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16
The mean temperature of 1937, 49.1 deg., was virtually in agreement
with the 25-year average (490 deg.). Among the chief features
of interest in this regard were that Maroh proved 21 deg. colder
than January, and 38 deg. colder than February; and that the
maximum of 153 5 deg. attained by the thermometer with blackened
bulb in vacuo on August 9th was, with the single exception of 1536
deg. on July 22nd, 1928, the highest yet recorded at the Observatory.
Monthly mean temperatures varied from 637 deg. (28 deg. above
normal) in August to 37.1 deg. (2 9 deg. below normal) in December.
Below are given the extreme readings of the sheltered and exposed
thermometers during the year ;—
Maximum in the screen, 860 deg., on August 6th.
Maximum in the sun's rays, 153 5 deg., on August 9th.
Minimum in the screen, 23.0 deg.. on December 20th.
Minimum on the grass (or snow-surface), 16.0 deg., on
December 20th.
Ground-frost was registered on 137 nights, a substantially larger
number than usual. Snow fell on 29 days (12 in March, 10 in
December), and covered the ground at 9 a.m. on 20 days, though never
to any great depth. Hail occurred on five days, and thunderstorms
on 19, six of which were in June. Fog was observed at one time or
another on 55 days; it was abnormally scarce during the first quarter,
but frequent during the last quarter. On the afternoon and evening
of Christmas Day, Hampstead was afflicted with the worst such
visitation for many years; from about 2 p.m. until midnight visibility
on and near the Heath was limited to four or five feet for long periods,
and traffic by road was brought almost to a standstill. Gales and high
winds were notably rare during 1937."
VITAL STATISTICS.
Population.
For the purpose of this Report the Registrar-General's estimate
of the population at the middle of 1937, which was calculated to have
been 90,690, has been adopted. This shows an increase of 1,743, as
compared with 88,947 at Census, 1931.