Proceedings of the South African Philosophical Society, xxi 



S.'ly winds with cloudy, cool weather (a fall of 40° F. in one 

 hour has been noted) and occasional rain, but at O'okiep the 

 wind continued N.E.'ly or E.'ly fifteen times out of twenty-four, 

 the other directions being N.W. four times, N. twice, S.W, once, 

 and calm twice. 



A remarkable result of these hot winds is what may be termed an 

 occasional inversion of the seasons, the hottest month with highest 

 temperatures (103"-105° F.) sometimes occurring in the winter 

 months of April-September. These irregularities disappear when 

 the mean of eleven years is taken ; the average monthly tempera- 

 ture then shows a normal curve, reaching a maximum of 60* 3° in 

 February, gradually decreasing to a minimum of 53 '8° in August, 

 then rising regularly to the end of the year. 



Another peculiarity noted by the observers is that the temperature 

 falls slightly between 1 and 5 p.m. This is evidently due to an 

 attempt of the sea-breeze to assert its influence. 



At Clanwilliam similar hot, strong, dry, E. winds are experienced 

 for two or three days at a time in clear weather, usually from end of 

 December to middle of April ; these also go round to N., and when 

 they have reached N.E., clouds of the Cirro-Cumulus type appear on 

 the northern horizon, but pass off without rain falling. In 1900 and 

 1901 these winds have occurred from April to June, much to the 

 detriment of crops, grass, and agriculture generally. The weather 

 preceding their occurrence is oppressive, but cool and pleasant after 

 they have blown over. The appearance of these winds is unfailingly 

 indicated by an abnormal rise of the barometer, the more sudden 

 the rise the sooner and more violent the wind will be. Such winds 

 seem to be general along the West Coast. 



The " Berg-wind " is the name given to a wind having essentially 

 the same characteristics, coming along the south coast of the Cape 

 Colony, at least between Swellendam and Storms Eiver, at the base 

 of the mountain ranges. At the latter place it blows almost in- 

 variably from a N. by W. direction, and occurs at intervals chiefly 

 during the period May-August, but sometimes also in April and 

 September. It lasts usually for 24 hours, but two of from 36 to 48 

 hours may be expected during the season ; there are usually four to 

 six in these months. They are very dry, and if long continued 

 render veld or forest highly inflammable. A N.E. Berg-wind has 

 been experienced at Storms Eiver, and one in the month of January. 

 A bright orange glow in the sky, lasting some ten minutes after 

 sunset and before sunrise, is locally taken as a sure sign that a 

 Berg-wind is coming. A Berg-wind stops dead, and is followed by 

 a gentle breeze from W, increasing steadily in force, and bringing 



