INTRODUCTION". 



V 



occurring only at Drumlanreg, 1° ; and Dumfries; 8° ; in Scotland ; 

 and at York, 0° ; Northampton, 5°-2 ; and Trent College, -3°. The 

 max. temp., however, was much below 12° at many places, prepara- 

 tory to the great severity of Dec. 7th. This proved to be the interest 

 period especially for counties bordering the N.E. and E. coast, as 

 well as the counties adjacent to these including Middlesex and 

 Hampshire. A single isotherm of 0° extended from near Man- 

 chester to Essex; while that of 10° reached from Edinburgh to 

 N. Hants, and from the E. coast to Birmingham ; that for 20° 

 again occupying the greater part of central Ireland. The following 

 temperatures will show this severity : — Appleby, -4°-7 ; Worksop, 

 -5°-8 j Buxton, -3°-8 ; Ketton (Rutland), -10° ; Audley End, -5°o ; 

 Much Haddam, -3° ; Enfield, 7°-9 ; Swarraton, 9°. On the 8th, 

 low temps, still occurred, the min. temps, for the winter being 

 recorded that day, at Nottingham, -2°; Loughborough (2nd and 

 8th), l°-5; Yarmouth (17th and 18th), 15°; Cambridge (7th and 

 8th), 0°; Watford (7th and 8th), 7° 6; Oxford (7th and 8th), 

 12°. Milder weather followed until the 16th, when temp, once 

 more fell in consequence of a large anticyclone being over Germany, 

 but extending to Aberdeen, the isotherm of 30° passing up the 

 Channel. This, on the 17th, crossed over the S.E. of England and 

 extended as far N. as Yorkshire ; consequently the min. temps, of 

 the winter now occurred along the S.E. coast; e.g., Walmer, 15°; 

 Folkestone, ll°-8 ; Eastbourne, 19°; Hurst Castle, 22°. Low 

 temps, prevailed at the end of Dec. and again at the end of Jan., 

 but in no case did the min. temp, of the winter occur at this period 

 at any place in the British Isles. 



1880-81. Until July 1880 there was no excessive rainfall; but 

 in that month it was above the av. in every meteorological station. 

 An excess occurred locally in Sept. and Oct. In Nov. and Dec. it 

 was of average amount. The severe weather did not begin till Jan. 

 6th, and then lasted till the 26th. The injuries to vegetation were 

 probably due to the frost being so prolonged, while considerable 

 injury followed in the spring by the intensely cold E. winds acting 

 upon the already weakened vegetation. The winter was marked by 

 three excessively cold periods; viz., Jan. 7th to 9th, 12th to 18th, 

 20th to 26th. The min. temps, of the winter at all places recorded 

 in the British Isles occurred during the two latter. From the 6th 

 to 10th a well-marked anticyclone stood over the British Isles, with 



