668 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. DEUEMB~, 1904
appliance for procuring upper air readinge, BB Professor
McAdie had been placed on duty in San Francisco.
The first thermoanemograph was put
into use.
Professor Marvin was officially directed
to construct appliances for carrying meteorological instru-
ments into the upper air, and to give attention to the con-
struction of the necessary instruments. The first step taken
by Professor Marvin was to abandon the use of twine for kite
lines.
The diamond kite was publicly flown by
Mr. Potter at the Weather Bureau.
Phosphor bronze was used for the kite
line and a wooden reel was employed.
In order to scientifically compare the
flying qualities of different kinds of kites, methods were
devised for regularly observing the angle of flight and angle
of incidence to the wind, the latter being obtained by means
of a scale of division in bold lines stencilled on the cloth of
the kite, and viewed from the reel by aid of a small telescope
with graduated vertical circle.
January 10, 1896. The properties of the catenary as applied
to the science of kiteflying were fully developed ancl tables
of results computed.
January 24, 1896. The advantage of using a small motor
attached to the line below the kite was considered and dis-
cussed.
Music wire was substituted for cord, and
was used exclusively for the kite line thereafter. During this
month waterproof kites were employed in rain or snowstorms.
Steel music wire was substituted for the
bronze wire and subsequently used exclusively for the kite
line.
Apparatus was devised and installed
for testing the strength of wire, string, splices, etc. An
improved style of splice was developed and tools devised for
making such splices expeditiously.
March 5, 1896. Earlyin the tests of kites the marked inefi-
ciency clue to the fluttering of the cloth and looseness at the
edges was noticed. On the above date a kite with the frame
construction located entirely at the edges of the cell was com-
pleted and tested with very satisfactory results. This improved
feature was ultimately used exclusively, and was generally
adopted elsewhere in all high grade kites.
Recognizing that the greater part of the
pulling power exerted by the wind upon a kite is concentrated
in the front cell, a Hargrave kite with three planes in both
front and rear cells was made and tested. Subsequently the
third plane was omitted from the rear cell, and a t this point
of the work a great variety of structures were made and tested
for the purpose of determining how much the surface and
extent of the rear cell might be diminished. It was recognized
that the prime function of this part of the kite was that of
con trolling and maintaining the equilibrium. Structural and
constructural considerations, however, led to the adoption of
the simple Hargrave kite, with three horizontal planes in the
forward cell and two in the rear.
A Richard meteorograph of aluminum, re-
cording pressure, temperature, and humidity, was used.
A height of one kilometer above the hill
was attained for the first time.
A height of 1.8 kilometers, or over one mile,
was reached.
A tail composed of hollow cones was attached
to one of the kites at the suggestion of Mr. Douglas Archibald.
The height of 2000 meters was reachecl.
The height of 2665 meters, probably the
greatest to which a kite had attained up to that date, was
reached.
November 16, 1895.
November 18,1895.
December 7, 1895.
December 20, 1895.
January 7, 1896.
January 07, 18%.
February 4, 1896.
February 13, 1896.
March 21, 1896.
April 4, 1896.
Ad]Jrd 13, 1896.
J u l y SO, 189G.
July 23, 1,996.
Aiiyiist 1, 1896.
October S, lS96.
February, 1897. To facilitate the use of a greater length
of line under continued strain, a new windless with a strain
pulley controlled by a steam engine was constructed. During
this year important modifications of the meteorograph were
made and new forms of kites teated.
Safety line devised and used in ascen-
sions.
Ascensions at Washington with thermo-
graph on kite were continued more or less regularly on every
favorable clay from this date until June.
June 11, 1897. Design completed of the hand and power
kite reels afterward employed by the Weather Bureau.
August 7, 1897. Drawings and specifications of the im-
proved kite meterograph of the Marvin design were sent to
contractors.
September 20, 1897. The construction of a collapsible,
three plane kite of the standard type for station use was begun,
to serve as a model for the use of contractors in manufactur-
ing kites for station supplies.
The meteorograph was raised to a height
of 3379 meters above the hill or 3590 meters above the valley.
The autoiuatic power kite reel for use at
the Washington station and also the hand reels for the equip-
ment of outlaying Htations had been completed. Each one of
these was separately filled with wire and calibrated, in order
to give the length unwound during ascensions. All other de-
tails of the equipment for stations were also completed about
this time, ancl shortly thereafter the instruction of observers
employed to fly kites at stations began.
April, 1898. Systematic ascensions were begun at seventeen
kite stations, established in different parts of the country.
1899. The Weather Bureau issued Bulletin F, by Prof. H.
C!. Frankenfielcl, containing a report of the kite observations
of 1898.
Mr. Rotch was the first to use a steamer to
raise a kite on a calm day.-F. 0. S.
February 3, 1897.
April 21, 1897.
Oc*tohrr I:?, 1807.
March 3, 1898.
dtrgust, 1,001.
