An Abridged State of the Weather at London for One Year, Commencing with the Month of March 1775, Collected from the Meteorological Journal of the Royal Society. By S. Horsley, LL. D. Sec. R. S.

XVIII. An abridged State of the Weather at London for One Year, commencing with the Month of March 1775, collected from the Meteorological Journal of the Royal Society. By S. Horsley, LL. D. Sec. R. S. R. June 27, 1776. TABLE I. An abridged view of the WINDS at LONDON, for one year, beginning with March 1775. | | N | S | E | W | NW | SE | NE | SW | Rain | Quarterly Rain | Half-yearly Rain | |---|---|---|---|---|----|----|----|----|------|-----------------|------------------| | Mar.| 1 | 1½ | 0 | 3 | 6½ | 1 | 1 | 17 | 31 | 1,854 | | | | Apr.| 1½ | 3½ | 0½ | 1½ | 3½ | 3 | 6½ | 10 | 30 | 1,068 | 3,474 | | | May | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2½ | 6½ | 2 | 6½ | 7½ | 31 | 0,552 | | 11,298 | | June| 1 | 1 | 0½ | 1½ | 1 | 4½ | 14 | 6½ | 30 | 1,389 | | | | July| 1 | 2½ | 0 | 2 | 7½ | 2 | 2 | 14 | 31 | 4,232 | 7,824 | | | Aug.| 0½ | 3 | 0½ | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 1½ | 16½ | 31 | 2,203 | | | | Sept.| 0½ | 3½ | 0½ | 1½ | 1½ | 2½ | 5 | 15 | 30 | 5,192 | | | | Oct.| 1½ | 1½ | 0½ | 4 | 3½ | 0 | 2½ | 17½ | 31 | 2,919 | 10,560 | | | Nov.| 4 | 0½ | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5½ | 9½ | 5½ | 30 | 2,449 | | | | Dec.| 2½ | 2½ | 1 | 0½ | 1 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 30½ | 0,576 | | 15,813 | | Jan.| 2½ | 1 | 4½ | 0 | 1½ | 3½ | 15½ | 2½ | 31 | 1,167 | | | | Feb.| 0½ | 1 | 0 | 0½ | 2 | 2 | 22 | 29 | 3½ | 10 | | 5,253 | Half day missed in the Journ. It appears, that the winds from the S.W. were again the most frequent of any, and next to these the winds from the N.E. Of the winds from the four cardinal points, the North was the most frequent, and the East the most rare. The autumn was the wettest quarter, and the spring the driest. The rain of the three summer months was almost half as much again as that of the three winter months; but the rain of the winter half-year exceeded that of the summer half-year by about one-sixth of the rain of the whole year. September gave the greatest quantity of rain, and May the least of any single month in the whole year. ### Table II. **Sub-division of the S.W.** | | WSW | SW | SSW | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | March | 5 | 5 | 7 | | April | 3 | 4 | 3 | | May | 3½ | 0½ | 3½ | | June | 3 | 3 | 0½ | | July | 4 | 7 | 3 | | August | 3 | 2½ | 11 | | September | 6 | 3½ | 5½ | | October | 5 | 7½ | 5 | | November | 0½ | 2½ | 2½ | | December | 3 | 6 | 5 | | January | 1 | 0½ | 1 | | February | 8 | 6½ | 7½ | Total: 45 48½ 54½ 148 ### Table III. **Sub-division of the N.E.** | | ENE | NE | NNE | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | March | 0 | 1 | 0 | | April | 1 | 3 | 2½ | | May | 2 | 1½ | 3 | | June | 6 | 4 | 4 | | July | 0½ | 1 | 0½ | | August | 0½ | 0½ | 0½ | | September | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | | October | 1 | 1 | 0½ | | November | 4 | 3½ | 2 | | December | 1½ | 2 | 2½ | | January | 6½ | 6½ | 2½ | | February | 0½ | 1½ | 0 | Total: 25 26½ 20½ 72 ### Table IV **Sub-division of the S.E.** | | ESE | SE | SSE | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | March | 0 | 0½ | 0½ | | April | 1 | 1 | 3 | | May | 0 | 1½ | 0½ | | June | 1½ | 1½ | 4½ | | July | 0 | 0½ | 1½ | | August | 0½ | 1½ | 3½ | | September | 1 | 0½ | 2½ | | October | 0 | 0 | 0 | | November | 1½ | 2½ | 1½ | | December | 0½ | 1 | 1½ | | January | 0½ | 2 | 1 | | February | 0½ | 0 | 1½ | | | | | | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | | 7 | 13 | 12½ | | | | | 32½ | ### Table V **Sub-division of the N.W.