The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-19
Local Forecasts without the aid Of Weather

Local Forecasts without the aid or Weather Maps.
BY LIEUT.. J. p. FINLEY, u. g. SIGNAL SERVICE.
Correspondence invited. suggestions desired
and information chcerfully furnished. Every Of
fort employed to make this Bureau OF practical use
TO the readers OF TUE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. All
communications should be addressed-W Heather
THE NATIONAL tribune Office Washington ID. q. I
All people interested in the weather have not
tho advantage of making study Of the daily
weather map in connection with local forecasts.
To aid such persons the following information is
prepared as to the prospective occurrences from
existing conditions. The reader must not treat
these examples as special types for which he is
to be on the lookout, or in which, when they
occur, the forecasts given are to be employed
in mechanical manner. The various weather
conditions are practically innumerable, and
consequently, If an attempt were made to frame
rules Of prognoSis based on a rigid ideal dvis
ion of those conditions, such rules would prove
worse than useless. The following specimens
of actual conditions are taken nearly hap-h
ard from daily weather records, and illustrate
some of the principles on which daily forecasts
can be made. These principles the observer,
combining his instrumental and on-instru-
mental observations, should every day employ
for himself.
WINTER.
Conditions No. lin the rear right-hand side
of depression (i0Ig) travelling to east or north
east; barometer moderately low, rising rapidly !;
brisk or moderate northwest winds; clear SIX V
between passing showers; very transparent
atmosphere; no tendency to the formation Of
banks of stratus clouds; little or no cirrus
clouds.
FORECASTS.
As deprcssions (lo,us) commonly follow each
other in series, and as the direction taken by
the last, as we'll as the absence OF the more
antcyclonic (high) cloud FORMS indicate tho
absence of any distinct anticlyclone (high) in
the west, we should expect the northwest cur
rent shortly to fall calm aud TO be followed By
fresh bank Of GIRO. stratus clouds, decline of
barometric pressure southerly winds aud rain
Conditions No. after a day or two of chilly
west and northwest winds, loG in the north.
cast taking "A southcasterly course winds west
or west-southwest brisk or moderate atmos
phere mild; barometer about the mean or be-
low it, falling rapidly; cloudy, with flying
scud, rough-looking composite cloud bank, or
dense ciTro-stratus clouds.
FORECASTS.
The rapid decrease Of pressure in conjunction
with the aspect of the sky and with the previ-
ons weather makes ii probable that the right
hand segment of cyclonic il0w) circulation
travelling southeastwards is about to pass over
the station; northwest 10 north, or even north
northeast, gales are therefore to be apprchend-
cd, with a great fall of temperature, and a brisk
recovery of pressure.
Conditions No. 3.-Exireme rear right hand
of large depression (iop) going east or north
east, calm, clear and cold northwest wind hav-
ing died down aud cumai and shower clouds
disappeared quickly; sheet OF eirro-stratus on
south horizon, edge travelling from west or
southwest. barometer below mean, rising, bat
rise checked somewhat
FORECASTS.
II the new cirrus bank of clouds had appeared
further in the west and its edge had moved
from more northerly point the fresh depress-
ion (iole) which is probably approaching might
have been expected to follow nearly in the
wake of the previous system. As ii is, how
ever, there is risk of its center passing on the
south side of the observer. causing a temporary
easterly wind, perhaps gales on exposed coasts,
with overcast skies and probably some seet or
snow.
Conditions No. AFTER light winds and dull
weather. barometer much above mean, totally
overcast with low tranquil stratus clouds and
nearly calm.
FORECAST.
As this Is probably the central portion of an
anticyclone thigh), no immediate results can be
anticipated