274 
mr. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 
March. 
This was the mildest March since 1882, and the wettest since 
1888, rain falling on 26 days to the depth of 3.02 in. There was 
much, stormy weather, but a sudden outburst of summer warmth 
occurred on the 22nd, and continued until the 26th. There was 
a thunderstorm on the evening of the 22nd, which was of a severe 
character in some parts of the county, and distant thunder and 
lightning also occurred on the evening of the 24th. Mean 
temperature of the month was about 4 degrees above the average. 
April. 
There was but little warm weather until after the 16th, the 
earlier days of the month being cold and bleak, with much rough 
north-westerly winds. Thunder occurred on the 17th and 29th. 
The last week was warm, with growing showers rendering 
vegetation very forward, though slightly later than in 1893 and 
1894. 
May. 
This month gave an unusual amount of N.E. wind, beyond even 
what is usual at this season of the year. The parching character 
of these winds, and the deficiency of rain (the month’s fall being 
but 0.73 in.) dried the soil to an unusual extent, and rain was badly 
wanted at the close of the month. On some days there was 
a great range of temperature, and the sudden jumps of the 
thermometer were almost phenomenal. On the 12 th the 
temperature fell 23 degrees between 4.30 and 8.30 p.m., and 
on the 14th after a fall to 34.4 degrees in the morning, by the 
afternoon it was standing at 76 degrees in the shade, or a range of 
41.6 degrees. This was the greatest range of temperature recorded 
in any one day since these observations were commenced. The 
barometer stood above 30 in. almost throughout the month. 
Notwithstanding the cold bleak winds the foliage developed 
rapidly, and was much more luxuriant than in the previous year. 
June. 
This month gave the highest mean temperature recorded in any 
June since 1877. Although the rainfall slightly exceeded the 
average, rain was only registered on eight days, the bulk of it 
