Abstract of a Register of the Barometer, Thermometer, and Rain, at Lyndon, in Rutland, 1778. By Thomas Barker, Esquire. Communicated by Thomas White, Esquire, F. R. S.

XXXV. Abstract of a Register of the Barometer, Thermometer, and Rain, at Lyndon, in Rutland, 1778. By Thomas Barker, Esquire. Communicated by Thomas White, Esquire, F. R. S. Read May 20, 1779. | | Barometer | Thermometer | Rain | |-------|-----------|-------------|------| | | Highest | Lowest | Mean | In the House | Abroad | | | High. | Low. | Mean | High. | Low. | Mean | | Jan. | Morn. | 29.90 | 28.16 | 29.27 | 42½ | 32 | 37 | 41 | 18½ | 32 | 1,980 | | | Aftern. | | | | 43½ | 32½ | 38 | 44½ | 21 | 37 | | Feb. | Morn. | 29.85 | 28.66 | 29.33 | 44½ | 34 | 38 | 45 | 24 | 33 | 0,949 | | | Aftern. | | | | 45 | 34 | 39 | 51 | 32 | 38½ | | Mar. | Morn. | 29.08 | 28.61 | 29.32 | 51 | 35½ | 41½ | 52 | 24½ | 36 | 1,196 | | | Aftern. | | | | 51½ | 37½ | 43 | 59 | 36 | 44 | | Apr. | Morn. | 29.81 | 28.92 | 29.37 | 56 | 41½ | 47½ | 51 | 39 | 41 | 1,037 | | | Aftern. | | | | 58 | 43 | 49 | 65½ | 40 | 51 | | May. | Morn. | 29.79 | 28.94 | 29.41 | 61 | 48½ | 54 | 59½ | 45 | 50 | 1,322 | | | Aftern. | | | | 62 | 49 | 55½ | 70 | 52 | 61 | | June. | Morn. | 29.86 | 29.18 | 29.58 | 66 | 53 | 60 | 65½ | 43 | 55½ | 2,714 | | | Aftern. | | | | 68 | 55 | 61½ | 80½ | 57 | 69 | | July. | Morn. | 29.82 | 29.02 | 29.48 | 70½ | 59 | 64½ | 66 | 51½ | 59½ | 4,103 | | | Aftern. | | | | 73½ | 61 | 66½ | 85 | 62½ | 72½ | | Aug. | Morn. | 30.00 | 29.10 | 29.69 | 70 | 56 | 65 | 63 | 42 | 56 | 0,391 | | | Aftern. | | | | 70½ | 56 | 65 | 76 | 57 | 69 | | Sept. | Morn. | 29.99 | 28.72 | 29.54 | 64 | 50 | 57 | 66 | 44½ | 58½ | 1,660 | | | Aftern. | | | | 64½ | 48 | 56 | 55½ | 32½ | 46 | | Oct. | Morn. | 29.64 | 28.62 | 29.31 | 55 | 44 | 48 | 52 | 26 | 39½ | 4,238 | | | Aftern. | | | | 57 | 45 | 49½ | 61 | 38½ | 50 | | Nov. | Morn. | 29.72 | 28.63 | 29.23 | 52 | 42 | 46½ | 53 | 30 | 40½ | 3,845 | | | Aftern. | | | | 53 | 43 | 47 | 56 | 38½ | 46 | | Dec. | Morn. | 30.23 | 28.25 | 29.34 | 51½ | 41 | 45 | 51½ | 28 | 40 | 2,835 | Total: 26,270 This summer having been hotter than usual, I here give an abstract of the hottest month in it. | | Barometer | Thermometer | |-------|-----------|-------------| | | Highest | Lowest | Mean | Highest | Lowest | Mean | Highest | Lowest | Mean | | June 22 to July 21 | Morn. | 29.82 | 29.10 | 29.58 | 70½ | 62½ | 65½ | 66 | 54 | 61 | | | Aftern. | 73½ | 63 | 67½ | 85 | 70 | 75 | The year began with frost. The sharpest and longest this winter which lasted about a fortnight; but the snow never got deep, and the frost towards the end was much broken, and the winter was not, on the whole, either severe or wet. Some windy wet weather followed the frost; but it was oftener dark, fair, calm, and cold, and frequently scarce either frost or thaw. The spring seed time was good; at first dark and cold, but a fortnight at the end of March and beginning of April was funny, fine, and warm, and some days quite hot; then it turned cold again, with several very sharp, frosty mornings, and sometimes hail and snow. Towards the end of April it grew mild and growing again; frequent small showers, and sometimes windy the first half of May. As summer advanced it was drier and hotter; very much so in June and July, being the hottest summer since 1762, if not since 1750. The ground ground was much burnt, but not so much as sometimes; for two very heavy thunder showers, June 27 and 28, kept the grass from entirely failing. But as we had scarce a settled rainy day for half a year, only showers often with thunder, those places where they did not fall were much more burnt than we, which was the case in most of the South and East of England, and I believe to the North and West of us they had more rain than we. Many and heavy showers in the twelve last days of July made the grass grow again for a while; but the harvest was exceeding fine, not a day's hindrance, many finished in August, and the crops were in general pretty good. At that time the ground burnt again pretty much, there were some showers in September, but the season was in general dry and calm, and it was upon the whole a very pleasant year. Frosty mornings began early, for there were some before September was out; and soon after the beginning of October it grew wetter, often windy and frequent frosty mornings. This dark, wet season continued till toward the middle of December, and grew more stormy, but fewer frosty mornings after October. In scarce ten weeks there fell near half a year's rain; the dryness of the ground carried it off for a good while, but it was very full of wet at last. The wheat seed-time being early, and the clays sowed before the ground got wet, it went very well into the ground, and looks finely in most places. The latter part of December was dark, fair, and mild, and in general calm, till the last day a violent storm, which some supposed as strong as that in 1703 did a great deal of damage in the North of England, and the Eastern part of the South of it; but does not seem to have been so strong toward the Western parts.