The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-23 00:00:00

THE WEATHER IN SCOTLAND.

The Scotsman of yesterday says that on Wednes-
day the thaw continued throughout the day,favoured
by a fresh wind from the west, but towards evening,
the wind abating, frost again set in, and, as the
barometer is rising, may prevail for a day or two.
In the meantime, however, two days of mild windy
weather have stripped the fields of their snowy
covering, and unsealed the lakes and streams.
Even the snowdrifts have disappeared, and the
North British Railway, closed at Cockburnspath
for three days, was yesterday cleared, and the trains
running as usual. The North. _British Agricul-
turist says :—" The severe frost experienced for
some days gave way on Tuesday forenoon, and
during the night showers of rain occurred. To-day
(Wednesday) is mild, with sunshine. The intensity
of the cold during Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
Sabbcdh, and Monday exceeded that known for
many years—the thermometer marking in the
'mornings from 14 to 18 deg. F. below the freezing
point. In some districts snow-storms have been
experienced. In others no snow fell. Along the
east coast the fall of snow has been greater than
has been experienced for several years. In the
upper districts of East-Lothian the depth of snow
was eight inches. The snow-fall was preceded by
a thunder-storm. The beautiful crumte.tions of the
hoar-frost were a peculiar feature of this storm."
The Dumfries Courier reports—" On Sunday there
were several showers of snow, but the clouds cleared
off, and the afternoon was fine. Monday was dull
and foggy ; net a breath of air stirred, and ' the
streets were black with smoke and frost.' The
Nith has been frozen from the Caul to Albany-
place for some days, and on Saturday several rinks
of curlers were busily engaged on its surface ; while,
of course, lakes and ponds have daily resounded to
the roar of the channel-stone. The Nith is also frozen
completely across for some distance below Kin gholm
Quay, and quantities of ice line its banks within
tide mark. On Saturday night and Sunday morn-
ing snow fell around Lockerbie to the depth of six
inches, while the fall here was not sufficient
to cover the ground. The snow may be coming
yet for a' that, but meanwhile the barometer is firm
and the sky clear." In a weather report, the
Aberdeen Journal of Wednesday remarks For
many years we have not had in this quarter so se-
vere a snow-storm so early in the winter as the one
under which we have been suffering since the 13th
of the present month. About Aberdeen the snow
is now a foot .or ,so deep, where not blown. It is
rather remarkable that till yesterday there was
more snow between Aberdeen and Culter than be-
tween the latter place and Aboyne ; and that in
the south of Laurencekirk there were black frosts
with little or no snow. The lowest temperature in
AberdeenZas .:notednby Mr. Thomas Gray's self-
registering thermometer, occurred o. n the night be-
tween Sunday and Monday, when it sank to seven
degrees F.—that is, 25 degrees below the freezing
point. A beautiful crimson aurora was observed
on Thursday evening last at Inverary, just before a
snow shower. On Monday morning a policeman
found no fewer than six birds dead, on Waterloo

Quay, from the intense frost—bullfinches, we be
lieve. The local mails have also been from one to
three hours late, especially on the Peterhead road.
Yesterday the wind changed to.S.W., the frost gave
way, and there were symptoms of a thaw." The
Banffshire Journal of Tuesday says .—" Since this
day week we have had the severest snow-storm
experienced in this part of the country for a num-
ber of years. Snow fell thickly on Tuesday morn-
ing, and the wind getting up in the course of the
day, the frequent showers which continued were
furiously drifted, until, before night, considerable
wreaths were accumulated. Wednesday and Thurs-
day were much of the same character as Tuesday ;
and so also was Friday, on the evening of which
there was quite a gale of wind and blinding drift,
while the snow, having by that time attained conside-
rable depth, was still being rapidly increased. Satur-
day was comparatively calm, but on that afternoon a
large quantity of new snow fell, especially in Moray-
shire and westwards. Since then, there have been
occasional showers, but no material augmentation
to the quantity of snow. Wreaths of immense depth
have gathered in all sheltered places, blocking 111),
of course, nearly all the side roads, and to a great
extent the principal thoroughfares, stopping' even
some of the railways and more or less deranging the
traffic on them all. On Friday, only one train was
run from Turiff to Inveramsay and back on that
day, and this, though the distance is only some 18
miles each way, occupied seven hours, the progress
being merely a series of starts and stops, in replar
succession, for the greater part of the journey. the
Peterhead and Banff coach has not made its ap-
pearance in Banff since its departure on Thursday-
The Banks of Ythan, running between Aberdeen
and Strichen, Old Deer, and Achnagatt, is also off
the road ; and the Aberdeen and Peterhead, and
Aberdeen and Fraserburgh mail coaches are dash-
ing along with six horses, but are generally two
hours or so late. The frost has been intense, espe-
cially on Sunday and Monday. Some scientific
gentlemen had the uncomfortable pleasure, it is
said, of witnessing their breath in a railway ear:
riage, early in the week, condensed by the frost, ana
actually in particles of snow around them. The
thermometer in Strathdon has been standing at 22
deg. under freezing point. On Friday night, a Yell.
vivid flash of lightninc, was seen in Banff, followed
by a loud clap of thunder, and several others have
been heard in the centre of the country. The effect
was very singular in the midst of a severe snow-
storm and intense frost." The Inverness Adverti
een
ser
says :—" Within the last few days we have
visited by a severe storm of frost and snow, which
appears to have spread over the whole country
frost set in here on Tuesday last, and snow be-
gan to fall heavily on the following day, succeeded
at intervals by other falls, until the country around
was covered to a considerable depth. Towards the
north the roads have been clear as far as the Meikle.
b
Ferry, but beyond this coaching has been stopped
altogether, and sledges have been used for the Pur-
pose of carrying the mails to Thurso. Late on Mr on"
day night a thaw set in, which still continues.'