A Letter from Thomas Barker, Esq; Of Lyndon in Rutlandshire, to James West, Esq; Pres. R. S. concerning Observations of the Quantities of Rain Fallen at That Place for Several Years

XXVII. A Letter from Thomas Barker, Esq; of Lyndon in Rutlandshire, to James West, Esq; Pres. R. S. concerning Observations of the Quantities of Rain fallen at that Place for several Years. SIR, Lyndon, March 22, 1771. Read April 18, 1771. ON the other side is the quantity of rain, which has fallen at Lyndon in Rutland, since May 1736, with a table of the mean rain in the first four or five years, and every ten years since; which shews that there has been more rain in the latter part of this period, than in the former. But the least four years were from 1740 to 43, little more than $16\frac{1}{2}$ inches a year; and the greatest four years from 1767 to 70, above $25\frac{1}{2}$ inches a year. For comparing of dry seasons and wet ones, I have made a table of the three driest months, the three driest two months, three, four, &c. to twelve successive months; and a like table of wet ones: but as the years 1763, 68, 70, exceeded any others, I have made another like table of them. There are no three months come up to the last quarter of 1770, 7½ inches of which came in three weeks, from Nov. 6 to 26; but 1763 and 68, were wetter than 70, except those three months: and in this country 63 was the wettest; yet, by what I heard, I suppose 68 exceeded it in many places. In common speaking, those are called wet years, in which the summer, the growing season, was wet and cold; and those dry ones, wherein the summer was dry and burning; so that though 1740, 1, 2, and 3, had all but little rain, yet 42 and 43 were not properly called dry years, because the ground never burned long together; and as the different degrees of heat, and frequency of rain, do not appear in this table, one cannot certainly judge, from the quantity of rain, which were the driest summers. Those complained of for dry, were, 1737, 40, 41, 50, 60, 62, and 65; but the hottest and most burning were 1750, 60, and 62; and 40 and 65 were cold and dry. On the other hand, the wet years were 1738, 39, 51, 52, 56, 63, and 66 to 70; but the wettest 1751, 56, 63, and 68; and above all the last quarter of 1770. Feb. 12 last, the thermometer abroad, was down at 4 of Fahrenheit's scale, which is lower than I have observed it in above 20 years past; the lowest I had before observed, was 10½, Jan. 5, 1768. I have therefore given the rise and fall of the thermometer for above a week in the frost. It was remarkable, that as long as the wind continued N. E. the frost was moderate, when it turned S. W. it became very severe; and when the wind turned back into the East again, the frost went away. This looks as if the weather was severer Southward than here; as I think was likewise the case in Feb. 1754, which was also a very cold season. I am, Sir, Your humble servant, Tho. Barker. Lyndon, mean rain at different periods | | 4 years | 5 years | 10 years | 10 years | 34 years | |--------|---------|---------|----------|----------|----------| | Jan. | 1.271 | 1.410 | 1.722 | 1.606 | 1.544 | | Feb. | 1.194 | 0.856 | 1.146 | 1.715 | 1.234 | | Mar. | 1.101 | 1.374 | 1.472 | 1.143 | 1.303 | | April | 1.341 | 1.394 | 1.905 | 1.298 | 1.510 | | May | 1.408 | 1.196 | 1.609 | 1.661 | 1.476 | | June | 1.406 | 2.272 | 2.158 | 2.614 | 2.213 | | July | 2.623 | 2.052 | 2.974 | 2.478 | 