94 mr. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 
intervals, particularly by night, and it was the wettest 
December for at least forty years past. A severe gale 
occurred on the morning of the 3rd. 
The Seasons. 
The following tables show the mean temperature and 
rainfall of the four seasons, together with those of the five 
previous years, compared with the usual averages. Winter 
comprises the three months December to February inclusive ; 
Spring, March to May; Summer, June to August; and 
Autumn, September to November. 
TEMPERATURE. 
Seasons. 
1904. 
i9°5. 
IQ06. 
I9 0 7. 
1908. 
1909. 
Average 
Departure 
of 1909 
from 
average. 
degrees. 
degrees. 
degrees. 
degrees. 
decrees. 
degrees. 
degrees. 
degrees. 
Winter 
38-3 
39-2 
39-3 
36.2 
38.8 
37-5 
38.0 
-o-S 
Spring 
47.8 
47-5 
46.7 
47.6 
46.3 
46.6 
46.3 
+ 0.3 
Summer 
60.8 
62. 1 
6l. I 
57.S 
59.8 
S 8-4 
60.3 
- i -9 
Autumn 
49.8 
47-5 
52.9 
5°-7 
51.6 
49.6 
50.2 
- 0.6 
Year 
49-3 
49.0 
49-7 
48.4 
49.0 
4S.0 
48.7 
-0.7 
RAINFALL. 
Seasons. 
1904. 
I9 0 5. 
1906. 
igoy. 
1908. 
1909. 
Average 
Departure 
of 1909 
from 
average. 
Winter 
Spring 
Summer 
Autumn 
in. 
5.96 
4-59 
4.70 
4.98 
in. 
4.91 
5-29 
6.05 
8. 1 1 
in. 
7 - 73 
5-32 
4.96 
8 - 75 
in. 
6.09 
7-77 
5-74 
6.57 
in. 
6.21 
6.97 
7 - 3 ° 
5-94 
in. 
3 - 4 i 
5.68 
8 .J 5 
7-32 
in. 
5-37 
5 -i 3 
6.87 
8.38 
in. 
- I.96 
+o -55 
+ 1.28 
- 1.06 
Year 
21.50 
22.96 
28.54 
26.25 
25.16 27.82 
25-75 
+ 2.07 
From the above it will be seen that the winter quarter 
was colder and a good deal drier than the average ; the 
spring was rather mild but rather wet ; the Summer was 
much colder, and a good deal wetter than the normal ; and 
the autumn rather cool and drier than usual, through the 
deficiency of rain in September and November. 
