National Republican., 1880-07-23
ABOUT THE WEATHER.
Practical Science Versus the Almanac
Makers.
Some General Comments OH tho lTeathor II
and weather Prophets.


and weather Prophets.
1t is not surprising that even the learned
do not know much about our weather sys-
tom, for tho reason that it is only within
few years that sufficient facts have been gath
cred in this department to mako it intelli gi-
bic to us.
Tho now departure taken by the U. s.
signal office IN 1870, and since then gradually
and wisely improved upon, has thrown moro
light upon this subject than wo over had in
all the years before; indeed the knowledge
on this subject was, prior TO this event, even
as nothing compared 10 what We bayo to-day
in 1850.
1t is strange that so few people of cmnence
| in science have taken interest in this subject.
| 10 has opened u new field and given us new
| oyos whereby we may become familiar with
one of the great branches of science aud obtain
| additional knowledge OF the secret store-house
| OF nature. Few people rs tboy glance at tho
weather map published daily by the signal
Office and every day gratuitou1ly hung in con-
| spicuous places throughout tho city seem TO
| realize what q remarkable feat this represents.
| Day by day tho weather OF tho whole area OF
| the United States, m immense ohlong square
| of some ] 500 by 1000 miles, is, rs il were,
photographed aud laid before our eyes. We
| arc taken upon the top OF u high pinnacle aud
| from there permitted to view tho weather of
| this immense oblong square, where reign all
| degrees OF tompcra urc sunshine aud storm
here all photographed, where we may, with
| little observation, see the whole weather of
the United States for the day, and If we viii
read and study little further, indicate what
| No may expect sometimes for even three or
| four days in advance.
| It is now Gll.established fact that the
| area OF low barometer is tho contTo of tho
| storm, and that this CENTRE like the planets,
| Is ever on tho move, and that across our cOun-
try from the Rocky mountains this area moves
continually toward the east, sometimes on one
| limo Of latitude and sometimes on another, q
new area ever starting in tho west and NOV
| ing toward the east. The wind will always
| bo toward tho area OF low barometer, and as
| this area OF low barometer is on higher or
| lower line OF latitude it viii bc colder or
| warmer, relatively TO tho season, as tho case
| may be. The reason for the lnto protrsctcd
| hot weather Ia sean in the fact that the aro;
Of low barometer has the whilo been travelling
on q high line OF latitude, aud the slight
| change that we have had since tho l5.h il duo
| TO the fact that the low barometer has In the
meanwhile travelled on line u few degrees
south OF that preceding tho 18TH instant.
In tho Iaco Of these facts, which cannot bo
gainsaid, IL seems absurd for Mr.. VennOr or
| any of the old almanac makers to say what
kind Of weather We will have weeks and
| months in advance.
Tho weather of following years is similar
| and % mean temperature runs through tho
whole, so that any smart porson may mako
| study Of some careful weGLher reports, such as
| those OF the Smithsonian, and mako guesl
accordingly. But though the weather may
agree as 10 mean temperature II may he and
| Is from year to year quito different in detail.
II, however, man knows anything about
the weather he must know the above facts in
regard TO the area OF low barometer. Now, II
| he knows this, how much better and moro
satisfactory will IL he, at least 10 tho inteli.
gent world, If lie will oDly toll us where the
area Of low barometer viii be on certain
date. As tho changes Of tho area of low ba-
rOmotor arc very uncertaiD and 50 far MS we
| know ut present follow no regular course, but
form Just whore nature nc the time dictates,
il will be seen that IL is most difficult thing
| TO even tell the spot on which tho next ono
| will start, much less TO tell some hundred
| cycles ahead.
III II is in the power Of man to forstell great
storms, as those prophets ~ seem odolight in
doing, he can foretell great calns and can toll
for every day In tho week and Just whom
storm will bS in ono locality aMl whom In an.
| other. This saying that a "great storm" will
thereof somo weeks or mcutbs in advance Is
nonseuse, us all will see who will make this
| subject II study Whore viii the "grCat
storm" centre2 is the question. Gnd where
| viii ii be hot and whore cOldf 1t may be hot
in New England while it Is quito cool In tho
southern states, and tho reverse. There Is no
limit to tho changes aud variations of nature
in this respect. She is ever making new and
| surprising combinations which may readily
bs comprehGnded by q careful study day by
day of the weather map
lie who undertakes TO set himself up us q
prophet in this limo should not be ignorant Of
these laws, but should DO familiar with them.
Then ho " Ill not make himself contemptiblo
| by his empirical assertions, but viii see chat
all such piotontlons are tho morest nonsense,
and that in any Intelligent community where
these laws arc understood mere pretcntious OF
this nature will be treated With tho utmost
contempt rather than regarded ns at present
by many people as tho result of surprising
seiGntiic altRinmGnts /. p. N.
WAsmNGroN, ID, c., July 29, 1850.