Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1890-01-12
SHIFTING OF THE SEASONS.
scrgt. Dunn Says There Is Just as Much
Heat and Cold rs Eyer.

Heat and Cold as Ever.
''Are the seasons changing" said
Sergt. Dunn, echoing the query. "Well,
as TO the amount of heat and cold re-
ceiyed and distributed over this part of
the earth l cannot say that there is very
much difference. The seasons may vary
somewhat, but when theIend of the year
comes around, and we begin to figure on
profit and loss of heat and cold, it is not
often that they do not counterbalance
each other or come close to it. How do
/ determine on the loss of heat and cold?
Well, By taking the means Of each
months temperature for 4 great many
years and finding normal; then for
each day and each month calculations
are made 10 show whether the heat re-
ceived has been deficient or in excess.
Thus we are enabled to give the changes
in seasons. For instance, the annual
y2ean temperature for this city is exact
5 5o.1 degs During 1888 tkere was a
deficiency of 45.3 dogs. mean tempera-
ture, or about II dogs. for each day, and
every one knows the winter was mild.
This year there was an excess still great
er, and il amounts to nearly . dogs. for
each day. BY comparing records for
twenty years past find the same excess
or deficiency taking place.
The cold snaps during the past Win
ter were Of short duration, but they
Were sufficiently severe to overcome the
excess Of heat gained for ten or fifteen
days. and it often occurs that the tenn
per2ture will run down TO s or 10 degs.
above zero and remain there long enough
for solid ice 10 form. Should that occur
early il the season and ice remain on the
ground, people would say it was cold
winter but no matter how cold it may
be, il there IS no ice or SNOW, then the
old cry is heard about our grandfathers
days. Now the seasons show little or no
change, except that the cold spells are
shorter, more severe and come later in
the season, thus admitting q greater
number of days Of moderate cold. The
same applies 10 the summer months. So
that makes it imperative for people who
balance heat and cold by feeling or men,
ory 10 change their methods. The high
est mean annual temperature for the
past nineteen years is $50 and the lowest
4S.G, making 4 range Of only AS. This
fully yeriiies the statement that the same
amount Of heat and cold is received, and
that il any change has taken place it
must be Ut irregular intervals"
DO we receive our usual contribu-
tons OF snow
For The year 1855 there was 4 tri1e
short Of four feet. and for 1889 to date
two feet seven inches. This shows ma
terial shortage of snow in comparison
with previous years and decided in
crease in rainfall"
III IS said that Professor Tyndall and
others ascribe the abundance of rain and
warm weather this season to 4 change in
in the course of the Gulf Stream, which
brings It's current nearer TO our coast.
Do you consider such to be the case!'
$50, In the first place, there is moth
ing on record to show that there has
been any change, except of q temporary
nature. in the course of the stream, and
then the only information is based on
report from one captain, who, while
crossing the Gulf Stream near latitude SO
dogs. found the temperature of the
water II one place, that was about twenty
miles weSt Of the stream, TO be the same
temperature as that noted while in the
stream center. Even should there be q
change and the warm current run 100
miles nearer our coast, ii would not ma
terjally cb anee our climate only at such
times as the wind would blow on shore
for On II definite period, as all the storms
pass from our shores to the northeast,
and tie prevailing wind blowing from
tie So Uthwest would OF itself dispose of
rhe theory of any change in the Gull
Sire. u as affecting our climate.
The same weather conditions that eN-
.st in this section prevail everywhere
east Of the Mississippi, ane can readily
be ascribed to the unusual number OF
storms crossing from the southwest over
the lakes Tito Canada, cutting off cold
waves and allowing high barometrfc
pressJues to hold full sway over the
states. both forces tending to
Increase the heat all along the line from
the Mississippi TO the Atlantic and from
the Gulf Of Mexico to the lakes. The
mild G innate Of the British Isles is just
y attributed TO The Gulf Stream; tLere
he prevailing winds are from the ocean,
from west 10 east, carrying with them
IT, warm. moist atmosphere created by
Z 4e stream. Now our prevailing winds
are of shore and the Gulf Stream can
never produce such an effect on this side
Of the ocean until the earth rotates IN
the opposite direction and our storms
come from the east instead of the west"
Eagle.