METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Southland Times, Volume VI, Issue 495, 15 June 1866, Page 2

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Taken at Martendale, Southland, New Zealand, in May, 1866; lat., 46deg. I7min. S.; long., 168deg. 20min. E. Height above sea level, 79ft. The weather during the month was magnificent, and exhibited a most striking contrast to that we have endured throughout the last fifteen months. As may be seen below, the average height of the barometer was the greatest on recordhere, 30"105 in., and the readings on the Bth, 9th and 10th were higher than I have yet registered, ranging from 30-45 inches to 30.59 inches. The barometer stood above 30 inches on seventeen days. Curiously enough the air at the same time, and indeed throughout the 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 dampnese appeared wholly confined to the lower stratum of the atmosphere, the 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 solar — 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 iigh. The evaporation wt>s the smallest hitherto recorded. The range of temperature whichwus 32"4deg. on the 15th, was onty 6deg. on the following day. On the 30th the barometer suddenly fell '76 of an inch, that is to say from 30*03 inches to 2927 inches, but without being followed by any remarkable chango of weather ; it rose again steadily on the 31st. The wind was singularly light, the mean force was 2'o, 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 May — that of 1861, when no rain at all fell ; but ' in the six other years it has 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, 30*591 inches on the 9th ; here the highest reading yet registeredhere ; minimum, 29*274 inches on the 30th. Total range of atmospheric pressure, 1317 inches. Thermometer — Mean Temperature of the air, 46*7deg., which is the same as the seven years' average. Highest day temperature, 70"ldeg. on 14th. Lowest night temperature, 24*4deg. on ISth. Total range of temperature^, 457deg. Mean daily range, 19*ldeg. Hygrometer — Mean degree of atmospheric humidity, 'SB. Mean temperature of evaporation, 45*ldeg. Dew point, 43.3deg. Elastic force of vapour, O*2Sl inch. Eadiation— Solar, maximum, 87deg. on 14th. Terrestrial minimum, 23*9deg. on 18th. Rainfall — On surface of ground, 2\L73 inches. Evaporation — On surface of ground, 0311 inch. Cloud — Mean amount, 5*3, (overcast — 10.) Wind — General direction, N.W.; mean force, (0-12)— 2*0. Anemometer — Greatest movement of air in 24 hours, 247 miles; on the 28th (W). Greatest velocity of wind, 25 miles per hour on 12th (N.W).

InSTEIIMEXTS. Barometer — No. 139, by Burrow, and 733 by Co Bella. Thermometers — Self-registering, 2fos. 513, 540 and 546, by Casella ; Mos. 2215, 2189 and 2033, by Ifegretti and Zambra; three by Troughton aud Simms ; one by Barrow. Standard thermomete~3 — One by Casella, and one by j\'egretti and Zambra. Hygroineteir — Mason's, or dry-and-wet-bulb, by Troughton and Simms, and Negretti and Zambra. Eain-guages — Ordnance pattern 10 inch square, by Casella ; Livingstone's African pattern, 3 inches in diameter, by Casella j No. 843, and two ordinary rain-guages. Evaporation-guage, by Casella. Anemometer — Robinson's, by Casella, No. 114. CHARLES ROUS MARTEN, Director of Meteorological Stations. Martendale, Ist June, 1866.

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