THE WINDRUSH AT BIGGIN. 
79 
hour, (the velocity of the wind which accompanied it may of course 
have been entirely different,) its passage at any station was marked 
by an arrest of the falling barometer, followed by an instantaneous 
upward jump. This was 0-04 inch at York, but as much as 0*09 
at Cambridge, and 0*08 at the London Meteorological Office. 
That is, in a minute or two, the change of pressure at London 
was as great as the difference existing at the time between London 
and Brighton. 
With this pressure change was associated a rapid fall in tem¬ 
perature. This drop amounted to 15 0 just S. of London, equal 
to the difference between Inverness and Valentia, the lowest and 
highest records in our islands at 8 a.m. 
The wind, S.W. before the arrival of the squall, veered to N.W. 
or N. In many parts, especially at the eastern stations, the 
velocity fell ; the chief change was in direction and temperature. 
But elsewhere its force was greatly increased. Bidston and Shoe- 
buryness recorded 80 miles per hour, or double the velocity of the 
squall. 
North of Yorkshire rain preceded the squall. From here, on, its 
passage was marked by thunderstorms with violent hail and snow. 
Such are the outlines of this unusually intensified, yet otherwise 
characteristic, line squall, a type of storm brought first into prom¬ 
inence by the too famous “ Eurydice ” squall of March 24th, 1878. 
This was fully discussed by the Rev. W. Clement Ley,* and its 
nature further elucidated by the Hon. Ralph Abercrombie.! The 
writer well recalls its passage at York,—worst shortly before noon, 
—accompanied by a heavy downfall of snow. The Eurydice was 
struck off Vent nor at a quarter to four. 
The latter of the above papers describes the depression as 
“ V-shaped,” but only two or three barograph records were avail¬ 
able. Probably more ample returns would have indicated the 
same sudden “ faulting” of the isobars, when the wind shifted 
from S.W. to N.W., as are shown in Lempfert’s charts. 
There was one marked contrast. The squall of 1906 advanced 
parallel to itself. The “ Eurydice ” squall swung round a low- 
pressure centre near the Scaw like a scimitar, the velocity in East 
England being 13 miles per hour, but at Falmouth nearly 50. 
Curiously the velocity at the Isle of Wight is given (p. 180, O. J. 
Met. S.) as 38 miles, or the same as in 1906. 
* Symons’ Mo. Met. Mag., April, 1878. f O. J. R. Met. S., July, 1884. 
