A Journal of the Weather at Montreal. By Mr. Barr, Purveyor to His Majesty's Hospitals in Canada; Communicated by Dr. Saunders

XV. A Journal of the Weather at Montreal. By Mr. Barr, Purveyor to his Majesty's Hospitals in Canada; communicated by Dr. Saunders. Read January 20, 1780. The winter seemed to set in about the middle of November; from that time to the end of the month we had some snow and cold weather; but the thermometer never was lower than $16^\circ$ or $18^\circ$ below the freezing point. About the 24th and 25th of December people crossed the river three miles below Montreal. The letters a and b after the figures denote the mercury to be above or below 0. The thermometer from which these observations were taken, was of Fahrenheit's construction; it was suspended to a post, perfectly in the shade, and no building nearer to it to reflect the heat than five or six feet. | Day | Thermometer | Snow | Rain | Winds | Remarks | |-----|-------------|------|------|-------|---------| | | Morning | | | | | | | Evening | | | | | | 1 | 24 a o | 28 a o | SW | A great fall of snow last night. | | 2 | 31 a o | 28 a o | W | Some snow this afternoon. | | 3 | 11 a o | 19 a o | NW | Cloudy. | | 4 | 27 a o | 30 a o | W | Cloudy with a little snow. | | 5 | 33 a o | 33 a o | W | Cloudy. | | 6 | 29 a o | 18 a o | E | Cloudy. | | 7 | | 6 a o | E | Cloudy. | | 8 | 14 a o | 8 a o | E | Cloudy; it snowed all day. | | 9 | 4 b o | 2 a o | NW | Clear. | | 10 | 4 a o | 16 a o | NE | Cloudy, with a little snow. | | 11 | 9 a o | 7 a o | E | Cloudy. | | 12 | 4 b o | 7 a o | NE | Clear. | | 13 | 14 a o | 20 a o | NE | Cloudy, the wind high with a great drift. | | 14 | 16 a o | 0 | W | Cloudy. | | 15 | 6 b o | 7 a o | SW | Cloudy. | | 16 | 1 a o | 12 a o | NW | Clear. | | 17 | 32 a o | 33 a o | Rain.| Calm. | Cloudy, and a thick fog and rain. | | 18 | 32 a o | 25 a o | SW | Cloudy. | | 19 | 12 a o | 16 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 20 | 19 a o | 32 a o | Rain.| NE | Cloudy, the wind S. in the evening. | | 21 | 16 a o | 15 a o | E | Cloudy. | | 22 | 7 b o | 4 b o | NW | Clear, and very little wind. | | 23 | 12 b o | 6 b o | W | Clear, and very little wind. | | 24 | 14 b o | 12 b o | NW | Clear. | | 25 | 21 b o | 18 b o | NE | Clear. | | 26 | 8 b o | 3 b o | NE | Cloudy, with some snow. | | 27 | 9 b o | 1 b o | N | Clear. | | 28 | 5 b o | 4 a o | W | Clear. | | 29 | 8 a o | 21 a o | N | Clear. | | 30 | 31 a o | 21 a o | W | Clear. | | 31 | 18 a o | 32 a o | W | Clear. | Vol. LXX. ## FOR JANUARY, 1779. | Day | Thermometer | Snow | Rain | Winds | Remarks | |-----|-------------|------|------|-------|---------| | | Morning | Evening | Inch. | Rain. | W | Clear. | | 1 | 33 a o | 29 a o | NW | Clear. | | 2 | 22 a o | 32 a o | SW | Clear. | | 3 | 37 a o | 14 a o | NW | Clear. | | 4 | 6 a o | 14 a o | W | Clear. | | 5 | 11 a o | 20 a o | W | Cloudy. | | 6 | 16 a o | 7 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 7 | 2 a o | 7 a o | N | Clear. | | 8 | 3 a o | 6 a o | NE | Cloudy, with a little snow. | | 9 | 4 a o | 29 a o | SW | Cloudy, in the morning rain. | | 10 | 36 a o | 8 a o | NW | Clear. | | 11 | 12 b o | 7 b o | SW | Cloudy, with some snow. | | 12 | 5 a o | 18 a o | W | Clear. | | 13 | 15 a o | 20 a o | W | Clear. | | 14 | 14 a o | 18 a o | NW | Clear. | | 15 | 10 a o | 21 a o | NW | Clear. | | 16 | 3 a o | 6 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow all day. | | 17 | 5 a o | 7 a o | NW | Clear. | | 18 | 11 b o | 7 b o | NE | Cloudy, with some snow. | | *19 | 22 b o | 12 a o | W | Clear. | | 20 | 15 a o | 8 a o | W | Clear. | | 21 | 4 a o | 7 a o | NW | Clear, and almost calm. | | 22 | 8 b o | 8 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow. | | 23 | 2 a o | 12 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow. | | 24 | 10 a o | 16 a o | NE | Cloudy, a great fall last night. | | 25 | 17 a o | 25 a o | N by W | Cloudy. | | 26 | 25 a o | 12 a o | NE | Clear. | | +27 | 0 | 6 a o | W by S | Cloudy, with some snow. | | 28 | 20 a o | 22 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 29 | 5 a o | 11 a o | N by W | Clear, but snow in the evening. | | 30 | 4 b o | 23 a o | W | Cloudy. | | 31 | 22 a o | 26 a o | | | * This day 16 or 17 German soldiers were frozen to death in crossing the ice on the Lake St. Pierre, a lake near Trois Rivieres; and about double the number were frost bitten, many of whom lost their feet and hands. † Uncommon to have the weather clear when the wind is easterly. ## Weather at Montreal ### For February, 1779 | Days | Thermometer | Snow | Rain | Winds | Remarks | |------|-------------|------|------|-------|---------| | | Morning | Evening | Inch. | | | | 1 | 33 a o | 34 a o | W by E | Cloudy. | | 2 | 40 a o | 45 a o | SW | Cloudy, with a thick fog. | | 3 | 30 a o | 26 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 4 | 28 a o | 27 a o | SW | Cloudy, with a little snow. | | 5 | 7 a o | 10 a o | W by N | Clear. | | 6 | 1 a o | 15 a o | N by E | Clear. | | 7 | 14 a o | 29 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow. | | 8 | 5 a o | 8 a o | NE | Clear. | | 9 | 11 a o | 23 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow last night. | | 10 | 24 a o | 35 a o | Calm | Foggy. | | 11 | 21 a o | 16 a o | W | Clear. | | 12 | 13 a o | 37 a o | W by S | Clear. | | 13 | 30 a o | 31 a o | W | Clear. | | 14 | 20 a o | 25 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow. | | 15 | 23 a o | 24 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 16 | 14 a o | 24 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 17 | 22 a o | 38 a o | NE | Cloudy, and the wind high. | | 18 | 27 a o | 27 a o | W | Clear. | | 19 | 34 a o | 36 a o | W | Cloudy. | | 20 | 34 a o | 19 a o | W | Cloudy. | | 21 | 9 a o | 35 a o | N by E | Cloudy, the wind S, at night. | | 22 | 38 a o | 39 a o | SW | Cloudy. | | 23 | 31 a o | 32 a o | Rain. | W by N | Clear. | | 24 | 14 a o | 20 a o | N | Clear. | | 25 | 19 a o | 22 a o | W by N | Cloudy. | | 26 | 19 a o | 34 a o | W | Cloudy, with snow all day. | | 27 | 26 a o | 31 a o | E | Cloudy. | | 28 | 31 a o | 39 a o | Rain. | NE | Cloudy, with a fog and rain. | N n 2 | Days | Thermometer | Snow | Rain | Winds | Remarks | |------|-------------|------|------|-------|---------| | | Morning | Evening | Inch. | | | | 1 | 28 a o | 28 a o | N by E | Clear. | | 2 | 21 a o | 38 a o | W by S | Cloudy, with rain. | | 3 | 37 a o | 32 a o | W by S | Clear. | | 4 | 17 a o | 24 a o | N | Clear. | | 5 | 18 a o | 28 a o | N by E | Cloudy, with snow all day. | | 6 | 19 a o | 23 a o | N by E | Clear. | | 7 | 18 a o | 29 a o | NE | Clear. | | 8 | 30 a o | 20 a o | W | Cloudy, with some snow. | | 9 | 24 a o | 28 a o | NW | Clear. | | 10 | 10 a o | 19 a o | N | Clear. | | 11 | 10 a o | 20 a o | N | Clear. | | 12 | 16 a o | 25 a o | NE | Cloudy, with a great fall of snow. | | 13 | 21 a o | 22 a o | W by N | Cloudy. | | 14 | 1 a o | 19 a o | E | Clear and almost calm | | 15 | 19 a o | 21 a o | E | Clear. | | 16 | 11 a o | 23 a o | NW | Clear. | | 17 | 11 a o | 14 a o | NW | Clear. | | 18 | 10 a o | 21 a o | NW | Clear. | | 19 | 15 a o | 14 a o | N by E | Cloudy. | | 20 | 6 a o | 16 a o | N by E | Clear. | | 21 | 6 a o | 29 a o | N by E | Clear. | | 22 | 27 a o | 26 a o | NE | Cloudy, with a great quantity of snow. | | 23 | 25 a o | 29 a o | NE | Cloudy. | | 24 | 12 a o | 29 a o | N | Cloudy, with a thick fog. | | 25 | 26 a o | 27 a o | NE | Cloudy, with snow. | | 26 | 26 a o | 31 a o | W | Clear. | | 27 | 25 a o | 28 a o | W | Clear. | | 28 | 24 a o | 40 a o | SW | Clear. | | 29 | 32 a o | 41 a o | NW | Clear. | | 30 | 31 a o | 40 a o | N by E | Cloudy, with rain. | | 31 | 40 a o | 42 a o | N by E | Cloudy, with rain. | * This day and yesterday the ice on the river began to be rotten, and crossing to be hazardous. ### Weather at Montreal #### For April, 1779. | Days | Thermometer | Snow | Rain | Winds | Remarks | |------|-------------|------|------|-------|---------| | | Morning | Evening | Inch | Rain | SW | Cloudy, with a thick fog and rain. | | 1 | 40 a o | 46 a o | Rain | SW | Cloudy, with a thick fog and rain. | | 2 | 41 a o | 45 a o | Rain | NE | Cloudy, wind SW in the evening. | | 3 | 30 a o | 51 a o | Rain | W | Clear. | | 4 | 35 a o | 41 a o | Rain | W | Clear. | | 5 | 36 a o | 42 a o | Rain | SW | Cloudy, with a little rain. | | 6 | 37 a o | 38 a o | Rain | W | Cloudy. | | 7 | 32 a o | 36 a o | Rain | SW | Cloudy. | | 8 | 32 a o | 49 a o | Rain | S | Cloudy. | | 9 | 42 a o | 44 a o | Rain | E | Cloudy. | | 10 | 40 a o | 42 a o | Rain | E | Cloudy. | | 11 | 35 a o | 44 a o | Rain | E | Cloudy. | | 12 | 42 a o | 45 a o | Rain | E | Cloudy, a very heavy rain. | | 13 | 39 a o | 40 a o | Rain | W | Clear. | | 14 | 31 a o | 45 a o | Rain | NE | Clear. | | 15 | 46 a o | 50 a o | Rain | NW | Clear. | It is worth observing, that the great quantity of snow on the ground has, from the 29th of March to the 4th of April, been chiefly melted away by the heat of the sun, for the rain during that period has been very inconsiderable. No refoulement of the river this spring; the ice gave way in the middle of the river first, and the opening has been growing larger and larger every day since the 28th of March, and is this day, the 4th of April, very large, although the ice remains fast on the border of the river.