Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-08-13
NATURES WEATHER cr,npS
Clouds as Indications of Appro,o,;
STORMS. and How to Study then
PhIlsdelphia Ledger

Philadelphia Ledger.
Very few persons seem to d..
scan the minor and common ino;Sey
OF nature and trace their conno..i
with It's grander operations. E.neo;oTTA
Is this true as respects the clouds n,b;.H
at this season of the year.so freor "n.Gh
mount up. before our eyes as unerr;ns
signals of approaching atmosnbor;s
changes. Their variety and impos s,,c
aspect would appear to mark them "
suoserving, among other offices. tho, -
natural weather guides, which. once W. VI
derstood, whould not be likely 10 no;l i'
lead the observant. Multiform "a ,b.
clouds OF our latitude are, they NAV ' he
referred to two principal types onS
brought within the capacity of anu u
average mind to distinguish. Tn
are the cumulus and stratus. with o;n
rus and other notifications. The frs,
named, the cumulus sometimes cajleS
the mount cloud is the dense. roIIino
cloud OF the summer time, RISING ovos
the heated and humid districts and
forming first an obscure cloud Iike
cotton ball." as the pucleus of a."
vaporous mass, which afterwards niloa
up and spreads mass on mass in MON
taln-slzed proportions. The strains i
more peculiarly winter cloud thonoL
generated at all seasons, and forms Of.
tener IN the afternoon than morning
stretching in long lines and Horizontal
strata, as It's name implies. The cirus
which consists OF fine, wavy fibers is a
modification of one or the other of the
foregoing.
The investigation of these simnIA
cloudless forms and their variations has
proved one of the most interesting as
we'll as instructive Of modern 70.
searches. Humboldt, many wears AGO
noted the delicate, striated. cirrns
clouds in the tropics, ranging them.
selves on the celestial hemisphere, as
the marks and stripes on the surface Of
melon, towards the magnetic poles of
the earth-from which circumstance
he called them "polar bands" These
fine cirrus clouds, though more conspic.
uous IN the tropics, are sometimes very
clearly seen by our signal service OBJ,
servers. While the weather is still
tranquil and beautiful in the lower
regions of the atmospheric ocean, the
polar bands, sklrting the outermost
limits of the storm area, indicate the
currents OF the air in the higher strata.
Storms thus occasionally announce the
approach geographically to the careful
meteorologist by means of these
celestial signs. Especially does this
remark apply to the more destructive
hurricanes which emerge from the
tropical zones. Although we cannot
see the immense air-currents which
are rushing together to initiate the
storm, or in which the aerial conflict,
| already in action, Is travelling, their
movements and velocties are betrayed
many hours in advance by their cloud
accompaniment. In like manner, the
approach of "northeaster' on our
coast may be detected long before the
barometer gives warning, by the accu'
mutation of thin, hazy stripes of
stratus.
But the cloud which most interests us
at this season is the cumulus, 50 ire
quent and abundant in summer, and
bearing in its vapor- laden bosom alike
the thunder-bclt and the fertiIlzlng
shower. The cumulus is originated and
maintained by the upward current and
evaporation from humid and heated
surfaces, especially in valleys and near
water courses. If is said that DR.. Kane
observed no cumulus clouds IN the
Arctic regions. where the suns force
feebly felt. Upon the plateau OF the
Valley of Mexico these clouds disappear
in winter and reappear with lhe
spring, forming about q. m. dairy, anu
attaining their highest elevation RON
2 to o'clock in the afternoon, during
the greatest heat, but gradually VANISH
ing by sunset.
Their behavior in our latltudes,
though not quite so pronounced, Is no.
unlike what is seen in and near, Tue
tropics. While these summer CLOUDS
do not invariably betoken ram, uhueI
certain conditions a single cumuIus' VI
the hottest part of the afternoon, may
prove The Nucleus of storm. II
seen lowering while its cap Is ascent
ing rapidly and high, with the fleecy oi
dense appearance, its upper porIS'o nan :.
already undergoing chilling ana va
densatlon; and the same may pe saiu -
it encounters a cool, westerly wlnd,
brushing portions of it out into s'I sor
shape. The vaporous mas Is tnen
rapidly losing its heat, and, no iollse5
able to hold its liquid stores, ahsH y'lS
the description ofTennyson OF the o'o'0
that
Onward Grsgs a laboring breast.
And topples round the dreary "esI,
loo has