Meteorology of Whitehaven. 25 



Winds. — In 1852, the winds were distributed as under : — N., 

 17 days; NE., 77 days; E., 19£ days; SE., 34± days; S., 65 

 days; SW., 93 days ; W., 34 days; NW., 24J days; and, dead 

 calms, 1J days. As usual, the SW. is the prevalent wind, but the 

 easterly points are above the average number. 



Weather, fyc — In the past year, there have been 50 perfectly 

 clear days ; 190 wet days ; 126 more or less cloudy, without rain ; 

 287 days on which the sun shone out more or less ; 21 frosty 

 nights ;* 2 slight snow-showers ; and 19 days on which hail fell. 

 There have also been five solar and seven lunar halos, 1 parhelion, 

 1 lunar rainbow, 15 thunder-storms, 4 days of thunder without visi- 

 ble lightning, 7 days of lightning without thunder, and 10 exhibitions 

 of the Aurora Borealis. The days of cloudless sky in 1852, exceed 

 those in the memorably fine and luxuriant year 1842, by seven. In 

 1851, the perfectly clear days were 19; in 1850, 11 ; in 1849, 12 ; 

 in 1848, 18; in 1847, 16; in 1846, 27; in 1845, 21; in 1844, 

 30 ; in 1843. 31 ; and, in 1842, 43 ; the average number in the 

 last 11 years being twenty -five. 



Atmospheric Phenomena. — Aurora Borealis. — Of the 10 ap- 

 pearances of aurora recorded in 1852, 3 were seen in February, 2 

 in April, 3 in September, 1 in November, and 1 in December. 

 The most brilliant displays of this beautiful meteor occurred in Feb- 

 ruary and in September, of which the following particulars are 

 copied from the local register : — 



February 19th, 1852. — Strong and intensely cold wind, with a 

 nearly cloudless sky throughout the day. In the evening, there was 

 the most magnificent and extensive aurora which has appeared for 

 some years past. At 7h. 30m., occasional streamers rose up from 

 E. to WSW., and at 9h., two-thirds of the sky was covered with 

 the auroral mist and streamers, the latter converging at a point 

 south and east of the zenith, which, at 9 p.m., was situated about 8° 

 N., and a little E. of Castor. From W. to NW. the meteor was 

 extremely brilliant, the bases of the streamers forming an arch, the 

 centre or highest part of which was elevated about 25° above the 

 horizon. The arch formed by the bases of these streamers was fre- 

 quently tinted with a bright rose colour, resembling a fringe ; and, 

 below, the sky was of a deep black. From this time till past mid- 

 night, the aurora increased both in extent and intensity ; and, at 

 times, fully nine-tenths of the sky was covered by it. In the NE., 

 the streamers were tinged with a deep rose colour. At llh. 30m., 

 the luminous matter was arranged round the point of convergence in 

 a series of elliptic segments, presenting a very striking and uncommon 

 phase of the phenomenon. The occasional minute clouds which 



* Of the 21 clays, or rather nights of frost, in 1852, 3 occurred in January, 

 7 in February, 7 in March, 1 in April, 2 in November, and 1 in December. 



