West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-06-26

always in direction contrary TO tho
movement of the hands OF watch. The
destructive violcuSe OF the storm is
sometimes confined TO path few
yards IN width, as when the small or
tail end just touches the earth; while. on
the other hand, rs the body Of the cloud
lowers more of il rests upon the earth.
the violence increases and the path
widens To the extreme limit of eighty
rods. The tornado. with hardly an eX-
cepuon, occurs in the afternoon. inst
after the hottest part of the day. The
hour OF greatest frequency is bctwcon
three and four p. IN. TOrnadoes very
rarely, If ever, begin after six p. m A
tornado commencing about five u. m.
may continue its characteristic
violence until nearly eight u. m.
which means, only, that the tornado
cloud may be travelling after six u. M, or
after seven p, M, but IL does not devcl-
op-that is, make its appearance for
the first time, after those hours. Out
side of the area of destruction, at times
even along the immediate edge, the
smallest objects often remain undis-
turbed, although at few yards distant
the largest and strongest buildings arc
crushed TO pieces. At any point along
the storm path. where there is oppor-
tunity afforded the tornado cloud to dis
play its power, the disposition OF tho
debris presents unmstakable signs of an
action of the wind, such rs might be
called n rotation, from the right through
the front 70 the left around the center
The destructive power of the wind in
creases steadily from the circumference
OF the storm TO its center.
Observations with single isolated
barometer will not indicate the ap-
proach Of tornado, however near the
position of the ins rument to the path
OF the storm, but such observations are
OF value when n number are DISPLAYED
on the daily weathcr-map. The torna-
do season is embraced between the first
of April and the first OF Sep cmber.
The months of greatest frequency are
June and July. There are, however.
instances in "a long ser cs Of years where
tornadocs have been reported i'm every
month OF the year. Taking the whole
United States together IL is found that
the region of greatest average frequency
per year per square mile embraces the
following States Georgia, Illinois. In
diana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio.
On the day of the storm, and for sew
eral hours previous To the appearance
OF the tornado cloud, what indications
Of its probable formation and approach
are within the comprehension of an or
dinary observer, and can readily be de-
tectcd by himP A sultry, oppressive
cond ton of the atmosphere, described
by various observers rs follows: ~
really experienced sickly sensation
under the influence of the suns rays "
/ was compelled to stop work on ac-
count Of the peculiar exhaustion OK
pcricnced from physical exertion."
. Ii seemed as if the lightest garments
that / could put on were burden TO
me- There was not breath of air
stirring THE air, mt times. came
IN pulls, rs from heated furnace. y
IL felt want Of breath, the air fire.
quenlly appearing too rarifed TO
breathe freely" 81 was startled at
the sudden and continued rise i'm the
thermometer, especially at this season
of the year" " IL was terribly op-
pressIvc; it seemed as II the atmos-
phcre was unusually heavy aud press
ing down on me with great weight.
Enough examples have been cited to
indicate the effects and signs of this
oppressive sultr.ncss. Other signs may
liar formation of the clouds i'm The
western horizon. Sometimes these
peculiar clouds extend from the SOUTH
west through the west by the north to
the northwest. More frequently, how
ever, they form n the northwest and
southwest, sometimes commencing first
in the former quarter and then again i'm
tie latter, but in either case they are
a Il. a
liarity Of the c Ouds is found to occur
not only in the form but I'm the color
and character of development
The sudden appearance OF ominous
clouds, first in the southwest and then
almost Immediately in the northwest or
northeast Tor perhaps reversed I'm the
order Of their appearanccl. zen rally
attracts the attention Of the most
casual observer. In almost all cases
these premOn tory clouds are unlike
any ordinary formation. If they are
light their appearance resembles smoke
issuing from burning building or
straw stack. rolling upward i'm fantas ic
shape to great heights; sometimes they
arc like a fine mist or quite WI a. like
fog or steam Some persons describe
these light clouds as Mt times apparent
" irdescent or glowing, as if pale
whitish light issued from their irregular
surfaces. If the premonitory clouds are
dark and present deep grcenish hue.
this fairly iOrebodes very great evil SO.
also. If they appear jet black from tho
center 10 circumference, or IL this deep
set color appears only at the center.
gradually diminishing in intensity as
the outer edges Of the cloud or bank Of
clouds are approached Sometimes
these dark clouds, instead Of appearing
in solid and heavy masses, roll 10 light
ly but still intensely black. ike tho
smoke from an engine or locomotive
burning soft coal They have been de.
scribcd rs Of purple or BLUSH tin2c,
or at times possessed Of a strange livid-
ness, or frequently dark green, and
again of an inky blackness that fairly
startles one with its intensity.
Another and invariable sign of the
tornado approach is q heavy roaring.
which augments in intensity as the tor
nado cloud advances. This roaring is
compared 10 the passage Of a heavily
loaded freight train moving over n
bridge or through a deep pass or fun
mel, or a. heard on damp mornings
when the sound is very clear and loud
AT times the roaring has been 20 violent
that persons ha ompare1 It TO thc
simultaneous "I Of ten thousand
trains OF cars Again, the roaring is
likened 10 the low rumbling of distant