mr. a. w. preston’s meteorological notes. 
390 
being of an unusually prolonged character. The rainfall of the 
month was 0.52 in. below the average, and the mean temperature 
was about 2^ in. in excess. The number of days on which rain 
fell was 17, against 2G the previous December, but with the excep- 
tion of a few snowilakes on the 2nd, the month may be said to 
have been a snowless one. 
The Seasons. 
The following Tables show the mean temperature and rainfall for 
the four seasons, together with those of the five previous years, 
and of a twenty-year approximate average. Winter comprises the 
three months December to February inclusive; Spring, March to 
May; Summer, June to August; and Autumn, September to 
November. 
TEMPERATURE. 
Scanon*. 
1891 
1893. 
1894. 
1895. 
1H0<». 
1897. 
"•* ve ar 
average. 
Departure 
of 1897 from 
average. 
VVintor 
Spring 
Summer 
Autumn 
degrees. 
37.0 
44.9 
58.3 
48.8 
degrees. 
86.5 
49. 1 
61. 2 
50.0 
degrees. 
39.2 
47.7 
59.3 
50 1 
degree*. 
34.7 
47.6 
60.4 
51.4 
degrees. 
39. 6 
48.0 
61.1 
48.5 
degree*. 
38 3 
46.9 
61.9 
50.3 
.loicrce... 
37.8 
46.2 
60.2 
49.5 
degree*. 
+ 0.5 
+ 0.7 
+ 1.7 
+ 0.8 
Y ear 
46.9 
49.6 
49.2 
48.4 
49.3 
49.5 
48.4 
+ 1.1 
RAINFALL. 
Seasons. 
1892. 
1893. 
1801 
1895. 
1896. 
1897. 
20-year 
average 
Departure 
of 1897 from 
average. 
Winter ... 
Spring ... 
Summer ... 
Autumn ... 
in. 
. 6.36 
5.10 
10.20 
11.15 
in. 
5.80 
1.61 
5.37 
6.10 
In. 
4.S1 
5.62 
8.74 
7.12 
in. 
7.35 
4.15 
7.51 
7.13 
in. 
3.28 
5.18 
4.8S 
8.49 
in. 
7.S6 
5.05 
4.17 
6.42 
in. 
6.02 
5.21 
7.17 
8.50 
in. 
+ 1.S4 
— 0.16 
— 3.00 
— 2.0S 
Year 
31.05 
19.66 
27.32 
24.91 
23.28 
22.07 
26.90 
— 4.83 
The above Tables show that all the seasons were slightly above 
their average temperature, especially the Summer, which was the 
warmest of the series. Rainfall was above the average in the 
Winter months, the excess being greater than in any of the above 
years. There was a trifling deficiency in the Spring quarter, and 
a considerable deficiency in the Summer and Autumn, that of the 
Summer amounting to as much as three inches. 
