[From Manx Note Book vol 2, 1886]

THE YEAR 1885 has not been distinguished by any remarkable high or low temperatures, by any great storm or heavy rainfall. Its main characteristic has been equability with a temperature and rainfall both somewhat below the mean. The months of February, April, and July, were rather warmer than usual, while May, August, September, and October, were colder. The total duration of bright sunshine-l,559·9 hours-has been greater than in 1881 and 1884, but less than in 1880, 1882, and 1883. Probably the best idea of the weather of the year will be gathered from a brief summary of each month: January presented its usual features of gloom and storm; February was on whole mild, wet, and rather stormy; March was less windy than usual; April, till the 18th, dry and cold, with easterly winds, but after that date it became very mild and a good deal of rain fell; May was a cold month; June, fine and dry, but also cold till the last week; July was a very fine month, though rather cold till the 19th, after which it was very fine and hot; August fine but, rather cold, September,stormy, wet, and rather cold; October, stormy and drier, but drier; November, gloomy and rather stormy; December, dry, with considerable alternations of temperature. The average temperature at, the three station,"Ramsey, 47.69; Castletown, 47.66 ; and Cronkbourne, 47.22-has approached very closely to the mean (Burman 1853-6l.) The great variation of the rainfall in different parts of the Island is sb own even more distinctly this year than before by the amount gauged at the new station Ramsey, which has had 42.079 inches on 174 days, while Kk Andreas Rectory, within 4½ miles, has had only 28.94.5 inches on 14.5 days, or nearly one half less.* Barometrical pressure-average for 1885, 29.876; highest, 30.647, on the 14th of March, at 9 a.m.; lowest, 28.575, on the 31st of January, at 9 a.m. Temperature-in shade, highest, 79-0, on the 26th of July; lowest, 22.0, on the 7th of December, both of Castletown. The extremes at Cronkbourne were 77~9, on the 24th of July, and 25.0 on the 5th of December.
+ Highest temperature, in the sun, 132.9, on the 14th of June; lowest temperature, on the grass, 18.0, on the Sth December; both at Cronkbourne. Greatest rainfall in 24 hours-at Ramsey, 1.587 in., on the 28th of March; at Cronkbourne. 1.338 in., on the 28th of March; at Victoria-road, Douglas, 1.280 in., on the same day; at Andreas, 1.140 in., on the 3rd of August; at St. Mark's, 1.070 in., on the 2nd of November; and at Castletown, 0.800 in., on the 30th of October.

The observers of temperature and rainfall have been Dr. Clague, at Castletown, and Mr. E. C. Kerr, at Ramsey; of rainfall only, Mr. Story, Douglas; the Douglas Water Work Company, at the Clypse Reservoir; the Rev. F. Lamothe, at Kirk Andreas; and the Rev. B. J. S. Lupton, at St. Mark's. Mr. William Harris superintended the gauge on the summit of Snaefell till it was broken in March. Mr. Quigley, continued Mr. Davis's observations at Peel, but both Mr, Quigley and Mr. Trustrum at Port Erin were unfortunately unable to continue their observations throughout the year. I take this opportunity of thanking the above gentlemen for sending me the results of their observations.

A. W. MOORE.

* It has become more and more evident as observations accumulate that it is impossible to fix an absolute mean rainfall for the Island. There are at any rate four distinct districts in which the rainfall varies very considerably : (i) The mountains, with a mean fall probably approximating to 55 inches; (2) The eastern seaboard from Ramsey to Douglas, about 41 inches. It is a well known meteorological fact that more rain falls on the lee than on the weather side of hills -our prevailing winds being from the westward it becomes clear that our eastern seaboard will have more rain than (3) our western from Kirk Michael to Dalby which we find to be about 38 inches. Then (4) we have the districts in which Kirk Andreas Rectory, Port Erin, Castletown, and Ballasalla are situated, whose rainfall, about 30 inches, comes direct from the sea with westerly winds.

St. Mark's occupies an intermediate position with a rainfall of about 36 inches.

+ These observations have not been taken at Ramsey.

[NOTE TABLE TBC]

T n~l 1 QQO

1 1

BAROMETER RAINFALL

8 Dpuglas Cronk- Cl'pse Castle- St. Ram- An-

'U-

d...,. Vie.-rd. bourne Onc'u town Mark's sey. dreas 1 rs. IN. IN. IN. IN. IN. IN. IN.

JAN. 29.804 32.1~ 3.430 3.727 3.840 1.920 2.250 5.756 3.000

FEB. 29.530 63.6~ 4.160 4*328 4.650 3.250 3.290 6.700 3.680

MAR. 30.051 126*71 3.770 3.9,55 3.630 2.840 3.,590 5.386 3.24,5

APRIL29.773 1690 3.450 3.354 3.200 3.000 3.060 3.597 3-130

MAY 29.738 197*11 2.180 2.228 2.180 2020 2'420 1.701 1.290

JUNE 30.036 216 51 1.700 1.799 1.680 1.250 1.4.20 1.041 0.8(;0

JULY 30.139 229.5 2.330 2.544 2.200 1.640 2.380 1.461 1.240

AuG. 29.967 176.7 2.020 2.156 2.205 2270 2.381) 2.674 2.375

SEPT. 29.779 146.1 6.000 6.274 5.695 3.880 5'150 5.203 3895

OCT. 29.711 117 0 4.620 4.879 5.360 3.280 4.200 3.943 3.270

Nov. 29.844 52.2 3 140 3 178 3510 25-0 3.001 2,815 1.71,5

DEc. 30.136 33.4 2.110 11928 1 *885 115020 1 670 1.703 1.245

-- - - -- 1 - - - - -

29.876 1559. 38.910 40.263 ;40.03,5129.4 10 ~34.813 ~42.079128.945

SI-IADE TEMPERXFURE.

CRONKBOURNE. RAMSBY CASTLETOWN MEAN

ga.m 9p.m~ Av. 9a.m 9p.m Av. 9 am 9p* m Ay. (53.61)

o 0 0 o 0

JAN. 40.0,5 39.51 39.78 40.23 40.60 40.41 40.60 4050 40.55 40.6 -24 42.01 4.2.12 4,. 41.20 41.65 40,2

FEB. 41.8.2 40.92 41.37 42 ~o

MAR. 41*93 39.97 40.95 41.27 40.74 41,01 42.10 iO, 10 41.10 41*2

APRIL 46.19 ~ 42.90 44.55 45.99 45-56 45,78 47.40 43,30 45.35 43,9

MAY 48.82 ~ 44.94 46.88 4922 46.76 47.99 ;)0-60 45.(~O 47 So 49.2

JUNE 56.40!,51'25 153'83 57.22 51.14 54. 18 57.30 50.90 ~, 54. 10 54.1

JULY 59.82 -94 60.40 .56.0(5 58:~3 60.10 5.5.60 57.85 56.7

i 56.07, 57 56 dg

AuG. 57*9~ ?-3 ' 26'-5.60 58.66 54.92 "9 '0 54.00 56.50 57 7

SEP, -"00 1" 06 ?3.56 55.43 52.59 54.01 5,5.40 52.70 54.0.5 54.8

rI 00

OCT. 47.29 '44*84 46.07 46.85 45.43 46.14 46.90 45.60 146.25 50.2

Nov. ~44.94:44.65 44,80 45*02 42.61 ~13.81 45 30 4.5.2014,5 25 44.2

DEc. 41.64 141*01 41.32 42.42 41.30 41.86 41.80 41.2014150 41,6

48.49 4,5.95 47.22 48.74 46.64 47.69.49,05 46.27 47.66 47,8