The Weather of 1892. 
197 
particularly so from the 15 th to the 21st ; the average deficiency of 
pressure for these seven days was 0‘6 inch. The fall of rain was 
generally less than the average. Snow fell on every day from the 
14th to the 20th ; on the 19th it fell so heavily in Cornwall and 
Devonshire that the trains were stopped and the telegraph service 
was very much delayed. So deep were the drifts in some places 
that two engines coupled together had to be employed, and were 
frequently brought to a standstill. There were gales from the E. 
and N. from the 15th to the 20th, causing casualties and loss of 
life. At the end of the month vegetation was very backward. 
The weather in March was dry throughout, with keen frost and 
bitter winds during the first half of the month, then milder weather 
from the 16th to the 19th, afterwards a renewal of the cold weather on 
the 20th, which continued to the end of the month, excepting the 
26th and 27th, which were moderately mild. The temperature of the 
air till the 15th was constantly below its average, on some days to 
the amount of 11° or 12°, and low temperatures were general in 
London and all parts of the country. On the morning of the 9th 
the temperature at the Royal Observatory was 22°\3, whilst it was 
9°'9 at Blackheath. The previous instances of low temperature in 
March at the Royal Observatory back to 1841 are : — 
1890 it was 13°-1 
1889 „ 18°-7 
1887 „ 22°-l 
1886 „ 20 o, 3 
1883 it was 20 o- 6 
1853 „ 20°-8 
1852 „ 21°-3 
1850 it was 20 o- 0 
1847 „ 16°-9 
1845 „ 13°‘l 
From the 16th to the 19th the temperature was mild, and the air in 
contrast to the preceding cold weather was very pleasant ; on the 
20th a moderately cold period set in, and the month ended with 
three very cold days with cold winds. 
The pressure of the atmosphere was above the average from the 
2nd to the 6th, and from the 17th to the 25th, and from the 29th. 
On the 9th and 10th snowstorms were general all over the country. 
The fall of rain was small everywhere. The cold days during the 
first half of this month and at the close, with the keen N.E. winds, 
completely kept back all vegetation. 
Second Quarter. — The weather in April was dry, generally warm 
by day and cold by night. The temperature of the air was above 
its average till the 11th, particularly so on the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 
7th. On the 4th and 5th the high day temperature exceeded 70° at 
some stations — a very high value for April. A sudden change to 
cold set in on the 12th, and continued to the 20th ; the mean tem- 
perature was as much as 9 0- 3, 10°T, 10°T, 1 1°-3 and ll o- 0 below on 
the 13th, 14th, 15tli, 16th, and 17th respectively, and snow fell on 
some of these days at several stations ; it was above the average 
from the 21st to the 24th, and then below to the end of the month. 
The atmospheric pressure was above its average till the 5th and 
from the 18th to the 24th, and below it on all other days. The fall 
of rain was small. The N. and E. winds were prevalent. At 
