446 mr. a. vv. preston’s meteorological notes. 
From the foregoing it will be seen that all the seasons were 
slightly warmer than usual, the greatest departure being the 
autumn which was as much as 2.7 degrees above the normal 
temperature. Notwithstanding the remarkably warm periods 
in the summer the mean of that season was less than one degree 
higher than the average, owing partly to the somewhat cold 
J une, and partly to the sudden reverses of temperature above 
alluded to. The rainfall of the winter was 2.36 ins. in excess ; 
that of the summer 1.91 ins. deficient. The amount of rain 
which fell in the spring and autumn did not depart greatly 
from mean conditions. 
The Year. 
All the months, except December, equalled or exceeded 
the average temperature, January and August being as much 
as 3 degrees, and October as much as 5 degrees above the 
normal. The year’s range of temperature was very great, 
September 3rd having been more than 77 degrees warmer 
than December 27th. Rainfall was in excess in each month 
except April, July, August, and September, which were drier 
than usual, the three latter months giving a combined rainfall 
of only half the average. The year was chiefly remarkable 
for many unusual and almost unprecedented phenomena, 
which have been more or less dealt with in the foregoing 
description, but which may be summarised as follows : — 
1. The wettest January for 39 years. 
2. The most severe winter thunderstorm (February 8th) 
on record. 
3. The warmest day in the first week in March for 80 
years (67 degrees on March 7th). 
4. The great fall in temperature (30 degrees in five days) 
which followed, and the suddenness of the changes 
of temperature during the spring and summer. 
The summerlike weather of Easter, with clear skies 
and summer heat. 
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