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15
"The greatest excess of rain since 1927 and a pronounced dearth
of sunshine were the outstanding characteristics of 1937. Last year
contained nine wet months and ten dull ones—a bad record to which
there has been no parallel since regular climatological observations were
begun in Hampstead. Rainfall amounted to 3240 ins., a quantity
which exceeds the 1910-1934 average by 17 per cent., and the official
" standard average " for the summit of the Heath by 23 per cent.
From January 1st to June 30th as much as 19 38 ins. was registered.
This is 62 per cent. more than the normal for the first six months of
the year, and ranks as the largest total for that period back to 1863,
when trustworthy measurements of rain were first made in the suburb.
During 1937 there were 186 days on which at least 0005 in. of
" precipitation " (i.e., rain, snow, hail, and deposits from dew, rime,
hoar frost or wet fog) was found in the gauges, and, according to the
trace of the hyetograph, which neglects very slight showers and drizzle
at the rate of less than 0004 in. per hour, the aggregate duration of the
year's fall was 655½ hours, or nearly four weeks. This may be
compared with the 398½ hours recorded in 1933—a very dry year.
Ten days during 1937 had ten or more hours of wet weather each, the
list being headed by December 13th, with 14¾ such hours, and
February 7th, with 14¼ The monthly totals of rainfall ranged from
436 ins. in February, which was the wettest since before 1863, to
068 ins. in July, which was the driest since 1921. On August 13th
a violent thunderstorm deposited 1.56 ins., of which 040 in. came
down in the ten minutes from 4.10 to 4.20 p.m. (G.M.T.). No day
since July 20th, 1929, had yielded so large an amount. In another
severe storm on the afternoon of June 12th, 071 in. fell within
27 minutes.
Sunshine during 1937 totalled 1,299 8 hours. This is 178 5 hours
short of the 1910-1934 average, and thus represents a general deficiency
of almost half an hour a day. August and November were the only
months to give an excess over the normal. December contributed
barely 20 hours; at the other extreme came June, with 2095 hours.
The 6th of the latter month gave 14 3 sunny hours—the best daily
record for the year. Entirely sunless days numbered 83, eight more
than usual.