The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-02-06
AMErKoRoLoGICAL MYSTERY.
TIE Great NoveabeP Atmospheric Wave-lu
kseky M0aatain lsaaeways.

kSeky MOaatain lsaseways.
One of the most interesting and important OF
physical phenomena has lately been brought to
light by the researches of the signal Office. This
meteorological phenomenon is one which has been
recognized as confined to the British islands and
Western Europe, and has there been designated
rs "the great November atmospheric wave.r
Sir John Herschel, in 1863, described it as "that
great periodical phenomenon whose recurrence is
beginning to be recognized as one of the features
of our European weather table-a vast and con-
siderably well-defined atmospherical disturbance,
peculiar, it would seem, to this portion of the
GLOBE The signal service reports now show
that our continent, well as Europe, is visited
by this wave, and that henceforth may re-
gard its recurrence q distinct feature of eli
mate.
The first chronicled account of this periodic
meteor was from the pen of Defoe, ~ 1908, de-
seribng the great British tempest of Nov. 26, in
which the air was seen "full of meteors and
vapOrous fires" several thousand houses were
demolished, and the proud structure of the Eddy
stone lighthouse, with its confident engineer,
were blown into the In November, ls44,
two English transports, then in East India wa
tiers, were overtaken by the same great distur-
bance, and thrown up among the mangrOves of
the Andaman Islands, twenty feet above the
high tide level. No doubt it was this same fear
full and overpOwering force which shook the con-
tinent of Europe on Nov. IA, less, and but for
a timely telegram pre-announcing the approach
would have sent the allied fleet to the bottom,
and given different issue to the Crimean war.
The view entertained by Hcrsclcl, that this
rral bllOw is peculiar to Europe, is thus demon
strated to be erroneous. 1t appears, from the
late Washington meteorological reports, that the
crest of this movement Oversweeps our continent
between Oregon and British Columbia, or is split
in twain on the mountains of the Pacific cost
one part being forced due east, over Southern
Oregon to Northern Wyoming and Colorado; the
OIL rf..1 10
troughs or depressions of the Rocky Mountain
chain, which extends from Puget's Sound to the
Columbia river, and thence eastward over
Washington Territory, Idaho and Montana. 1t
is evident that the climatic effect Of such vast
movement must he very great, especially when
we remember that it is propogated in the axial
line of that vaster band of westerly wind which
comes from the warm, smoking waters Of the
Western Pacific, and which is thus the great
moderator and mollifier of the winters of the
Pacific States and the tier of our extreme north
western Territories.
The philosophy of this atmospheric wave is
still mystery with the meteorologsts, but the
phenomenon itself is unquestionably extended,
with numerous successive rrial undnatiens.
throughout the winter. Bearing within itself
the evaporation of ocean, it is easy to that,
when il breaks over the cold submits of the
Rocky Mountains, it affords a proximate
for the terrific snowfalls such rs expericn-
ced last year among the lofty mountain win
These "icy pinnacles of cold snblimity" not only
contlense the warm, vaporladen air into avalan-
ches of snow, but serve to defect or tilt the
rent upward, when it is still further chilled by
freer radiation into space, calling forth fresh and
exhaustive crystalline condensation and consc-
qnent Liberation of vast quantities of latent
heat. 1t is doubtless this liberated heat, or the
warm, snow-rObed air, which, borne northeast
ward in the general ar-current, at least in part,
explains the existence of the mild winter belt"
or fertile belt" as Mr. Blodget, the climatolo-
gist, calls it, lying northeast Of the highest peaks
and ranges in Idaho and Montana, and extern
ding to the savannas of the Attabasca and
Saskatchewan rivers.
1t is probable that the arrival of this great
wave Of atmosphere, after its condensation on
the highest ridges of the Rocky Mountains, will
bring TO us drier and wintry weather. The dis
covery Of snch phenomenon rs of infinitely srea-
ter Importance to us than the finding of a dozen
asteroids by the astronomer, and will invest the
already splendid researches of the storm and
weather bureau with universal interest and prae-
teal popular, as well as scientific Importance
The government, it is hoped, will provide more
literally for the prosecution of its bcnecent Ia
bOrs.-NeT York Times