The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-11-01
First Snow In Melbourne, Australia.

On Wednesday, July 20. n spectacle
oil II decidedly novel and as lar rs is
officially known, unprecedented charac-
ter was observed by the citizens Of Mel
bourne and submissive. a genuine
snowfall. IL is true that q number OF
colonists aver that snow fell on more
than one occasion in Melbourne during
the first decade OF Victorian history, but
our metcoro,O, icN records are silent ON
the point; and Mr.. Ellcry, the Govern
mcut Astronomer, whosc recollection
tends lack to 1851. declares that the
snowfall was the first in his Victorian
experience. Altogether, Wednesday,
July &c, 1892. WIS most exceptional
day in several respects. Its average
temperature was the lowest on record,
the thermometer never having risen
above forty degrees, while for the
greater part OF the day il was as low as
thirty.n nc degrees. A lower tcmpera-
turc than the latter haa been registered
mt the observatory, but only for very
brief period.
The regularity about the day con-
sisted in the uniformly low temperature
that prevailed in Australia 1t had been
raining slightly during the prcvou
night, and " cdnesday morning opened
with evident signs Of Il continuance of
similar weather. Blu, few in Melbourne
were prepared for what took place
shortly after eight o clock, when min
gled snow and rain commenced to dc
sccnd. revivng old,world memories, and
occasoning general express ons Of sur
Prise. To young australians the spec.
tac,e of falling snow flakes filling the
nir was indeed u new experience, and
they were enabled to compare the ac.
iual reality with the conceptions formed
by reading the descriptions Of similar
scenes on the other sidc OF the uator.
At about half-past eight a heavier
fall OF snow was observed, the flakes
being thicker, and in Sore places tenn.
Iorarily whitening n pretty large area.
The fall lasted for about half an hour,
during which time large numbers of
people in all paris OF the city and sub
urbs watched the unusual SIGHT with
keen and evident interest. The fall was
by no means confined to the vicinity
cf the Veto ian Capital, for it extended
over the whole Southern portion OF Aus
,rn,ia, and also embraced the elevated
Il stricts OF this colony, where "heavy
snow" was reported from Mount Vic
tmia, Carooar, Walcha, Bcndameer,
Orange, Arm dale and Kandra Az the
last mentioned township, which is stu,
ated near the head waters of the Snowy
River, the ground was covered with
twenty inches Of snow,
In Victoria the snowfall Mt Mount
Macedon was continuous and Mount
Buninyong capped with three feet of
snow. the roofs of the houses in this cl-
evated locality being likewise covered
Ice three in hes thick was also reported
from Mount Bunnyong The fall at
Lancei'eld lasted for two hours, and at
Beaufort tho ground was covered to q
depth OF more than two inches. The
mountains surrounding Ararat were
wrapped in n i'cecy mantle. and at
n Smylhcsdale ow-balling was the pop
lar amusement during the greater por-
\ ton Of the day. On Mount Cole two
feet Of snow was lying, and tho saw.
mills we're compelled to suspend worl
In consequence. The ranges in tn,
neighborhood OF Talbot and Stawel wcr
likewise snow-clad during a part of tn
day -MclbOUrue Ar0Us