mr. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 
223 
October. 
The tine weather which prevailed throughout September con- 
tinued up to the 15th of October. Such a fortnight has not been 
known in October for many years past, the bright warm days 
being more in character with July than October. The thermometer 
reached GO degrees and upwards on twelve days (in 1889 it did 
not reach GO degrees all the month), and it was G7 degrees and 
upwards on eight days. The mean temperature of the first week 
was 57.2 degrees, or about 7 degrees above the average ; that of 
the last week was G degrees below, the fine weather having 
completely broken up on the 15th, giving place to winterly 
storms and heavy rains. On the afternoon of the 26th snow 
fell, intermingled with rain ; and on the morning of the following 
day, which was a most winterly one, there were frequent blinding 
storms of snow and sleet. On the 28th snow was lying an inch 
deep upon the ground, unmelted. Similar instances of heavy 
snowstorms in the last week of October occurred in 1819, 183G, 
and 18G9, and in each case were followed by a severe winter. 
November. 
The first three weeks were mild with rain, mist, and fog at times, 
and on the 23rd the thermometer stood as high as 57.6 degrees. 
The last week was extremely winterly, and of a severity almost 
unparalleled in November. The mean temperature of the last seven 
days was 31. G, or about 10 degrees under the average. The falls 
of snow were extraordinary for so early in the season, reaching an 
average depth over the county from a foot to eighteen inches. On 
the night of the 29th— 30th the thermometer fell to a lower 
degree than, so far as can be ascertained, has been registered in 
November during the present century, a minimum of 1-1 degrees 
in the screen and 7 degrees on the grass being recorded. It 
appears, however, that minima of 17 and 18 degrees were 
noted respectively on the 23rd and 24th November, 1816, near 
London; and in 1851 snowstorms quite as severe as those above- 
mentioned took place between the 16th and 21st November. 
The suddenness with which the cold succeeded the mildness of 
the 23rd and previous days was very remarkable, and made it the 
more keenly felt, the range of temperature in one week amounting 
to upwards of 43 degrees. 
VOL. v. 
