160 
RAINFALL AT CLIFTON IN 1880. 
Remarks. — The rainfall of 1880, although less than that of 
any year since 1874, was still considerably above the average. 
Speaking generally, and without regard to intermediate droughts, 
it may be said that a rainy period has prevailed now for nine 
years. During this long term there has been but one year (1873) 
in which the rainfall was not above the average of 28 years, and 
the aggregate excess in the whole period has been upwards of 44 
inches. So marked and long-continued a deviation as this from 
the normal state of things can hardly be without some important 
■consequences. 
Notwithstanding the generally rainy character of the year 
1880, two of its months, January and August, were distinguished 
by an exceptional degree of dryness. January, with 0*658 inch, 
was the driest January since 1855, and was the more remarkable 
as following three months of unprecedented dryness at the end 
of the previous year. August, with 0*409 inch, was by a long 
way the driest August that has been observed at this station. 
May was also a very dry and fine month ; as March would have 
been too, but for a heavy downpour on its second day. Three 
weeks passed in March with scarcely a drop of rain, and 34 days 
in April and May with less than two-tenths of an inch. 
The wettest months of the year were October and December, 
the former yielding close upon six inches, the latter nearly five 
and a half inches. 
Three times in the course of the year the diurnal fall 
exceeded an inch, namely, once in March and twice in October. 
The heaviest fall in 24 hours was on the 4th of October, 1-722 
inch. 
Snow fell on the 13th of January to an average depth of 
four inches, and this was the only snowstorm of importance 
throughout the year. 
