Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-30
MERCURY TAKES A TUMBLE.
Cold Weather Succeeds the Warm and
Rainy Spell.

Cold Weather Succeeds the Warm and
Rainy Spell.
The red flag that loated from the roof Of
the post Office building all day Saturday
was hauled down yesterday morning.
The dreary disagreeable rain that got in
everybOdys way and rufiled every body's
temper gave place 10 the cold wave which
swept down from the north west and
dropped mercury down several degrees.
The red signal was run up on Satur-
day TO give warning Of a cyclone some
where in the gulf south Of Pensacola that
was said 10 be moving ia this direction.
] moved, however, too much in an east
erly direction TO strike Savannah, and If
II went anywhere it must have been to
sea. The cyclone period" is about
over for this year, and little fear
is entertained OF any serious disturbances
Of cyclOnic character. People are, how
ever, deeply interested in ansthing con-
corning the destructive element that has
wrought great damage on the Georgia
and Carolina coasts.
Lieut. John 3. Finley. superintendent
Of the Department on Tomatoes in the
United States signal Service. in abiding
70 the great disasters which have been
caused by violent storms Of this character
Z
chosen places for tornadoes 10 get in their
work. "The frstrecord we have" he says,
SIS Of tornado which occurred IN Charles
ton. ;. c., in 1851. Since then we have de-
scriptions. more or less accurate. of de-
structive tornadOes in different parts of
The country. The word 'cyclOne' has
lately been adopted 10 express this phe-
nomenon. but it isn't the proper word.
It's use has been discouraged by the Chief
tDH1 IA a saHra
wolves about its axis with incOnceivable
rapidly, always contrary to the direction
Of the hands OF a watch.
sTbe gyratiOGs OF tornado above the
earth are nearly circular. The radial
component here al the earth's surface is
TIE most decided. The air rushes in an
almost straight line toward the centre.
The great desideratum at present. IS the
successful prediction Of tornadoes By the
signa3 service, IN order 70 provide against
the destruction Of life and property, and I
an happy 10 say, that tornado predic-
ton is no longer an impOssibility. but in-
deed an accomplished fact. although, of
course II is By no means perfect yet. The
regions Of the greatest frequency OF tor
nsdOes embrace Georgia, South Carolina,
Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Ne
braska.
"when a cyclOnei is feared" says Lieut..
= AAtrFs Lahb q pDhlblDu IN the northwest
or southwest coFnerOf a building or cellar;
for. since the tornado invariably moves
80 a nOrtheasterly direction, the debris is
carried that way, and If you are behind
the western wall or your cellar. IL will be
blown over you without harm"
These instructions were recently giyer
out by Lieut.. Finley in talk about tor.
nadoes. While they may be Of no prscti
cal benefit at present 10 those by whom
they are read, still general idea OF how
70 depOrt Ourself IN the presence OF q
vigorous and healthy tornado is not alto
getner a useless bit Of knowledge.
Inquiry at the signal station las
hight, failed 10 discover the approach o.
anything resembling a storm, the disturb
auce IN the gulf having scattered. Their,
was very percepuble change in the TEN
perature, however. yesterday, and mer
curry went down very nearly TO wherr
II was the first OF last week. The genera
indications for to-day for the South At
lantic States are: Fair weather, with NJ
decided change in temperature and yaria
bic Wfndg