Abstract
A REMARKABLE shower of black rain fell here and in the neighbourhood last Sunday, the 22nd inst. The forenoon had been fine, though somewhat hazy, but about 3.30 p.m. heavy cumuli formed to north and north-west. Gradually a dense mass of cloud and haze came from the northward, presenting a lurid, threatening aspect, and it become so dark that one could not read a book indoors. At 4.30 rain began to fall, at first a few drops, and soon after a heavy downpour. When this commenced I noticed a number of black objects floating in the air, which I at first took to be flies or winged ants, but they rapidly increased in number, and on looking at them more closely I found them to be particles of soot, on an average about the size of the common fly. Their number was so great that, it appeared for ten minutes to be snowing black, the descent of the blacks being slow, like that of snowflakes. After it had rained heavily for fifteen minutes, these “blacks” ceased and the air became lighter, but the rain continued for another hour, and altogether I measured.30 inches in my gauge. I find on inquiry that this black rain was noticed in the whole neighbourhood—at least four miles to the north-east and two miles to westward, hence it cannot have been due to local chimneys. As far as I can ascertain, the shower was entirely local; it seems to have followed a narrow course from north to south only a few miles wide, and did not extend to either Eastbourne or Hastings.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
TREUTLER, W. Black Rain. Nature 30, 216 (1884). https://doi.org/10.1038/030216c0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/030216c0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.