New-York tribune., 1876-01-22
An OPEN VINTER.

We arc perhaps near the end of period OF
weather unusually mild for the season. Acold
wave of air is approaching from the extreme
northwest. At Pembina the thermometer
registered yesterday 43' below zero; at Fort
Garry, so below; at Duluth, IT. below;
at Bismarck, 10 below, with snow storm
which also extended over Breck and Fort
Sully at st. Paul and Escanaba the record Is
likewise below zero. Ii does not always fol-
low however, that these cod storms " carry
their freezing temperatures TO the Atlantic coast,
although it is the rule in the majority OF IN
stances One of the exceptions to the rule oc-
cured recently, when the cold air arriving ut
the Allegheny region met an atmosphere
heavily laden with moisture. The damp air
in that case gave up its heat to the cold wave,
and there was heavy precipitation Of rain;
but the warm weather on tho Atlantic coast
was not interrupted.
While for several weeks we have been suf-
ferng unusual warmth, and there is the
strange spectacle of lakes and rivers free
from ice in January, the record of the ther-
mometer in this city does not clearly In
dicate a great difference between this
and previous Winters. The average
ter,peraturc of New York City for
December is 33l20; for January, 3O2O. The
variation from tins mean temperature IN sue
cessive years is not large: in 1871 it was for
January only l.; in 1872 less than 10; in '73
not quite %; in "A the record was
4so higher, and in 70, 80 lower than
the mean. For the 20 days past
in January, the mean temperature was
3G.3o; which, though higher than the years
above enumerated, is not remarkable. Nor Is
this January singular III instances OF high tenn
pcrature the highest was on the first Sunday
in the year, but it WAS only two degrees ABOVE
the figures of day in January, lo|4 lhere
have, however, been few days OF low thermom-
eter thus far in this month and the lowest,
Jan. II. was 120 above zero, while the lowest
of last January was 60 below.
The last staten ent indicates better than the
others the peculiarly of the recent weather;
its comparative freedom from the cold blasts
that the northwest region usually lets loose
upon us at frequent intervals during the W Ninter.
Last Spring was remarkable for the number and
late continuance OF those unwelcOme visitors.
From how far north they come, nobody yet
knows with certainty, but it is not generally
believed that the "poe of cold" as weather
SIUCcib5 GILL IT. 10 itti "i'"Hi WV NAAN
tic Circle on this continent. These cold
waves are often nearly simultaneous
with cyclones in the tropics, and there
is fair basis for the theory that the
blasts of cod rush toward the scene of such
disturbances. A familiar illustration of the
supposed movement may be seen in the usual
mode of boiling water where the colder par
ticles at the sides seek the center of the
lower part of the vessel, and there rise
toward tho surface. But it is clear
that to full understanding of the movements
of the atmosphere, little short of a knowledge
of its conditions all over the globe will suffice
A great extension Of the work Of observing
the weather must precede trustworthy
science concerning it. Meanwhile we can
congratulate ourselves upon having thus
far escaped tho bitter cold and heavy
SHOWS which have marked this Winter III
Great Britain and many portions of the Eu-
ropean continent; and there is reason to be Of
good hope as to the men who are seeking
amid snow and ice the northern limit of the
world, that they too have found On open sea-
son, if not the Polar Sea.
-
The Bar Association should seriously consider the