William Ernest Cooke

“ From October to December the weather is in a transitional state. The summer type is endeavouring to assert itself, but winter "lows" not infrequently pass along, giving a very mixed set of weather maps, and causing rather uncertain weather with scattered thunderstorms and capricious showers.
THE SUMMER TYPE (Overland "Lows" AND "Willy-Willies") .
In normal summer weather there is usually a moderate "high" extending along the South coast, or over the ocean still farther South, with falling gradients thence Northwards. ”

“ On a normal hot summer day a sea breeze always sets in about noon on the coast, and reaches Perth about 2 p.m. The temperature then commences to fall, and the evening and night are delightfully cool and pleasant. Occasionally a protracted spell of hot weather is experienced, but even then the nights are generally cool. ”

“ Our stations are, unfortunately, very widely separated in this district, and entirely confined to the coast. On Monday, the 4th, the direction of the wind and general shape of the isobars indicated that the pressure was lowest to the seaward of Cossack, and on the 5th the normal type of weather accompanying an anti-cyclone over the South-West portions of the Colony prevailed.
⁠It not infrequently happens that these "willy-willies" travel overland to the Great Australian Bight and bring unsettled weather to the goldfields ”

“ In the first of this series (23rd) we notice a "high" on the borderland between West and South Australia, the winds throughout this Colony settling down steadily into the N.E. quadrant, with falling barometers and increasing temperatures. The sky throughout the South-West districts begins to be flecked with cirrus cloud, followed later by alto cumulus, and then by clouds of a denser formation. On the morning of the 24th the "high" has made Easting, and a well-marked "low" appears off the S.W. coast. ”

“ As this description of Perth is to be, taken as representing more or less the whole of the South-West district it must be stated that severe frosts are by no means uncommon inland. The coldest part of the Colony at night is between Southern Cross and Katanning, and here the thermometer frequently falls below 32 degrees, especially if exposed to radiation. ”

“ One frequently hears the expression "A remarkably cool summer," or "A terribly hot summer," "A real scorcher," etc., yet we find that although the means for the individual months may vary considerably, those for the summer (November to March) diverge but little from the general average. It must be remembered, in studying the following figures, that the thermometers were transferred from one locality to another in August, 1885, and, therefore, the two periods 1876-1885 and 1886-1899 must be studied separately. ”

“ The advisability of taking meteorological observations was first officially recognised in 1876, when a meteorological branch was added to the Surveyor General's Department, and readings of the barometer, temperature, etc., were commenced under the direction of the late Sir Malcolm Fraser. In the following year Mr. M. A. C. Fraser was appointed Observer, and continued to hold that office until February, 1896, when it was decided to establish an astronomical observatory, and to transfer the charge of the meteorological department thereto. ”

“ The s.s. "Albany" experienced the full force of the hurricane at sea. She was coming down the coast from Derby to Cossack, and the following extracts from Captain Odman's log will, doubtless, prove interesting. He states as a positive fact that the men'S dungaree suits and his own canvas one were blown to ribbons during the storm:—
Voyage from Derby, via Broome, to Cossack.
Extracts from Log s.s. "Albany."
"After leaving Derby, weather became rainy, squally, and overcast. On 30th March rained heavily at times; weather threatening and strong wind from S.E.; at 8 p.m. strong E.S.E. gale. ”

“ The gale still continued with violent force up to midnight on the 2nd, the barometer still rising and the wind decreasing from then.
"At 4 a.m. on the 3rd, the wind moderated considerably: at 8 a.m. on the same date, the weather was fine and the sea moderately smooth, and continued so till arrival at Cossack; the wind blowing itself out steadily from the S.W."
Page:The climate of Western Australia, from meteorological observations made during the years 1876-1899.djvu/37 and the total amount registered on Saturday at 9 a.m. ”

“ A+ signifies that no rain has ever been recorded at any station within the square for the month.
The rainfall is always recorded in "points," 100 points = 1 inch. No means are taken where the records do not extend over at least five years.
APPENDIX.
RAINFALL FOR 1895 AND 1896. ”