2.518 | | Aug. | 3.074 | 1.105 | 2.701 | 2.302 | 2.194 | | Sept. | 2.128 | 1.765 | 1.370 | 1.731 | 1.694 | | Oct. | 1.517 | 1.741 | 1.561 | 2.673 | 1.924 | | Nov. | 0.985 | 1.939 | 1.614 | 2.325 | 1.820 | | Dec. | 1.742 | 1.443 | 1.898 | 1.729 | 1.698 | Annual quantities of rain. | | 1736 | 1737 | 1738 | 1739 | 1740 | |--------|------|------|------|------|------| | Jan. | 0.615| 1.788| 2.430| 0.250| | | Feb. | 1.660| 0.568| 2.487| 0.060| | | Mar. | 1.768| 1.189| 0.814| 0.632| | | April | 0.676| 1.230| 2.585| 0.872| | | May | 1.036| 1.860| | | | | June | 1.430| 3.668| | | | | July | 3.668| 1.965| | | | | Aug. | 2.800| | | | | | Sept. | 1.620| | | | | | Oct. | 1.050| | | | | | Nov. | 1.488| | | | | | Dec. | 2.412| | | | | Annual: 16.967 20.935 17.159 21.660 17.318 ### Annual quantities of rain at Lyndon. | | 1741 | 1742 | 1743 | 1744 | 1745 | 1746 | 1747 | 1748 | 1749 | 1750 | |-------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------| | Jan. | 1.088| 1.435| 0.406| 1.198| 0.827| 1.758| 2.862| 0.938| 2.483| 1.107| | Feb. | 0.618| 0.863| 0.365| 0.941| 0.572| 1.706| 1.211| 0.369| 1.017| 0.804| | Mar. | 0.568| 0.055| 1.103| 1.428| 2.541| 1.880| 1.240| 1.946| 1.870| 1.020| | April | 0.270| 1.908| 1.252| 2.759| 1.708| 0.762| 1.017| 1.367| 0.548| 2.348| | May | 0.441| 1.546| 0.868| 1.257| 1.137| 0.546| 2.829| 1.178| 1.107| 0.995| | June | 1.366| 1.430| 0.379| 3.479| 3.451| 2.900| 1.562| 3.044| 3.039| 2.069| | July | 0.873| 3.136| 5.230| 0.820| 0.724| 1.442| 2.248| 3.484| 1.049| 1.510| | Aug. | 1.633| 0.160| 1.124| 0.957| 3.934| 0.456| 0.071| 1.305| 0.767| 0.640| | Sept. | 4.935| 1.778| 0.008| 3.298| 0.899| 1.633| 1.922| 0.553| 0.618| 1.003| | Oct. | 1.460| 2.386| 3.088| 3.142| 1.460| 2.274| 0.582| 1.060| 1.086| 0.875| | Nov. | 1.960| 2.417| 0.724| 2.276| 2.067| 1.789| 4.920| 0.430| 0.688| 2.124| | Dec. | 0.490| 0.163| 1.427| 1.168| 1.233| 1.279| 3.624| 1.549| 1.674| 1.827| Total: 15.702 17.277 16.064 22.723 20.553 18.425 24.088 17.223 16.946 16.412 ### Annual quantities of rain at Lyndon. | | 1751 | 1752 | 1753 | 1754 | 1755 | 1756 | 1757 | 1758 | 1759 | 1760 | |-------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------| | Jan. | 3.098| 2.518| 1.692| 0.925| 1.021| 2.016| 2.144| 1.867| 0.876| 1.062| | Feb. | 0.924| 1.377| 1.841| 0.887| 0.835| 0.689| 0.594| 2.060| 0.379| 1.872| | Mar. | 2.046| 1.203| 1.172| 1.247| 1.657| 1.370| 1.905| 1.792| 1.874| 0.452| | April | 3.086| 0.827| 1.395| 1.455| 1.965| 3.899| 2.090| 0.917| 3.026| 0.389| | May | 2.656| 2.134| 0.980| 1.400| 1.393| 1.258| 1.371| 1.269| 2.739| 0.890| | June | 1.847| 3.084| 1.007| 2.883| 1.811| 2.973| 0.375| 2.160| 2.970| 2.470| | July | 4.989| 3.678| 2.595| 3.849| 1.585| 3.197| 3.002| 5.023| 0.927| 0.895| | Aug. | 1.580| 1.334| 3.380| 1.060| 2.258| 4.257| 6.057| 1.711| 3.729| 1.644| | Sept. | 2.614| 0.480| 0.706| 0.107| 2.546| 2.080| 0.518| 1.465| 0.854| 2.333| | Oct. | 1.819| 0.295| 1.458| 1.866| 1.628| 1.528| 1.954| 1.032| 1.500| 2.531| | Nov. | 1.338| 1.090| 2.112| 1.960| 3.138| 0.975| 1.498| 0.912| 0.980| 2.134| | Dec. | 1.161| 3.127| 3.865| 2.218| 1.408| 0.944| 2.175| 1.386| 1.085| 1.613| Total: 27.158 21.147 22.203 19.857 21.245 25.186 23.683 21.594 20.939 18.285 Annual quantities of rain at Lyndon. | Year | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | April | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | |------|------|------|------|-------|-----|------|------|------|-------|------|------|------| | 