( n ) 
ON' 
THE METEOROLOGY OF ENGLAND 
DLT.ING 
THE QUARTER ENDING MARCH 31, 1860. 
By JAMES G L A I S II E E, Esq., F.E.S., 
SKC. OF THE EUITISll ilETr.OROI.OGICAL tOCIKTV. 
The weather during this quarter was remarkable for a long con- 
tinuance of low temperature, frequent and great changes in the 
pressure of the atmosphere, and an almost continuous succession of 
gales of wind. 
The warm period which set in on December 24, 1859, continued 
to January 24, 1860 ; the excess of the temperature from January 1st 
to the 24th averaged 4°-l daily; on the 25th a cold period set in, 
which at first was not severe, but became so afterwards, and con- 
tinued, with very few and trifling exceptions, to the end of the 
quarter. The average defect of the 07 days ending March 31 was 
l^^*^ daily below the average. Both the days and nights in January 
Avere warm ; in February both cold, particularly the nights ; and 
both were cold in March, but the nights less so than the days. 
The mean temperature of the three months was 38°-8 ; that of 
February, the coldest month, 35°-7 ; of March, 41°-1, but little 
warmer on the average than that of January, 39°"7. 
The mean pressure of the atmosphere in January and March was 
below its average by i inch; in February it was slightly in excess 
on comparison with the preceding 19 years, and within this period 
the mean reading of the barometer has not been so low in J anuary 
as it was in this year. 
The temperature of the dew-point in January was J" in excess, 
differing but little from the excess of the mean temperature of the 
month, and therefore the degree of humidity was very nearly that 
of the average for the month. In February and March the tempera- 
ture of the dew-point was more below its average than that of the 
air, and therefore the air was in both months more than usually dry. 
The fall of rain was slightly below the average. Gales of wind 
of unusual duration were frequent throughout the quarter. 
The mean temperature of the air at Greenwich for the three 
months ending February, constituting the three winter months, 
was 37°'4, being 0°-4 below the average of 89 years. 
