New-York tribune., 1874-04-27
THE LAWS OF STORMS.
py PROF. ELIAS LOOMS.

This memoir was entitled Results Derived
from an Examination Of tho United states weather
Maps for 1872 and 1873 1t was continuation OF the re-
searches concerning which Prof LOOMS presehted q
memoir at the academys meeting last October which
was at that time reported IN THE TRIBUNE inc mate
rial employed in these Investigations Is the uniteu
states weather maps for the years above named one
man daily at "A a. M being selected. The method em-
uloyed Is to plot the line OF storms on skeetOh maps
month by month reduce paths to tabular forms ny
means of proractor measuring, with reference 10
meridian and thus ascertain the progress o eScn sVo
on scale OF inches Reduced thus TO tabular form, the
highest velocity y found ~ FeOru.ry, 81 piles per
hour; the lowest in August III iniles per hour; the
average for the year. 256 miles per hour Ihe
direcion of the storm paths for the year Is N $50 e.,
and rs found 10 n0rtherly In Oet0Def imam IN
Jlly; velocity in February is 10 per cent greater
Tae diversity of the direction and velocity of particu-
lar storms much exceeds these ayefages: on so w 8 8
W. on May 10, 1873. n. 1G0' e., or s. 20' E showing
range Of storm paths 81 over ISL 6c mean vai1e
OF the paths would thus form very uncertain
guide in predicting 'hsr yfaoGW a1u 81 tba
accompanying the storms, using the mttetia aHordeu
bI tbe weather mans. There seems be direct con
nsction between tue fall OF rain and the course 0r
storm path The rainfall OF each storm was therefore,
coated and the distance on elch side OF tue path to
hH tbe rain extended Tue whole number of storm
paths was then divided into four classes accofdnE 20
her respective velocites, with the following results IN
Veoy IN miles Rrteu, Of rain Velocity in miles EIont Of Rim
''5 sss 2?r' area s35 3 5'''' gLS '}''' S${
a.
These numbers indicate that the rain area generally
extends 800 miles eastward OF the storm center that
the rain less the velocity is below the mean
The comparative aeceeraton OF ulhnu'lou Vi 'o'o0"s
can be deduced from the table. ., a., .
similar class comparisons TO ascertain the connec-
ton rainfall with the direction Oh the s0or gave INC
ioAlOGDns Soa tsISe's Of the Storm All, of rain
T. 1iS5 f E. n liso !.
The average course OF the storm paths "a hours
A. n
ram and the prece eding eight hours. ,..,o
foIlowin! table tue prevailing winds was obtained:
n quadrant $. qu.dJiHt E. qgsakTnns fESaIi''n'
BY arther comparisons o. extremes S Of ysoety OF
Yeoey Of storm Velocity wind velocity of Wind in
mes per hour. L. quadrant W. auadrlnt
issI Is 1fS is
These numbers show that the stronger the wind on
the west side OF the storm the less the velocity OF the
rant eqai that in the west quadrant, the velocity
of the storm is seven miles greater tnan he but
when the velocity OF the WIND In tho west quadrant eG
ceeds that the east BY 40 per cent he velocity OF tue
storms progress is miles per hour loss than te
Prof Loomis then explained the process by which he
applied similar computations OF Tue relative ye0cltes
OF The Winds &C.. hign attitudes. such that OF the
Sga Service stations at Mount Washington coming TO
the conclusion that the night OF 5000 feet In the west
ern OF Storm the velocity vi the Wnd Is more
than double that of the storm by another series or
cOnputat tons he obtained the forms OF the isCbarc
curves at least 200 cases In IS per cent OF the whole
OF the major axis OF Tue lSoDar exceeded
its minor axis by haf tS engtn III 80 per cent tne MAJOR
was double the minor; In per cent the major
axis was at least four times tue minor. Inc
storms of the United states are mostly OF an
oval form, with tle longer axis most frequently in
direction about y. 40 Il. About threequarters OF the
great storms originate in the extreme West In case
OF which the details were partculs lsry reviewed it
seemed probable taaC the first deyeopment OF magni
tude in storm began with the collision OF moist air
from the Pacific Ocean against the peaks OF mountains
in Oregon, resulting In heavy rainfall But the most
remarkable fact elected that the Storm once orig
mated and organized travelled the highest noun
tain without Indicating sensl0e OBSTRUCTION,
proceedIng eastward across the whole continent Of
North America.