692 mr. a. w. Preston’s meteorological notes. 
on the last four days of the month, and the dryness accompanying 
them formed an agreeable contrast to the previous humidity. 
The Seasons. 
The following tables give the mean temperature and rainfall of 
the four seasons, together with those of the five previous years, 
compared, as to temperature, with the average of the twenty years 
1883 — 1902, and as to rainfall, with the 38-year average, 1865 — - 
1902, mentioned in last year’s notes. Winter comprises the three 
months, December to February inclusive; Spring, March to May; 
Summer, June to August; and Autumn, September to November. 
temperature. 
Seasons. 
1898. 
1899. 
1900. 
1901. 
1902. 
1903. 
20-year 
average. 
1883— u2 
Departure 
of 1903 from 
average. 
Winter 
Spring 
Summer 
Autumn 
degrees. 
41.3 
45.8 
59.7 
54.0 
degrees. 
42.6 
46.2 
61.9 
51.2 
degrees. 
37.4 
45,3 
61.6 
51.6 
degrees. 
39.0 
46.3 
61.4 
50.7 
degrees. 
37.9 
46.3 
58.7 
50.1 
degrees. 
41.8 
47.3 
58.7 
51.2 
degrees. 
38.0 
46.3 
60.3 
50.2 
degrees. 
+ 3.8 
+ 1.0 
— 1.6 
+ 1.0 
Year 
50.5 
49.8 
49.6 
48.8 
48.4 
49.5 
48.7 
+ 0.8 
RAINFALL. 
Seasons. 
1898. 
1899. 
1900. 
1901. 
1902. 
1903. 
38-year 
average. 
1865—02 
Departure 
of 1903 from 
average. 
Winter ... 
Spring ... 
Summer ... 
Autumn ... 
in. 
4.11 
6.18 
6.90 
5.65 
in. 
5.82 
6.84 
3.52 
8.31 
in. 
7.42 
4.26 
8.77 
5.32 
in. 
5.88 
5.10 
3.61 
5.11 
in. 
6.09 
6.77 
7.82 
4.14 
in. 
3.64 
5.83 
10.54 
9.77 
in. 
5.96 
5.27 
6.94 
8.01 
in. 
—2.32 
+ 0.56 
+ 3.60 
+ 1.76 
A'ear 
23.33 
23.94 
26.99 
21.06 
22.30 
29.44 
26.18 
+ 3.26 
The most conspicuous variation from the normal, with regard to 
temperature, was the winter, which was 3.8 degrees above the 
average. Spring and autumn were each one degree warmer than 
usual, while the summer, like the previous one, was 1.6 degrees 
below the standard. The winter’s rainfall was 2.32 ins. deficient, 
the spiing, summer and autumn each in excess, the greatest over- 
plus occurring during the summer months, when the fall was 3.60 
above the mean, and was the highest summer rainfall since 1880, 
when the total at Norwich was 10.84 ins. In 1879, however, 
it was 13.95 ins., or 3.41 ins. more than in 1903. 
