Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-15
JUNE WEATHER.
1.-TWO MORE SEVERE STORMS FOR
THIS MONTH.
Lieutenant Finley's Hot Air Theory of tho
Cause of Tornadoes is Discussed
and Criticised.
Special to the Gazette.

opeCIdl W lue IdZtlle.
ST. JOSEPH. Mo, June 13.-In my last
letter l gave forecasts of the storm wave
due to cross the continent from the 18th TO
the 18th, which then gave promise OF being
the most destructive storm of the month.
The next will be due to leave the Pacific
coast about the 18th, cross the Rocky
Allegheny valley from the 18th to 21st and
reach the Atlantic coast about the 22nd. |
p8annot say what this storm will amount to
except that 1t belongs to period OF great
storms an its force will depend on the
storm preceding it. If the storm from 18th
to the 18th proves to be of very great force
as expected. then the storm wave OF 18th to
22nd will be the nildest storm OF the month
But the stored up electrical energy may be
divided equally between two storms, in
which case each of them will be severe
Following this last mentioned storm wave
another will be due to leave the Pacific
coast about the 25th, cross the Rocky-Alle-
ghany valley from the 10Th to the 2oth and
Geach the Atlantic coast about the 29th.
'sfiiis storm promises to be equal to any of
the month and it will spend its principal
force east of the Mississippi valley. 1t will
probably develop tornadoes and cause CO.'S
siderable rainfall with more cloudy and
foggy weather than usual for is June. This
storm will be of special interest to the
Eastern states, while moderate rains may
pesrxpected from it III the South.
sSzsSNhen we have experienced these June
storms we will be better able to determine
the nature of the weather in store for US
during the twelve months to follow, for if
these June storms show an increased force
over the ordinary June weather, it will be
strong evidence IN support of my forecasts
of 4 year of great storms. The equinox of
Saturn will only have begun to have its
influence in June and will not reach its
maximum force till October, while the in
fuence OF Jupiter's equinox will not be felt
till after September Their combined III
fiuence will be greatest in March, 1892.
With the close of the June storms the rain
belts in many places will change their loca-
tonS, and where the rains have been excess
sive they will generally become deficient
while in many places where rains have been
stoo light, they will largely increase. In
those localities where excessive rains have
fallen the effect of every storm wave has
been noted and the accuracy ofmy forecasts
has been appreciated, but when the rain
belts change localities the effects of the
storm waves will not be so noticeable where
the rainfall becomes deficient, and this will
lead some to conclude that my forecasts
are less accurate. But if they will take
broader view they will see that the storm
waves are just as regular as before and that
the change is only in the rain belts. Where
the weather has been dry and by the
change more rain occurs, then my forecasts
will appear to be more accurate than before.
FINLEY on ToRNADoEs, NO. .
In his book Lieut.. Finley says: ''The in
variable accompaniment of a tornado is the
hail storm which precedes and succeeds its
first and last appearance. This statement
does not appear consistent with Mr.. Fin
ley's theory that heat is the cause of lorna
does, and to me it is just as reasonable that
heat causes these hail storms as to say that
II causes the force in the tornado. | do not
deny that wiud-air in notions one of
,the forces of the storm, but do deny that
sheated air is the cause of the winds great
velocity and power. On the other hand l
affirm that electricity is the moving force
of every wind current that belongs to an
organized storm, and that in some cases
electricity alone is the force, while wind
alone can never attain TO this great force
Mr. Finley says that heated air from every
direction ruSheS into the tornado'S vortex
and then rises with such great rapidity and
force as to cause Il suction with force suf-
fcient TO accomplish the wonderful things
recorded OF tornadoeS. If sufficient heat
rushes into the storm center from all direc-
tons TO develop this wonderful force, would
not this heat prevent the formation of these
hail storms which Mr.. Finley correctly de-
scribes as occurring all around the lorna
does,
Mr.. Finley also shows that one-half of
Lllc III lllt ANDL oktitSS pSSui
IN April and May. Those are not hot
months in the Northern states, and the
changes from cold TO warm are not more
rapid than in other parts of the year. Hot
winds and columns of heated air are not
common in those localities during the
months mentioned. Then why should one
half of all the tornadoes of the Northern
states occur in these months of only
average warmth, if hot air is the cause of
tornadoes2 Evidently the hot air is absent
in this case. while, according to the cleo
trical theory, the earth having passed
through its equinoctial electrical disturb
ance breaking up its electrical equilib-
rum. the tornadoes occur most frequently
while its electrical forces are reaiTanging
themselves during the two following
months.
Forty years ago the great Faraday said:
ssNhen we remember that the earth itself
is d magnet, pervaded in every part by this
mighty power. universal and strong as
granite itself, we cannot doubt that = is
exerting an appointed and essential intiu
enca on every particle of matter and i'll every
place wherein it is present. What its great
purpose is seems to be looming up in the
distance before us: the clouds which OBJ
scure our mental sight are daily thinning,
and [ can not doubt that 4 glorious dis
covery in natural knowledge is awaiting
our age" w. T. FOSTER.