Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-04-03
THE TOWN SIGNAL SERVICE.
A Revised Code.

The family troubles in the United States
Signal Office have seemingly provoked the
| good genii of the storm to protest against
the indignities laid upon their high priest,
by breaking away from the restraints of
meteorological law and giving the whip and
reins into the hands of blind chance. But
there is another explanation of many of
the recent apparent failures of the wealth
er forecasts in this vicinity in the fact
that we have not made proper distinctions
between local and general storms. When
local rains or SHOWS are indicated, there
are usually alternate areas of fair and
foul weather, and therefore n probability
of failure in some parts of the divisions
covered by the prediction. A large ma
jOrity of the failures in Vermont, since
February first, have been of this class
Predictions of general storms are less
frequent and more reliable The Yer.
mont signal code has not made this dis
elimination and we have been expecting
too much of the foul weather indications
under No. 9 of the code. The following is
the revised code which meets this want
and also shows some other desirable
changes. Ii is proposed to adopt it on
Monday, April 6. New posters will be
sent to those needing them, as far as
known
Revised Code.
The morning dispatches are classed as
follows:
No. 1. Signifying a probability of fair
weather until midnight.
No. 2. Light or local rains or SHOWS for
the same period.
No. 3. Fair at first and changing to foul
before the end of the term.
No. 4. Foul and changing to fair.
No. 5. General rains or SHOWS.
Not. Unreasonable frosts, or much
colder weather in any season.
| No. Z. A decided rise in temperature.
After one of the long morning blasts of
the signal whistle, there is Il pause of five
seconds then for No. five second
blast for No. ., two such pauses and
blasts three for No 3, four for No. 4 and
five for No >. After the regular signal
Zone of the first five and another five sec
ond pause No. may he given by three
two second blasts with two second pauses
and No. by six such blasts and pauses
| Numbers and are given only as Occa
Sional supplements to some one of the 9th
er five. If two or more whistles blow III
the same time the signals may be giveI
one minute after the other blasts When
visible signals are used numerals except
ed) the five that are alike will represent
the first five numbers, and the other two
also alike but of different form or color
from the others, will stand for numbers {
and I, one of them representing No. Il ant
both together No. I. Red flags may b,
used for the first five and white ones Will
black diagonal cross bars for Numbers
and I. The noon indications, based OF
the H. m reports from the observation
stations may be signalled by the twelve
or one o'clock whistles. These give TIN
forecasts eight hours farther on than tn
morning signals and will be specially de
sirable on Saturdays.
In determining notifications, and fail
ures for any locality neighboring storms
or strongly threatening rain or snow re
sulting in neither, may be counted as foul
in the code dialect, especially if the ban
ometer indicates low pressure, Will
cloudiness, even heavy and long contn
!, ued without impending rain, and wit
barometer running above the average
may be reckoned Us fair II. l.. BIXBY.