The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-01
CLIMATE.

judging by the report OF the Signal Service
department Montana is having the most de-
lightful weather in the United States this
winter. The cold wave that passed over the
States and Eastern Canada last week was al
most without precedent and the papers are
filled with reports of the intense cold and the
suffering consequent upon the same. In
this section delightful winter weather was
experienced. At one time, for an hour or
two, the thermometer registered IS degrees
below zero, but the cold snap was of short
duration. The average for the week would
be al a point above rather than below zero.
And this was the coolest weather experienced
here during the whole winter!
Another consideration in this connection
is that the same degree of cold is not as Sc
verely felt here as in the States. The at
mosphere of Montana is dry and pure and
an intense degree of cold can be endured
more easily than average winter weather IN
the States, where the air is constantly
freighted with moisture and fogs. In this
country men 60 about their usual out door
pursuits when the thermometer ranges from
from % to 40 degrees below while at the
same register in the States the people can
scarcely put their heads Out of doors. On q
liberal estimate IS degrees below zero in
| Montana is not as severely felt as 10 below
in the States. This favorable climatic effect
results naturally from the fact that our at
mosphere is at all times during the winter
| season dry and pure.
But severe cold weather in this section is
the exception not the rule. Passing from
the coast of Japan eastward is a warm cur
rent similar to the Gulf Stream-Which
touches the western shore of America near
| Van Couver's Island. This current brings with
1t a warm, moist atmosphere which mingles
with the land currents and is carried east
ward for thousands of miles , giving to this
region and the major portion of the Terrific
| ~ the Chinook winds. These winds from
the West are the prevailing ones and conse-
| uuently ''cold snaps are few and far be-
tween. AS the Gulf Stream washes the
| shores Of England, Ireland, Norway. Sweden
and other countries of far north ATTITUDES,
| giving them a warm and delightful climate,
SO the great Japan Current breaths its warm
breath upon the Pacific slope and the Terri
tories of the North West, giving them a mild
er climate than States and Territories in lat
itude ten degrees farther south can boast OF.
| The warm chinook" winds, as they are
| called, follow the course of the Missouri
river and are felt in no small degree at Bis
marck, where, by the report of the U. 5. Sig
nal Offices, the average temperature for the
| winter months is much higher than at st.
Paul or even Chicago. From Bismarck the
farther north one goes, following the Mis-
souri,, the more pleasant the climate becomes.
These are a few facts concerning the elm
ate of Montana, which is supposed to be a
frigid region. that nine hundred and ninety
nine out of every thousand in the States do
not understand. Wrong Impressions about
| the climate, as we'll as the resources OF the
| country, have done much, and for some time
| will so continue, to withhold immigration to
| Montana. But in the fullness OF time, and
chiefly by the influence of the press, the facts
will be known and Montana take her place
in the front rank of States.