WEATHER REPORT FOR 1954

 
         JANUARY.
         Rather mixed weather until 23rd, when a cold spell set in and
         continued for rest of the month with severe frost on several nights.
         Fog on 2nd and 18th. Light snow on several days. Sunday 31st
         coldest day since February 22nd, 1947. Rainfall 1.26" below average
         for month.* The fifth dry month in succession and the driest January
         Since 1936.
         FEBRUARY .
         Very cold with snow showers first part of month. Then milder with
         rain most days. Fog on 6th, 11th and 12th. Strong west winds on 7th and
         and 26th. Rainfall 0.52" above average for month and 0.74" below
         average for 2 months.* 21 rain days, highest since 1923 (when rain was
         over 3 inches).
         MARCH.
         Cold first few days, then mild and rather wet. No fog. S.W. gale
         and heavy rain night of 6th. Heavy rain nights of 30th and 31st.
         Only 3 nights at or below 32. Rainfall 0.88" above average for month
         and 0.14" above for 3 months.* Only 11 rain days, but total was higher
         than February with 21. Rainfall for the 6 winter months was 8.59,
         lowest for 5 years.
         
         
         APRIL.
         Very dry and rather cold month. A large number of fine days but
         cold easterly wind kept temperatures well below normal. Strong
         N.W. Wind on 5th. Fog morning of 21st. Rainfall 1.51" below average
         for month and 1.37" below for 4 months.* Driest April for 16 years.
         Driest month since October 1947.
         
         MAY.
         Cold wet month with very few nice days. Strong N.W. wind with
         heavy rain on 3rd. Heavy rain and hail showers on 6th. Severe
         thunderstorm evening of 12th with very heavy rain. Thunder and
         heavy rain night of 27th. No fog. Rainfall 1.25" above aversge for
         month and 0.12" below average for 6 months.* On 28th 0.46" rain fell in
         first 12 hours (when it had stopped) and 0.48" in next 12 hours.
         
         JUNE.
         Very wet unsettled month. Thunder 4th and 5th. Very heavy rain
         12th and 13th. Strong S. Wind and heavy rain on 7th. Strong N.W.
         wind 26th and 27th. Rainfall 1.07" above average for month and
         0.95" above for 6 months.* Very wet in firrt half of month 2.12"
         out of a total of 2.20" fell in 9 days 5th to 13th.
         
         JULY .
         Very wet and dull month with cold winds. Thunder 4th, 8th
         and 28th. Heavy rain night of l6th and all day on 25th. Rainfall
         0.47" above average for month and 1.42" above for 7 months.* July
         drier than generally believed, average 2.27".
         
         AUGUST.
         Very unsettled month with many cold wet and miserable days.
         Heavy showers and thunder on 8th. Thunderstorm 6.30 p.m. on 12th.
         Thunder evening of 20th. Last few days fine and warm. Rainfall
         1.09" above average for month and 2.51" above for 8 months.* Wettest
         August since 1917. Wettest month since March 1947.
         
         SEPTEMBER.
         A very unsettled month; only 4 days without rain. Heavy
         showers with thunder on 8th. Thunder night of 12th. Very strong
         winds 9th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th and 21st. No fog. Rainfall 0.54"
         above average for month and 3.05" above for 9 months. *Total for the
         6 summer months (April-Sept.), 13.03" (Average 11.10").
         
         OCTOBER.
         Another very unsettled month, with rain on 24 days. Rather mild
         for October. Frost on only one night. No fog. Strong W. winds on
         18th and 24th. Very strong S.W. wind on 28th reaching gale force at
         times. Rainfall 0.09" below average for month and 0.96" above average
         for 10 months.
         
         NOVEMBER.
         A very unsettled wet month with rain on 26 days. Strong westerly
         winds on many days. Heavy rain several days. Fog on 4th. Rainfall
         2.57" above average for month and 5.53" above for 11 months.* Wettest
         month since March 1947 and wettest November since the record of
         5.35" in 1940. An unusual feature is that we have had 8 falls of over
         0.30" of which only one was over 0.50".
         
         DECEMBER.
         A dry month with some lovely days. Fine spell at end of month
         with much sunshine. Heavy rain and strong wind on 8th. Fog on 15th.
         Rainfall 0.63" below average for month and 4.90" above average for year.
         
         COMPARATIVE NOTES.
 * Wettest year since 1916 (26.76") just exceeding 1927 (26.20") and
         1939 (26.14"). Wettest summer (April-Sept.) since 1950 (14.37"), 1954
         (13.03"). August and November each over 4.00". Unusual to have 2 months
         over 4.00" in any year, but this occurred in 1936 when June and July had
         9.26" between them. Raindays at 185 very high; only exceeded by
         1951 (187) and 1907 (183). Days over 0.04" (131) exceeded only by
         1951 (132) and 1912 (133). The year became increasingly wetter for
         averages for each quarter were exceeded aa follows:- 1st quarter, above
         averege; 2nd quarter 0.50" over; 3rd quarter 1.38" over, 4th quarter
         2.73" over. Total excess 4.76".