394 METEOROLOGICAL REPORT, 1869, 



Ajnil. — 



"A cold and moist April fills the cellar and fattens the coav." 



— Portuguese Proverb. 

 " A sunshiny shower never lasts half an hour." 



— Bedfordshire Proverb. 



Greenwich. — On the 6th of April a period of warm weather 

 set in and extended to April 29th. The mean daily excess of 

 temperature for those twenty-four days was 5J°. On the 30th 

 of April a period of warm and cold days alternated, till well 

 into May, but the colder predominated, as the temperature was 

 nearly 0-6° below the average daily. 



The mean temperature of April was 50*3°, being 4-3° higher 

 than the average of 98 years, higher than the corresponding tem- 

 peratures in 1866, 1867, and 1868, when 47-9°, 49°, and 48-1° 

 respectively were recorded, but lower than in 1865 b}^ 2°. 



There have been only four instances of warmer Aprils, viz., 

 1779, 1821, 1844, and 1865. 



The daily range of temperature was 1*4° greater than the 

 average. 



The readings of the barometer, at the height of 160 feet above 

 the mean level of the sea, were generally above the average 

 during April, the only departure worth notice being from the 

 15th to the 17th, when a depression took place to 29'06 inches. 

 From the 21st to the end of the month high readings were pre- 

 valent, the mean amount of excess above the average for this 

 period being as much as 0*24 inch. 



The thunderstorm of April 14th extended over Lancashire, 

 Staffordshire, Yorkshire, Cumberland, and as far north as Aber- 

 deenshire ; indeed, all over the country north of 52°. A storm 

 was also noted at Worthing, in Sussex. 



North Sunderland. — Eemarkably warm and still month. 



Wallington. — A wintry month for the most part. The frosts 

 at night were very destructive to the fruit blossoms, especially 

 pears, apricots, plums, and cherries on walls. On April 1st and 

 8th. 11° of frost Avere registered ; on the 9th, 12° ; on the 3rd 



