The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-04
ysvENSoIa AS A WEATHER IRE
DICTOR.
rrrom the NY. Nation, May 25th.I

frrom the n. Y. Nation, May e5th,l
1.-THE semi-annual change of weather
probably occurred on Sunday, April oath,
and the six months summer has COM
menced throughout the northern hemi-
sphere. This event has thus happened
ten days ahead of its average time, per-
haps in some relation to the fact that last
fall the opposite change occurred three
weeks before its average time ION October
l7th). The present is, therefore, suita-
ble occasion for noticing the success thus
far of Mr. Vennor's predictions published
in his Almanac for 1851. The majority
of these announcements are phrased in a
diction so loose that the entire non-ful-
filment would be impossible. Of such it
is idle treat. In this category we include
the following extract from the 'proba-
bilties' for January last: The second
quarter will open with heavy snow.falls
and terminate in cold snap Now,
since snow or cold snaps occur every
three or four days in our winters, and the
word quarter is designedly safe method
of predicting, it would be almost impos-
sible to refute such forecast for any
Quarter whatever. But definite an
nouncements possess test value, for III
these o guesser would be correct exactly
half the time Now, in this class of fore
casts Mr.. Vennor has not had the luck Of
an average guess0, as will appear from
what follows: 4 expect blocades OF snow
in the United States about the It'll and
Sth of January Both most signal fail
ures which ill.chance could concoct.
'Thaw (which will be interrupted by a
brief ri cold spell) will extend from
about j 18th of January up TO the 18th
of February, with balmy, spring-like
weather prevailing in many parts. and
snow rapidly disappearing. In many
winters the cunning ambiguity of brief
and about would have saved him; but
the past winter had no mercy on prophets
who prated Of thaws and spring-like
weather, located they their warm spells
definitely or indefinitely. We doubt
whether anybody whose avocation called
him out of the doors during the above
twenty five days will have any hesitation
in asserting that grosser error could by
no possibility have been committed. Re.
curing to the actual figures of the Their.
mometer, as recorded daily at sunrise,
we find that from January 18th till Feb
ruary 7th the mercury was not above
freezing on single day; and on nc
morning during January, February ane
March did it reach 40. So much for the
long thaw and the balmy, spring-likt
weather. This term will be followed
about the 10th by storms, previous to thu
setting in of colder term The coldes
day in February was the 3D."
"For March most of the announcement
are vague, and in ordinary times would
therefore, be accepted as correct by per
sons disposed to be lenient. But not ever
: Mr.. Vennors cautious the month vii
probably end lamb-like' contained aparti
Gle of truth. There was one mild day il
the month; and on the last two days snoy
fell. 'On the 9th and 10th gales ar
probable Almost any breeze or weather
9 except drizzle, might somewhere b
thought gale, probably but on the ct
and 10th of March it drizzled The onl
day on which gale actually occurred wa
the 9th, of which Mr.. Vennor said notl
n ing. There will be sharp frost in til
beginning of April There was nothin
else from the lst to the 18th but frost
but the spring will open favorably, an
: everything will be pretty we'll advance
:. by April 18TH Farmers say differentl..
i Floods may be expected in Chicago abo'
:. = the first week in April Rivers are us
Is ally high in April. The only question
10 which week. and the freshet in Chical
/. n dates only from April Goth. There W
" be warm weather just following the 2Otl
y The weather became warm on the Dat
y. so this might have been claimed as an q
w proximate hit had it not been spoiled
~ the mistaken prediction of snow on t
4 18th and 26th. The season changed
Ia good, we believe, on the Oath, renderi
~ snowstorms out of the question for S
"a months.