WEATHER REPORT MARCH—SEPTEMBER,
1955
MARCH, 1955.—Apart from a few mild days round the 24th, the weather was cold and wintry with winds from some Northerly point, in fact the mean temperature of 37.6°F. was the lowest since 1917. Air frosts occurred on 24 nights and ground frosts on 25. T h e last night of the month 30th - 3Ist gave a screen minimum of 23° and a grass minimum of 9°. T h e rainfall was 1.21 ins. and came chiefly from 5th - lOth and 22nd - 26th. Sunshine was above average due to several clear crisp days. APRIL.—In 1954, we experienced a very dry and cold April. In 1955, we had the unusual circumstances of another even drier April, though not cold. T h e total fall was only .17 in. the lowest in the available records (from 1902). T h e mean temperature was 49.1° (average 1902 - 41 = 4 6 . 2 ° ) . Sunshine was a little above the average. MAY.—The first three weeks gave very disturbed and wet weather with frequent thunderstorms ; 2.51 inches of rain feil from Ist - 21st inclusive. Thereafter the weather improved. It was one of the coldest Mays in the present Century and at no time did the maximum temperature exceed 65° (this on 23rd). T h e sunshine was nearly 30 hours deficient. JUNE.—Until the 12th the weather was much on the pattern of the previous month except that the falls of rain were heavier— 2.76 in. of rain feil in the first 12 days. After this the weather gradually began to build up to the noteworthy dry weather of July. T h e total J u n e rainfall was 3.14 ins. (av. 1.75). Mean temperature was 57.4° (av. 58.6°) and sunshine 181 hours (av. 206 hours). JULY.—The main feature of the month was the very dry weather. Only .16 inch of rain feil and it was far and away the driest July in the records at hand (for over 50 years). T h e weather was warm, but not unduly so. T h e period 9th to 17th gave the highestvalues— 83° maximum on 14th. T h e sunshine total was 244 hours, the highest since 1935 and about 43 hours in excess of the average 1903 - 41. AUGUST.—Until the 12th the weather was dry with no great heat. T h e 13th and 14th produced very heavy falls of rain and severe thunderstorms. On the 14th 1.50 ins. of rain feil at this Station in a storm ; at its height the automatic rain-gauge showed a fall of .89 of an inch in 16 minutes. F r o m 15th - 25th was the
268
WEATHER REPORT
wärmest part of the summer with 6 days of temperatures reaching 80 or more. These was considerable haze at times and the humidity was rather high. From 26th - 31st some further rain and thunder occurred and temperatures were lower. T h e total rainfall was 3.26 inches, 2.18 of which occurred on 13th and 14th. It is very likely that there were large variations of rainfall from place to place in this month. The sunshine was 200 hours and on the high side. The mean temperature was the highest since 1947 at 64.3° SEPTEMBER.—There was little of interest in the weather in this month. Rainfall at 1.77 inches contained .97 which feil on 22nd. Sunshine at 162 hours and mean temperature of 58.2° require little comment. Some pleasant late summer days were enjoyed from 19th - 2Ist inclusive. R. R.
WILSON.
NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS SUFFOLK
NATURAL HISTORY CLUB,
1855
" On July 26th, 1855, Professor Henslow, with a party of naturalists from Ipswich, started a working club under the above name. The object is to examine the natural history of the entire county by excursions during the summer, and the establishment of correspondents in various parts of the county. It is hoped that by this means the natural history of the county will in a few years be pretty well explored ; a correct record will be kept of all plants, insects, birds and any other object in natural history which are met with during the excursions. Any person in the county desirous of encouraging and joining this club will do well to communicate their wishes either to Mr. Henslow, or to Dr. Drummond, of Ipswich. This club is considered to be in a certain degree in connection with the museum, and Mr. Knight, the active and intelligent curator, will gladly take charge of all specimens committed to his care which are intended to illustrate a complete Fauna of the county of Suffolk. If other counties will do the same, how much will be effected in a few years ? The meeting on July 26th, was at Bently, and Dadnish (sie, Dodnash ?) Wood was explored. Rain came on unfortunately in the middle of the day. C.R.B.—Extract from " The Gardeners' Chronicle," September Ist, 1855." [We reprint this by permission of the Editor of The Gardeners' Chronicle, in which it appeared on August 27th, 1955.]