The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-05-15
Mays Cold and Warm Waves.


The first cold wave In May. correspond
ing in time with the days Of the ice saints
In Europe. il either greatly delayed OF
much mitgated this year. Ordinarily 1t
reaches the neighborhood Of New York
about the 18th. having crossed the CONT
nent In eight days. and disappears about
the 14th. Many persons are In the habit OF
postponing their final abandonment OF
heavy undergarments until this wave has
passed. But this month there has been as
yet no very noticeable fall Of temperature.
On Sunday. when. taking the average date
OF the cold wave. we should have been In
the middle OF 1t. the temperature was moro
than l2o higher than on the corresponding
date last year. Yesterday 1t was cooler.
but still very far from cold. This madness
of temperature here accords with what has
been observed this spring In England.
Birds OF passage appeared there SO early as
to excite popular comment. and the flowers
kept pace with the birds. Lilacs. haw-
thorns. primroses. aud bluebells were all In
bloom before tho 2Oth OF April.
But there Is another cold wave due this
month. which may not deal 80 leniently
with US. This. which Is preceded by warm
wave. sets in on the Atlantic coast about
the 22d. and lasts for at least two days. 1t
has been shown that this later cold wave Is
more dangerous TO growing plants than the
other one. II 1t comes on usual time this
year Its chill should be felt over the centre
week.
ments Of these remarkable fluctuations of
L. L.
against the very interesting proposition
which was once advocated by the late r. A.
PROCTOR. that the cold spells in May are
due to vast swarms Of meteors circling
around the sun inside the orbit OF the earth.
and. at stated periods. casting a kind of
shadow upon the earth. Mr.. PROCTOR never
showed any satisfactory reason why. In that
case. the diminution OF the sun light should
not attract notice as well as that Of Its heat.
The ultimate cause OF these and other tenn
perature waves still remains unexplained.
Prot +. II. BIGRLow has recently completed
Q mathematical Investigation based upon
certain assumptions as to the magnetic
radiation OF the sun. which seem to him to
justify the statement that "the direct
action Of the solar polar magnetic field Is
responsible for the temperature waves
which build up the eyclonic and anti
eyclonic system OF pressures and winds in
the United States" He also says that on
the sun the physical manifestations OF the
polar magnetic field are found lin hetsro-
.gsneous distribution OF the magnetism. hav-
ing positive and negative poles. with merid-
ians OF greater and less intensity. which
control to some extent the location OF the
sun spots. the output seen as the corona,
and possibly the faculB and the proml-
nenees. At the earth the polar radiation OF
the sun is perceived In the spasmodle mag
netic storms. the outbuTsts OF auTOTas. and
in certain meteorological phenomena"
As one result Of his studies Prof. BIGE-
Low concludes that the sun rotates in 26.6s
days synodically, As the sun thus turns
on its axis It's variable magnetic Geld turns
with it. and the earth. being situated with
In that field. experiences the effects OF the
yariatiOns lin other words" TO quote
Prof. BIGELOw, the earth passes through
a series Of hotter and colder regions as the
sun turns on its axis"
These Investigations relate directly 10
the more or less regular sequence Of wealth
er conditions passing from west TO east
across the country. but. II they are well
founded, they should also throw light on
the peculiar succession OF cold and warm
waves which Is Characteristic OF the month
OF May. and In which the atmospheric re-
adjustment consequent on the advance VI