Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-11-08

cheney in Rainfall - The Fog
Theory ExpiainsIt.
October was phenomenal both for
its deficiency in precipitation and al.
NEST continuous fog. Since the first
of June last, there have fallen but two
inches of rain. For the corresponding
months since 1889, there has been an
average OF 10GS inches for the five
months of each year, while for the
same period of 1895 there is deficit
weather observer at Tacoma, in his
monthly meteorological summary for
1895, as prepared for the Chamber of
Commerce weather bureau, gives the
following:
Mean barometer, 299S inches; high
est, 30.2G inches; lowest, 29.3G; mean
temperature, ii degrees; highest, 10;
lowest, 33; greatest range of daily tenn
perature, "a degrees; least daily range,
5 degrees The mean temperature for
October during the last seven years is
j2.3. The prevailing direction of the
wind for the past month was north
northwest; total movement of wind,
905 miles; maximum velocity OF
wind, II miles an hour, blowing
north-noIthwest. Total precipitation
for the month, OH inches; average
for the same month during the last
seven years, 3.95 inches. Number OF
cloudless days, ,; partly cloudy, Is;
cloudy days, IL.
How do you account for the excep-
tionally prolonged dry season, doctor"
reporter asked.
"Well, we have had such very con.
slant currents of air from almost the
same direction that the moisture in
the atmosphere escaped being con-
densed. 1t requires 4 change in the
air currents to produce rain. 1t must
first be warm to raise the vapor and
then cold to condense it. We have
had nothing but fog this fall in
the way of moisture. Had condensa-
tons been more rapid in the upper
currents we would have had rain in
stead of fog.
"Since fog consists of particles of
liquid which is nearly 500 times denser
than air it has been thought difficult
to explain how it can be sustained in
the atmosphere. Some have supposed
that the particles of fog are hollow,
each consisting of sphere OF air sur
rounded by thin envelope of water
like soap bubble. Such a hollow
sphere is called vesicle and this
theory of the constitution OF fog
is the vascular theory. Fog is formed
from the vapor of water previously ex-
listing in the air in n gaseous state, and
when this vapor returns to the liquid
condition by coming in contact with
the warmer currents of air it assumes
the form of hollow spheres, and as lit
tie or no wind is blowing these hollow
spheres fall to the earth. The greater
the number and density of these
spheres the more dense the fog.
Clouds differ from fog only in their
elevation above the earth. A fog rest
ing on top of the mountain is called a
cloud. A cloud resting on the surface
of the earth is called fog.
"Fogs have the same constitution
as clouds. When clouds are formed Mt
low temperature their particles are
solid, consisting of u spicul;e OF ice,
which, united, form flakes OF snow.
But we find nothing of the vascular
constitution in snow flakes. Never.
theless clouds composed of spicule oil
ice remain suspended in the air for
hours and sometimes days. The YES
ocular hypothesis is not necessary
therefore, to account for the perma.
hence of fogs and clouds. And there
is no evidence that they are thus con-
stituted.
THE particles of fog are sustained
in the air in the same manner as d
cloud of dust is sustained. A cloud Of
dust remains for long time sus.
pended in the air, although each par
ticle may consist of matter 1000 times
as dense as the air in which it floats
When air is perfectly tranquil these
particles fall But they descend SC
slowly that their motion is only per.
ceptible after a considerable lapse Of
time. The dense fogs OF the past few
weeks are somewhat of that character
The vapor has been suspended in the
air for hours, and as the air cooled
its condensation became more rapid
and the particles uniting were precip
itated by the earth's gravity. Had the
condensation been still more rapid il
the upper currents we would have hat
a fall of rain instead of dense fog"