THE WEATHER

Southland Times, Issue 589, 9 November 1866, Page 2

THE WEATHER

SEPTEMBER, 1866. ' Fine dry weather prevaUed throughout the month, with occasional refreshing showers. During the first three weeks the days were extremely warm — unprecedentedly so for the time of year — but the nights generaUy cold. On the 2nd, the thermometer rose to 73 degs. in the shade, and 105 degs. in the sun ; the mean temperature of the day being as high as 60*4 degs., which is equal to that of the month of June in the south of England : it must be remembered that the 2nd of September here corresponds with, tbe 2nd of March there. On the 21st, a thunder storm passed overhead from E.S.E. to W.N.W. : the Ughtning was very vivid, and the thunder loud ; heavy rain feU for an hour — half an inch being registered in that time. After this thunderstorm the weather whoUy altered its character. Strong, dry, and very cold easterly winds blew constantly until the close of the month, and the mean temperature which had been 60*4 degs. on the 2nd, decreased to 37.7 degs. on the 22nd ; a change, that is to say, from an English June to an English December, in the course of three weeks, during which we ought to have been advancing towards summer — not winter. So cold was the weather during these 10 days that the mean temperature of the who-e month was brought down to 2_- degs. below the average, and this in spite of the remarkable warmth at the commencement. There were no fewer than thirteen frosty nights in the month. The cold on the 23rd was as great as any experienced during the whole winter cf1865. It had the effect of materially checking vegetation, which had been unusuaUy advanced, but it is probable that no permanent injury has been done. StiU, notwithstanding the eccentricities of temperature, the spring has been one of the finest I have seen, and only surpassed by those of 1860 and 1861. September completes the fifth successive month of almost uninterruptedly dry, brilliant weather. The mean temperature of the month was 47*4 deg., which is 2*5 degrees below the average of nine years. The rainfall of the month was 1*532 inch, which is I*o9 inch less than the nine years' average. The reading of the various mstruments were as foUows, Barometer (corrected and reduced) — Maximum pressure, 30*268 inches on the 2nd and 23rd ; minimum 29*017 inches ; mean 29*788 inches ; range of atmospheric pressure 1*251 inch. Thermometer (in shade) — Maximum, 73 deg., on 2nd ; minimum, 25*2 deg., on 23rd ; mean temperature of the air. 47'4*deg ; total range of temperature, 47*8 deg., mean daily range, 22*5 deg. Hygrometer — Mean degree of humidity, '67; temperature of evaporation, 42*4 deg, dew-point 36* a deg ; tension of aqueous vapor 0*225 inch. Radiation — Solar maximum 105 deg., terrestrial minimum 20*8 deg. Evaporation — 3*361 inches. Precipitation 1*532 inch. Mean amount of cloud (0-10) 3.3. Mean force of wind (0-12) 4.1. Anemometer — Totaljhorizontal movement of air, 4048 mUes : — greatest daily movement, 507 mUes, least, 29 mUes ; mean 134 miles ; greatest verocity 40 miles per hour — N. on 8th — greatest pressure, 7.2 lbs to the square foot.

fc>- I <° [> I I>NN(ONOCO>O t_ £ iH r-11-l iH rH K I T3 fc>; £>(N O5 CO rH *> IO CH> O P 4 ZL CO T3 u^ ■. 121 ' S ® g 3 pq 00>aiOOGOtO(OH TO gg >iOS r-ICOr-ll>e00»lOQ0 H |>HOOOOOOOO IS ■ T3 fe; TiTTnnTjr* to o N Nd lO O O O O O fi JJUUOa-jy JU 8 J T » t-l ■<? t*< r-< OO rH "<? !JTIO CWMNMOOOrW | -bX^q; Xia^oiig tooMogio^<Moo« •.ny 9HI IO ti"*. QMftr-jNOJNIO t Oi>l>osffJO«i-ICiOO id "•• oiaooi>sDcocD"^ ( cO'— ' g m qraaq gs^BaJtf) I pt-»aii>a;i>i>i>«o fr« - j (CiSTtiMSJHO OiljO The following table shows the comparative state of the wind, weather and cloud at the coast station (Bluff) and the inland station (Martendale :— UIiTTBV MAETENDAXE Days without rain — Eine and clear ... 14 .., 25 Cloudy 3 ... 0 Dull and foggy ... 3 ... 0 Days rain fell — Showery ... ... 12 ... 5 Wet throughout ... 1 ... 0 Mean Amount of Cloud 57 ... 3*3

Direotion of wind— f N 3 .„ » E 9 ... 9 No. of days |f } -; J SW I ... 0 W 8 ... 3 * i, NW 8 ... 4 Mean comparative "\ force of ■wind^ ft , a ... A>l (Admiralty stan- C B 0 ... * x dard— o-12) J ... j OFARLES BOUS MARTEN, Director of Meteorological Stations. Southland, Oct. 13th, 1866.