Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-30
WHAT THEY INDICATE.
The New Code of Signals Displayed
by the Weather Service.
The Different COlored FiaGs and w hat
May be Expected When They
Are Haisted S:ngiy or In
COmbin ht,O one,

| sIdlion dt davenport l1auUurateQ MS new
code of weather signals Monday The
appearance from the fl az staff on Masonic
temple across the river. wherein the signal
| service station is situated, of a plain white
flag with black triangular pennsnt i'm
mediately beneath attracted much atten-
ton and no little inquiry was made as to
its significance. The white fl 4g indicated
| clear or fair weather. and the pennant's
position indicated colder weather. Had
the pennant been placed above the white
flag the reading would have been. fair
and warmer weather."
Iuasmuch as flags denotiag coming at
mosphericsl changes will be regularly dis
played henceforth, an explanation of
what the signals indicate, NAV not only
| be read with interest. but may be worthy
of preservation for reference in the fu-
| ture. II is furnished THE ARGUS BY
Observer Walz.
The usual black flag. indicative of a
cold wave, will be supplsuted by nuns
Der of other pennant signals. These ad-
ditional signals consist of plain white
| flag, combinatio white and blue flag, a
triangular black flag and the familiar
black centre cold wave flag. A study of
the signal meanings is appended:
No. l, white flag six feet square. in
Gates clear or fair weather. No. .,
blue flag six feet square. indicates rain or
snow. No. 3. white and blue in parallel
bars, six feet square, indicates that local
rains or showers will occur. and that the
rainfall will not be general, No.
4, black triangular flag, four
feet at the base aud six in length
always refers to temperature; when
placed above Nos. l, 2 or 8 it indicates
warmer weather; when placed below
Nos. l, , or 3 it indicates &C d weather;
when not displayed the Indications are
that the temperature will remain station
airy or that the change in temperature
will not vary more than four degrees
from the temperature of the same hour of
the preceding day. No. 5, a white flag
six feet square with black square in center
indicates the approach of sudden and
decided fall in temperature. This signal
will not be displayed unless it is expected
that the temperature will fall to 40 de
grees or lower and is usually ordered at
least "a hours in advance of the cold
wave. When No is displayed No.
is always omitted.
When displayed on poles the signals
are arranged to read downward; when
displayed from horizontal supports a
small streamer is attached to indicate the
point from which the signals are to be
read.
Thus the signals may be interpreted as
follows:
No. l alone indicates fair weather, sta
tionary temperature.
No. 2 alone indicates rain or snow,
stationary temperature.
No. alone indicates local rains, sta
tionary temperature.
No. with No. 4 above it indicates
fair weather. warmer.
No. with No. 4 below it indicates fair
weather, colder.
No. ? with No. above it indicates
warmer weather, rain or snow.
No. with No. below it indicates
colder weather with rain or snow.
No. with No. 4 above it indicates
warmer weather with local rains.
No. with No. 4 below it indicates
colder weather with local rains.
No. with No. above it indicates
fair weather, cold wave.
No. 2 with No. above it indicates
wet weather. cold wave.
The agricultural department also pro-
vides for code of signals by blasts from
whistles, method of reaching persons To-
Gated at distance from the signal office
where the flags would not be visible. Oh
server Walz will probably arrange with
some factory managers for the use of
their whistles for the signals
The whistle code is as follows:
The warning signal to attract attention
will De long blast of from Is to 20 Sec
onds duration. After this warning signal
has been sounded, long blasts of from
four to six seconds duration, refer to
weather, and short blasts. of from one to
three seconds duration, refer to tempera-
ture; those for weather to be sounded
first.
Thus one long blast indicates fair
weather.
Two long. rain or snow.
Three long, local rains.
One short, lower temperature.
Two short. higher temperature.
Three short, cold wave
Combinations of these will read as fol-
lows:
One long, alone. fair weather, station
airy temperature.
Two long, alone, rain or snow. station.
airy temperature
One long and one short, fair weather,
lower temperature.
Two long and two short, rain or snow,
higher temperature.
One long and three short, fair weather,
cold wave.
Three long and two short, local rains
and higher temperature.
Combinations will probably be repeated
for x,-;to