LOWIG-SNOWSTORA~ guicfi 1 4 ~ ~ ASD ~ B T I I , ISS7. 281

1 P.m. 1, 14 9 ,

17th. 10 a.m. ,, 10 ,, 1 p.m. I, 9 I!

5 P.m. 9 , 12 7,

18th. 10 a m . ,, 73 1,

1 P.m. 7, 7 ,,

SNOW STORM OF MARCH 1 4 t h a n d 1 5 t h , 1887, A t Shirenewton Hall, Chepstow.

BY E. J. LOWE, F.R.S., F.R.MET.SOC.

19th. 10 a.m. ,, 55f ,, 20th. 4p.m. ,, 4 ,, 21st. 10 a.m. ,, 3# ,,

10 a.1n.l ,, 14 ,,

4 1 3 . I, 91

6 p.m. 9 , 3 9 ,

[Read May 18th, 1887.1

THE following is a record of thc principal featiires of the great snow storm :- The direction of the wind was North-east, almost calm, and there was no drifting. The oldest inhabitants say the never remember so deep a snow, thougll there was a deep snow on March d, 1867.

The depth here was 20 ins., a t Chepstow 20 ins., Piercefield Park 18 his., Gaer- lwydd (Newchurch) 20 ins., near Cleveclon 22 ins., Dennil Hill and Tutsliilll6 ins., Bristol 16 ins., and a t Bath 14 ins. It appears not to have extended beyond Worcester on the one side, or Swindon on the other. It was deep at Newport and Cardiff, and on the opposite side of the l$ri=,tol Channel in Somersetshire, descending to the shores of the Bristol Channel, where i t remained for several days, an unusual circumstance.

The snow fell at a temperature between 29O.3 and 300.3, and fell more like dust than snow. Snow commenced falling at 1 pm., and by 4 p.m. was half-an- iiich deep on the ground, and though it continned all the evening not above an inch covered the ground. The greatest fall commenced at 4 a.m. (15th).

The deDth at 6 a.m. was 5 ins.

1 From 9 p.m. a& ins. of snow fell, followed by rain at 6 p.m.

282

16th. 10 a.m. 3392 310.6 lY6 1 p.m. 36.5 3G.5 0 0 3.30p.m. 37.0 33.2 3.8 4.30 ,, 3G.0 32.0 4 0 5.15 ), 34.4 31.8 2.6

17th. 10 a.m. 3 4 5 32.0 2.5 Noon 37.1 32.3 48 2 p.m. 38.4 335 4.9

. 3 ll 38.7 33.0 5.7 4 1l 37.3 32.3 5.0

6.15 l1 32.8 3 0 0 2-8 18th. 10 a.m. 38.6 349 3.7

LOIVE-SNOW STORN MARCH 1 4 ~ ~ AND XTH, 1887.

GIIEATEPT COLD. At 4 ft. On Grass. On Snow.

March 13th and 14th ......... 2140 1990 0

11 16th ......... 19.8 17% 14.4 11

11

11

11

17th ......... 17.5 17.0 14-0 18th ......... 22.3 21.7 19th ......... 23.2 19.3 20th ......... 21% 17.3 15.0

18th. 1 p.m. 4296 3f.1 5’5 2.30p.m. 441 383 5.8 3.45 ,l 41.6 35.4 6.4 4.30 40.0 34.5 5.5

19th. 10 a.m. 36.2 332 3.0 4 p.m. 37.0 33.2 3.8 4.30 p m. 350 32.0 3-0

20th. 10 a.m. 34.4 3 2 2 2.2 4 p m. 3G.8 33.8 3.0

21st. 10 a.m. 35.3 32-7 2 6 1.30 pm. 38.8 34-1 4.7

A rapid thaw in sunshine commenced at noon on 16th, and continued for 24 hours, causing the air to be completely saturated €or a short time.

Dak.

DISCUSSIOR. Mr. C. HARDING said that this severe snowstorm was doubtless caused by the

eubsidiary disturbance which was moving down the Irish Channel at the time. H e noticed that Mr. Lome gave the direction of the wind as North-east during the fall of snow, but he thought that before the snowstorm there must have been a Southerly wind with rain, and it was not until the secondary had passed to the southward that the snowstorm came on.

Dr. T R I P E remarked that the driest and lightest snow he had ever seen m s that which fell on January 18th, 1881. This snow found its way into railway carriages even when the windows were closed, and in a carriage in which he was travelling at the time there was as much as 2 inches of snow on part of the ‘ seat and floor, which, when brus!ied off, left the seat quite dry. On that OCCX- sion the snow that fell on the 18th remained on the morning of the 19th piled “p to the extent of nearly 3 inches on the branches of trees, and the smalleat twigs being covered presented a beautiful sight.