WEATHER IN MAY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25208, 12 June 1947, Page 3

WEATHER IN MAY

OBSERVATIONS AT LINCOLN COLLEGE May, in contrast to April, was a pleasant, sunny month, hours of sunshine being higher than usual, and the rainfall being well below normal, states a summary of weather observations for last month taken at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln. Miles of wind and air temperatures were close to the station averages, and 13 frosts were recorded, the hardest (10 degrees) being on May 24. Conditions were excellent for the preparation of seed beds for autumnsown crops, and farmers wert able to make good headway with the sowing of wheat and oats, says the report. Late crops of barley and peas were harvested during the month, and although the quality of the seed was inferior on the average, many of the crops would have been lost if the weather had been more severe. The lifting of potatoes was carried on steadily’and most farmers on land which was subject to waterlogging, succeeded in lifting and pitting their crops. Yields had not been very good, but the total acreage appeared to be small and a higher proportion of crops than usual seemed to have been pitted for sale later in the winter. Green feed crops were much better than average, and the feed position' was sound. Detailed observations, with figures' JMEiy 1946 in parenthesis, were:— ..Ann. 3ll of barometer in inches, 30.027 (29.976); mean humidity per cent., 84.0 (88.5); mean maximum temperature, degrees F, 56.5 (56.0 ~ highest maximum temperature, degrees F. 69.9 (72.0); mean minimum temperature, degrees F, 36.9 (39.9); lowest minimum temperature, degrees F, 26.5 (29.1); mean grass minimum temperature, degrees F, 32.2 (31.7>; lowest grass minimum, degrees F, 21.5 (19.3); mean temPerature for month, degrees F, 46.7 (47.95); mean range of temperature for month, degrees F, 19.6 (16.1): mean earth temperature, 47.4 (48.5); days of 13 (10); rainfall in inches, 1.41 (4.24): rainfall to date, 9.64 (9 56)hours of sunshine. 153.5 (118.0); mean amount of cloud, 6.8 (7.3); miles of • W n n ?o?? 44 (5074): mean force of wind fnche 2 s 1 1.228 a ( P 7 O 49 ) tiOn m ° nth in