THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 115 



ABSOLUTE EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE AT NASSAU. 



Jan. Teh. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year. 



Min 49 53 49 54 61 63 66 66 64 63 58 48 48 



Year 1866 1865 1869 1869 1869 1869 1885 1869 1869 1857 1865 1868 1868 



Date 10 2 2 16 23 12 23 2 7 28 .... 25 Dec. 



Max 96 97 91 96 100 102 106 99 109 96 99 97 109 



Year 1871 1871 1856 1872 1866 1870 1870 1871 1870 1872 1877 1870 1870 



Date 28 16 14 10 10 21 14 2 27 2 8 22 Sept. 



The lowest temperature recorded in 39 years (namely, 48°, or 16° above 

 the freezing point of water) occurred in 1868 on December 35. The absolute 

 minimum for six months of the year was recorded in the year 1869. 



The maximum attained a surprisingly high mark in the year 1870, 

 exceeding 100° in three months, with an absolute maximum of 109° in Sep- 

 tember. That the absolute extremes of temperature in 39 years should have 

 occurred in consecutive years, while surprising, is not without a parallel. A 

 similar coincidence occurred in the years 1898 and 1899, when records for 

 greatest heat and cold respectively were broken in many parts of the United 

 States. 



Extremes of Temperature at Cat Cay. 



The following summary of extremes of temperature at Cat Cay is based 

 upon the record of Mr. Arthur S. Haigh during the years 1896 to 1900. 

 Cat Cay is a small island on the extreme western edge of the Bahama group 

 and not more than 60 miles east of the Florida coast and on the eastern edge 

 of the Gulf Stream. 



EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE AT CAT CAY. 



Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year. 



Maximum 77 79 81 83 84 90 90 91 89 85 80 78 91 



Minimum 66 68 69 72 75 80 80 71 79 77 74 69 66 



Range 11 11 12 11 8 10. 10 20 10 8 6 9 25 



The extremely small variability shown by the above figures is undoubt- 

 edly due to the proximity of the observing station to the warm waters of the 

 Gulf Stream. 



Comparative Temperature Data. 

 Comparative readings of winter and summer temperatures are given 

 below in order to show the relative climatic position of the Bahamas. 



