The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-06-04
AST0RYOF WEATHER
WHYTHE MONTH OF MARCH SOFTEN
CLUSTERING AND STORMY.
some Facts About Weather Changes-cold
Currents From the North and Warm
Ones From the south-Enrects Of Mag
netic Force.

Shts from the North and Warm
Ones From the south-Enects Of Mag
netic Force.
March impresses itself upon the dwell
er IN the northern half of the United
States as particularly windy and dis
agreeable month, with strong alterna-
lions of wintry and mild weather. This
Is due TO the breaking up of the condi-
tions that have prevailed since Deem
Der and the processes of return to spring
and summer. There rs in the arctic zone
an enormous amount of cold material to
be disposed Of. covering the northern
regions in the form of ice and snow. At
the same time the southern zone is be-
coming decidedly warmer in conse-
quence of the advance of the sun to the
northern side Of the equator.
The United States is peculiarly the
theater Of this contest between the
giants Of cold and heat, and they stag
ger back and forth over this territory as
one or the other is for the time being in
the strongest form. The cold waves
launch themselves from the north and
carry their icy chill to the warm south
ern states; or, ON the other hand, the
warm currents of air from the south ad-
vance far into the north, and this alter
nation causes rapid variation in the
temperature and the other weather con-
ditions at stations of the middle lati-
tudes.
An examination Of the storm tracks
for March gives very definite evidence
Of the effect of this struggle for suprem-
acy. Instead of being confined to the
neighborhood Of the mean tracks, it is
found that they spread out over the en-
tire territory Of the United States from
north SO south. The phenomenon Of
looping southwark along the Rocky
mountain slope before recurring north
eastward to the gulf Of ST. Lawrence is
most pronounced.
The storms which first develop in AL
berta or ON the north Pacific coast may
advance directly eastward over the lakes
20 the gulf, or they may be pushed south
and recurve in Colorado, Missouri, south
ern Illinois or southern Indiana, in or
der to move to the st. Lawrence val
ley, or else they may be propelled still
farther south along the Rocky mountain
slope to Texas and the gulf coast, whence
they proceed to the south Atlantic coast,
and then turn northward to Newfound-
land. Not few of these storms dissi-
pate in the lake region or the Ohio val
ley; others will persist in q path Of
nearly 5000 miles, from Alberta to
southern Texas, South Carolina and
finally to Newfoundland. The unequal
distribution of the tracks of the storms
in March is therefore duo to the irregu-
lar propulsion of cold masses of air from
tho arctic regions into the middle Of the
North American continent.
A popularity of continental action is
that in summer the interior is warmer
than the borders, but in winter the in
terror is colder than the coasts. The up
per lake region and the upper Mississip-
pi valley are especially remarkable for
this feature. Between the So degree and
100 degree meridians, and between par
allels 90 degrees to 90 degrees, the
change in temperature is the greatest
known in North America; it is coolest in
winter there, and also it may become
the hottest part of the country in sum-
mer the range of temperature may be
from 40 degrees below zero in winter to
l05 degrees above zero in summer, q
range of $50 degrees. The encroach-
ments Of spring upon the winter in
North America proceed from the ex.
treme southwest, the gulf Of California
and the Colorado river valley, and ad.
vance toward the northeast
This leads to description of one Of
the most characteristic features Of the
advance Of the summer upon tho North
American continent. LII winter the lines
of equal normal temperature, that is
the isotherms, are grouped about the
cold pole in quite q symmetrical man.
ner, bending southwark in the interior
as they pass from the Atlantic to the
Pacific coast. This CONFORMATION may be
regarded as normal from November tC
March inclusive. In the summer the
formation is somewhat inverted, the
lines bending northward from the coasts
toward the interior, though the crest i
now farther west in the dry Rocky
mountain region. The gulf Of Califor
MIA IS the central region Of heat, ant
the crest extends from Yuma, A. T..
nQrtheastward toward the Dakotas.
The magnetic force seems to be eff
cient in producing meteorological effects
in proportion as it can operate in colo
atmospheric conditions. Hence the en-
croachment Of warm air from the south
ern Rocky mountain districts, as sprinI
comes on, is unfavorable for this kline
of action, and it seeks to transfer it
seat to the portions of the interior O
the continent that still retain low tenn
peratures, namely, to the Hudson ba,
districts. Finally, as the summer hea
conquers this cold territory, the winte
high passes away entirely, and tn
whole arctic region is covered by Low
pressures.
The unsettled weather Of the montl
of March, especially in the northeastern
portions Of the United States, with it
rapid alterations of warm and coli
winds, often reaching considerable vic
lenoe, is, therefore, the parting salut
of tho cold winter that has prevailed
for five months throughout the northern
cap. a most impressive feature of thi
change, as deduced from a close stud
of tho barometers and temperature read
ings of the weather bureau. is the sud
denness with which the struggle is con
cluded in the northwest. for March Of
ten comes in with very violent action
and this is almost certain to end abou
the goth Of the month with moderat
movements of the air. The struggle
prolonged in the east, but is usual
about over by the 10th of April. Writ
ten for PHILADELPHIA Press by the Unit