The Red Cloud chief., 1881-05-05

diiu liz Wlltcr. lnOSc lour Tduhs VI
clouds that l pointed out to you in the
southwest, and which show a coming
northeast storm, are a variety of stratus.
They always appear in the form of
stripes or broad, low curtains, covering
more OIL less of the sky. The night
stratus is formed OF mists from swamps,
rivers and moist ground. Ii generally
rises and changes into small cumuli on
summer mornings. The other kind. of
stratus. appearing at considerable
heights in the fall, winter and early
spring, is, as l have said, an invariablc
forerunner Of stormy weather.
"These three kinds of clouds do not
always appear in their simple forms.
They are frequently mingled together,
and four varieties of these deriya,ive
clouds have been distinguished. The
~cirro-cumulus consists of little round sh
white clouds, floating at a high eleya-
ton, and often resembling a flock of
sheep resting upon the blue background
OF the sky. In winter these clouds fire.
quently appear before a thaw. Between
summer showers they accompany in
creased heat. They are common in dry
weather.
1.-The GIRO stratus commonly ap-
pears in shoals resembling fish in shape.
Its popular name is the .mackerel sky
1t is almost. a sure indication of APP
preaching stormy weather. When it
settles down into Il thin veil, covering
the sky. and making the sun and noon
look dim, it is certain to be followed by
snow or rain. You will see it in that
form following those streaks that are
now rising in the southwest and cover
ing the sky before the storm comes.
Did You ever see a battle in the
clouds? The ~cirrO-cumuli and GIRO
strait are natural enemies. The first
named is a fair weather and the last q
foul-weather cloud. When they meet,
as they sometimes do after 4 summer
storm has partially cleared, there is
war in the sky. The cloudy s~quadrOns
encounter in mid-heaven TO settle the
question whether sunshine or storm
shall prevail. Ii the cirro-cumulisuc-
coed the weather will clear; if the
cirro-strati are victorious, there will be
more foul weather. 1t is a wal of de-
struction, and the battle usually ends
by the total disappearance of one or the
other Of the two kinds of cloud, all
assuming the form of the successful
party.
"Cumulo-stratus is The grandest of
all clouds, and 50 il is the appropriate
fo%rerunner of great storms. IL you
yer happened 10 90 up the Hudson
when a thunder storm WAS gathering IN
the Catskills you must have seen this
cloud dropping on the mountain tops
and hiding the great peaks like a vast
curtain. Whenever YOU see these
clouds looming up you may be sure that
n violent change in the atmosphere Is
close at hand. The cumulo-stratus
consists of n laver or foundation of
dark-colored stratus cloud nearest the
earth, surmounted by bulky piles of
very dense cumulus. not white and
smooth like the fair-weather cumulus,
but rough, dark and threatening.
"Onc of the grandest sights in the
world is the majestic march of the
cum1lo-stratuS clouds across a hilly
country district in advance of a violent
storm. Animals. As well as men, are
inundated by the fearful appearance
of che heavens. and show Their fear by
trembling and hurrying TO places OF
shelter. These clouds commonly make
their appearance first in the northwest,
rising black and threatening above the
horizon. Soon the rumbling Of heavy
thunder is heard, and us the clouds aD-
proach the zenith, blotting out the sun,
iilful gusts of wind arise, followed bv
periods of oppressive calm. Sometimes
a whirling motion is seen in the clouds.
Then look out! If a black funnel seems
to drop from the cloud to the earth. it
is a tornado. and nobody can tell what
damage it may do. The cumulO- strait
foretell a storm several hours i'm adj
vance. The longer they linger near
the horizon the more violent the storm
is apt to be.
1.-The last class, or rather ~sub-class,
of clouds is the nimbus, or black rain
cloud, which spreads over the heavens
just as the storm begins. 1t is made up
of 4 mixture of all the other kinds, and
appears i'm every storm. but is seen in
its most characteristic form in a thun-
der storm. Sometimes it approaches
within a few hundred feet of the earth,
and at other times it is 1900 or 5000
feet high. While it ALWAYS appears
black or gray from beneath, it is, in
fact, surmounted by Il snowy-white cap
of cirrus or cumulus. | have some
times, in the hills of Central New York,
seen from an elevated station the pass
age of a storm through n distant valley.
The glittering upper surface of the
clouds then preserve a beautiful appear
ance. while underneath they are dark
and fOrbidding, and the pouring rain
hides the landscape.
ION account of the mixing together
of the various classes of clouds. it is
sometimes difficult TO accurately distin-
guish them apart. A little practice,
however, will enable any observant per-
son to detect the prevailing characters
ties. Indications vary slightly for diff
ferent localities. and some knowledge
of local pcculiarities is therefore neces-
sary. Any one who watches the clouds
can form MANY weather rules for him.
self that he will find at least rs trust
worthy as the predictions of Old PrOba-
bilities."-N. \. Sun.