XVII. 
REPORT ON THE RAINFALL IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN 1888. 
By John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., F.R.Met.Soc. 
Read at Watford , 2 6th April , 1889. 
The number of observers from whom returns of the rainfall in 
1888 have been received is the same as for the previous year, but 
there are a few alterations in the staff. Owing to Mr. H. George 
Fordham having left England we have no longer a return for 
Odsey; and by the death of the Rev. F. G. Jenyns, Rector of 
Kneb worth, we lose that station, his successor not taking the rain¬ 
fall. On the other hand we have for the first time a return for 
Eroxbourne from Mr. G. J. Newbery, and one for Cheshunt College 
from the Rev. Dr. Reynolds. Eoth of these places are in the river- 
basin of the Lower Lea, the stations which disappear from our 
table being in the basins of the Rhee and Eeane. 
The districts without observers are the Upper Ivel (Ealdock) in 
the north, the Chess in the south-west, the Brent (Totteridge) and 
the Upper Colne (the Colne above its junction with the Yer) in the 
south, and the Stort (Stortford, Sawbridge worth, etc.) in the east. 
The western portion of the Rhee (Ashwell) is also now unrepre¬ 
sented, and there is only one observer in the large district of the 
Eeane. It would be advisable for as many as possible of these 
deficiencies to be supplied before the commencement of the rainfall 
decade 1890-99. 
The present report is drawn up from returns for 28 stations, as 
was the last, and from 24 of these I have the daily rainfall. The 
number of gauges is the same as before, namely 30. 
The rainfall in the year 1888 was a little below the average of a 
long series of years, but considerably below that of the period 
chosen for comparison in the last few reports, the mean for the 
county being 26*09 inches. This is 2*91 inches below the selected 
mean, that of the 10 years 1876-85, and 0*46 in. below the mean 
of the 40 years 1840-79. 
Particulars of the rainfall stations, and the monthly and total 
rainfall and number of days on which 0*01 in. or more fell, are 
given in the accompanying tables (Tables I and II, pp. 162, 163). 
Distribution of Rainfall throughout the Year .—Of the total rain¬ 
fall 13°/ 0 fell during the winter months (Jan., Feb., and Dec.), 
25°/ 0 during the spring (March to May), 37°/ 0 during the summer 
(June to Aug.), and 25°/ 0 during the autumn (Sept, to Nov.). The 
fall of each quarter and of each season, and their deviation from 
the mean, was as follows:— 
Fall. 
Diff. 
Fall. 
Diff 
1 st quarter. 
... 5-20 in. 
—081 in. 
Winter. 
—3 76 in. 
2 nd ,, . 
... 6*09 
-0-55 
Spring . 
. 6-52 
+0-78 
3 rd ,, . 
... 7*96 
—0-24 
Summer.. 
. 9-76 
4-2-04 
4 th ,, . 
... 6-84 
—1-31 
Autumn. 
. 6 42 
—1-97 
26-09 
—2-91 
26-09 
—2 91 
VOL. v. —PART VI. 
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