METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT WISLEY IN 1908. 51 



were recorded at many widely separated places, generally at the com- 

 mencement of the month. At the close of the first week there was a 

 short spell of colder weather, the thermometer falling to below 20° at 

 Wisley, and sharp night frosts being experienced generally from the 

 8th to the 11th. On the grass the temperature fell still lower, 16 0, o being 

 the lowest point reached at Wisley, whilst at Greenwich it dropped to 

 9° and in Mid-Wales to 7°. Taking the month as a whole it was the 

 warmest November experienced for several years. Winds from the south- 

 westerly quadrant predominated, but over the southern part of the kingdom 

 it frequently blew from northerly and easterly points. The amounts of 

 sunshine recorded were as a rule above the average, and varied from about 

 40 per cent, of the possible amount in the Channel Islands to only 8 per 

 cent, in the Shetlands ; at the Garden it amounted to 29 per cent. Kain- 

 fall was below the average except in the northern parts of the kingdom, 

 and the number of days on which rain fell was generally small. Over 

 the greater part of the Midlands the fall amounted to less than an inch, 

 and to less than two inches over the eastern half of the kingdom from the 

 Channel to the Moray Firth. 

 Observations made at Wisley : 



Mean temperature of the air in shade ... ... ... ... 46° 2 



Highest „ „ „ 60°-9 on the 1st 



Lowest „ „ „ ... .-" 19°-8 „ 10th 



Lowest ,, on the grass 16°*5 ,, 10th 



At 1 ft. At 2 ft. At 4 ft. 

 deep. deep. deep. 



Mean temperature of the soil at 9 a.m 46°-5 48°-6 50°-7 



Highest „ „ „ "... 51°-9 52°-8 53°2 



Lowest „ „ „ 40°-6 41°-6 49°-l 



Mean relative humidity of the air at 9 a.m. (complete saturation being- 

 represented by 100) 90% 



Rain fell on 11 days to the total depth of ... 0*67 in. 



(Equivalent to about 3 gallons of water to the square yard.) 



Heaviest fall on any day 0*28 in. on the 21st 



The prevailing winds were from between south and west. 

 The average velocity of the wind was 5| miles an hour. 



There were 76 hours of bright sunshine, equal to 29 per cent, of the greatest 

 possible amount. There were 8 days on which no sunshine was recorded. 



December. — The weather of December was in no way remarkable until 

 the last week of the month. The temperature was rather above the 

 average, and night frosts were rare and nowhere severe. The winds blew 

 almost constantly from the south-westerly quadrant, and were not only 

 mild but also of moderate strength, and although rain fell frequently 

 there were no very heavy falls. At Christmas time, however, a change 

 set in ; the wind shifted to the north-east, and a current of cold polar air 

 swept across England, bringing with it severe wintry weather, and in many 

 parts deep snow. A screen temperature of 1° was registered at Liphook, 

 and at Wisley a reading of 7° # 5, whilst on the ground the grass minimum 

 thermometer fell to zero at Wisley, and to 8° below zero at Epsom. At 

 many places the snow buried the thermometer and rendered its record 

 useless. In Scotland the cold was less severe, and in Ireland it was 

 scarcely felt, as was also the case in western Cornwall. The cold spell 

 was, however, of brief duration, and on the 30th a milder air set in. The 



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