The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-09-08
Scientific Reports.

long communication by Prof Loomis, on
the late hail storm on the first of July, in
which the stones which fell werc from 2 !
to 3 inches long and 2 wide. After a
long description, the Professor gives the
following explanation:
What acaS tie CauSc Of tie Hail.
The hail was caused by violent upward
movement of the air, carryiny along with
it an unusual amount of vapor, which has
suddenly condensed, and at so low tenn
perature that it was frozen in large, SEM
iscrystalline masses. That there was a
violent upward movement of the air, ap-
pears from the following considerations :
Rev. G. W. McLane, of Williamsburg,
was in the street, near his house, and no.
ticed the coming up of the storm. He
says the cloud was very dense and black,
moved rapidly forward, and under the
main sheet the cloud boiled up in vio-
lent and angry manner. Others have
testified to substantially the same facts
Again, it appears impossible that two cur
rents in close juxtaposition should blow
from nearly opposite quarters with such
violence as to PROSTATE large trees, unless
there is opportunity for the air to escape
upward.
H0aO Vas tic Cold achich Formed the
HAL Introduced The temperature of
hail stones when they fall, is sometimes
as low as twenty-five or even twenty deg.
Fahrenheit. The temperature of the air
diminishes as we ascend from the earth.-
At height of $500 feet above N. York,
it is estimated at 80 deg. in summer.
There was hail storm in France on
the 25th of July, 1853, which covered
the ground at the foot of a mountain
three inches deep with stones, some of
which weighed eight ounces; while at a
height of 4,600 feet up the mountain no
hail fell. 1t is thought therefore, that
the hail of July l, 1853, was not formed
at an elevation of more than 5000 feet
The atmosphere derives its heat mainly
from earth by radiation upwards. Clouds
intercept this rising heat, and it therefore
becomes unnaturally cold above. The
wind in this case came from higher lat
itude, as it blew from the North West; it
therefore brought with it lower temper
ate. Another source of cold is found in
evaporation from the surface of the hail
stones. If we moisten the bulb Of a
thermometer, its temperature sinks from
evaporation. AS the hail stone is in rapid
motion, it is cooled by evaporation to so
low temperature that the surrounding
moisture is condensed upon it, and thus
concentrate layers are formed.
| H0a1 d0 HulIa07leS Remain Suspended
IN the dir Long Enough to Acqatirc q
WIeigat Of Half a POund?-I conceive
that hailstones are formed with great ra-
pidity. The vapor is condensed sudden
| ly and almost instantly. l think that
very large hailstones may be formed in
five minutes. In vacuum a stone would
fall from the height of 5000 feet in less
than twenty seconds-but drops of water
and hailstones fall with only a moderate
velocity; from my own observation, I
should think forty feet per second in the
July storm; at this rate stone would be
two minutes in falling 5000 feet; and if
we suppose it to start from rest, and its
rate to increase uniformly to the ultimate
velocity of forty feet, the time of fall
would be in four minutes. The strong
upward movement which is known to ex-
ist in the neighborhood where hail is
formed, is quite sufficient to sustain hail
stones of the largest kind, SO long as they
may be kept within the influence Of the
vortex. l see no reason therefore, why
hailstones cannot be sustained in the air
five or ten minutes, or even longer.
Wig Did the Hail IN the Present Case
AHain SO Large q Size because the
circumstances were unusually favorable
to its formation. The atmosphere con-
tanned about as much vapor as it is ever
known to hold in this latitude. This va
por was suddenly lifted to reign Of
great cold, and rapidly condensed or
frozen. The strong upward movement
helped to sustain the crystals as they in.
creased, until the upward force was nc
longer equal to gravity, or until they es-
capped from the influence Of the vortex
most of the stones would fall in five min.
utes, and be of moderate size; others
: might be sustained ten or fifteen minutes
and obtain enormous dimensions.
Another paper was on the Rising o.
Waters in Springs, Immediately before
rain, by Prof. Brocklesby.
The paper states the feetas well authen
ticated, that in Rutland, Vt, and Concord
Mass, in each exists small stream
which, during drought, become dried VI
and cease to flow; that shortly previous
to the appearance of rain, but before wa
ter has fallen, these streams again begins
to flow. So marked has this been the
fact, with regrrd to the stream in Rut'
land, as to attract the notice of the IN
habitants, SO that for the last tace1t5
gears the approach Of rain acas eafected Il
Je j,adjcated by the rising Of the stream.
In the case of the Concord stream, the
fact was established by competent proof
that rain acaS to be locked for anantedtatcI11
upon tie re-appearance Of the brook.
j The cause of this phenomenon ha
been attributed to the fall of water at th'
distant sources of these springs shor
! . Lo