33 
snow, on open, low ground. Zero in the screen was recorded, 
but here 17° below. The difference is great, but the conditions 
so exceptional that the observation is probably fairly correct. 
The West Biding hills were seen only once, but two or three 
days were almost cloudless. Ninety-nine hours of bright sun¬ 
shine were recorded, which is nearly double the average, and 
exceeds the next sunniest, February 1887, by three hours. It 
will be of interest to compare the present year with previous 
records. There have been three colder months since 1840 at 
York, namely, the Crimean February, 1855 (22T°),Dec. 1878, 
and January, 1881 (28*2°), but never a colder two months, 
though the following statement shows that if the two are 
averaged together the mean is a little lower in 1855:— 
1855. 1895. 
Mean of Max. and Min., Jan.34*7° 
February . . . . 25 9° 
Jan. and Feb. . . 30 3° 
February, 
>5 
Absolute Minimum, 
„ Maximum, 
Mean Minimum, 
Maximum 
>> 
> j 
1 lo 
36° 
207° 
31 2° 
31*2° 
30*1° 
306° 
2*7° 
46° 
23 8° 
36*4° 
Thus February, 1855, had far lower maxima. Indeed, they 
were so high in 1895 that January was nearly as cold. 
The next table shows all months which have had a mean 
temperature (maximum and minimum) at or below the freezing 
point 
January. 
February. 
December. 
1842 
.. 30-7° 
1853 
. . 31*4° 
1846 .. 
31*7° 
1855 
. . 25-9° 
1867 
.. 31-7° 
1871 
c 
CO 
• 
• 
1874 
31-3° 
1879 
. . 31*7° 
1878 .. 
0 
O 
CO 
1881 
. . 28-2° 
1879 .. 
30-8° 
1895 
.. 31-2° 
1895 
. . 30-1° 
Or thirteen in all—Six in January, three in February, and 
four in December. 
Next to 1855 and 1895, the coldest two months are thus 
seen to have been December, 1878, and January, 1879, 3Q'85°. 
The next table gives all months in which the minimum 
temperature fell below 10° 
