392 



BAILIWICK RAINFALL. 



During the next three months 191 0 again led the way — by as 

 much as 2*07 in. at the end of May, but by 0*08 in. only at the 

 end of June when the figures were: 1910, 17*52 in. * 1912, 

 17*44 in. ; normal, 14*27 in. The year 1912 now forged ahead 

 as the result of two very wet months — July and August — 

 months which in 1910 only secured the average amount. 

 September, too, in 1910, considerably checked the growth of 

 that year's figures through its being a remarkably dry month, 

 and it was at this period that the greatest difference in the 

 totals for the two years occurred, 1912 being then the wetter 

 (January to September) by no less than 9*11 in. The actual 

 figures are: 1910, 22*68 in.'; 1912, 31*79in. ; normal, 22*08 in. 

 From the figures it will be seen that whereas at the end of the 

 third quarter the 1910 rainfall was in excess by 0*60 in. only, 

 that of 1912 showed a surplus of 9*71 in. But 1912's big 

 effort at rain-making was practically at an end while that of 

 1910 was but just beginning. 



Each year had an unusually dry month — in 1912 it was 

 April, in 1910 September. And in the same way the months 

 of excessive rainfall — the months responsible for the year's 

 mountainous grand total — were different in each year. In 

 1912 these unenviable periods were in particular March and 

 August, about which more will be said later ; in 1910 October 

 and November were, par excellence, the wet months. The 

 persistence of cyclonic activity was indeed so marked in the 

 Autumn of 1910 and the daily rainfalls so copious, that 

 November, with 11*13 in., stands out as the wettest month at 

 Les Blanches of the 19 years 1894-1912, and October, with 

 7*59 in., as the fourth wettest month of the same period. As 

 together these two months totalled no less than 18*72 in. of 

 rain, against 9*52 in. in the corresponding months of 1912, the 

 fickle downpours had the effect of again practically equalising 

 the aggregates which, at the end of November, were : 1910, 

 41*40in. ; 1912, 41*31 in., 1910 thus having the lead at this 

 point by a paltry 0*09 in. In December, however, it lost this 

 small gain, for 1912 ended with the grand total of 45*55 in., 

 against 45*54 in. the equally grand total of 1910. The year 

 1912 at Les Blanches was therefore wetter than 1910 by 

 0*01 in. ! And both years had an excess over the normal of, 

 roughly speaking, 11*50 in. 



General Remarks on the Weather of 1912. 



January 1st, 1912, was a beautifully bright and mild day 

 over the Bailiwick of Guernsey — it was a perfect New Year's 

 day, and a lovely moonlight night followed. The year in no 

 way opened as it was going to continue, for rain fell smartly 



