The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-17
THE WEATHER.
some 20, About raeIae coa.t weather.
By LIEUT.. }. P. FINLEY, U. s. SIGNAL SERVICE

BY LIEUT.. }. p. FINLEY, U. E. SIGNAL SERVICE.
spon,ience invited, suggestions desired,
and information chccrlully furnished. Every ef-
fort employed 10 make this Bureau Of practical use
TO tie readers 81 The NATIoNAL TEfBUsE All
should he addfes~ed-WedHler,
Tn. NAIIoSAL TgfBUSE Office. Washington, ID. C.i
Meteorological conditions are materially In
fuenced b. geographical position and topog
raphy. Generally speaking, temperature
dmiuishes from the equator toward the poles.
A continental climate Is more violent than a
marine climate because water changes its heat
conditions very slowly, while Oh land the vari-
atoms are extreme. Many other instances
might be given TO show the truth and import
auce OF the Introductory statement.
There are very marked aud important mete-
geological differences between the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts Of this country. The principal
Of these relate 10 temperature and rainfall.
These two elements Of the atmosphere are the
most important in all parts Of the country, so
far as private aud public interests are con-
cerned, and therefore a knowledge Of their dis.
tributiOn aud variation Is very much sought
after and sometimes figures are made 10 tell
very queer stories. Any attempt at prevari-
cation, however, regarding the actual meteoro-
logical conditions Of a region viii certainly
result disastrousy TO the promoter Of such un
founded statements, because the experience of
TO thorough investigation, as the facts are daily
before them.
Rainfall and temperature are both striking
features Of Pacific Coast weather. and both
have great commercial value 1t may be gen
orally stated that the Central aud Eastern p0r-
tiong Of the country possess the extremes Of
both temperature aud precipitation. Ia max
ing this statement we must not forget that the
West can show greater region of minimum
precipitation. There are places where the
total amount Of rain aud snow Is less than two
inches for the year. On the other hand small
portion Of the North Pacific Coast western
Washington shows the largest annual precipi-
tation OF tue United States.
proper appreciation Of the rainfall Of the
Pacific Coast requires this TO be considered by
Seasons Tho rainy season embraces the
months of October. November, December, Jam
uary February. March, April and May. The
remaining four months compose the dry season.
/ Ia many cases over 80 per cent. of the yearly
precipitation falls during the rainy season.
| Heavy and sudden downpours are not frequent,
| but the large rainfall Of the season is we'll
distributed over that period. Floods are gen.
4 orally caused by melting snow in the mount
aims, especially when the fall Of snow has been
! very heavy, as during the Winter OF iSs9,'90
| and the temperature OF the following Spring
| aud Summer Is very high.
There Is a more uniform distribution OF pre-.
! cipitaLion throughout the year in the Central
aud Eastern portions Of the country. The
most important factors giving rise 10 this diff
ference are the Gulf and Gulf Stream. These
arc the two great sources of heat aud moisture
for this country. aud without them there il
danger that all the country east Of the Tooth
| meridian would become like the great barren
regions of the Middle Plateau.
The Pacific Coast region has no such source
| Of heat and moisture, hence her cool. dry
winds of Summer, even though they come direc
from the ocean. Rain only occurs in Summer
(dry season. when the hot. dry winds Of the
interior mingle with cool, moist winds from
the ocean. This is indicated by winds shifting
10 sontherly in the interior and along the coast
the surface currents being from the south, anG
the cloud currents from the (Oeean) west
During the rainy season Winter and Spring
sOntherly winds 1.-THE rain Winds predominant
as surface currents, and therefore there is mor
frequent mingling of ocean and land currents
! tue former being the upper current,