Interpretation of Meteorological Records

Abstract

I REGRET that, owing to absence from home, I have only now seen Mr. Lander's letter in NATURE of April 19; I have to apologise for my inexcusable carelessness in writing of the storm as being accompanied by rain in place of snow and hail. However, accepting Mr. Lander's correction, it does not appear that the change will produce any alteration in the interpretation of the records, as it does not matter whether the water fell in the liquid or the solid state; its presence in either form would check any rise of temperature due to compression in the downward moving air. Any difference in the effect of snow compared with rain in producing a downward movement of the air would be to make the current stronger, because the air offers greater resistance to the fall of snow than to rain.