** | | WNW | NW | NNW | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | March | 0½ | 3½ | 2½ | | April | 1½ | 1 | 3½ | | May | 1½ | 4 | 1 | | June | 0 | 1 | 0 | | July | 1½ | 5 | 1 | | August | 0 | 2½ | 1 | | September | 0½ | 1 | 0 | | October | 0½ | 2 | 1 | | November | 1 | 1½ | 0½ | | December | 0 | 0 | 1 | | January | 0 | 0½ | 1 | | February | 0 | 0½ | 0 | | | | | | |--------|-----|-----|-----| | | 7 | 22½| 10 | | | | | 39½| Of the winds between the S. and W., those from the S.S.W. were this year the most frequent. Here follows a general state of the winds, according to the degrees in which they prevailed respectively, collected from the five preceding tables. | ESE | WNW | NW | E | SSE | SE | W | NNE | S | NW | N | ENE | NE | WSW | SW | SSW | |-----|-----|-----|---|-----|-----|----|-----|----|-----|----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12½ | 13 | 18½| 20½| 21½| 22½| 22½| 25 | 26½| 45 | 48½| 54½| 36½| Missed in the journal, --- **Table** ### Table VI | | Fair 1st half | Fair days in whole month | Frothy 1st half | Frothy days in whole months | |--------|---------------|--------------------------|-----------------|-----------------------------| | March | 6 | 7 | 13 | 4 | | April | 15 | 9 | 24 | 4 | | May | 13 | 13 | 26 | | | June | 12 | 11 | 23 | | | July | 1 | 9 | 10 | | | August | 5 | 7 | 12 | | | September | 1 | 11 | 12 | | | October | 11 | 6 | 17 | 1 | | November | 8 | 5 | 13 | 1 | | December | 15 | 9 | 24 | 2 | | January | 5 | 11 | 16 | 10 | | February | 7 | 2 | 9 | 1 | Total fair days, 199 Total frothy days, 41 There were eleven snowy days in this year, all in January, with the wind between the N. and E. The first snow fell on the 7th, and introduced the great frost, which set in in the daytime: for on the 7th, at 8½ in the morning, it rained with the thermometer at 33°, wind E.N.E.; but, at 2 in the afternoon of the same day, the rain was turned into snow, and the thermometer was sunk to 31°. There was a short remission of the frost on the 18th, the thermometer at 8 in the morning of that day being at 33°; but it was sunk again to 30° at 2 in the afternoon. On the 31st, at 8 in the morning, it was at 13½, and only one degree higher the next morning, February 1st. The frost broke in the night between between the 1st and 2d of February, the wind yet continuing N.E., from which quarter it had set almost all the time the frost lasted. It changed to the S.E. on the 2d, and on the 3d got into the S.W. where it remained almost all the rest of the month. The following table shews the quantity of rain that fell with each wind in each month and in the whole year. It appears, that the S.W. gave more than two-thirds of the rain of the whole year, which seems not to have been altogether owing to the wet quality of that wind, but in great measure to the greater length of time it blew than any other. The numbers at the bottom of the table shew the proportional wetness of each wind upon the whole. They are made from the numbers in the last horizontal row but one of this table compared with the numbers in the last horizontal row of Tab. I. For the wetness of each wind is in proportion as the quantity of rain it gave in the whole year directly, and the number of days it blew inversely. The former is shewn by the numbers in the last row but one of Tab. VII.; and the latter by those in the last row of Tab. I. It appears, that the South wind was the driest of all, the S.W. the wettest, and the W. the next wettest. TABLE VII. Shewing the quantities of rain which fell severally with each wind in every month and in the whole year. | | N | S | E | W | NW | SE | NE | SW | |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| | Mar.| 0 | 0 | 0,132| 0,114| 0,074| 0,095| 1,439| 1,854| | Apr.| 0 | 0,016| 0 | 0,386| 0,143| 0 | 0,523| 1,068| | May | 0 | 0,058| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,052| 0,442| 0,552| | June| 0 | 0 | 0,768| 0 | 0,495| 0,098| 0,028| 1,389| | July| 0 | 0 | 0,155| 0,528| 0 | 0,214| 3,335| 4,232| | Aug.| 0 | 0,039| 0,038| 0 | 0 | 0,043| 0 | 2,083| 2,203| | Sept.| 0,107| 0 | 0,378| 0,184| 0 | 0,542| 3,981| 5,192| | Oct.| 0,037| 0 | 0,039| 0 | 0,378| 0 | 0 | 2,465| 2,919| | Nov.| 0,211| 0 | 0 | 0,969| 0,208| 0,409| 0,652| 2,449| | Dec.| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,030| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,546| 0,576| | Jan.| 0,079| 0 | 0,091| 0,075| 0,031| 0,447| 0,444| 1,167| | Feb.