THE WEATHER.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 33, 18 May 1863, Page 3

THE WEATHER.

It is remarkable that each successive year has brought with it a storm, unanimously pronounced the most violent ever experienced. The records of Southland do not extend backward t6 a sufficiently remote period, for a tempest such as that which devastated England in 1703, to live in the memory of even the "oldest inhabitant"; yet the severe and protracted storm of the present month throws into the shade all hitherto registered.

Commencing on the sth, and terminating: on the 24th, it may be considered to have lasted nineteen days. The brilliant week which preceded April sth was marked by sudden squalls and calms, equally sudden shifts of wind, variations of temperature, instantaneous collections of clouds, unexpected short heavy showers, copious night dews, strong cirrus, cirro-stratus, and cirro-cumulus clouds, tinged after sunset with deep crimson up to the zenith. On the evening of the 4th a column of vivid red light appeared in W., the invariable indication of an immediate gale. From the following day to the 2.5 th ultimo, a constant succession of furious gales was experienced, the direction varying from N.W. to W., and occasionally to S.W. and S. On the night of the 14 th the violence of the wind (N.W.) equalled that of Christmas Eve, but the climax was not reached till the 19th and 20th, when the fury of the hurricane was unparalleled in this country. Hail, sleet, and snow fell in large quantities, and two of the most vivid flashes ot lightning I have ever seen occurred about three p.m. The first was followed by a tremendous report like that of a monster cannon ; the second was so exactly overhead that the house appeared enveloped in a red flame, and an appalling crash of thunder accompanied it at the precise instant, the concussion causing the house to vibrate sensibly. From the 21st the tempest gradually abated, and ceased on the 27th.

The mean temperature of the air during the nineteen days was 44'1 <lpg., which is nearly 11 degrees below the average of five years. The total amount of rain was 5 - 9G inches.

By a careful observation taken on the 19th, the velocity of the storm was ascertained to be at that time eighty miles per hour.

The severest storm, with this excpption, raced during the last eight days of September, ISSB. In one squall the hailstones were half an inch in diameter, a size never since approached. The thunder, lightnins, and wind were terrific, but the whole was of comparatively short duration. Meteorological Observations during April, 1863:—

Throughout the whole of the past month the equinoctial gales, having commence 1 ) Mnreh 22nd, raged with unprecedented fury, accompanied by thunder, lightning, rain, liail and snow. The terrific storm of nineteen days' duration, which set in on the Bth, has before been noticed. The menn temperature was 4G'O deg., indicating a depression of 6*6 dog. below the average of five years. On the 19th the depression was no less than lo deg. below the averagp, the maximum temperature being 43 deg. The thermometer rose to its highest on the 2nd, fell to its lowest on the 13th. Rain fell on twenty-one days ; the wind blew a gale on twenty days — the direction varied from N.N.W. to WS.'W. __, £ tn" M I 3 I O O C a '•* oj '- I o "-o *n <o jj o © ■* © | o ___J_lf i 1 I « •„, Tf O I <M O O _: _ !___ b . i i i fc. >, ' t^ CO I irt < -h 'O I « - I §7 | ' r ' .5 r- CO C2 'O C3 <T> CN <N CN —i § § S 2 tJ '■•?«■:-'"- C> C « — - -o oo — irs -m y 55"2 n< t». io .- .- aw a co ji ob in ■-" r-^ si o ■«t o 5 ! w ' tf ' >< =i o> ~ ; ■=; *-; ri ifi . ' O\ (O —^ i--< iO lT X> O «* =0 CO Ol <M CO 2 O"S O° J I ■e *j -O C? •* O '6 •3 Oj 2 t- «5 CO 00 t~ •- Si 05 C5~ , 7L 777" 3 to to o >o g 00 ' C>o CO CO CO "I Charlp.s Rous Marten. Martendale, Rjal Bush.