Weather in 1952

47

WEATHER IN 1952. was unsettled with a total rainfall of 2.47 inches which was in excess of the average (1902-41), but the sun record was very good the total being 77 hours, some 24 hours above the average, and the highest since 1939. Temperatures were on the whole low, there being a greater persistence of west to north-west winds of cold origin than is usual. The mean temperature of the month was 37.1°, average 1902-41 being 38.5°. The wärmest day was the 15th, maximum in screen being 52°, and the coldest day was the 26th, with a maximum of 31°.

JANUARY

The cold weather type of January was carried into February, west to north-west winds being predominant for the first half of the month with snow showers at times. A moderate amount of snow feil on the 14th, but thereafter conditions became milder, but an anticyclone produced some fog and low night temperatures round the 27th. Rainfall was deficient, the total being 0.78 ins.

Sun was near normal.

March was mainly rather wet and fairly mild until the 24th, although there was a dry, cold and bright spell round the 14th and 15th. From the 24th, a cold north to north-east airstream became established over the country giving wintry showers, and on the 29th, a depression approaching from the south gave gale force east winds and a moderate to heavy fall of snow, which combined to give a severe blizzard and deep drifting in many places. This depression passed away to the east and a cold north airstream gave wintry showers for the rest of the month. Rainfall was in excess of the average and sunshine was deficient. The lowest maximum temperature was 33° on the 29th and the highest was 60° on the 22nd, an excellent example of the English Spring, though such severity is rare.

April: After a cold Start, which was all part of the very cold spell and severe blizzard of March 29th, the weather became warmer for the time of the year. Warm Aprils have been a prominent feature of the weather of the past decade. T h e mean temperature for April, 1952, was 49.3° against an average (1902-41) of 46.2°. The rainfall was 1.07 inches, the average (1902-41) being 1.87 inches. Sunshine was rather above the average at 168 hours. The maximum screen temperature was 74° on the 19th. T h e minimum screen temperature was 28° on Ist and 2nd, and the grass minimum was 18 on 3rd.

May : This month was very dry and warm. The total fall of rain was only 0.98 inches ; a drought occurred from the 12th to the 27th inclusive. The mean temperature was 55.5°, the

48

WEATHER I N

1952

highest since 1947, and about 2° above the average. The highest screen temperature was 79° on the 18th. Frosts occurred on the grass on four nights. The sunshine total was some 20 hours above the average (1903-41).

June : The total rainfall in this month, 1.73 inches, is almost exactly the average (1901-41). However, of this amount, .63 inches feil on the second day ; the last nine days of the month were without measurable fall. The last two days of the month were very warm with temperatures reaching 86° and 87° respectively.

The sunshine total was 217 hours, some 11 hours in excess of the average.

July : T h e hot weather of late June was continued into July, the maximum screen temperature being 80° on the Ist and^85° on the 2nd. The temperature also reached or exceeded 80° on the 6th (81°), lOth (80°), 20th (80°) and the 22nd (84°). The month was also very dry, the total rainfall being only 0.71 inches.

Of this amount, .47 occurred on the l l t h . The remainder of the month produced only .02 inches. The sunshine total was 205 hours, the average (1903-41) is 198 hours. From the point of view of drought this month was the most damaging of the whole summer in this locality.

August: Apart from the last ten days this month was unsettled and wet. Some heavy falls of rain were experienced especially during the period 15th-18th inclusive and thunderstorms were rather frequent throughout the first three weeks of the month.

The total rainfall was 2.98 inches against an average of 2.28 inches.

Sunshine was rather deficient. The mean temperature for the month was 63.2°, which was 2° above the average (1902-41).

The wärmest day was the 12th with a maximum temperature of 79°. „ „ „7 R.

R.

WILSON.