CHAPTER I.

METEOROLOGY.

METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS.

As soon as the Sudan was re-opened, a system of meteorological and river gauging stations was organised by the Egyptian Government and this service is maintained principally by the Physical Department of the Ministry of Public Works in Cairo. The stations are of various grades according to the numbers and kinds of observations recorded. They are often associated with hospitals and the observer, perhaps the Medica! Officer, is paid to see that the observations are properly carried out. There should also be an assistant observer who often does most of the readings. He may be a tamargi and a good observer too. .At the principal stations, the observations include the barometer and attached thermometer, wet bulb, dry bulb, maximum and minimum thermometers; evaporimeter, wind direction and force, clouds andrain. Many stations are remote and can only rarely be inspected. It may be helpful if those understanding the observations can occasionally inspect the instruments, taking particular note of their condition and the manner 1n which they are read. The minimum thermometer and the directions of the wind vane are two matters most likely to call for attention. The observer should possess a copy of the ‘‘ Handbook of Instructions for Meteorological Observers in Egypt the Sudan and Palestine ”’ issued by the Physical Department, Cairo. This contains descriptions of all the instruments and the methods of use. There should be no interference with the station but, if necessary, a report may be sent to the Controller, Physical Department, Dawawin, Cairo.

The observations are communicated, some daily by telegram, and the rest by post to Ca'ro, and digests of them are published in various forms ranging from daily weather reports, monthly Bulletins to Annual Reports, with occasional specia! reports dealing with particular features or localities. ‘‘The Nile Basin’ Voliv], by H. E. Hurst and Philips, Cairo, 1931, contains a most valuable -genera! account of the Meteorology and Topography. Volumes II, III and IV pts. r and 2 contain statistics of the flow of the Nile. ‘‘Climatological Normals’’, Cairo 1922 gives useful digests of several types of observation. There is also ‘‘ The Climate of Khartoum ”’ by Sutton, 1923 and ‘“‘ The Climate of the Continent of Africa’ by Knox, Ig1I._ Only a small proportion of observations can be published in detail, but the Controller of the Physical Department, Cairo, is always ready to supply full copies of the data to those needing them.