| 0 | 0,089| 0 | 0 | 0,093| 0,291| 3,037| 3,510| | | | | | | | | | |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| | | 0,327| 0,251| 0,168| 1,907| 2,391| 0,944| 2,148| 18,975| 27,111| | | | | | | | | | |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| | | 11+ | 9+ | 12— | 82+ | 48 | 22— | 23— | 100 | TABLE ### TABLE VIII. For Trial of the Moon's Influence. | | New. | 1st Qr. | Full. | Last Qr. | Corrected by exclusion. | |-----|------|---------|-------|----------|------------------------| | Mar.| D. H. | D. H. | D. H. | D. H. | | | | 1 10 | 8 16 | 16 20 | 24 2 | | | | | | | | | | Apr.| 7 11 | 15 10 | 22 8 | 29 8 | | | | | | | | | | May.| 7 6 | 14 20 | 21 14 | 28 21 | | | | | | | | | | June| 6 0 | 13 5 | 19 20 | 27 10 | | | | | | | | | | July| 5 14 | 12 12 | 19 4 | 27 1 | | | | | | | | | | Aug.| 4 2 | 10 19 | 17 14 | 25 17 | | | | | | | | | | Sept.| 2 12 | 9 3 | 16 4 | 24 9 | | | | | | | | | | Oct.| 1 20 | 8 13 | 15 22 | 24 0 | | | | | | | | | | Nov.| 7 0 | 14 19 | 22 14 | 29 11 | | | | | | | | | | Dec.| 6 15 | 14 17 | 22 3 | 28 20 | | | | | | | | | | Jan.| 5 7 | 13 13 | 20 14 | 27 6 | | | | | | | | | | Feb.| 4 2 | 12 6 | 19 1 | 25 19 | | In this table, the changes of weather, which, having not been reversed within 24 hours, fell on the days of octagonal aspect, are distinguished by a line drawn underneath the number. Vol. LXVI, B b b From Dr. Horsley's Abstract of the Weather. From this table it appears, that, of 92 changes of weather in the whole year, 46 fell on the days of the Moon's pretended influence. And rejecting of these changes, all that were reversed within 24 hours, of 53 that remain in all, 27 fell on the days of lunar influence. And if from these again we reject the octantal days, confining the Moon's influence to the days of syzygie and quadrature, there still remain 14 of the 53 for these days. Of the new Moons four only were attended with a change of weather, and of the full Moons three; namely, the new Moons of the months of March, July, December, and February; and the full Moons of October, November, January. Both the setting-in and the breaking of the great frost happened on days exempt from Lunar influence. Upon the whole, the trial turns out more in favour of the Moon this year than it did the last. But still the changes were many more on the days confessedly exempt from her influence, than on those which have been supposed to be the most subject to it. The greatest monthly height of the barometer was only four times in this year accompanied with a N.E. wind, namely, in the months of April, June, November, and February. It was five times attended with a S.W. namely, in March, May, August, September, and December; and the greatest height observed in the whole year was one of these, namely, in the month of March. Once it was accompanied with the East wind, namely, in January; and twice with a N.W. namely, in July and October. The least monthly height was once accompanied with a N.E. namely, in January; six times with a S.W. namely, in April, May, August, October, December, and February; twice with the South wind, namely, in March and September; once with the North, namely, in July; once with a S.E. in June; and once with a N.W. in November. I subjoin a general view of the winds and rain in the two months of January and February 1775, which are not included in the preceding tables. | 1775 | N | S | E | W | NW | SE | NE | SW | Rain. | |------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-------| | Jan. | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 1,724 | | Feb. | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1½ | 1½ | 17 | 1,928 | {5 days missed in the journal. 1 day missed.} Comparing this with the table p. 168. of the last volume, I find the general state of the winds and rain for the twelve months, beginning with March 1775, as follows: | N | S | E | W | NW | SE | NE | SW | |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----| | 23 | 21 | 16½ | 22½ | 51½ | 32½ | 72 | 119 | CCC2 RAIN. Dr. HORSLEY'S, &c. RAIN. Quarterly rain Spring, 4,435 Summer, 8,051 Autumn, 6,718 Winter, 5,458 Half-yearly rain Summer, 12,486 Winter, 12,176 Year's rain 24,662 But note, that in the space of these twelve months seven days in all were missed in the journal.