The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-10-12

Is seen, Is a cOnSulUuIlOudl puNslodl ~
suit of the hurricane, characteristic
phenomenon, and as such it is neve
missing, nor can ever be missed In
d hurricane, and in a greater or less de
gree will also be observed in ~hirl
winds at various points OF the glob
and in very different ATTITUDES, so tina
there can hardly be found meteoro
logical author who does not attemp
a descrtion Of this phase.
DIR. Cline was then asked If storm!
were often known to develop and be
come very severe in few hours. In
reply to which he stated that while II
was not a general thing for storms tC
develop so suddenly, such storms are
, met with in meteorological works
Such q storm developed in
Texas May 81, 1892. AT a. IN
there were no signs of a storm and
even up to noon none were visible,
while about 9 p. III, a few scattered
stations reported thunuer storms and
the number Of stations reporting in
creased as night approached and at )
p. m., the weather map showed well
defined storm over Western Texas, and
this crossed the state by midnight,
showing evidence of great intensity A
great deal of damage was done in its
path. houses blown down, trees up
rooted, people killed, and crops suffer-
ed materially. Such cases are not the
rule, but we have them.
When asked if the weather bureau
would ever be able to forecast storms
which develop such severity in so
short spaces of time, he replied: Yes,
| expect to live to see the time when
we can forecast the time and place
where such storms will de-
velop and weather changes take
place, one or two days or perhaps for
a longer time beforehand. The mech.
anism of storms and the causes which
produce them are receiving special at
tention from some of the ablest men of
the world, and the officials of the
weather bureau are not neglecting
this feature. Look at the accuracy of
the forecasts issued now and look back
at their vagueness in the commence
me:lt of this work less than 20 years
ago. Mark the progress we have
made and then calculate what the flu
ture progress will be with improved
methods constantly being adopted,
and the meteorologic rapidly coming
to the front as an exact science.
In regard to stations, floating OBJ
servatories in the gulf, the doctor
stated that these ould aid materially
in determining the position and
aud progress af storms moving in the
gulf, but would hardly be of very
great value in the case of storms which
develop intensity in very short space
of time near the coast.
DR.. Cline has given great deal of
study to the subject of tropical storms,
and on account of this fact his opin
ions aud conclusions on this subject
are of great interest and value and for
this reason he was asked as to the
probability of severe storms along the
Texas coast and the probable extent of
their damage. In reply to which
he referred to recent article
which he has been authori.
zed by the chief weather bureau to
publish, from which the following
statement in this connection is taken.
THE impression prevails to agreat ex'
tent that tropical storms are frequent
in this part of the country, while in
fact the probabilities of danger from
this source are very small. West In
dia Hurricanes are generally first OBJ
served between 10 and 20 degrees north
latitude and longitude so to 70 degrees
west from Greenwich. In addition to
these are semi-tropical storms which
have their origion in the western por.
ton of the gulf of Mexico near the di-
viding line between the winds of the
equatorial system and those of the
middle ATTITUDES. These storms, il
| 81, N
earth's rotation, would move
from the equator toward
the north, but as long as they are
south of the 27th parallel of latitude
they are carried by the winds of thu
ecuqautorial system to the westward
and hence move toward the north
west until they reach this parallel
after which they take up a northerl!
course for short distance until they
fall under the Influence of the winds o
the middle ATTITUDES which carry then
toward the northeast, thus describin!
in their course "a paraboliC curve Tn
parabolic curve is generally very com
plete in West India hurricanes, but il
storms which have their origin in tn
West Gulf the course is at first north
east, or probably north for shor
distance and then northeast, which
due to the fact that the place of thei
origin Is so near the southern limi
of the winds of the middle latitude
that they are from the outset undo
the influences of these winds.
The parabolic curve described b
these storms in their progress north
ward is very similar to the curve c
the Texas coast, and on this accoun
the full effects of these storms is rarel
felt here. To reach the Texas coast
observations show that the paths c
these storms must remain south of c
) near the 25th parallel of latitude unit
they have passed to the west OF tn
: 92d meridian, for when they get mort
, of this they usually curve before tn
l west gulf coast is reached and pass o
northward, leaving the Texas coast j
its northern segment with only bris
: to high northerly winds. When tn
7 distribution of pressure is such as
q keep the storm south of the est
|. parallel until after they have passe