The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-09-27
THE LAW OF STORMS.
CURIOUS AND INSTRUCTIVE METEoRoLoG-
ICAL FACTS DEVELOPED BY THE Gov
ERNMENT WEATHER OBSERVATIONS.
From The Scientific American.

From the Scientific American.
In the fourth meteorological report, by
Professor J. j. Epsy, of Washington, Dis
trict COLUMBIA. we find the following in
| structive generalization
/. The rain and snow storms, and even
the moderate rains and SHOWS travel from
| the west toward the east in the United
States, during the months of November.
December, January February and March,
which are the only months to which these
generations apply.
.. The storms are accompanied with
| depression Of the barometer near the CEN
trail line Of the storm, and rise of the
| barometer in the front and rear.
3. The central line of minimum pres
sure is generally Of great length from
north to south, and moves side foremost
| toward the east.
4. This line Is sometimes nearly straight,
but generally curved and most frequent
ly with its convex side toward tho east.
.. The velocity of this line is such
that it travels from the Mississippi to the
Connecticut river in twenty-four hours
and from the Connecticut to St
John, Newfoundland, in nearly the
same, or about thirty-six miles an hour
G. When the barometer falls suddenly
in the western part of Now England
| 1t rises at the same time in the valley of
] tho Mississippi. and also mt St. Joha.
| Newfoundland.
I. In great storms the wind for several
| hundred miles on both sides Of the line of
minimum pressu.a blows toward that line
directly or ebiquely.
g. The force of lhis wind is in proportion
to the suddsnness and greatness of the
| depression of the barometer.
a l.. I 1AN a.
of the baromete. there is much rain and
snow; and in all sudden great rains or
SHOWS there is great depression of barom-
| eter next the centre of the storm, and rise
| beyond its borders.
| 10. Many storms are of great and un-
known length from nortL to south reach
| ing beyond our observation on the Gulf of
Mexico and on the northern lakes, while
| their east and west diameter is compara-
lively small. These storms, therefore
| move side foremost.
IL. Most storms commence in the "far
west" beyond our western borders but
some commence in the United States.
u. When q storm commences in the
United States the line of minimum pres
sure does not come from the far west
| but commences with the storm, and travels
| with it toward the east.
10. There is generally lull of wind at
| the line of minimum pressure, and some-
| times n calm.
| Ia When this line of minimum pres
sure passes an observer toward the east,
the wind generally soon changes to the
| west and the barometer begins to rise.
10. There is generally but little wind
| near the line of the maximum pressure,
and on each side of that line the winds are
irregular, but tend outward from that
| line.
| l6. The fluctuations of the barometer
are generally greater IN the eastern than
| in the western part of the United States.
| L. The fluctuations of the barometer
| are generally greater in the northern than
| in the southern part of the United States.
| Is. In the northern parts OF the United
| States the wind generally sets in from
| the rorth OF east, and terminates from
| the north Of west,
| 10 In the southern parts of tho United
States the wind generally sets in from the
south of east and terminates from the
south of west.
| 90. During the passage of storms tho
wind generally changes from the east
ward to tho westward by south especially
in the southern parts of the United States.
| 81. The northern part of the storm
| generally travels more rapidly toward the
cast than southern part.
% During the high barometer on the
the day preceding the storm it is generally
clear and mild in temperature, especially
| if very cold weather preceded,
23 The temperature generally falls sud
denly on the passage Of the center Of
great storms so that sometimes when
storm is in the middle of the United
States, the lowest temperature of the
month will be in the west on the same
day that the lghtest temperature is in
| the east.
Some Of the storms it is true, are con-
tanned entirely, for a time, within the
bounds of my observers, and in that
case the minimum barometer does not
exhibit itself in line of great lengtn
extending from north to south, but it is
confined to II region near the center OF the
storm, and travels with that center in
! ward the eastward.
From these experiments it may be safely
inferred, contrary to the general belief OF
scientific men, that vupor permeates the
air from II high TO low dew point with
extreme slowncss, If, indeed, it permenteS
it at tell and in metcorolgy 1T will hereafter +
be known that vapor rises into the regi n
where clouds ure fc-cod only by being ear
ried up by ascending currents of air con
tanning it.