The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-10-13
THE LAW OF STORMS.
Curious and IuttructiTe Meteorological
Facts Developed by the Government
Weather Observations.

In the fourth meteorological reports
by Professor j. P. Epsy, of Washing.
ton; d. c., we hnd the following in.
structiye generalizations
l. The ram and snow storms, and
| even the moderate rains and shows
travel from the west towards the east
in the United States, during the months
of November, December, January, Feb
ruary and March, which are the only
months to which these generaliZati ons
apply: 49,
2. The storms are accompanied with
| depression of the barometer near the
central line of the storm, and a rise OF
the barometer in the front aud rear.
3. This central lire OF minimum
pressure 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
frequently with its side toward the
east.
5. The velocity of this line is such
that it travels from the Mississippi to
Connecticut river in twenty-fOur hours
and from the Connecticut river TO St.
John, Newfoundland, in nearly the
same time, or about thirty-six miles an
hour.
6. In great forms the wind for sew
eraI hundred miles on both sides of the
line of minimum pressure blows toward
that line directly or obliquely.
8. The force of this wind is' in pro-
portion TO the suddenness and great
ness of the depression of the barome-
ter.
9. In all great and sudden depres-
sions of the barometer there is much rain
or snow; and in all sudden great rains
or SHOWS there is a general depression
of the barometer next the center of the
storm, and rise beyond it's borders.
10. Many storms are of great and
unknown length, from north to south,
reaching beyond our observation on the
Gulf of Mexico and on the northern
lakes, while their east and west dame
ter ia comparatively small. These
storms, therefore, move side foremost.
IL. Most storms commence in the
"far west," beyond our western observ-
ers, but some commence in the United
States.
II. When a storm commences in the
United States the line of minimum
pressure does not come from the ''far
west" but commences with the storm
and travels with 1t toward the east
ward.
Is. There is generally a lull of wind
at the minimum pressure, and some
times a calm.
II. When this line of minimum
pressure passes an observer toward the
east the wind generally soon changes
TO the west and the barometer begins
to rise.
Is There is generally but little wind
near the maximum pressure, and on
ct n NE no ha ind IA orr IT.
regular, but tend outward from that
line.
16. The fluctuations of the barome-
ter are generally greater in the eastern
than in the western part of the United
States.
II. The fluctuations of the barome-
ter are generally greater in the north
ern than in the southern part of the
United States.
Is. In the northern part of the
United States the wind generally sets
i'll from the north of east and terminates
from the north of west.
10. In the southern parts of the Uni
ted States the wind generally sets in
from the south of east, and terminates
from the south of west.
20. During the passage of storms the
wind generally changes from the east
ward to the westward by south, espec-
tally in tho southern parts of the United
States.
81. The northern part of the storm
generally travels more rapidly toward
the east than the southern part.
p. During the high barometer on
the day preceding the storm il is gene
rally clear and mild in temperature, es-
pecially If very cold weather preceded.
%. The temperature generally fails
suddenly on the passage of the center of
great storms, so that sometimes, when
a 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 highest temperature is in
the east.
Some of the storms, 1t is true, are
contained entirely, for q time, within
the bounds of my observers, and in that
case the minimum barometer does not
exhibit itself in line OF great length.
extending from north to south, but it is
confined to q region near the centre of
the storm, and travels with that centre
towards the eastward.
From these experiments it may be
safely inferred, contrary to the general
bel;ef of scientific men, that vapor per-
meates the air from high 10 low dew
point with extreme siowDess. if, indeed,
il permeates at all and in NEUROLOGY
It will hereafter b known that vapor
rises in the regions where the clouds
are forced only by being carried up by
ascending currents of air containing il.