1761 | 0.191 | 1.469 | 0.529 | 0.490 | 2.035 | 3.487 | 0.566 | 3.614 | 2.349 | 3.685 | 1.443 | 1.541 | | 1762 | 1.727 | 0.968 | 1.527 | 0.595 | 0.738 | 0.764 | 1.119 | 3.615 | 1.525 | 4.154 | 0.923 | 0.233 | | 1763 | 0.600 | 2.882 | 0.919 | 0.692 | 2.304 | 2.426 | 5.657 | 2.929 | 3.307 | 1.606 | 1.894 | 3.525 | | 1764 | 3.984 | 1.134 | 0.829 | 1.524 | 1.095 | 2.182 | 4.624 | 1.770 | 0.830 | 1.359 | 1.765 | 2.398 | | 1765 | 1.435 | 1.240 | 2.767 | 2.111 | 0.406 | 0.788 | 0.582 | 2.805 | 0.696 | 4.842 | 1.281 | 1.048 | | 1766 | 0.164 | 2.102 | 0.785 | 1.955 | 3.286 | 2.279 | 2.363 | 0.409 | 1.080 | 0.829 | 1.938 | 1.776 | | 1767 | 3.079 | 2.002 | 1.052 | 0.845 | 2.123 | 2.163 | 3.682 | 1.527 | 0.687 | 2.822 | 0.926 | 0.400 | | 1768 | 2.834 | 3.062 | 0.391 | 2.023 | 1.622 | 4.521 | 2.402 | 1.720 | 3.025 | 3.119 | 4.040 | 2.146 | | 1769 | 1.194 | 1.556 | 0.693 | 0.843 | 1.451 | 4.769 | 1.994 | 2.360 | 2.583 | 1.202 | 1.224 | 1.608 | | 1770 | 0.852 | 0.736 | 1.934 | 1.900 | 1.553 | 2.765 | 1.788 | 2.270 | 1.223 | 3.114 | 7.818 | 2.613 | Three driest seasons from one month to twelve. | Month | Season | Rainfall | |-------|--------|----------| | 1 | Sept. 43 | 0.008 | | 2 | Jan. and Feb. 40 | 0.310 | | 3 | Dec. 42-Feb. 43 | 0.934 | | 4 | Jan. - April 40 | 1.814 | | 5 | Jan. - May 40 | 2.850 | | 6 | Feb. - July 41 | 4.136 | | 7 | Dec. 42-June 43 | 4.626 | | 8 | Oct. 39-May 40 | 6.579 | | 9 | Oct. 39-June 40 | 8.000 | | 10 | Sept. 39-June 40 | 9.912 | | 11 | Aug. 42-June 43 | 11.367 | | 12 | Aug. 40-July 41 | 13.427 | | | Mar. 42 | 0.055 | | | Dec. 42-Jan. 43 | 0.569 | | | Jan. - Mar. 40 | 0.942 | | | Feb. - May 41 | 1.897 | | | Jan. - May 41 | 2.985 | | | Dec. 42-May 43 | 4.247 | | | Jan. - July 41 | 5.224 | | | Jan. - Aug. 41 | 6.857 | | | Nov. 36-July 37 | 8.865 | | | Oct. 40-July 37 | 10.174 | | | Sept. 40-July 41 | 11.794 | | | Sept. 59-Aug. 60 | 14.093 | | | Feb. 40 | 0.060 | | | Feb. and Mar. 40 | 0.692 | | | Mar. - May 41 | 1.279 | | | Dec. 42-Mar. 43 | 2.127 | | | Dec. 42-April 43 | 3.379 | | | Jan. to June 40 | 4.280 | | | Dec. 39-June 40 | 5.930 | | | Nov. 42-June 43 | 7.043 | | | Sept. 59-May 60 | 9.084 | | | Aug. 42-May 43 | 10.988 | | | Aug. 39-June 40 | 12.262 | | | July 39-June 40 | 14.227 | Three wettest seasons, from one month to twelve, except 1763, 1768, and 1770, which are below. | Month | July 36 | Aug. 37 | June 30 | Aug. 57 | |-------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | 1 | 6.550 | 9.765 | 6.300 | 6.057 | | 2 | Aug. Sept. 37 | July Aug. 57 | July Aug. 36 | 9.050 | | 3 | Aug. Sept. Oct. 37 | July Aug. Sept. 36 | June July Aug. 56 | 10.427 | | 4 | July — Oct. 36 | April — July 51 | June — Sept. 56 | 12.507 | | 5 | April — Aug. 56 | Mar. — July 51 | Aug. — Dec. 37 | 14.190 | | 6 | April — Sept. 56 | April — Sept. 51 | Aug. 37—Jan. 38 | 15.978 | | 7 | April — Oct. 56 | Mar. — Sept. 51 | May — Nov. 61 | 17.179 | | 8 | Mar. — Oct. 51 | Mar. — Oct. 56 | July 57—Feb. 58 | 19.131 | | 9 | Jan. — Sept. 51 | Jan. — Sept. 56 | July 57—Mar. 58 | 20.923 | | 10 | Dec. 50—Sept. 51 | Nov. 55—Aug. 56 | Nov. 47—Aug. 48 | 22.175 | | 11 | Nov. 50—Sept. 51 | Nov. 55—Sept. 56 | Aug. 37—June 38 | 23.545 | | 12 | Nov. 50—Oct. 51 | Sept. 55—Aug. 56 | Aug. 57—July 58 | 27.290 | Wetness of the Seasons in | Month | July | June | Nov. | |-------|------|------|------| | 1763 | 5.657 | 4.521 | 7.818 | | 1768 | 8.586 | 7.159 | 10.932 | | 1770 | 11.893 | 10.184 | 13.545 | XXVIII. Olfer...