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16
Meteorology.
Through the kindness of E. L. Hawke, Esq., M.A., F.R.A.S.,
F.R.Met.S., the Hon. Meteorologist to the Hampstead Scientific
Society, I am able to submit his abstract of the meteorological records
kept at that Society's Observatory on the top of Hampstead Heath
adjoining the White Stone Pond:—
"The outstanding feature of 1932 in Hampstead, as in most other
parts of England, was its excessive dulness. Sunshine amounted to
only 1,262.0 hours, compared with the normal of 1,490.0 hours. No
other year since records were begun in 1910 has yielded so few sunny
hours, the nearest approaches having been 1,274.1 hours in 1931, and
1,299.7 hours in 1912.
In spite of this marked deficiency of sunshine, 1932 proved the
driest year since 1921 at Hampstead. The total rainfall of 24.71 ins.
was short of the twenty-years average by 3.88 ins., though the number
of days with a measurable fall (0.01 in. or more) was rather greater
than usual. Eight months were dry, and four wet; October, with
5.39 ins. (more than twice the normal) was by far the wettest, and
February, with 0.23 ins. (one-ninth of the normal) was the driest. The
largest daily measurement was 1.10 ins.—the result of a thunderstorm
—on August 1st.
The mean temperature of the year, 48.7 deg., was 0.3 deg. below
the average for the twenty years 1910-1929, but slightly above what
is computed to be the true average for the district. February was the
coldest month, with a mean temperature of 35.3 deg. (4.4 deg. below
normal), and August the warmest, with a mean of 65.3 deg. (4.7 deg.
above normal, and the highest for any month since July, 1923). The
absolute extremes for the year were:—
(a) By the screened thermometers
Maximum, 93.6 deg., on August 19th.
Minimum, 21.0 deg., on March 12th.
(b) By the exposed thermometers
Maximum, 142.2 deg., on June 16th.
Minimum, 11.0 deg., on February 7th.
The "shade" maximum of 93.6 deg. on August 19th has only
once been equalled or exceeded since records were begun. The
occasion was August 9th, 1911, when 94.1 deg. was attained.