~
-~
STORM ON THE PACIFIC COAST, DECEMBER 27-31,1004.
A steep barometric gradient on the northern Pacific coast
during the last days of the month was accompanied by notably
high winds and heavy precipitation at several points. On the
28th an area of low pressure was central at North Head, Wash.,
with a reduced reading of 29.7 inches, with a high area to the
southeast. The low developed rapidly in intensity during the
nest twenty-four hours, ancl the reduced pressure on the morn-
ing of the 29th ranged from 29.0 inches at Tatoosh Island to
30.0 inches at San Francisco and in the neighborhood of Boise,
Idaho, a gradient of one inch in about 530 miles. The pres-
sure then rose slowly as the Ion. morel1 eastward. The influ-
ence of topography on wind velocity is well shown by the
records from the various stations. The time given is 75th
meridian.
At San Francisco the maximuin wind velocity was 38 miles
from the south on the 30t11, aud moderate rains fell on the
29th, 30th, and 31st. A t Southeast Farallon, a small island
30 miles clue west of S:m Francisco, occasional light rains fell
on the 37th, 28th, and 29th) wit,h heavier precipitation begin-
ning at 9:15 p. m. on this date. on the 27th the observer
notes that, the sea was unusually rjmooth all day, without surf.
High wind begm on the 28th, reaching a relocity of 49 miles
from the south on the following day. Conditions on the 30th
ancl 31st are described in the following extracts from the daily
journal of the Assistant Observer in Charge, Mr. E. C. Hobbs:
December b~.-Cloudy; falling baroiiieter until 3:15 p. LU., followed by
sudden and rapid rise. Wind veered from south to northwest and velocity
dropped from 48 to 15 miles in fifteen minutes. Eain ended at 10 p. m.;
amount, 1.35 inches.
Gale raged furiously up to 3:15 p. m.; maximum velocity of 58 miles
from the south occurred at 8:45 a. m. Communication with Professor
DECEMBER, 1904. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 669
Districts.
Mchdie being still interrupted, the southeast storm warning was con- tinued until 3:15 p. m., when, it being evident that the storm had spent its fury, the warning was taken down.
The night was
a pandemonium of roaring winds, thundering surf, and driving rain. The noise prevented sleep, and the observer kept a close watch on the self-register during the entire night. All went well until the observers
were at breakfast, when the anemometer broke down completely, some parts of it being blown away. Assistant Observer, Mr. James Jones, volunteered to mount t h e extra iiistrument, and a hard two or three hours followed. The extra instrument also soon showed bigns of dis-
tress, and it was only by combining pizrts of both instriiments and making
some repairs that the record was started again.
Mr. Jones must have ascended the anemonieter support at least a
dozen times in a drenching rain, with a wind blowing between .50 and 60
miles per hour. The east end of the bridge was wrecked again by the wind and surf,
cutting off commuuication with the east end of the island.
December .Yl.-Clear; rising barometer; wind from the northwest fresh-
ened during the night, blowiug a gale from S:50 a. ru. to 11 p. in. Nasi-
mum velocity of 40 miles from the northwest at 7 9 5 a. in. Amount of
rainfall, trace.
Point Reyes Light, 30 miles northeast of the island, espe-
rienced high winds on the 29th and 30th, with a maximum of
80 miles per hour from the south a t 1 2 5 p. m. The velocity
then decreased rapidly to 25 miles, veering to the northwest
at 2:45 p. m., and increasing to a maximum of 53 miles from
that direction a t 6:lO a. m. of the following morning. Pre-
cipitation amounted to 1.77 inches.
At Eureka, Cal., the highest wind velocity was 29 miles and
the precipitation amounted to 3.92 inches, of which 3.65 inches
This has been the most severe storm since last March.
His action was very commendable.
Clear in the evening.
LI
0
r d w a a .S
a s g r n
fell in the twenty-four hours ending at 7:40 a. m. on the 30th.
This was the heaviest 24-hour rainfall in any December since
the station was established in 1887.
A similar heavy rainfall of 3.89 inches at Roseburg, Oreg.,
between 2 a. m. of the 29th and 2 a. m. of the 30th, is, with
one exception, the greatest amount in twenty-four hours in
the records of that station, which was established in 1877.
The total precipitation a t Roseburg was 4.68 inches, and the
winds generally light, reaching a maximum of nineteen miles
from the southeast on the night of the 28-29th, but not rising
above nine miles per hour during the remainder of the month.
At North Head, Wash., strong winds from southeast to south-
west prevailed from the 28th to the 31st, with maximum veloci-
ties of 74, 85, 46, and 48 miles, respectively, on those dates, and
an average velocity during the %t8h of 48 miles per hour.
Nothing approaching these figures was reported from Port-
land, Oreg., or Seattle, Wash., where the maximum velocities
were 23 and 29 miles, respectively, with averages on the 29th
of about eight miles at the former station and sis miles at the
latter. The total precipitation was as follows: North Head,
3.28; Portland, 2.71; Seattle, 2.51.-F. 0. 5'.
