METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 210, 31 January 1866, Page 3

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

December, 1865. A very fine dry month, the first since Eebraary. With the exception of one or two trifling showers, no rain fell until the 24th, and the weather was constantly fine and bright,, although generally cool. On the 17th, the weather had reached its climax, the barometer, thermometer, and hygrometer all attained their maximum readings, (30*04 inches, 85 deg., and '86 respectively), and the next day the barometer commenced sinking, and steadily decreased until the 23rd, when it had fallen to its minimum, 29.04 inches. During the 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, violent thunderstorms were raging around us in all directions, and occasionally approached to wishin 5 or 6 miles. On the 24th, a severe one passed overhead, moving from W.N.W., dead against a strong E.S.E. gale, the lightning was very vivid, and rain fell in torrents. The last week of December was showery, cold, and windy, a strong gale blowing uninterruptedly from the west. Another thunderstorm occurred on the 30th. Compared with former years, especially 1858-61, the temperature of Decembar, 1865, was low. On only three days it exceeded 80 deg., and the highest was 85 deg. in the shade, and 172 deg. in the sun on the 17th. This is very mild in comparison with the 98 deg. in the shade, and 132 deg. in the sun, of December, 1858, or the 95 deg. in the shade, and 129 deg. in the sun of December, 1860. But even 85 deg. is quite warm enough for comfort, and almost too warm to be pleasant. There were some very cold nights in the beginning of the month, 35.2 deg., 36.0 deg., and 34.8 deg., on the 7th, Bth, and 9th ; the reading on the glass being below freezing-point on each occasion. This proved most injurious to vegetation, and espe- j oially to the fruit. I may also mention that the air was drier from the 13th to the 18th than I have ever before known it. The mean barometrical pressure was 29*601 inches ; the highest reading 30"04 inches on the 17th ; the lowest, 29*04 inches on the 22nd. The reading was only above 30 inches on one day in the month ; the total range was exactly one inch. The mean temperature of the air was 616 deg., which is 0.5 deg. below the" average of eight years. The highest day temperature was 85 deg. on the 17 th; the lowest night temperature 34*8 deg. on the 9th ; the total range of temperature during the month was therefore 50"2 degrees. The mean degree of atmospheric humidity was •58 ; complete saturation being represented by 1.00, the minimum was "36 on the 16th and 17th. The mean temperature of evaporation was 536 deg., and of the dew-point 466 deg. The mean elastic force of the aqueous vapour in the atmosphere was o*3ll inch. Solar radiation was greatest on the 17th, when the black-bulb thermometer read 112 deg. — 27 deg. in excess of the air maximum j the minimun reading of the terrestrial radiation thermometer was 30.8 deg. on the 9th. The amount of evaporation was 5*309 inches j nearly four inches hi excess of the precipitation.. The general direction of the wind was N.W., E., S.E. j the mean force (estimated from 1 to 12.) -3. The mean amount of cloud was *7-l - 0, indicating total obscuration.

CHARLES EOUS MARTEN, Director of Meteorological Stations. Martendale, Southland, January, 1866.

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