The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-19
DRoUTR AND HOT wINDs-THEIR CAUSE
AND CURE.
To the Editor of the Eagle.

/ To the Editor OF the Eagle.
suppose no one thing is of as much i'm
portance TO the people of Kansas and Ok
! lahoma as the cause and cure of the an
| nual recurring drouth and so-called ''hot
winds" in July and August of each year.
| If we learn their cause it ought not TO be
| impossible to furnish remedy. The cause
| is local and the remedy is local. The warm
dry winds are caused by the radiation of
the heat from the surface of the ground
after it has become dry The warm dry
air forces the moisture in the atmosphere
into the upper strata, leaving the dry hot
air to flow near the surface ANY local
drouth during the hot season in this lati-
tude is liable TO produce the so-called shot
winds,'' and is sure to do so if the drouth
extends over any considerable wat
cred area II is not a want of
sufficient moisture in the body of the
atmosphere, but the warm, dry winds flow
ing near the surface of the grounds; by in
creased expansion OF the warm air. causes
a pressure upon the upper cooler air con-
tanning more moisture and prevents its
condensation until il has passed beyond
the influence of the dry heated air. Dur
ing the months of July and August the
evaporation of moisture from the melting
snow in the Rocky mountains is greatest.
This excess of moisture is taken up in the
air to a sufficient height to pass over the
mountains and is carried by an easterly
current directly over Kansas and Nebraska
to the Mississippi valley, where, meeting
the warm moist current flowing up the
Mississippi valley from the gulf, it is de
posted over Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
giving those states usually an excess
of rain fall, while we lack suf
ficient to preserve our crops
Like causes produce like effects. II the
moist current flowing up the Mississippi
valley causes the precipitation of the moist |
ure from the Rocky mountains, would not
a like moist current flowing over Okla |
homa and Kansas precipitate the same |
moisture over this part of the country?
4 statement of few things observed by |
everyone who has given any attention TO |
this matter will answer the question. Dur !
ing the hot season, when the wind is blow |
ing from the south, it is common remark, |
IF the wind keeps in the south for twenty |
four or forty-eight hours, it will bring |
rain" This simply means thatif it con- |
tinues from the south until the warm, |
moisture laden breeze from the Gulf reach |
es US it will cause rain. When this moist |
air reaches u.s. another common remark |
you hear is, 1t is going to rain, the clouds |
are banking up in the north" This dem |
onstrates another fact; that it is |
not the moisture brought by /
the south wind that the rain |
comes from, but from the condensation of /
the moisture in the strata of air flowing |
east from the mountains. The precipita- |
ton is caused in the following manner. |
The warm moist air from the gulf flow
ing over the warm ground is being con-
forced upward by the expansion
of the surface heat, until it meets the |
colder mountain strata, when rapid con-
densation takes place and precipitation
follows.
Now, if we could obtain this moisc
warm air without it having 10 come from
the Gulf the problem would be solved.
How can it be done? l answer, by having
a series of dams, lakes and ponds con-
over the country south of us, and
along the south part of this state.
A surface eXpanSe of water over which
the south wind will flow. All it requires
is shallow water. n pond three feet deep
IS as good for this purpose as one mile
deep 1t is simply surface water that Is
needed to moisten the winds. Neither will
il take very large surface to accomplish
the purpose. When the Arkansas river
rises in the summer, all the weather
prophets will inform you that 1T will rain,
and they are correct Rain does follow
the rise of the river Ifthis narrow ribbon
Of water stretching across the state will
produce rain, an idea can be formed of
what would be sufficient. In this latitude |
Turing the hot weather the evaporation is
intense and the warm air Is rapidly filled
with moisture.
The other day the government appro-
)riated money for the relief of the poor in
Oklahoma If instead of doing out charity
md making paupers of respectable, but
people, it would have appro-
)riated money to making lakes and ponds
or the storage of water in Oklahoma,
permanent benefit to all this country
would have been obtained and labor fur
T-ha 10 hF-r Trh hnv- /
,ould have earned their living and main
aimed their self respect. 1t seems TO me
he problem OF avoiding an annual drouth
an be solved and solved, too, without any
treat expense; and the climate so changed
hat the farmer will be as sure of a crop
IS he is certain that the plants and cult
ates his ground. If this were true south
IN Kansas would be the lost Eden re-
aimed. K. y. SANKEY.
However correct as 10 conclusions,
nd whatever of the remedy proposed,
ONE of the promises are erroneous, as
years of observation fully at
est. Kansas hot winds are true enough
sim pie local radiation; and. humid
tmosphere or moisture ladened air, en-
ountering one of lower temperature !
Till, of course. result in condensation and |
but. dew point" currents
o not come from the mountains. nor |
yer the mountains. nor yet does Cen
raj Kansas get her rain falls from or be
ause of south wind The wind which pre- !
edes rains in this belt j. from the south
yeast, the clouds forming in the north
y-west against an adverse and higher,
ryer, current Of lower temperature
.DITOR EAGLE