Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-03
The Tornndo Seasnn-

Now that the tornado season has fairly
opened the scientists are again at work
investigating the phenomena with a view
TO gain useful information. Something
new Is learned about these dread vista
tiOns every year, and though it seems
probable that il may at some time be DOS
sible 10 fOretell their coming. il is difficuIt
to understand how the warning is
TO he turned to any practical ac-
count. The track of a tornado is gener-
ally narrow and not by any means in a
straight line, though it usually pro-
crosses in one general direction from
the westward to the eastward. The sig
nal service last year published a state
ment Of facts reported concerning six
hundred tOrnadOes that have occurred
within the present century. The list in
cludes all concerning which authentic in
formation could be obtained prior to 1882
From this statement it appears that the
average width of the path of destruction
is l,OS5 feet. The storm cloud runs for
ward with a velocity of from twelve to
sixty miles per hour, while the wind
within the whirling vortex moves at
an average speed of nearly 400 miles per
hour, sometimes attaining the rate of 800
miles. June is the month i'm which they
are most prevalent, and they occur more
frequently in April than July, and in May
and September than in August. Kansas
is more frequently visited than anV other
State, 90 having been reported there in -
wears. Illinois has had "a in - wears
Missouri had A from 1914 to 1881; New
York has had 81 since 1881: Georgia "a
since lSOk Iowa had 81 from 1854 to 1881
Ohio 23 from 1923 to 1881; Indiana -
from 1852 to 1880. States intermediate
between those named have been
visited more or less frequently and the
range of these destructive storms extends
over the Territories to the Pacific slope.
California and Nevada both being in
cluded in the list. How one should act
to take advantage of any warning that
might be given is very hard question to
answer. With storm rushing for
ward at forty miles an hour and 10
one able, even though he knew it to be
coming, to predict what part of a whole
country il would strike, what can be done ?
If its exact path We're known a few min
utes would suffice to escape to one side or
the other, but this can never be fol ietOld. 1t
sometime happens that the approach of
the storm cloud is distinctly seen. In
such cases it is the custom in rural dis
tricts 10 take refuge i'm cellars or to lie
down in bitches or burrows of plOwed
fields. but even when these precautions are
taken they often fail To afford protection,
for the eccentricities of the hurricane are
such that no place is safe. 1t is some
times possible to run away from the storm
as it approaches, its track being so mar
row. and for guidance in this respect the
signal service lays down the following
general rules: 1t may be taken
as probable that the center of the
vortex is moving east. The aim should
be to get as far as possible from the cen
tral track. If the storm cloud is seen in
the southwest. the observer should run TO
the nOrthward. If it appears to the north
1 :. A.. I, 4
If very close and directly to the west,y the
observer should run TO the southeast. OF
course. the vortex is liable to swing across
from side to side with great rapidity, and
thus render the effort to escape more dam
-erous than il would have been to remain
still. but the directions are given as the
best To be followed on the doctrine Of
chances