MR. A. W. PRESTON’S METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 543 
III. 
METEOROLOGICAL NOTES, 1912. 
(From Observations taken at Norwich.) 
By Arthur W. Preston, F.R.Met.Soc. 
Read 25th February, 1913. 
January. 
This month was generally dull, damp, and mild until the 27th, 
when a more seasonable type of weather set in, with slight 
snow on the 30th and 31st. Rain was frequent, although not 
generally excessive. There were only 13'5 hours of sunshine 
during the first 24 days, of which 16 were absolutely sunless. 
More than half the month’s sunshine, which was in all 32‘8 
hours, occurred on the 27th, 28th, and 29th. 
February. 
The cold which prevailed at the close of January became 
considerably more intense during the first five days of February, 
with unusually low thermometer readings both by day and 
night. Although the “ screen ” minimum reading on the night 
of the 2nd (w r hich was the coldest of the winter) did not fall 
lower than 18°, the sky was so remarkably clear, and terrestrial 
radiation so great, that thermometers on the surface of the snow 
gave evidence of a remarkable wave of cold. The lowest 
recorded by me was 8'7° (which w r as the coldest registered 
since the 16th February, 1902), but in more exposed places 
even lower readings were observed. On February 4th the day 
reading of the thermometer did not exceed 27'5A The severe 
cold was, however, but short-lived, the remainder of the month 
having been remarkably mild. On the 28th the thermometer 
reached 60’"' in the shade, or higher than any February reading 
for 13 years. Rainfall was slightly under the average. 
