398 
MR. A. W. PRESTON S METEOROLOGICAL NOTES. 
that the Avind may be said to have ceased to bloAV at gale force. 
It is, happily, hut rarely that \ve experience, in these parts, a gale 
of such intensity, and, following so soon after the hurricane of 
24th March, 1895, and the strong gale of 3rd March, 1897, a com- 
parison may not here he out of place. The 1895 gale, it will be 
readily recollected, was by far the most violent of the three, but 
was of much shorter duration, lasting not more than about three 
hours. Force 11, or about 70 to 80 miles an hour Avas attained 
at the height of the gale, whereas, the nearest self-recording 
anemometer, that on the Sailors’ Home at Great Yarmouth, only 
attained force 9, or about 60 miles an hour during the height of 
the recent disturbance. In 1895 the chief damage was caused by 
the uprooting of a vast number of trees ; the destruction caused 
by the recent gale, although serious inland, Avas chiefly confined 
to our coasts, Avhere the high tide caused by it wrought almost 
unprecedented destruction. The March gale of the present year 
was chiefly felt in the more southern parts of England, Avhere the 
damage to trees was almost as great as Avith us in the storm of 1895 
which did not extend, with any unusual force, to our southern coasts. 
Like the 1895 storm the recent gale Avas accompanied by electric 
disturbances, lightning being seen on the evenings of the 28th 
and 29th, and in some places thunderstorms of some severity Averc 
experienced. The total rainfall of November Avas nearly the same 
as last year, and Avas 1.25 in. below the average. There Avas but 
little frost, and many garden flowers remained in bloom a month 
later than usual. 
December. 
This Avas, for the fifth year in succession, a mild December, 
exhibiting but few winter traits. Stormy weather prevailed during 
the firSt fortnight, but on the 17th there Avas a considerable rise of 
the barometer which continued over Christmas, Avith some keen 
frosts and pleasant days, though some of the evening fogs Avere 
unusually dense. The minima registered on the mornings of the 
23rd (21.2 and 21.8 degrees respectively) were slightly loAver 
than during either of the two previous winters. The weather on 
Christmas Day was bright, frosty, and seasonable, in fact, a more 
typical day could hardly be desired. Very mild Aveather followed, 
Avith rough winds and some rain, a heavy gale on the 29th — 30th 
