394 
mr a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 
February. 
The early part of the month was exceedingly wet, and as the 
downpour was accompanied by the melting of the January snow- 
drifts, somewhat serious floods were the consequence, the low lying 
districts being inundated to a greater extent than for some time 
past. Nearly the whole month’s average rainfall fell during the 
first week, and the sun hardly shone at all until the 17th. From 
this date an improvement followed, and some days were singularly 
warm and summer-like. On the 22nd the day temperature rose 
to 55.2 degrees, on the 23rd to 56.2 degrees, and on the 26th to 
57.8 degrees. The warmth of the nights, also, at this time was 
remarkable; the lowest reading on the night of the 19th being 
46.4 degrees, and on the 25th 47.2 degrees, these minima being 
more in character with June or July than February. The result 
of this forcing temperature was to bring the Crocuses and earlier 
Spring flowers quickly into bloom. The mean temperature of the 
month (41.3 degrees) was about 3 degrees higher than the average 
for February. 
March. 
This was the fifth warm March in succession, and was about 
4 degrees warmer than the average. It entered with boisterous 
weather, and on the 3rd, with the barometer down to 28.67 in., 
a gale occurred, although of considerable less violence than was 
developed further South, where almost. as much damage was done 
as we recorded here in 1895. The rainfall was above the average, 
but less than in the previous March, and much less than was 
experienced in other parts of England, particularly in the South. 
A notable feature of the month was the warmth of the nights 
between the 17th and 28th, thereby causing a rapid start of 
vegetation. During this period the thermometer did not once fall 
below 40.8 degrees, and on some nights the minimum was as high 
as 47 degrees. 
April. 
The month entered with cold, bleak weather. On several 
mornings there were some rather sharp frosts, and snow fell on the 
1st, 2nd, and 5th. There was but little warm weather until the 
last week, when the temperature rose considerably. The month’s 
