The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-10
The Winter.--1ho winter, of 1S70.S0

The Winter.--1ho winter, of 1s70.S0
seems destined to take amemo-
rable place In the annals mete-
orology. Although Its extraordinary
thermometric ranges have yet to be
fully made up, 1t bids fair to exhibit the
most marked record of sunshine and
warmth east OF the Mississippi and
south Of the forry-flfth parallel. The
historian has been at pains to chronicle
remarkably cold winters, as that Of 1912,
which rs cary as November Is COM
PEELED the famous retreat of Napoleon's
| army from Moscow and turned the tide
| Of European affairs. But little notice
has bccn.taken of the remarkably warm
| winters, which probably exert no less
decisive an influence on national health
and wealth, and no scientific work
could yield Il more practical and mag
| niticlent service to the world than an
| investigation showing the causes of
such Seasons. In looking for the expla-
nation of the present mild weather it IL
important to note that the highest tenn.
pcratures In December were reported
by the Signal Service from the South
| one clcw to the solution Of the mystery.
Atluntic observations taken year ago
revealed the fact that tho temperature
OF that ocean In high ATTITUDES was un-
usually high, and it would seem froru
recent examination that its equatorial
surface Is now exceptionally warm.
The average temperature of the water
throughout December last, as reported
by the Signal Service from
SIX OF It's South Atlantic stations, show
that the mean temperature Of the ocean
from Key West to Norfolk was then 7.
degrees higher than In tho same peri
n Il, .x,lx
crease OF its heat the evaporation from
its tepid eXtrntropical bosom must be
very great. 1t Is obvious enough that
the stores Of heat contained in this eX-
c:esslVe evaporation, when waited in
upon the continent and drawn into the
mississippi Valley, must exert power
ful influence In tempering the winter
weather cast Of the great river. But
the abnormal heat Of the seas washing
our southeastern coasts is but one factor
IN the solution Of our mild winter prob
lem. An old seaman has said, ''he that
watches his barometer watches his
shlp;' and doubtless to the baromctric
conditions prevailing over tho country
we must look for the fuller EXPLANATION
of the phenomenon In question:. Glanc-
ing nt the most recent summary of the
Government weather reports, it Is at
once seen that over tho base Of the
Rocky mountains 'low-pressure'
condition has prevailed, inducing 6
general movement Of the atmosphere
from the ''high-prcssure" zones rx-
| tending along the Gulf and South At
lantic COASTS. This "Iow barometer"
range was the marked feature of the
autumnal weather, and there. has been
no rush of heavy aerial currents from
the FAR north o: northwest, still less
from the Pacific coast, sufficient to I'll
up or etfacc tho vast interior depr.s-
sion, which, with few intrrmissions.
has prevailed since October set in. The
! nothwestward flow Of the warm, humid
air currents from the overht ated ocean
to the south east Of the United States,
ser upand maintained by tho indraught
of the low pressure in the interior, is
apparently the true solution Of the re-
markable winter of lS70.SO,