-0 .4 -1 .0
-1 .5
- 2.4
- 5.1
- 3.2
+1 .2
- 1.0
-1 .s
+ 2.6 - 1 .3
- 1.0
-0 .1
+l .S
CORRIGENDA.
Monthly Weather Review for November, p. 514, column 2,2cl
line from bottom, for rV C" read (W to C"; p. 515, column 2,
15th line from bottom, for 6'Dleteorology" read "Mechanics."
+0 .8 -3 .4 t 7 .2 -16.1 -27.2 -21.7 -6 .2
-15.1
+0 .3 +18.3 t11.3
t 1 4 .5
+3 .4
t 7 .3 3-26.7
THE WEATHER OF THE MONTH.
By Mr. WM. B. STOCKMAN, Chief, Diviaion of Meteorological Records.
PRESSURE.
The distribution of mean atmospheric pressure is graphically
shown on Chart VI11 and the average values and departures
from normal are shown in Tables I and VI.
The mean pressure for the month was highest over the
middle Plateau region and lowest over New England.
The mean monthly pressure was above the normal in North
Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, the
Pacific districts, except on the coast of Washington and es-
treme southern Califwnia, the middle and southern Plateau
and southern slope regions, portions of the middle slope region
and west Gulf States, and southern Florida; elsewhere i t was
below the normal.
The greatest excess in pressure occurred in New Mesico and
southwestern Colorado, and the greatest deficiency over the
central. Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, lower Lake region,
Middle Atlantic States, and northern portion of the South
Atlantic States.
The mean pressnre for the month increased over the pre-
ceding month in the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific States, eastern
lower Lake region, find western portions of the Plateau. In
all other sections the mean pressure diminished, the most
marked changes occurring over the middle slope region.
TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR
The distribution of maximum, minimum, and average surface
temperatures is graphically shown by the lines on Chart V.
The mean temperature for the month was generally below
the normal east of the slope regions, and in north-central Cal-
ifornia, and above normal in the remaining districts.
In southeastern Texas, lower Missouri Valley, eastern middle
slope region, northern portion of the South Atlantic States,
Middle Atlantic States, New England, Lake region, and nortli-
ern portion of the upper Mississippi Valley the changes were
quite marked and ranged from -2" to -lo", the greatest
deficiencies occurring in the northeastern portion of the Midclle
Atlantic States and in New England.
The most marked positive departures occurred over southern
California, northern slope, and eastern portion of the northern
Plateau regions, where they ranged from +2" to somewhat
more than +do.
The mean temperature was the lowest by 1" during any De-
cember since the establishment of the station at Block Island,
R. I., Eastport, Me., Harrisburg, Pa., Nantucket, iUass., and
Syracuse, N. Y.; as low as the lowest a t Binghamton, N. Y.,
Illodena, Utah, North Head, Wash., Richmond, Va., and Scran-
ton, Pa.
The average temperatures for the several geographic districts
and the departures from the normal values are shown in the
following table :
Average tmnperatwea and departurea from normal.
New En land ............ Middle fitlantic.. ........ Sooth Atlantic .................. Florida Peninsula* ............. East Gulf. ....................... West G o l f .. ..................... Ohio Valley and Tennessee.. .... Lower Lake.. ................... Upper Lake ..................... North Dakota *. ................. U ,per Mississippi Valley.. ......
Noctheru Slope.. ................
Southern P ope ................
Middle Plateau * ............... Northern Plateau*. .............
Middle Pacific.. ................. South Pacific ....................
d s s o u r i Valley .................
MiddleSlo p e ..~; ..............
8
12
-1 0 8 9
7 11 8 10 8 11
11
'I
6
6 13 8 12
7
6 4
Average temper- tures for the c u r r e n t month.
0
2 .3
31 2 46.3
60.8
49.8 49.9 35.4 25.4 21. 1
15.4 27. 4
27. 4
27. 1
33.6 40.6
39. 6 29.3 32.3
43.6
48.7 55.0
~
*Regular Weather Bureau aud selected voluutarg stations.
Average lepartures since lanoarg 1.
0
- 2.6
- 2.1 - 1.1
+ 0.1
- 0.3
+ 0.6
- 1.3
- 2.3
- 1 .8
- 0.4
- 1.3 0.0
+ 1.6
+ 0.9
+ 1.2
+ 0.3
+ 0.6
+ 2.2
+ 0.8
+ 0.7
+ 1.4
Maximum temperatures of SOo, or higher, occurred in Florida,
southern and western Louisiana, southeastern Texas, and por-
tions of the southmestern parts of Arizona and California.
The maxiinurn temperature equaled the highest on record at
Cheyenne, Wyo., and Pensacola, Fla., a i d exceeded it by 2 O
a t North Platte, Nebr., and by 4" at Valentine, Nebr.