26°, 

 26°, and 28°, respectively.' The north wind of the 2nd shifted on 

 the 3rd to E.N.E. ; which on the 4th veered to East, and towards 

 night freshened into a strong gale with sudden squalls, which con- 

 tinued to increase in force until early morning, when it was inten- 

 sified into a furious storm from south-east. This storm of terrific 

 wind and heavy rain raged throughout the whole of the 5th until 

 about 11 p.m., when there was a rapid lull in the wind, and in a 

 few hours it fell nearly calm. 



At Portland the gale was accompanied by a tremendous sea, 

 the like of which had not been experienced for many years. The 

 force of the wind was equally great at Weymouth ; and Penzance, 



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