Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-11
THE PECULuAR SPRING OF lsss.
Effect Of ssHaigh" aaa "Lsw'' on the
weather.

To the Editor Of THE Evxxrxe srAl:
The weather OF this spring. ct least In the
central states. may well be termed peculiar. Pre-
ceoing IL we had q peculiar and severe winten
Because OF the severe winter many seemed to
think that an early spring would follow. There 10
no evidence on which to found such theory,
further than the common expression, for which
there Is no law. that one extreme often follows
another. But there IL no gain In such ats mpts to
forecast the weather. once In Q whine some
weather prophet" thinks he has solved the
mystery of nature, and a severe storm In some
prophecy But nature 4 or4aniaeS on VERY ~ wias
basis, and the rule In this department Is an end.
less variety ana not similarity; so IL Is the
ing another, or for any individual to consult the
records OF past years for the purpose thereby OF
attempting TO read the weather OF tie future. No
one VINO would devote six months or even one
month, TO the weather map and note the daily
surprises that there await the observer, would be
50 doolisn as to attempt this vain thing BY the
wonderiai forces In and acting upon the
atmosphere whereby the meteorological changes
when the area Of high" nigh Ssroms s1 is S1sr
US 1t fs clear and relatively cool and the more
intense and extensive the thigh" the more severe
tne colo Will be. An atmosphere Of thirty inches
pressure Is normal Below this is Slows" above,
high" When the center OF s.highr is only thirty
ana three or four .en,ns and the circle OF this
miles in extent the degree OF cold viii not be very
Intense, nor the cool spell be OF very long duration
But let the high" be thirty and six, seven, or
eight tenths and the area OF pressure be Thousand
miles In extent, the cold will be very severe and
protracted: The atmosphere is made up OF the
lactors nigh" and SLOW" They are distinct and
positive agents, and cannot and do not encroach
upon each others domain. They are all the while
on the move and changing their lines, and more or
less neutrallze the effect that each would produce
They travel over the same territory; but, for the
time being each is dominant and dictates the
meteorological conditions over that territory.
A Spa
follows. The movement has been In force from
creation, and will continue to the end OF time.
Inc nigh gives place to the slow, the slow" TO
the ''high." In irregular belts they continue
their course The consultations In the heavens
are are not not more 81 ancient, and SO long as
and exposed TO the heat power OF the sun, SO long
will these "highS" and FLOWS" follow each other in
their peculiar and irregular manner. A continued
high would result in no change, or material
change; the great change is wrought by the two
factors working together. The "low," like the
condition and location OF the factor. Twenty-nine
and nineteenth pressure is considered slow" but it
Is very moderate. Twenty-nine and four or five-
times the regular corrected pressure will reach as
low as tWenty-nine or even twenty.eight and
nine-tenths; but such degrees OF "low" do not
often occur. twenty-nine and four-tenths
"low," and thirty and six-tenths "high" will SUR
up the atmosphere OF the globe In q very positive
'high" to the slow" The "highs" and slows
travel on general lines from the west toward the
east II the slow" is In the north the south winds
induced will cause IL to be warm; Glow" to the
south, north winds and cold.
The "high" is cold factor, for the reason that
the movement OF winds has no opportunity to be-
come heated, save by the direct rays OF the sun,
Which In this case do not amount to much. A
north slow, on the contrary causing the winds to
blow from localities where high temperatures
reign, because OF nearness to the equator is very
positive factor for carrying Feat even quite far
The North. Now, let the reader comprehend these
Tacts facts that cannot be questioned, facts that
are reproduced on the weather map before his
eyes every day, and which he may see II he will
but take a little trouble to consult them; let him
fortify himself In this manner and the weather OF
the seasons Will be understood by him as never be-
FORE lie Will understand the cause OF the peculiar
winter and spring OF 1883. This spring we have
had, predomlnating, very central movement OF
"htgh," and have been under the influence OF few
or no north slows" Some slows" have moved on
north line. but the juxtapostion OF 'high" has
been such as to counterfeit any warmth OF tenn
perature which might have been produced under
more favorable conditions.
Herein Is the explanation, an explanation that
no other branch OF science can surpass Twenty
years ago it was hidden from us only theories
could then be advanced. Now, thanks to The
weather map, we have facts facts that reveal the
beautiful system whereby we exist. That this map
Is SO universally neglected is a strange cOminen-
tary on the sO-called progressive spirit Of the
latter part OF the nineteenth century. LP.N.