MR. A. W. PRESTON’S METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 
44I 
from the outbursts of warmth above alluded to), and the 
rainfall was .32 ins. in excess of the normal. 
April. 
As in March, there were in this month sudden and remark- 
able fluctuations of temperature. On the 12 th the 
thermometer reached 72.2 degrees, which was the warmest 
day so early in April since 1892. During the Easter holidays 
the weather was magnificent, with much sunshine, and unusual 
warmth. On the 18th this genial state of affairs suddenly 
gave place to a spell of frost, hail, and snow, with the 
accompaniment of searching north-east winds. Hut little 
rain fell till the 22nd, and with the exception of this date 
and the 27th, when a welcome quarter of an inch was gauged, 
there was no day on which so much as a tenth of an inch fell. 
Thunder was heard on the 22nd and 29th. There was 
generally a great dryness of the air throughout the month, 
the mean relative humidity from the 9 a.m. readings having 
been lower than in any month since July, 1887. 
May 
This was a variable month, with many cold, cheerless days, 
with some warm intervals interspersed. On the mean the 
temperature was slightly above the normal, and there was 
but little frost. The most remarkable occurrence of the month 
was a heavy thunderstorm on the 13th. which hung over the 
eastern parts of the county for an unusually prolonged period. 
At Norwich the storm lasted about twelve hours, from 2 a.m. 
to nearly 2 p.m., during which time 1.23 ins. of rain was 
gauged. The centre of the storm, which was of the nature 
of a cloudburst or waterspout, seems to have chiefly spent 
itself over the district between Acle and Brundall. At the 
last-named place 3.21 ins. of rain was registered during the 
storm (being heavier than any fall previously recorded there), 
at Acle 3.1 1 ins., at Dilham 2.14 ins., at Worstead 2.07 ins., 
and at Catton 2.01 ins. In the western parts of the county 
hardly any rain fell. 
VOL. VIII. 
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