Although there has been nothing phenomenal in the weather of the year just past, there are two features which are worthy of remark – namely, the large amount of sunshine during the summer months and the small rainfall in the latter portion of the year. As regards the former of these features, the total amount of bright sunshine registered at the Midland Institute Observatory, Edgbaston, was 1,239hr. 20min.: this is 267hr. 5min. more than was recorded in 1903, and 137hr. more than the mean of the past seventeen years. The excess occurred for the most part in the months of June, July, August, and September; 180hr. being recorded in June, 187 in July, 200 in August, and 138 in September, as against averages of 150, 140, 135, and 115 hours respectively. There was also a slight excess in April and November. All the other months show a diminution, but not in any case very large in amount. January was the month of least sunshine, the sun having shone for only 18hr. 50min. Since 1886, the date of the establishment of the observatory, the greatest amount of sunshine registered in one year was 1,449hr. 10min. in 1893, and the year of least sunshine was 1888, when 854hr. 5min. were recorded. The above results were obtained by the Jordan instrument, which acts upon photographic principles, and therefore records more particularly the chemical action of the sun’s rays. The Campbell-Stokes, the other instrument used at the observatory, is a burning-glass recorder, and hence, registers more particularly the heat rays. By this instrument 1,231hr. 7min. of bright sunshine were recorded during the year.
That an excess of sunshine should be accompanied by a diminished rainfall seems an obvious conclusion, but, although it was the case in the past year, the two phenomena do not necessarily occur together, as a hot summer with much bright sunshine may have violent thunderstorms accompanied by very heavy rains. The total rainfall of the year was 21.940 inches, or nearly three inches less than the average, and this diminished rainfall was due to very little rain falling in the latter portion of the year. The heaviest rainfall of any one year since 1886 was 33.855 inches in 1903, and least 19.800 inches in 1887. In the past year February was the wettest month, with 3.805 inches of rain, and June the driest, with 0.465 inches. The greatest amount registered on one day was 1.280 inches on July 25.
The mean temperature of the year has been very close to that of the past seventeen years. The maximum temperature, 81.8 deg., on August 3, has not reached that previously recorded by several degrees, nor has the minimum fallen below a previous record except in November, when, on the 24th, 20 deg. was registered, 0.8 deg. lower than any temperature touched in this month during the past seventeen years. This was the lowest temperature of the year.
Very few high winds and no gales have visited the district during the year. The nearest approach to a storm was the wind of a few days go on December 30, when the horizontal motion of the air was 749 miles in the twenty-four hours, and a pressure of 14lb. on the square foot was attained. On February 13 a velocity of 716 miles was reached, and on January 13 one of 687 miles. On both of these occasions the pressure rose to 15lb. per square foot.
The highest barometric reading for the year, 30.135in., was recorded on January 22, and the lowest, 28.289in., on February 10.
|
