The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-26
VERY CURIOUS STORM.
Showing What the Elements Can DO When
Conditions Favor Them.

showing What the Elements Can DO When
Conditions Favor Them.
Il witnessed q thunderstorm once"
said nm observant travelling man, (which
was accompanied by a combination of me-
neurological phenomena that made it a
most wonderful exhibition Of what the ell
ements can do when they find the condi-
lions right. The time Of year, In the first
place, was enough to a made the thun-
derstorm notable without any other unu-
sual happenings. 1t was early in Febru-
airy, 1890. was in ~Hammondsport, N.
T., where there are many wine cellars.
Hammondsport is on the west shore of
Lake keuka. This particular day had
been cloudy and u~nseasonably warm and
close.
1.-The clouds grew deHser In the evening,
ID faint flashes OF lightning were fire.
quent. About 10 o'clock the clouds began
10 clear away, m they disappeared SO
rapidly that I'm a few minutes the stars
were shining brightly all over the sky. not
a cloud being visible anywhere. Between
10 and IL o'clock the western sky began
to grow black with heavy clouds that roll
ed rapidly up from behind the hills. With
them came sharp flashes of lightning, fol-
lowed quickly by terrific thunderclaps. A
popularity Of the lightning was the long
duration or Its flashes, the black clouds
being illumined several seconds at a time.
while the inky clouds were forming I'm
the west and rolling up toward the zenith,
Win the accompaniment of glarlng light
ming and crashing thunder, tho moon ap-
peared above the SUBMITS OF the hioh hills
In the east and bathed them and the
smooth waters Of Lake Keuka, which
stretch away from their feet, in a food of
mellow light. The contrast between tho
neroe N tumultuous aspect Of tho west
ern heavens and the calm and beautiful
appearance Of the moonlit eastern portion
made the unwonted scene awesome in its
grandeur. As the march Of the storm
vapors brought them near the zenith a
furious gale Of wind was hurled from. them
eastward. This gne brought with it q
torrent OF rain In advance of the approach
ing clouds and swept out upon the lake
with o fury that dashed the moonlit and
quiet waters into a tumult of angry waves.
mus a bowling tempest, with rain falling
IN sheets In the full light of the moon.
oeoaine another rare and startling phe-
hoihehon attending this night of strange
meteorological conditions.
Tho moon shining BRIGHTLY on the fall.
ing rain had its natural sequence-tbe
casting upon tho ebony frontof the nd.
Vancing stormclouds Of a lunar rainbow
OF singular viyidncss and brilliancy. The
DOW had n grand sweep of almost the en-. |
tire front OF the black background. and its |
requent disappearance before the moro
intense hight OF the electrical flashes. and |
us sudden temperance when the flashes |
ceased, seeminglS more vivid than ever |
against the inky blaokness, formed n IA
.eidoscopic picture In the heavens such as
tho elements seldom combine to present.
'Ihe black clouds rolled on with iercer
lightning N louder thunder. Refore
they had advanced far enough to obscuro
inc moon n the eastern sky their west
ern extremity had swept clear OF the sky
Ia That direction, and then the stars sbone
put brightly upon the retreating clouds
ihen appeared tho probably unheard of
',ent OF a bright, starry sky in the west:
he sky overhead hidden by clouds OF the
DIackes hue, In fierce electrical oommo.
ION, n spanned by a manyc olored mia.
lignt RAINBOW La the east the moon shin.
brightly I'm a ~cloudless sky, illumipat.
pg q tempest tossed lake. and n torrent OF
winter rain from summer clouds.
The sweeping tumult Of clouds soon
ook poAsoss.nI-eEtite glowing cuzt. uud1E
OF a long time the terrific tbundcrstorm
aged, dying away at last In distant rpm-
behind the hills, leaving tho IaL.
8 calm and golden I'm tho light of the
as ~ was before tho strange storm
al come down upon II in its sudden win.
~ Wrufl. Mos Na.l -.