Ethnological Sketch of the Angmagsalik Eskirrio. 17 



conditions and of the heavy drift-ice off the coast, I am indebted 

 to the Director of the Meteorological Institute, Captain C. Ryder. 



The sea off Angmagsalik, the Danmark Strait, is, as we know, 

 one of the paths for the numerous storm centres which move in a 

 north-easterly directioa from the western part of the Atlantic. As 

 a consequence of this, the barometer at Angmagsalik is subjected 

 to great and sudden changes, and during the years in which ob- 

 servations have been taken has varied between 708.8 mm and 

 789.4 mm. Changes of over 20 mm in 24 hours occur frequently. 



Frequent and violent storms might be expected as a conse- 

 quence of these great and frequent changes in the atmospherical 

 pressure. Unfortunately, however, the trading-place where the 

 observations are taken is not favourably situated for wind observa- 

 tions, as it lies surrounded by high mountains on nearly all sides, 

 and to this circumstance is partly due the high percentage of "calm" 

 viz. 56 for the whole year, shown in the table. This figure would 

 certainly be somewhat lower, if the observations had been made 

 on a less sheltered spot further out by the coast. Thus for the six 

 months' observations from the "Konebaads-Expedition" the percentage 

 for "calm" is only 6, and during the same period of time "storm" 

 was registered on an average 9 days in the month. But it was 

 certainly an unusually rough winter. The velocity of the wind can 

 be very great in storms, over 30 metres per second, but as a general 

 rule there is only a light breeze. In the summer months southerly 

 winds prevail, in the autumn and winter, on the other hand, nor- 

 therly winds; the latter, however, are often succeeded by easterly 

 and westerly winds. 



The mean temperature of the air is in the months May to 

 September above freezing-point, highest in July, viz. 6°"2 C. In 

 the other 7 months the mean temperature is negative. February is 

 coldest, — 10°-8. In all the months of the year both frost and thaw 

 may occur. In the months July to September the temperature may 

 rise to a pretty fair height; thus during a Föhn-gale, 25°*2 was noted in 

 July. The lowest temperature, — 30°'7 was observed in February. 

 As is generally the case in these regions the temperature may show 

 considerable oscillations in a short time. Thus during Föhn-winds 

 rises of temperature of up to 13^2° in two hours have been 

 observed, and rises or falls of 3° or more an hour are of frequent 

 occurrence. The number of frosty days has on an average been 

 263 a year. 



The atmospheric precipitation has only been observed for five 

 years, the first measuring apparatuses having disappeared in 

 a storm after having been in use only a short time. The number 



XXXIX. 2 



