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XXVIII. 
REPORT ON THE RAINFALL IN HERTFORDSHIRE IN THE 
YEAR 1904. 
By John Hopkinson, F.L.S., F.G.S., Y.P. E. Met. Soc., 
Assoc. Inst. C. E. 
Read at Watford, 29 th March, 1905. 
The alterations in our rainfall stations for the year 1904 result 
in a gain of two on the number for the previous year, the losses 
being two and the gains four. Frogmore, St. Albans, disappears 
for a time, owing to the temporary removal of the observer, and 
the record at Frogmore, Watford, has ceased, owing to the 
observer’s permanent removal in the Autumn. The gains are Hill 
End, St. Albans; Hillside, Buntingford ; Holwell House, Hatfield ; 
and Summerhill, Barnet. By these alterations the districts of the 
Ver and Lower Colne each lose one station, and those of the Upper 
Colne, Bib, and Upper and Lower Lea each gain one. 
The principal table now contains the records of 54 stations, 
being two more than in any previous year. The number of daily 
records received is 50, or five more than for any previous year. 
Last year therefore takes the place of 1904 as a “record” one in 
number of returns and fulness of detail supplied. 
The usual particulars of the rainfall stations, and of the rainfall, 
in 1904, are given in Tables I and II, pp. 219-221. 
A supplementary table (Table III, p. 218) gives twelve other 
records of the total rainfall in the year. Five of these are from 
‘British Rainfall, 1904’; Frogmore, Watford, appears, as the 
gauge was left there until the end of the year when the rainfall 
was measured ; and the other records are those of additional 
gauges at stations in the principal table. 
The mean rainfall in Hertfordshire in the year 1904 was 23-27 
inches. This is 1*51 inch below the average for the decade 
1890-99, and 2-88 inches below that for the 60 years 1840-99. 
The mean number of wet days in the year was 167, which is the 
average number for the thirty years 1870-99, and 21 less than 
that for the previous year. Last year was therefore one of rather 
small rainfall of average frequency. 
Droughts in 1904.—Although in the previous very wet year 
there was one very long “ absolute ” drought recorded at all 
stations, in 1904, when the rainfall was below the average, it is 
doubtful whether there was really an absolute drought at all, the 
small number of stations recording one (9) leading to the inference 
that the absence of a record was due to a slight fall or two, re¬ 
corded at neighbouring stations, being overlooked. Such a drought 
is recorded to have lasted for 15 days, July 4 to 18, at four stations; 
for 20 days, July 5 to 24, at one station; for 21 days, July 4 to 24, 
at three stations; and for 24 days, July 1 to 24, at one station. 
There was no “ partial ” drought. 
