576 
The Simmer of 1894 . 
high as 75°. In the southern counties and the Channel Islands, 
however, a reading of 80° was attained at the close of August. 
The lowest night temperatures were observed on various dates in 
the first half of June. In the eastern counties the thermometer 
did not go below 40°, but in the midland counties it fell to 36°, and 
in the south-western district to 35°. In the two regions last named 
slight frost occurred on the surface of the ground. 
Raivfall . — The excessive rainfall of last summer was due to two 
distinct sets of cyclonic disturbances, which appeared alternately 
over the northern and extreme southern parts of the United King- 
dom. The former systems, which were of considerable size, 
advanced in most instances from the Atlantic, and passed either 
directly over Scotland, or along the west and north coasts of that 
country. The latter systems were much smaller, and were either 
developed in the neighbourhood of our south-west coasts, or advanced 
in a north-easterly direction over the Bay of Biscay, France, and the 
English Channel. The area of greatest disturbance consequently 
lay, in nearly every case, over the northern or the extreme southern 
parts of our islands, and it was in these regions that the heaviest 
rains were experienced. In the east of Scotland (a district affected 
by the northern depressions) the total fall during the summer was 
32 per cent, in excess of the average, while in the north of Scotland 
it was as much as 58 per cent, in excess. In the extreme south of 
England (a region affected by the small southern depressions) the 
excess was even greater, the rainfall over the district lying between 
the Thames and the Channel being 36 per cent, more than the 
average, while in the Channel Islands themselves it was no less 
than 62 per cent, in excess of the normal. At St. Aubin’s, Jersey, 
where the total amount was more than double the average, the past 
summer was by far the wettest experienced for at least thirty years. 
Over the northern and eastern parts of England the excess of rain- 
fall was not very great, while in the midland counties (a distinct 
which escaped the worst effects either of the northern or the 
southern depressions) there was a slight deficiency. The number of 
rainy days was in excess of the average in all parts of the country ; 
but in this respect also the midland counties were the lightest 
sufferers, the districts most affected being the northern and extreme 
southern counties. Of the numerous heavy downpours which 
occurred over England in the course of the summer, the most impor- 
tant were those of June 4, July 10, 24, and 29, and August 2, 
9, and 25. The J uly falls were especially heavy in the south. On 
the 10th of the month over an inch and a half was experienced in 
many parts of the southern and south-eastern counties, and over 
two inches in some parts of Sussex ; on the 24th more than an inch 
was recorded in the south-western counties, and between two and a 
half and three inches in the neighbourhood of Bristol (where serious 
floods occurred) ; on the 29th, amounts ranging between an inch and 
an inch and a half were experienced in several parts of Sussex and 
Hampshire, and more than two and a half inches at Westbourne 
