Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-09
A COLD AND WET MAY
The Interesting and Instructive Reeve.
latiOns Of the Weather.Map.

To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
The weather-map Is a revelation in a double
sense-it reveals TO the fact OF the meteoroogt-
cal changes, even more than the mere local eye
can detect; and II we will make a study OF these
changes and note the effect that they produce, It
the atmosphere Of the globe as We Dever before
dreamed Of
All departments OF science sooner or later lead
up 10 the impenetrable veil which hangs before
the inner courts OF nature. do not claim for the
map that IL Will lift the veil, but do claim for tt
that II viii lead the mind that is inclined 10 heed
Its teachings as near as any other department
agent TO tie great rrst cause; that It Is unsur-
passed by any, and that IL Is In advance OF the
many. But In order to comprehend this wonder
ful interpreter we must climb the Jacobs ladder
slowly and surely. We must not be impatient to
View the mysteries from the highest round before
We have taken the trouble 70 ascend even a few OF
the lower rounds.
Why did we have a severe winter? The weather
map gave us the answer. Why did We have a wet
and cold May? live Will but study the map. II is
thereon revealed The daily condition or our at
mosphere Is there laid out before US All depends
on the movement OF those factors ..high' and
LOW" the wet factor, and warm or cold In pro-
portion TO its latitude. But In particular the
student or the map must be careful, and might
say honest enough, TO note the intensity OF these
factors, even as In his geography he would note
the topography OF the surface OF the earth. In
some localities say In New Orleans an elevation
OF 1ye feet might be quite local hill but IL would
Lot be much OF hill In Virginia or New England
the nigh" but what was the ahigh?5 IL was a
very small circle OF thirty The next and greater
circle, or gradient line, was 29.9; the slow"
there was a little rain IN the center OF such a
nigh" A nve-foot hill might nave a spring Of
water on the very top Of IT. The wetness OF the
month OF May was owing 70 the continued Gen.
tral movement OF slow over our territory: and
oy the way. neither the slows" nor the '.highsS
were very positive. These effects OF the shiShsy
but OF which twenty years ago We knew compara-
tiyeiy nothing We knew that 1t would rain when
tne barometer feil, but We knew nothing OF The
remarkable changes going on about US; indeed
We had not the least conception OF what A storm
va saA 5uL some CAIN That We are still In the
anu varies from year TO year. Here Is the same
sun shining on the same planet, the same appa-
rent conditions. why not the same effect: they
ASK DO We see the same effects repeated in am
department. OF nature? Where will we md two
nils, two valleys two rivers. two trees. or any
other Two OBJECTS alike In nature? The planets
themselves, do not travel on the same line They
uasel In the same general orbit, hut in detail they
vary continually. The "highs" and flows" travel
IN irregular belts around the gloOe- Why not In
regular belts: Because OF the diversity OF the
land. on the ocean. where 1t Is all one eie-
ineir course Is quite rnla. n, least rar Pin
than On the land But II a certain Irregular con-
ditioa produces certain effects. why viii Il not
produce the same eject every time? Why are not
these belts OF "hlgh" and slow" regular in their
rregularity? For the reason that the forces which
llVuuce thcul are not always equal. The heat OF
The sun may seem Ike a very steady thing to Us
probably the most typical thing for steadiness In
nature; Jet could we approach IL as 10 study IL
In detail al close quarters. We would undoubtedly
So that II was quite Irregular In It's conditions
But even II the sun shOne with the same effect
upon the same territory uneven effect must
soon De produced, for the earth Is ali the while on
the move. The sun shInes on q certain favorable
spot ana there becomes concentrated for the time
current or wind Is Established toward this point
Inc clouds gather, and finally precipitation takes
Pidce- An area OF some thousand miles Is covered
ffOm the movement OF the atmosphere and the
precipitation a change OF temperature Is caused
over THIS area The sun moves on or rather the
eartn moves under It's influence on 70 another
spot Anc 50 On ana on over the surface OF the
Wnoe gioOe. From the diversitieS OF the tonog
r9phy OF the earth the centers OF "highI and o,sy
must De greatly varied The perpetual roll OF the
earth cOntinues-on forever in its s.courss s blne
After the INST revolution the same conditions of
surface can never be presented 60 tue action OF The
sun The changes must BE- perpetual and tnfinite
The only wonder l. that the slows and ..h,0hi,
are Is regular as they are and produce such even
resultS From the very nature OF the contendiny
forces they must vary in all their conditions IN i
tensty, spread, line OF travel and contour such "a
the revelation Of the weather-map. III it does nor
quite draw the veil 10 permits 70 climb high the
Jacobs ladder, and{0 have a very extended view
over the surface of Mture, whereby we obtain AZ
least peep into the promised land. The weather.
map should be In every household, and the day
Will come when IL Will be, and then We Will have
light. such general light as was never before con-
eelyed OF Jpn