River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-02-21
The Influence of the Gulf Stream on
StOrmS.

1t is an observation, as old as Aristotle.
that the storms of the middle attitudes in
the Northern Hemisphere advance from
west to east. This is obviously partly due
to the fact that the wind on the eastern
sides are southerly, that they come from
the equatorial regions, and hence are
charged with aqueous vapor. This vapor
is highly essential to the sustenance of the
storm. Moreover, the law of storms re.
quires that the southerly winds should
enter the stOrm-vartoy ON the eastern side,
and as this is the side on which the great
est quantity of vapor is found, and the side
of greatest condensation, of the greatest
evolution of latent heat, hence of the
greatest aerial rarefaction and barometric
fall, to this side the heavier air from the
west will push as into great hollow.
Thus do we actually find that all storms,
formed west of the Gulf Stream, are act
ually propagated toward it. 1t may be
argued from the above facts that the anti
trade winds are thus maintained by storms
necessarily making the circuit of the
globe within the temperate zone. But in
reality, instead OF being the effect of storm
influence, the anti.trades are originated
by independent solar agency, as are the
trades, and they are potential and causal
in producing the eastward progression of
all cyclones. 1t must be conceded that
the pressure of vast aerial currents does
serve to force the meteor along with them
as the river eddy is carried down stream
with the water current; othc rwise it IS
impossible to explain the westward pro-
gression oftropical hurricane. While vet
In the band of easterly trade winds the
storm will invariably work its way or be
propagated toward the most humid region,
unless mechanically borne in another d.
rection by the great atmospheric current
in which it is often imbedded as an eddy
in the river. The cyclone tracks over all
the oceans lie in the central bands of the
great ocean currents of high temperature
and great evaporation, and the band of
cycionic violenceis often beautifully coter.
minous with the sharply-marked edge of
the Gulf Stream. Thus, in the Pacific, the
Looehoo Islands lie just in the path of the
kero Siwo, the great Pacific Gulf Stream
OF the Japanese, and are visited by the
most fearful typhoons; but the BONN
Islands, in the same parallel, but on the
extreme margin of the Kuro Siwo have
very mild and moderate storms. aft q
storm commences anywhere in the vicinity
OF the Gulf Stream, it naturally tends to.
ward that stream, because,n as Loomis
says, here is the greatest amount of va
por to be precipitated, and, when storm
has once encountered the Gulf Stream, it
continues TO follow that stream in its pro-
gress eastward" Vessels and japanese
junks, dismasted in gales off the Asiauc
coast, have been Gritted for ma days in
the current of the Kur0 Siwo, to the coast
of California, just as West India beans,
cocoa nuts, and vegetables, have been
drifted to Iceland, Greenland, and Spitz-
beI gen, on the extension OF the Gulf
Stream. According to all meteorological
observations Of the tracks of storms, we
are warranted in believing that cyclones
and hurricanes do, IS matter of fact and
atmospheric law, run on the hot currents
OF the sea as naturally as the water. course
clings to its bed. Practical,s eamen, though
unable to explain the fact, are always on
the lookout for these furious gales when
sailing on the axial lines of the Gulf
Stream, on the hot Mozambique current,
the Gulf Stream Of the Indian ocean, and
on the dark super-heated waters Of the
Kuro Siwo of the Pacihc.-Ihe Popular
Science Monthly.