The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-16
|COlO VINO AND SNOW.
} Weather Man at Washington
Made a Slight Mistake Sat-
urday.
tier Awhile He Will Be Able to
Make Closer Guessos for
Montana.
Forecasts From tho Weather
bureau.

metimes the Storms Got Here Before the
Forecasts From tho Weather
bureau.
The weather man at Washington missed
reckoning Saturday morning when he
IL the forecast for Montana. Uncle Jerry
skis expert said the weather throughout
state would be cold and clear until Sun
morning. That is a. far ahead az he
herally guesses. Sometimes, when he
nks ho has a "dead sure thing on the
nation, lie will make his prediction good
forty-eight hours. Three inches of fine,
snow Saturday night and yes
day which was hurled about the
usetops, in the streets and over the
Ia and valleys by q keen wind prove that
prediction was partly correct. II was
Id, but the clear weather only lasted un-
early Saturday evening, when the hne
kes came sitting down. At three O'Clock
bterday morning the barometer made a
dden change and the snow came faster,
th a sharp wind from the northwest.
ter in the afternoon it cleared mp q little.
10 local observer now thinks that it will
main clear, but is not sure OF it. Mr..
ass has been stationed in Oregon, where
: local weather conditions are different.
has been here but q short timo
Id is not yet thoroughly familiar
til Montana weather. No forecast was
ceived from Washington yesterday morn
h. The weather bureau there only started
. service for Montana a few days ago
id does not send the forecast on Sunday.
ter a while the man who makes the FORE
sts for Montana will do better. He is
at getting his hand in. This is the first
me he has missed his reckoning, but it is
u by any means his fault. His predictions
Q mostly based on the reports of Cana
Ian weather stations north of Montana.
a given time he gets these reports and
mmences his calculations. Probably five
inutes after the Canadian observers have
ken the reading Of their instruments a
orm will develop to the north of them.
ne popularity about the storms originat-
g in that region is the rapidity with which
icy travel. II they are headed for Mon
ma they generally arrive here before the
Fediction from Washington. Sometimes
e prediction per Western Union gets here
kst, rs it did Saturday morning, but it was
}llowod so closely by the snow storm as to
AXE the forecast almost useless. This
bndition of affairs the weather bureau
opes to overcome rs soon as it can better
be service. The reports which are re-
Pived at Washington from Canada come
ON a chain of stations running almost
brallsl with the boundary line. but some
6stance north of it. The stations are
[edioine Hat, Swift Current, Gu Apelle.
Finnedosa and Winnipeg. There are other
tations on the Pacific coast and to the
buth and east from which reports are sent
) Washington, valuable in making up a
brecast for Montana, but the stations to
be north are considered more important.
When the state weather service is
thoroughly organized in Montana, tho OBJ
blver at Helena will most likely be allowed
! make predictions for the state. In addi-
ON to the reports from the stations in the
bate the observer will DO furnished with
Pports from the government stations IN
be northwest. With this, daily data he
bill be able tofurnish predictions of greater
blue than those now received from Wash
hgton. The Helena Board of Trade has
to cooperate with Mr.. Glass in this
Secretary Walker has also prom
led to write to the commissioners in every
punty asking them to buy the instruments
Dr. the voluntary observers where
6COS1nTy. LILO NOIUA0In LhO1uC, NE00b
and Utah Northern roads will be
rged to assist the STATE Weather bureau.
his they can do in a number of ways. One
T the plans suggested is that daily weather
be sent by telegraph from a num-
er Of stations on each line of railway to
he weather Office at Helena which will be
central point of the system. Thetime oc-
npied in furnishing these bulletins by the
abroad operators would not interfere with
,air rar,,Ior I,1tiau aud mcrt1 ha n urnat
enefit to the roada themselves and the
tate at large. Twenty stations are now
IN the state in charge of volun-
,er observers, who for tho present
lake monthly reports. The sta
ons are: Fort Assinniboine. Pie.
m agency. in northern Montana.
[issoula, Choteau, Fort Shaw. Fort Ben
ity, Castle, Livingston. Martinsdale, Gus
II, Fort Keogh, Powderville, Glendive,
oplar river, Buford, Miles City. Each
;ation is supplied with maximum and
minimum thermometers, rain gauge and
lstrument shelter. Tho government sup
lies each set of instruments at about cost,
70. With abou. twenty more stations an
state weather bureau can be had.
hen this system is in complete working
pint for a group of stations bounded by a
starting in on the Pacific coast north
Oregon. thence running east to Winni-
eg, down to st. Paul and west again to
an Francisco. A daily weather map will
printed showing the condition of the
at each point in the system and
ldicating by line and arrows the direc-
on of storms. When the public becomes
lmiliar with this service it will pay as
UGH attention to the predictions as the
ariners on the great lakes and Atlantic
,ast do to the utterances OF the
bureau at Washington. There was
when but little heed was given to
10 danger signals displayed Mt eastern sea-
,rts. Now whom the storm flags are raised
these places none but the great ocean
.'eyhounds care to take chances with the
orms in tho Atlantic indicated by the
lnting Of the weather bureau.
Last Sunday the minimum temperature
Helena was 81, yesterday it was II. The
west point reached during the week was
1 Wednesday when the thermometer indi-
ted 3D. above zero. At six p. m. yester-
" ii was 2 above on Main street. The
Id snap brought the first good sleighing
the year.
On the west side of town at seven p. nj. it
AS 5 below. At II o'clock last night IN
ain street the thermometer stood at zero.
The Storm General In the Northwest.
ST.. PAUL, Nov. 15.-Several inches of
fell here to-day. Reports from vari-
IS parts in the northwest indicate that the
Drm ia general. At Moorehead three
ches Of snow fell and a blizzard 10 threat
ing. At st. Cloud it showed all day. At