Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 106
Image details
| Year | 1940 |
|---|---|
| Transcription |
|
| OCR Text |
200 THE WEATHER or scorninn IN 1939. on the 3rd and 1th, and on nineteen other days mostly at high-level stations. Weather was exceptionally dry generally. rThe total rain- fall over most of the country was less than half the normal, while parts of the Moray Firth area and Dumfriesshire had less than a quarter of their usual amount. The month’s total at many stations was under 1 inch. Most places, however, had measurable rain on twelve days, and at no station did the weather come under the heading “absolute drought " (fifteen consecutive days with under '01 inch on any day). Monthly totals ranged from 454 inches at Loch Arkaig to 063 inch at Kingussie. The largest daily fall was 0-95 inch at Kingairloch. Hail was reported locally on five days. Thunderstorms were widespread in South and Central Scotland on the 7th, and one fatality occurred in Edinburgh. Local storms occurred on four other days. The monthly totals of sunshine were above normal in most parts, but not everywhere, considerable deficiencies being reported from Orkney and Shetland, while there were smaller deficiencies in the extreme north-west and at a few places in the east. Turnberry had 231 hours (33 hours above normal), Oban 222 hours (42 above normal), and most stations in Ayrshire and Renfrewshire upwards of 200 hours. The smallest amounts were 115 hours at Lerwick and 123 at Deerness. JUNE. The weather was generally very bright, warm and dry during the first week, after which it became less settled and cooler, but with many bright intervals. The fine conditions of late May persisted into June. In the first week brilliant weather prevailed over the whole country, and record high temperatures occurred in places, while conditions at others came under the heading “ absolute drought ” (under '01 inch of rain for fifteen days in succession). These conditions began to break on the 7th when NW. winds brought a fall of temperature, which was followed by rain in most parts on the 9th. A rather unsettled period of alternating rainy and bright spells then set in. The wind reached gale force on ten days along the western seaboard, and a total of 7 hours was reported at Stornoway, but only 1 hour at Tiree. The gales were not severe. For the fifth successive month of the year the mean tem- perature was above normal, the excess being mainly due ’60 the warm spell of the latter part of May and the early part of June. The country had record high temperatures from the 3rd to the 6th, readings of 80 to 85° F. being numerous. Glasgow reported 88° F. on the 4th, Edinburgh (Liberton) THE WEATHER OF SCOTLAND IN 1939. 201 37‘ F. on the 5th, and Perth 86° F. on the 4th. The range of rennierature from day to night was large during the fine spell, exceeding 40° F. in numerous cases. Low temperatures were recorded during both the fine spell and the unsettled cool renditions after the setting in of N.VV. winds on the 7th. On 2nd June West Linton had 30° F., and VVolfelee 31° F., while Dalwhinnie reported 30° F. on the 13th. Ground frosts occurred locally on eleven nights. Rainfall was less than usual, except in some central districts “here it was just above the average, and at a few places in the south where an excess of about 20 per cent occurred. Except from the extreme north-west, no rain was reported until the 9th, the rainless spell of late May and early June lusting eighteen days in the east and centre of the country. Monthly totals ranged from 558 inches at Loch Oich to 1'58 in<-h at Carr Bridge. The largest daily fall was 1'36 inch at Kinlochquoich on the 9th. Snow was reported in the Cairn- rrorms on the 10th, 11th, and 21th, while falls of hail were widespread on the 11th and 12th, and local on 13th, 16th, and 30th. Many thunderstorms occurred in the centre and mnih on the 30th, and local storms on four other days. Only two stations had deficiencies of sunshine during the month, and these deficiencies were small. The monthly totals ranged from 273 hours at Turnberry and 269 hours at Rothesay (the highest at these stations since 1925) to 163 hours at Stornoway, 164. at Duntuilm (Skye), and 165 at Strathy (Sutherland). Some daily amounts exceeded 16 hours. JULY. This month was the wettest July since before 1870 ; thunder- sim’lllS were widespread, especially in the third week. The unsettled conditions of late June continued into July, and it was not until the 10th that there was a spell of fair weather. The respite was short, for heavy rain fell again on the 12th, and subsequently the weather was mainly dull and showery, with much thunder, relieved by short fair intervals. Winds of gale force were reported on five days, but they were short-lived, and their duration did not reach one hour at any reporting station. For the month as a whole, weather was somewhat cooler than usual at almost all stations. The temperature deficit was not outstanding in any particular district, nor were there any extended warm or cold spells. In general, the warmest days were the 4th, 20th, and 21st; but the 5th was also warm in the north, and the 29th on the east coast. In Edin- burgh and at Kihnarnock and Ruthwell 76° F. was recorded 011 the 4th, 20th and 21st respectively, and Fort William, VOL. Ln. 0 . i . |
| Title | Transactions of RHASS Volume 1940 - Page 106 |
