Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-04
TORSADOES.
Their Varying Power and Their Free
uucncy.

(Harpers Weekly
Perhaps the most important distinction
to emphasize is that between the appear
ance of thunderstorm and a tornado,
since, II this can be defined. much need
less fear at the approach Of black cut
harmless thunder-storms can be avoided.
When not combined with tornado mani
festations the thunderstorm sends alort
a narrow line Of black clouds i'm advance,
which remains high in the air.
AT the right and left the black clouds
seem to reach the earth, but this is caus-
ed. not by a descent to the earth. as in a
tornado but by distant edges of the nigh
black clouds receding below the horizon
llne. 1t Is one storm, which spreads to the
leit ana right. There is no splitting up
OF clouds with the formation of a differ
ent storm at another part Of the horizon.
The tornado is easily distinguished from
this perfectly plain edge of black win
It's lighter rain-mist extending to the earth.
Whether the funnel is yelled by rain
or not. II Is ordinarily so black that as II
approaches IT appears as a column or
dense darkness. narrowest at the earth,
with light breaking through on either
side Of II. The most marked trait
OF all is that other clouds seem 10 be
approaching. others moving at right an
giles, and distinct storm of light hue
Is coming up from the southwest.
This is all caused by the tornado, which
Is drawing clouds and air currents toward
itself from great distances. As the tor
nado funnel comes nearer, with its dark
mass Of rubbish reaching 10 the earth,
the roar is frghtful. giving the OBJ
server hfteen or twenty minutes warning.
The southwest corner of the cellar,
II the tornado is approaching from the
south or west. is the safest place of re-
fuge. The tornado carries the wreck
age to the north and east, and II
the funnel is seen in the north
or east IT need not be feared.
because 1t Will almost certainly move
away. OF Go tornadoes specially class
ited, all but thirty-five moved from south
west to northeast, and nearly all the thlr-
ty-five moved eastwardly.
The tunnels have a rotary motion from
right to left, and this motion is not due
10 electrical action. but to acceleration OF
conflicting air currents Lieutenant Fin
ley shows that the lightning supposed to
be In the funnel is really i'm adjacent
thunder-clOuds. The broken and withered
buds. bruised by the action Of the air
are eyapOrated by the sun after the tor
nado, causing the foliage to look seared
giving rise TO the error that the lorna
DO manfests burning electrical power
II has been demonstrated by study Of
wrcckage that as the funnel leaves the
earth and rises into the air its force
slightly diminishes. and that this bound
ing motion causes the funnel 10 spare
building and demolish another. The
funnel, with it's small end 10 the earth
spins like a top. moving along at an aver
age rate Of about forty miles an hour,
but the velocity Of the spin is incalcul-
able. 1t is like the motion of air impell-
ed by an explosion.
TOrnadOes generally occur between
T. NJ. and =. NJ. and not more than
one in a thousand takes place between
10 p. NJ. and noon Of the following day.
have heard Of only two instances i'm
which the tornado occurred between
midnight and mOrning-One at Hobo
kus, y. j.. and another in southern
Michigan. which caused slight loss OF
life. Since these are only two IN ab1lt
two thousand cases. the danger from
tornadoes at night Is so small that II
need not be considered.