98 
J. HOPKINSON-REPORT ON THE 
year are too few to enable us to judge which of the two years had 
highest average over the county. 
, however, be of interest:— 
The following 
1852. 
comparison 
1903. 
Royston * . 
33*06 
34*42 
Hit chin (Wratten) . 
34*11 
37*56 
Tring (Cowroast) . 
39*40 
42*33 
Hemel Hempstead f. 
41*14 
40*24 
Harpenden (Rothamsted) 
Hoddesdon (Feilde’s Weir) 
37*82 
37*35 
39*71 
36*34 
Mean. 
37*54 
38*04 
The only certain deduction which can he made from this com¬ 
parison is that 1903 was the wettest in the north and west of 
Hertfordshire, and 1852 in the centre and south-east. 
Judging from the records of other stations in the Home Counties, 
it is possible that 1834 may have been a wetter year in Hertford¬ 
shire than either 1852 or 1903, Sandhurst, Berks, having recorded 
33*6 ins. in 1834 and 35-6 in 1852; and Greenwich, Kent, 
36-3 ins. in 1834 and 34*4 in 1852. At any rate, we may confidently 
include 1834 with 1852 and 1903 as the wettest years in our 
county from the commencement of the nineteenth century at least. 
Droughts in 1903.—It is remarkable that in this very wet year, 
the wettest season of which was the Summer, there should have 
been, in the Summer, an unusually long “absolute” drought 
recorded at all our stations,—a period without a measurable quantity 
of rain, of an average duration, taking one station with another, 
of over three weeks. It lasted for 15 days, June 20 to July 4, at 
seven stations; for 20 days, June 21 to July 10, at one station; 
for 21 days, June 20 to July 10, at six stations; for 22 days, 
June 20 to July 11, at nine; for 23 days, June 21 to July 13, 
at three; for 24 days, June 20 to July 13, at twelve; for 26 days, 
June 20 to July 15, at five; and for 27 days, June 20 to July 16, 
at two stations. Nine stations record an earlier “absolute” 
drought of 21 days at each, from May 18 to June 7. There was 
no “partial” drought.^ 
Distribution of the Rainfall throughout the Year .—Of the total 
rainfall of 37*83 inches, 17*19 fell during the six winter months 
and 20*66 during the six summer months. During the first 
quarter of the year 6*57 ins. fell, during the second 10*13 ins., 
during the third 10*53 ins., and during the fourth 10*60 ins. Tor 
three quarters of the year these quantities are remarkably close. 
During the Winter of 1902-3 (Dec. to Deb.) 4*75 ins. fell, during 
the Spring (March to May) 7*46, during the Summer (June to 
August) 13*89, and during the Autumn (Sept, to Nov.) 11*03. 
* London Road, 1852; Melbourne Street, 1903. 
t Nash Mills, 1852 ; Apsley Mills, 1903. 
+ Definitions of “absolute” and “partial” droughts have been given in 
previous reports. 
