Scientific Serials

Abstract

Symons's Monthly Meteorological Magazine, March.—Extreme heat in Australia in January 1896. Mr. Russell, Government Astronomer of New South Wales, writes: “We are having a very hot summer…. Those who hold that icebergs cool the weather will have a nut to crack with the icebergs on one hand, and these excessive heats on the other.” On January 13 the temperature in the shade at Sydney rose to 108°˙5. This is the greatest heat recorded there since 1859; the highest previously registered there was 106°˙9 in January 1863. A temperature of 108° was also registered in Melbourne, but this temperature had been exceeded on three occasions: in January 1862, the shade temperature reached 111°˙1; in 1876, 110°˙7, and in the summer of 1882, 110°˙5. In some inland parts of Victoria, even higher temperatures were recorded.—Severe frost in North America. Unprecedently severe weather has been experienced over the Eastern States of America, and in Newfoundland. On February 17 the thermometer registered 39° of frost at New York, a lower reading than has been recorded so late in the year since observations were begun. In the interior of the State of New York a record of 49° below zero was obtained. In Newfoundland the winter is said to be more severe than has been known for forty years. Snow was lying on the ground to a depth of fifteen feet at St. John's. At Fortune Bay the entire failure of the herring fishery has brought the people to the verge of starvation.