, 1885-07-11
M. wAs4NaroN SIGNAL agavlog.
winter tsperlence Of the Observer FROST
work-repperature-win


winter tsperIenee Of the Observer FROST
neutrality-suspicious.
New York World
Ii is a mistaken notion that the o.
servers are showed in during the win
ter. The snowfall in November was
%. inches. December, ~ inches; Jan
uary les, and february, Va inches.
The total of n little more than five feet
for the four months was much less than
the fall at the base or the valleys be
yond. The summit Is often bare OF
snow, the high winds sweeping the little
that is deposited down tho mountain
side. lespite this, the dull colored
rocks and weather stained buildings
throughout the long winter are trans
formed into monuments and mausole-
ums white as Carrara marble.
This effect is produced by frost work.
1t is one Of the most interesting, as well
rs beautiful phenomena Of cold weather.
When the wind blows from the north or
west the yapor lodges on projecting
points. The frost work is spun out into
feathery masses, delicate lace work or
heavier masses like chiseled marble. OF
pearly whitencss and exquisite symmetry
these appendages sometimes attain pro
digious lengths. Once during the win
ter a violent sleetstorm visited the
summit. The windward side of
the station was incrusted with a
solid mass OF ice eight inches
thick. outside of this coating frost
feathers were formed eleven feet long
At various times they attained lengths
Of from five to sever feet, and were
spun out into crystal threads finer and
more delicate than the glass-blowers art
has yet been able 10 produce.
These feathery forms are not only
beautiful, but extremely useful. The
practical observers are wholly dependent
on them for their water supply. On
more occasions than one has this frost
work been a godsend to them, and their
habitation has been quickly stripped of
its ornaments to be melted and TO in
crease a scGnty water supply. In Jan
uary frost work formed on all but two
days, February on twenty-on days and
March twenty seven days.
The lowest temperature in November
was 10 degrees below zero, and the
highest velocity of the wind 100 miles
an hour. In December the coolest day
was ~ degrees below zero. and on three
DAYS the wind blew at the rate OF ninety
miles an hour. The only thunderstorm
during the winter was in February. The
coolest day was the I'd, when it was 3s
degrees below zero. The maximum We
locity of the wind was 1Os miles an
hour, although on another day the total
amount Of wind was 2,O35 miles. 1t
was 4s degrees below zero on March
21st, and on the same day the highest
velocity Of the season was reached, 1913
miles an hour, and 1000 miles for the
twenty four hours.
The highest ever recorded at the sta
ton wa isa miles an hour on Jan. IL.
1879. That wa a northeast wind. In
April tho lowest temperature was 10 de
grees below zero, and the greatest wind
velocity n~inety-six miles an hour. Elec-
trio storms are of frequent occurrence
during some seasons, but last winter
there was only one. That was Feb. 8
on the preceding day the thermometer
registered 81 degrees below ero. The
air was so highly charged with electric
ity at that time that two persons touch
ing one another would experience a per
ceptible shock.