The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-04-18
THE WEATHER.
Notable Occurrences for the Week Ending April IS,
1850.
BY LIEUT.. j. P. FINLEY, U. S. SIGNAL SERVICE.

BY LIEUT.. j. P. FINLEY, q. S. SIGNAL SERVICE.
Correspondence invited suggestions desired,
and information cheerfully furnished. Every eff
fort employedto make this Bureau of practical use
to the readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. All
communications should be addressed Weather,
The NATIONAL TRIBUNE Office, Washington, D. CT
LOWS, OR AREAS OF WARM, MOIST AIR, CLOUDY
WEATHER, WITH GENERAL RAIN OR SNOW
AND HIGH WINDS.
Five such areas affected the weather of the
United States; two came from the South Pa
ciiic Coast, one from the North Pacific Coast,
and two from the Northwest Territory. Aver
age progressive velocity eastward Id miles per
hour. Average duration three and one-half
days.
HIGHS, OR AREAS OF COLD, DRY AIR AND GEN.
ERALLY CLEAR WEATHER, WITH MODERATE
WINDS.
Three such areas affected the weather of the
United States; all of which came from the
Northwest Territory. Average progressive We
locity eastward IT miles per hour. Average
duration three days.
Temperatare.-The greatest fall in "a hours
(24o) occurred at Denver, Colo, on the 9TH.
The greatest rise (22o) occurred at Parkersburg,
w. Va, on the 18th. The maximum (9lo) oe-
Cured at Rio Grande City, Tex, on the 18th.
The minimum (f8o) occurred at Mortified,
VT, on the 18th. Frost (killing) occurred at
Santa Fe, n. n, on the 18th, and light frost at
Augusta Ga; Knoxville, Tenn, and Charlotte.
n. g., on the Sth.
PrccipifGti0R.-Rain has been reported from
every State and Territory except Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Idaho. Snow
felIin Wyoming and Colorado on the 9th. The
| heaviest precipitation lover one inch in 81
hours) was reported from Maryland, District of
Columbia Indian Territory, Texas Kansas,
Dakota, Iowa, West Virginia, OHIO and Ten
nessce. The maximum in p hours (2.04
inches} occurred at Washington d. c., on the
9th ana It'll, ana at Fort Elliott Tex, on the
9th and 10th.
Winds.-The highest winds occurred along the
Middle Atlantic and New England Coasts and
from Central Texas northward TO Iowa. The
highest measured velocity (56 miles per hour)
occurred at Fort Elliott, Tex, on the 10th. The
storm of the 9Th and eth along the Middle At
lautic Coast destroyed nearly 100 vessels and
! about 100000 worth of property OF various
kinds.
Riyefs.-The maximum rise (32 inchesl Oc-
Cured at Pittsburg, Pa, on the 18th. The
maximum fall (18 inches) occurred at Cncin-
natl, o. on the 10th.
Existing Coadiii0aS.-A l0tg is central of Long
Island another on the Texas Coast and third
in northern Montana. The priuci pal area of
high is central over Upper Mississippi, and one
less marked on the eastern coast of Florida Rain
III the Middle Atlantic States aud New England,
and on the North Pacific Coast. Threatening
weather on Texas Coast and in Montana, else
where generally fair.
Facts TO be esaem5sred.-Concerning a prob
able connection between snnspots and meteoro-
logical phenomena the following conclusions
are based on IS years (1872-1966) observations of
sunspots, diuFnal range OF magnetic declination
monthly range of air pressure mean monthly
emperatnre, clouds and precipitation: 1. A
marked minimum in the sunspOts aud magnetic
declination between 1873 and 1879. 9. Fluetu-
ations in latter correspond quite closely TO
those in former, occurring, however, In many
Instances from two to three nths later. 3. No
connection found between sunspots aad mag
netc declinati0n and either the range in air
pressure or tie mean temperature. 4. A slight
indication of dIminutiOn of clouds and preeipi-
tation during the minimum of the sunspot pc
Rod, but il 1T be direct aud important eonuec-
ton it is largely masked by 0sber forces. D. Gen
orally negative results in all cases. o. The
meteorological clements are affected by SO
many causes which serve to mask the real
effects from any cosinical or supra terrestrial
force, that it is impracticable TO obtain salts
factory results by such comparison without
being able toeliminate all other forces disturb
ing the one under consideration. Z. Coinci-
dences may be found, but everything points to
their accidental appearance, and therefore any
connection as to cause aud effect seems highly
improbable.