The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-07-26

possi to be above the limits Of perpetual eonse'a'on
: n.,,5ss 80 70 50. about 5000 feet. 1t is easily
distinguished from all other clouds by the delicate
and cnr,ing or feathery texture it presents. II H's
= ;-b, Matches on the blue sky, sometimes 50 family
,b,t the eve can scarcely discern It. It's motion Is
vs-v slow. and in calm weather It will often retain It's
f,rm unal,erei for many hours. Il the barometer De
falling. It's changes are very rapid and on the ap-
nroacb Of rain its delicate texture becomes coh'u>e''
and : Ultimately lost in one dusky mass resenoNhg
ground glass. During these changes the cirrus n1s
been DESCENDING. and its peculiar CHARACTERISTICS
having disappeared. ii assumes a new nomenclature
viz. the Cirr5-Sfr1tuS. The progressive increase Of
the Cirrus cloud : most frequent from the "eS'"a'd-
The C5rro-Suatus Is likewise in the higher regions Oh
the atmosphere. and i also seen AZ all tunes OF the
wear. This cloud 5 the Immediate precursor Of ram
and wind. and Of q falling barometer sometimes
i snreais itself over the heavens, 80 atteuuated that
the sun, though it shines through II, casts Its shadows
indistinctly at other times. it spreads itself in lurld
darkness. threatening storm and tempest but ter
minatinc in rain or wind. If after rapid rising Of
the barometer. this cloud makes its appearance IN
h,rs or streaks. which seem TO converge in the hori-
ION, rain shortly follows.
The Giro Cumu!uS, or warm-weather cloud, at
tends a rising barometer. This handsome modihca-
ton Is often formed from the Cirrus The Giro
Stratus Will frequently, after rain, dissolve itself into
Cirro-Cumulus-an indication that the frozen mass
of which the Cirro-Stratus is formed in cold ATTITUDES,
IS thawei in It's descent into a warmer atmosphere,
where becoming attenuated it breaks and splits, hay-
, ing clear blue sky between the small round patches
Of cloud which take the name Of Cirro-Cumulus.
This cloud is often seen alone in the higher regions.
L, then assumes a dappled appearance, or what IS
popularity called a mackerel-back sky.
The Cumulus cloud in northern ATTITUDES is seen
chiefly in the spring and summer months. Its form,
when viewed sideways. increases from above in dense
convex heaps ; in showery weather, it is tufted with
the Cirro-Stratus, and in the interval of the showers,
its texture IS feecy, and its form changes rapidly.
In hot. sultry weather it often remains stationary,
with a Eatteued base, its rock-like SUBMITS shining
with a peculiar silyery light. If during a fine morn
ing this cloud suddenly disappear, and II be followed
by the Cirro-Stratus, with the wind suddenly veering,
rain shortly follows. The Cumulus cloud is the day
cloud-its great density keeps off the s~corching rays
Of the MONDAY sun. 1t usually evaporates an hour
before sunset. When it increases after sunset, and
shines with a rudy copper-colored light, it denotes
a thunderstorm. The Cumulus is uncommon in
high ATTITUDES during winter months.
The Cumulo-Stratus cloud is most frequent in the
spring and summer months it indicates thunder
gusts wv y" AAA NA~ ~N@NNN N'"SSNS ~ SS
wind. 1t is the densest modification of cloud, and as
it passes ever head it causes "A reduction of temporal
ture. Its form is compounded of the rocky Cumulus,
the Cirro-Stratus and ~Cirro-Cumulus; its textures is
puckered or corrugated, and before thunder it becomes
deeply fringed so that it appears to touch the horizon.
1t forms the basis of great thunder-storms, its
electrical character attracting clouds and scud
from all quarters Of the heavens, which uniting con-
fusedly, constitute that indescribable black mass
always preceding storms of thunder and lightning.
This phenomena is common in the Bay of Bengal
during the changes Of the monsoons. The effect of
the Cumulc Stratus cloud on the barometer appears
to give it a tendency to rise.
The .NTuBus is a modification of the Cumulo- Stratus
cloud seen in profile during a shower. Its course can
be distinctly traced on land by the dark mist occa-
stoned by the rain actually falling. The Nimbus is
never seen with the barometer at great elevations.
The rainbow Is the beautiful attendant of the Nimbus
cloud only.
The Stratus cloud is the cloud nearest the surface
Of the earth. It is formed from the sudden chill Of
certain strata of the atmosphere which, condensing
the vapor contained in them, renders it visible in a
misty cloud or creeping fog. Calm weather is essen
tial to the formation of the Stratus. 1t Is frequent in
high ATTITUDES in fine autumnal nights and mornings,
sometimes resting on the surface OF the earth, and
sometimes lowering some hundred feet above it. 1t
closures the sun until his rays have raised the tenn
perature of the air sufficiently 10 ~evapoTate it. when
it gradually disappears and leaves a clear blue sky.
The Stratus is called the night cloud. 1t has no SEN
sible effect on the barometer.
Scud i, with the exception Of the Stratus, the
lowest cloud. It Is most commonly seen during the
winter months, with every wind that blows, and with
all pressures of the atmosphere. 1t always moves in
the direction Of the wind, and apparently with great
rapidity. 1t is more frequently seen after rain than
at any other period. In heavy westerly gales in
winter it continues for days together. deforming the
with its large, loose. shapeless masses.
In the tropics and elsewhere, in hot. sultry weather,
especially after a slight fall of the barometer, small
clouds sometimes suddenly form on a clear blue sky.
as suddenly vanish, this is a sure sign Of electri-
Il the clouds collect without any progressive
motion and increase rapidly, and a haze be observed
above the clouds, a storm viii, in all probability, be
in the vicinity but if they move h%urriedly towards
particular quarter of the heavens, the storm will
be in the direction whittier the clouds are seen to
hasten. These signs are seen, though the storm may
be 100 miles distant.
Much has been accomplished towards gaining a
knowledge Of the forms and notifications Of the
LIQUIDS by the classihcatjons Of Mr.. Luke Howard.
in certain states OF the atmosphere, when the
clouds mix confusedly and change their forms
a%brubtly, II is difficult fOr those who have not noticed
md studied the subject to class them, but the pre-
'aiing modification Of the day in connection with the
movement # the barometer. Is however sufficient to
establish the character Of the weather.
G. :. KEYTE.
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