mu. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 275 
having fallen on the 10th instant, on which day 1.G3 in. was 
gauged between midnight and 5 p.in. The weather of the greater 
part of the month was exceedingly line, and many days were very 
warm, the thermometer touching 80 degrees on the 2nd and lGth. 
A thunderstorm of some severity occurred on the early morning of 
the 10th. 
July. 
This was the warmest July since 1887 and the hottest month 
since August, 1893. The thermometer exceeded 80 degrees on 
seven days, and reached 8-1 degrees on the 1 4th and 20th, and 
85 degrees on tho 21st. The latter was the highest reading of the 
thermometer since 18th August, 1893, when it touched 90 degrees. 
Rain fell on eight days only, but the combined fall amounted to an 
inch, which, after tho previous abnormal dryness, went for 
nothing, and the surface of the soil was much scorched and 
parched in the hot sunshine. There was an unusual absence of 
thunderstorms, for which this month is generally noted ; the only 
storms recorded being distant ones on the early mornings of the 
8th and 15th. Although the heaviest fall of rain registered 
during the month (0.23 in.) fell on St. Swithin’s day, the succeeding 
drought has once more proved the fallacy of the proverbial forty 
days’ wet weather, which is still firmly believed in by many. The 
total fall for the month (one inch) was the least in any July since 
1885, when 0.86 in. only fell, but in 1886, 1888, 1889, 1890, 
1891, and 1894 over four inches were recorded. 
August. 
Although the mean barometric pressure was nearly identical with 
that of July, the month was much less settled, and was generally 
much cooler, with a greater prevalence of cloud. The showers, 
though frequent, were generally slight, and only on three days did 
the fall exceed 0.20 in. The mean temperature was lower than in 
any August since 1888, and the rainfall less than since 1885. 
There was again but little thunder, no storm of any intensity being 
developed, except on the afternoon and evening of the 2Gth, 
when there were severe electric discharges in the north-east and 
east. These storms passed in the direction of Acle and Yarmouth, 
where they were severely felt. At the close of the month the 
year’s rainfall was between four and five inches deficient. 
