METEOROLOGICAL RECORDS 



177 



uncomfortably hot but otherwise the temperatures are delightful. 

 The absolute extremes for 1906 were 81.5° F. (27.5° C.) on Decem- 

 ber 11, and 39.9° P. (4.4° C.) on July 15 and 16. The (uncor- 

 rected) readings of von Boeck give a greater range. High minima 

 rather than high maxima characterize the summer. The curve for 

 1906 shows the maxima for June and July cut off strikingly by an 

 abrupt drop of the temperature and indicates a rather close re- 

 striction of the depth of the season to these two months, which are 

 also those of greatest diurnal range. 



The rainfall of about 18 inches is concentrated in the summer 

 season, 85 per cent falling between November and March. Dur- 

 ing this time the town is somewhat isolated by swollen streams 

 and washed out trails : hence here, as on the plateau, there is a dis- 

 tinct seasonal distribution of the work of planting, harvesting, 

 moving goods, and even mining, and of the general commerce of 

 the towns. There is an approach to our winter season in this re- 

 spect and in respect of a respite from the almost continuously 

 high temperatures of summer. The daytime temperatures of sum- 

 mer are however mitigated by the drainage of cool air from the 

 surrounding highlands. This, indeed, prolongs the period re- 

 quired for the maturing of plants, but there are no harmful results 

 because freezing temperatures are not reached, even in winter. 



MONTHLY TEMPERATURES, COCHABAMBA, 1906 



Month 



January . 

 February . 

 March . . . 

 April .... 



May 



June 



July 



August . . . 

 September 

 October . . 

 November 

 December 



Mean Min. 



55.7 



61.2 



59.8 



55.06 



50.9 



47.1 



44.8 



49.9 



55.6 



56.1 



58.1 



58.6 



Mean Max. 



72.25 

 71.3 

 72.6 

 70.8 

 68.7 

 65.6 

 64.9 

 68.0 

 73.2 

 73.4 

 75.7 

 73.9 



Mean Range 



16.65 



10.1 



12.8 



15.74 



17.8 



18.5 



20.1 



18.1 



17.6 



17.3 



17.6 



15.3 



Daily Mean 



63.3 

 65.5 

 65.5 

 62.2 

 59.1 

 55.6 

 54.1 

 58.2 

 63.7 

 64.0 

 66.2 

 65.8 



