METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Southland Times, Volume VI, Issue 493, 13 June 1866, Page 2

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Taken at Martendale, Southland, New Zealand, in May, 1866; lat., 4Sdeg. 17mm. S. ; long., 16Sdeg. 20min. E. Height above sea level, 79ft. The weather during the month was magnificent, and exhibited a most striking contrast to that we hare endured throughout the last fifteen months. As may be seen below, the average height of the barometer was thegreatoston record here, 30'105in., and the readings on the Bth, 9th and 10th were higher than I have yet registered, ranging from 3045 inches to 30.59 inches. The barometer stood above 30 inches on seventeen days. Curiously enough the air at the samo time, and indeed throughout tho month, was more humid than I have ever known it, the mean degree of moisture being no less than "88, and the point of complete saturation reached on as many as thirteen days. This darapnese appeared wholly confined to the lower stratum of the atmosphere, tho tipper strata being nearly always clear and dry. Five nights were foggy, and six frosty. Owing to the humidity of the air the amount of radiation — both terrestrial and solai- — was small. The temperature varied unusually for May. On one day it rose to 70 - ldeg. in the shade, a remarkable degree of warmth, considering that May represents the English November. On only one other occasion in the last eight years has the temperature been so kigh. The evaporation wus the smallest hitherto recorded. The range of temperature which wbs 32 - 4deg. on the 15th, was only 6deg. on the following day.- On the 30th tho barometer suddenly fell '76 of an inch, that is to say from 3003 inches to 2927 inches, but without being followed by any remarkable change of weather ; it rose again steadily on the 31st. The wind was singularly light, the mean force was 2"0, and the anemometer, on one occasion showed a movement of only 46 miles in a week. May being generally the wettest and most boisterous month of the year ; such a continuance of calm brilliant weather as we have lately enjoyed is very unusual. On referring to the table below, it will be seen that we have only once had a finer Hay — that of 1861, when no rain at all fell ; but in the six other years it ha 3 been the wet and stormy month par excellence. Barometer — Mean atmospheric pressure (corrected to standard temperature of 32deg. Fahr., and reduced to sea level), 30-105 inches maximum, 30591 inches on the 9th ; here tho highest reading yet registerodhere ; minimum, 29-274 inches on the 30th. Total range of atmospheric pressure, 1*317 inches. Thermometer — Mean Temperature of the air, 46 p 7deg., which is the same as the seven years' average. Highest day temperature, 70"ldeg. on 14th. Lowest night temperature, 24'4deg. on 18th. Total range of temperature, 45'7deg> Mean daily range, ] 9'ldeg. Hygrometer- — Mean degree of atmospheric humidity, 'BS. Mean temperature of evaporation, 45"ldeg. Dew point, 43.3deg. Elastic" force of vapour, o"2Blinch. Eadiation — Solar, maximum, 87deg. on 14th. Terrestrial minimum, 23"9deg. on 18th. Rainfall — On surface of ground, 2-173 inches. Evaporation— On surface of ground, 0-311 inch. Cloud — Mean amount, 5-3, (overcast— lo.) Wind — General direction, N.W.; mean force, (0-12)— 2-0. Anemometer — Greatest movement of air in 24 hours, 247 miles ; on the 2Sth (W). Greatest velocity of wind, 25 miles per hour on 12th (N.W).

IK3TBU3IENT3. Barometer — No. 139, by Burrow, and 733 by Casella. Thermometers — Self-registering, sbs. 513, 540 and 546, by Casella ; Nos. 2215, 2189 and 2033, by Negretti and Zambra ; three by Troughton aud Simms ; one by Barrow. Standard thermometers — One by Casella, and one by Kegretti and Zambra. Hygrometer — Mason's, or dry-and- wet-bulb, by Troughton and Simms, and Negretti and Zambra. JRain-guages — Ordnance pattern 10 inch square, by Casella ; Livingstone's African pattern, 3 inches in diameter, by Casellu ; No. 843, and two ordinary rain-guages. Evaporation-guage, by Casella. Anemometer — Eobin son's, by Caselia, No. 114. CHAELES EOUS MABTEN, Director of Meteorological Stations. Martendale, Ist June, 1866.

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