THE WEATHER.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 18 August 1864, Page 5

THE WEATHER.

MaTBOBOi-oorcAL Obsbbvatiotss Dtmisa thb Month op July, in Six Yea_eb. July, 1864, offers another striking instance of those extraordinary fluctuations which form so marked a feature in the climate of Southland. The aggregate amount of rain during the months of May and June exceeded seventeen inches, and no less than an inch and a half fell in the last two | days of June. This contrasts forcibly with the six-tenths of an inch which comprise the total rainfall of July, as do the twenty-eight fine days of the latter month, with the almost daily rain of the two months immediately preceding. It is curious, that the mean temperature of July, like that of June, was about two degress above the average of six years. Considering the unprecedented saturation of the ground, and tho consequent reduction of temperature by evaporation, the unusual mildness of the season is a singular anomaly, and a notable deviation from the rules which ordinarily guide the course of the weather. On the 7th, Bth, and 26th, the mean temperature of the air was as much as 15 degrees above the average, and the thermometer »tood higher than I have ever yet seen it in July, viz., 62 degrees in the shade. Magnificent weather, with light winds and moderate frost at night, prevailed throughout the month. With the exception of a few slight showers, no rain fell till the 29th, when half an inch was registered, and on the following evening a sharp frost set in, which thawed on the 3rd of August ; the lowest readings were 17 degrees in the air and 11 degrees on the grass — a degree of cold bearing no comparison with that of 1862, when the mercury feU to 9 degrees in the air and 0 degrees on the grass ; or of 1859, when it decreased to 12 degrees in the air and 5 degrees on the grass. No enow has yet fallen beyond a few flakes, and very little sleet or hail. The Aurora Austrahs has been frequently visible, but its brilliancy was not at all comparable to that of its . appearance in 1859 and 1860. The Zodiacal Light has been particularly clear and bright, especially towards the close of the month. The meteors have been very numerous, and large ones of almost nightly occurrence — the colors exclusively green and yellow. .A. etiort buC Tiolent gale from tlie eaotTrard occurred on the night of the 6th. On the 24th, 25th, and 26th, the instruments indicated considerable atmospheric disturbance, but nothing of particular importance took place here. There was, however, one circumstance worthy of note : — On the 26th, the air was extremely warm and dry, with a moderate breeze from the N.W. ; at two pirn, the wind suddenly veered to the diametrically opposite point, S.E. The state of the atmosphere was afterwards totally altered ; the temperature decreased from 62 degrees to 61 degrees, the humidity increased from -55 to - 87, and the barometer commenced rising. lam of opinion that a revolving storm had been raging in the distance, and had exhausted itself by the time it reached thiß place, so that we only experienced the expiring " puff," as above described. The mean barometrical pressure during the month was 29*853 inches ; the highest point, 3032 inches ; and the lowest, 29"18 inches. , The mean temperature of the air was 41*4 deg., which is 2"7 deg. above the average of six years. Tho' highest day temperature was 62 degrees, the lowest night temperature 17 degrees; the total range of temperature was therefore 45 degress.

The mean degree of atmospheric humidity was "71, saturation being represented by TOO, which was not even approached, the greatest amount of moisture being '88 on the 12th, the least '49 on the 26th. The mean temperature of evaporation Was 57"4 degrees, and of the dew-point 32 - 3 degrees.

Notb. — The barometrical readings are not reduced to 32 deg., or sea level. The thermometers have a southern asnoct, and are placed four feet above the surface of the ground. Tho hygrometrical results aro obtained by dry and wet bulb thermometers and Mr. Glaisher'a tables. The rain is measured in three separate gauges, graduated to -0001 of an inch ; two ore placed on the ground, the third"l 6 feet above. CHARLES ROUS MARTEN. Martendale, Ryol Bush. [Ebbata. — In {the June table, published in our issues of the 16th and 18th ult., there aro aomo typographical errors. For " immediately saturated" read "completely saturated;" for "the 17th of June " read " tho Ist of Juno j" and for "days on which the thermometer stood below 24 ° " read " days on which the thermometer stood below 20 ° .""—Ed. S. T.] '

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