Midland Naturalist/Volume 01/The Weather of June, 1878
Meteorology of the Midlands.
The Weather of June, 1878.
By W. J. Harrison, F.G.S.
The wet period which caused such an excess of rainfall in May continued until the middle of June. About the 18th of the latter month. However, (Waterloo day,) a welcome change set in. The continuous rains ceased, and the temperature rose steadily until on the 26th and 27th it exceeded 90° at several stations. From one or two places returns of 95° and upwards have reached us, but these can scarcely be true shade temperatures, Unless the thermometers are placed in a clear and open space, at a fair distance from walls, &c., and thoroughly screened by double louvres both from the sun’s direct and reflected rays, their indications are not to be relied upon. The solar radiation thermometer (black bulb in vacuum) indicated 142° at Leicester, on the 23rd; 141° on the 2ist and 26th: and 150° at Spondon, on the 26th.
The effect of the heat and direct sunshine of the lust ten or twelve days of June upon the crops was great end immediate. Wheat and barley changed from a sickly yellow to a deep green. The grass crops are very promising. and in the orchards there is every prospect of an abundant crop of apples, pears, and plums.
During this hot period thunderstorms were frequent and violent, and produced heavy fills of rain in a short time. At Stroud 1in. fell in an hour, on the 17th; More Rectory, 1.05in, in 1½ hours, on the 8th; Lardon Hall, .55 in 1 hour, on 8th; .42 in 80 minutes, on 23rd; Stokesay, .77 in 45 minutes, on 8th; Burton, .24 in 15 minutes, on 26th; Weston-under-Lyziard, .77 in 45 minutes on 29th; Tamworth, 1.61 in 8 hours, on 29th; Henley-in-Arden, 1.27 in 20 minutes, on 26th; Stuffynwood Hall, .24 in 30 minutes, on 26th; Sedgebrook, 12.3 in 3 hours, on 26th; Northampton, 1.25 in 50 minutes, on 26th; Bishop’s Castle, .84 in 45 minutes, on 8th: Cheltenham, .39 in 20 minutes, on 23rd, The importance to engineers and others of a knowledge of these heavy falls of short duration is obvious, as the sewers, watercourses, &c., are often totally inadequate to cope with such emergencies.
Natural History notes are few this month. but from Burton Mr. Tripp reports lime in flower on 6th, and wild rose on 10th.
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This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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