Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-05-24
The May Frost wave"

The premonlton given 10y the goose
bone" recently, has been corrobors ted
by scientist who writes in the New
York Herald, "a follows:
at is probable we shall have cold
spell in the second week of May, and
possibly some extended frosts. seems
likely to be fully realized by the cold
wave now reported advancing from
Datoks. From time immemorial
singular retrogression OF temperature
has been noted at this period IN widely
separated parts of the northern henri
spcTe. Just rs summer heat Ia expect
ed 10 burst forth and become estab-
lished its march is Interrupted between
the Oh aud IA OF May, Tho British
meteorological find, with very rare ex-
ce psions, that cold period annu-
ally sets in over their country, and in
Ruesia there is proverb that winters
winds cease To blow after May IL"
Many years ago Humboldt. speaking
of this anomalous cold spell, said; at
is much to be desired thai this phe-
nomenon. which some have fell in
clined TO attribute tn the melting of
ice in the northeast Of Europe, should
he also investigated in remote spots
The phenomenon Is perfectly marked
in this country From May, 1878, to
! May, 1SSl-eight consecutive yeais--
the government weather reports show
that ON our Middle Atlantic coast The
tenn peraure fell remarkably low be-
tween the 11tb and 10Th of every May,
and for the last ten consecutive Mays
there has been quite a sharp cold spell
at the average date of May IL
The explanation of this climate
anomaly is, doubtless, that in the first
week of May the suns force within the
arctic circle is sufficient To melt millions
of tons of ice aud snow, thus causing
the decided chilling of the atmosphere
in high ATTITUDES, which in few days
| finds its way to Europe and the United
States. 1t il an interesting fact that the
MacClure Engllsh arctic expedition in
the Investigator, of 1851, reported that
at their winter quarters near the 73i
parallel "between the 22i of April and
5 h OF May the signs of approaching
summer increased rapidly" and
on "May Goth the last of the win
ter's snow had disappeared" Parry's
records at or rear Melville Island in
1920 shows that the warm epring
weather set in after the 7th of May,
when the minimum temperature of
that month WIS passed; ard even near
the eghty.second parallel the British
exredition OF 1876, under Mares, found
the snow crystals melting on May 90
| The phenomenon is, therefore, not
confined to Europe or America, but is
no doubt general over the middle and
higher latitudes Of the entire northern
! hemisphere. AS such It's annual re-
currence may be looked for and
safely predicted within approx
mate limits Tho "cold wave"
which on Wednesday last entered the
extreme northwest within twenty-four
hours developed in Dakota minimum
Temperatures as low as twenty-one
degrees. Though it will be much tenn
pered before il crosses the Alleghanies
its frostiness is a menace To the garden
ers and FRUIT growers of this section,
who should take every precaution to
protect their crops. 1t will also be wise
for all lhinly clad people to remember
their overcOats AID wraps for few
days if they wish 20 avoid risks of
taking colds and other diseases incident
10 the season.