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7
It will be interesting to contrast this external temperature with the
reading of the thermometer in doors; the mean annual extreme range
is reduced from 61° to 36° and the extreme monthly range varies
from 16° to 19° a rate much inferior to that of the outside temperature.
The most unfavourable features in the hygienic character of the
neighbourhood are fogs; 256 of which have occurred in the course
of 20 years—33 in calm weather, 71 whilst the wind was south-west
and 152 with an east wind.
The east wind fogs are partly artificial, being produced by the
enormous amount of vapour daily evolved from the fires and furnaces
of London; the effects are not exclusively evil, though irritating in
certain pulmonic affections; yet, by the sensible heat from the condensation
of the vapour, genial effects arise ; the fogs do not endure
longer than is necessary to fulfil their mission of warming the
atmosphere and mitigating the excessive radiation from the ground.
Two hundred and twenty days of snow have occurred during the
last 20 years—not more than an average of 11 days per year. In
the same number of years, 1,798 days of rain are noted; the days
on which both fell do not average 100 per annum—a number much
below the average of London, which according to Daniel, is 158,
to Howard, 176.
These tables will also point out to us the character of the seasons.
The winter, in our parish, has about half a degree less average heat
than the metropolis itself, but it is warmer than the northern and
eastern suburbs by 1½°. In the spring we have the easterly winds
much prevailing, which though naturally dry—their dew point seldom
reaching to 42°— are often moistened in their flights over the
vaporous metropolis. As the temperature rises, the winds become
more genial till they give place to the refreshing summer breezes.
During the months of May, June, July, and August, Kensington
possesses a most desirable, climate ; the average temperature is 60.5,
the average dryness 20; thus justifying the high character given to
the locality by Sir Jas. Clarke.
Our summer is succeeded by a mild and genial autumn, of which
the mean temperature is nearly 52°, the degree of dryness 10: and
westerly winds are then most prevalent.