Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-06-06
CYCLONE SCIENCE.
Valuable Observations of the United
States Naval photographer.


The United States Naval Hydro
grapher has just issued a chart, giving
the tracks of number of the most mem
orable cyclones that have visited the
Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United
States since the modern methods of OBJ
serving them have come into use. Re-
ports of such storms are obtained from
ships, giving the date and latitude and
longitude at sea when they were en-
countered. Reports are also received
from the various shore stations, and in
this way it has been made possible to
chart the tracks of number of hurri-
canes.
The following observations are de-
duced by the photographer from the
mass of information at hand. 1t is
found that although hurricanes may be
commenced during any month of the
year, yet there is such marked increase
in their number and violence during
July, August, September and October,
that these four months constitute what
is called the hurricane season. These
months, after considering the statistics
furnished by Spanish, English and
other navigators in the American seas
for 300 years, rank in relative danger as
follows: August is the worst, Septem-
Der next, October third ard tuly
fourth.
The following memoranda are worth
attention:
Hurricane Regions. trop cs
north of the 10th parallel, the Car1ib-
bean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and a broad
belt curving northwestward from about
St. Thomas and following the Gulf
Stream toward the Grand Banks of
Newfoundland.
Earliest Indications. Unusually high
barometer, with cool, dry, fresh winds,
and very transparent atmosphere.
A long, low ocean swell from the direc-
ton of the distant storm. Light, feath-
cry plumes Of cirrus clouds, radiating
from point ON the horizon where
whitish arc indicates the bearing of the
centre.
Unmistakable Signs.-As the cirrus
veil spreads overhead, with halos about
the sun and moon, the barometer begins
to fall, slowly but steadily, and the
ocean swell increases. The air becomes
heavy, hot and moist. Dark red and
violet tints are seen at dawn and twi-
light. The heavy cloud bank of the
hurricane soon appears ON the horizon,
like distant mountain range. The
barometer falls more rapidly and the
wind freshens, with occasional squalls Of
fine, misty rain.
General Size, and Velocity of Pro
aression. The storm area is smaller in
the tropics than farther north, the cloud
ring averaging about 800 miles in
diameter, and the region of the stormy
winds 300 miles, or even less. In low
ATTITUDES the entire storm moves west /
ward and northwestward, about seven
teen miles an hour; In middle ATTITUDES |
and northward, moving |
more slowly rs it recurves; and finally |
with a velocity of trans
lation OF twenty or even thirty miles an |
hour, its area increas ng rapidly as it /
follows the Gulf Stream toward the /
Grand Banks and sweeps across the |
Atlantic towards Northern Europe.
The following laws of movement have |
been announced by Rev. Father Vines, /
the eminent meteorological and storm
observer at Havana:
Between the 10th and 18th parallels
hurricane moves almost due west. In
June (and October) its course changes
rapidly to northwest and north, recurv
ing about the Goth or 23d parallel. In
July land September), however, it con-
tinues ON its northwesterly course until
It reaches latitude 81 deg. or % deg.
north, and in August, latitude so deg.
Or 30 deg. north, before recurring.
By far the greatest number of cyclones
recurve and pass up the Gulf Stream
before they fairly enter the Gulf of
Mexico. Having once got to the west
ward of Cuba they are certain to be felt
in the Gulf or on its coasts.
4 Picayune.