758 



Notes on Weather. 



[march, 



Notes on the Weather 

 in February. 



The last week of January (ending 1st February) was not characterised by any 

 unusual weather, except in Scotland W. and England N.W. where the rainfall was 

 "heavy." The temperature was, however, slightly 

 above the average, the thermometer rising to 58 0 in 

 the Midlands on one day. During the first week of 

 February, however, although the warmth was normal 

 the sunshine was usually "abundant," and the 

 rainfall was " light " or "very light" in every district. The rainfall for the year 

 had up to this date shown considerable deficiency. In the six weeks England 

 S.W. had received 274 in., the Midlands i"6 in., and England S.E. 1.45 in., less 

 than the average for the last 25 years. Meanwhile, the number of hours of sun- 

 shine recorded had been very high, England S.E. having experienced 104 hours 

 or 31 hours more than usual. During the second week the rainfall was again small 

 being "light" in every one of the Eastern districts, except England E. Sunshine 

 was " scanty" in England E. and the Midlands, elsewhere " moderate " temperature 

 was, however, high, the record being " unusual " in every part of the United Kingdom, 

 including the extreme north of Scotland. The condition is best shown by the record of 

 the number of " day degrees " of " accumulated temperature " for the week, by which is 

 meant the combined amount and duration of the excess or defect of temperature above 

 or below 4^° F. for the period named, a day degree signifying one degree continued 

 for 24 hours, or any other number of degrees for an inversely proportional number of 

 hours. The table for the week is as follows : — 



District. 



Accumulated Number of Day Degrees. 

 February 9th to 15th, 1908. 



Above 42 0 . 



Difference 

 from average. 

 (25 years.) 



Below 42 0 . 



Difference 

 from average. 

 (25 years.) 



Eastern — 











Scotland E. ... 



J 



+ 5 



22 



-M 



England N.E. 



24 



+ 14 



13 



- 22 



England E. ... 



24 



+ 13 



14 



- 25 



Midland Counties 



16 



+ 3 



26 



" 13 



England S.E. 



16 



+ 2 



26 



- 4 



Western — 











Scotland W 



19 



+ 10 



5 



- 29 



England N.W. 



18 



+ 7 



8 



- 22 



England S.W. 



23 



+ 6 



10 



- 14 



Ireland N 



19 



+ 4 



4 



- 22 



Ireland S. 



27 



+ 6 



3 



- 18 



The third week of February was characterized by unsettled weather, culminating 

 in a storm with violent hail and rain squalls. Temperature was ' ' unusual " every- 

 where, and except in England S.E., the rainfall was "heavy," the excess being 

 large over the Kingdom generally. Bright sunshine was generally deficient. 

 During the fourth week the weather was again changeable and unsettled. Rain was 

 frequent during the greater part of the week, while towards its close there were 

 showers or considerable falls of hail and snow, the latter being heavy in the 

 Northern and North-western districts. Throughout the whole of the Eastern district, 

 however, there is still a deficiency in the fall for the year as compared with the 

 average for the last twenty-five years. 



