The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-04-26
WEATHER WISDOM.
EVERY MAN HIS OWN PROPHET
The Barometer. Thermometer and Hy-
grometer His Instruments.

The almanac was, in former times, the |
great weather prophet, ambitiouSly predict |
ing the periods Of sunshine and storm. cold |
and heat. wet and dry for the coming year.
The phenomena of nature are now, however. |
susceptible III scientific explanation and pre-
diction. and the hieroglyphifs and natural
a>trology Of the almanac are no longer con- |
suited Nor ar. we any longer dependent |
upon the experience and observation of our
ancestors, which have been handed down to |
us in the form of weather proverbs. Fol |
lowing the invention of ingenious instru-
mentS, by which the pressure, temperature. |
moisture and electricity of the atmosphere |
surrounding us are correctly aScertained, |
came the discovery of fixed laws governing |
all atmospheric phenomena, and that the |
progressive movements of disturbances per !
mittcd tcegraphc warnings Of their al,- |
proach. whether in the form Of the heated |
terms of midsummer. or the polar waves of
winter: the deposition of yap"r as gentle, |
refreshing showers or flooding, torrential |
rains: as beautiful snow, lightly covering
the. earth or drtiantly bluckading our rail |
WAYS and thorou ght;,r"s: til" cNteudcd storm |
or the season of fair weather. 1.,"cninparI- i
lively Young science of the weather teaches |
us the meteorological processes of nature. |
and now no farmer need suffer loss. IL" sailor |
need leave port in the face OF an approach |
in. stDrm, no merchant need risk his cargo |
no sporulat"r his money. no Traveller his
safety. no picnic party its pleasure, and en- |
iovment The faculty Of weather wisdom |
is still, however. too generally in an inverse |
order to the intelligence Of the nosseSsor. |
The illiterate are more apt to turetell the |
coming storm or atmospheric change from !
appearances which tradition and their own |
observation have taught them announce one
than the well-read bookman who may know |
all about III. laws of storms and cyclonic
theories; but, failing to keep his eyes open |
and make practical application Of his krowl- |
edge. it becomes virtually useless To him. |
With The facilities now had in the observed |
facts of centuries past, in til" vast accumu-
lation of observations and data. In the rapid |
strides of meteorology as n science, in the |
more common use of such valuable instr'l |
ments as the barometer. thermometer and
hygrometer. and in the careful study of the
daily announcements of the Signal Service
(allowing fur evident inaccuracies. topo-
graphical or otherwiSc), each one nf us may
become a weather prophet, and for all local
practical purposes. answer for himself the
frequently important question, Will it be
clear or cloudy, warm or cold rain or snow"
just how the weather interprets itself to
that mythical being at Washington, popu-
larly known as "Old ProbS," but who is
known and honored IN the scientific world
as Professor Cleveland Able. how he is en-
abled to foreSec the areas Of high and low
temperature. high and low pressure. rain,
cloud formation and the extent, character
and movements of storms. rs he sits in his
office. we shall point out i'll future article.
His indications arr announcements of
the changes, based upon the study of re-
ports had in connection with rules and gen
ordinations which the experience of the office
and the science of weather wisdom seem to
warrant as likely to take place within the
ensuing twenty four hours The atmosphere
has absolute weight which exertS a varying
pressure. expressed by the height of the
mrrcurial column in the Barometer So
called areas Of high or low barometer there
fore, exist over Regions where the atmo,-
plcrir pressure is respectively greatest or
least by projecting the reports had UPON
a map and drawing lines alon. which the
| mercurial column indicate, equal pressure.
we are enabled to lccatr these areas. The
| area of low pressure is the region of cloudy,
threatening or stormy Wrathcr; that of high
pressure, the opposite. The heaviest gale,
attend the regions where the lines of equal
! pressure are the closest As Guide To the
| probable path of Il storm, the temperatures
Of contiguous places are important. The
/ element of moisture is also an important
| one in the consideration OF weather. The
! weather in America is more changcabe than
il il in Europe, for the reason that all dis
turhanccs are the result of the movements
and oscillations OF polar and equatorial cur
rents, and as the mountain ranges in the
| American continent extend in the same gen,
eral direction in which these oscillations
eeryr, ibis country j. more h,ye 49, y