Evening star., 1896-02-07

magnetic force just mentioned is midway
between these poles, and it's meridians are
perpendlcular to the auroral ovals all over
the hemisphere
This force is at a maximum over the
auroral belt. sinks away somewhat to the
center, and falls rapidly to the SOUTH
Now it is known that the aurora, this
magnetic force and the sun spots all rise
and fall together in intensity in The
eleventh year. This is another clue to our
suppos1tion that storm action is dependent
upon the solar oaput, transmi tting in long
Mlde, sweeping magnetic curves, and fall
lEg upon the polar regions of the earth,
the sunlight meanwhile radiating to its
tropical zone
Another group of facts of more detailed
nature indicate the same conclusion. A
study of the curves of change in the o6 6S
day periods show that the same variations
can be traced throughout the magnetic
Heids OF Europe, Asia, America and Aus
tralia, the impulses being common to the
earth. 1t is found that the temperature
ana pressures of the northwest have the
same pulsation' which arrives in the Dako-
tas In one day after the magnetic change
has taken place. This same curve, on ap-
plying the period through long series
OF years, is discovered to be the type in
which the sun spots tend to group them
serves, the southern hemisphere being the
direct type and the northern hemisphere
the inverse type. This implies that the
period 26.6S Is that of the rotation of the
SINS nucleus. and agrees very closely
with the time computed for the visible
of the sun spots
Inc differences follow that the sun is an
immense magnetic sphere. like the earth
the north pole positive and the south pole
negative. that 1t sends out great waves of
force which reach the earth in the dis
turbances: that the field of the sun is
maintained at different strengths in the
several meridians, and that it turns
nc ftalrl
makes corresponding impressions upon the
earths field. A magnetic curve is like a
oeicate spring, and those from the earth
and sun touch and bend in resnonsa tn
each other in the most wonderful manner
Hence all these observations at the earth.
pursued for fifty years by the magnetic
lans, are SO many measures of the solar
energy, and will some time be so inter
preted as to become of great use to the
world. ''is
The tracks for February are similar TO
tnose Tor January and March, and much of
tbe analysis of storms is equally appIica HE
to these three months. The intensity of tho
weather conditions gradually rises from
September till it eliminates in February
and thence falls off till June, when the
summer relations become re-estabiished. A
count OF the number of storms in Febru-
ary for ten years, 1SS4-1S93 shows that
eleven originated near Alberta, twenty
e!Pnt on the North Pacific coast, fourteen
on the northern Rocky mountain plateau,
thirteen in Colo rado. eighteen in Texas. six
III the east gulf and south Atlantic states
seven IN the central valleys and two on the
south Pacific coast. making total of nine
ty-nfne. and averaging ten each month
approximately, 90 per cent of our Feb
ruary storms come from the Pacific ocean
ana states, 70 per cent from the Gulf Of
Mexico and gulf states, and 25 per cent are
developed In the interior. The tracks con-
verge, as usual to the Gulf of St Law
renee, when the movement is normal The
anomalous tracks usually have decided
ha
slope. whence they may advance and be
lost near the Gulf of Mexico or recurye to
the lake region and the st. Lawrence val
ley. These storms almost always advance
in front of a large high area, whose rapi6
ana vlgo rous movement thrusts the north
ern storm to the southwark before thev
can Eyrate to the east front along the
periphery of the high
The Texas storms as in other months
are rapid marchers, and are attended by
widely extended rain or snow precipitation
II tnere Is no high over the Gulf of ST
Lawrence that retards the northwestward
movement they reach New England in
1orty-eisht hours; If high hangs per-
sistently in that region they may require
ninety-slx hours If high is loca ted in the
northwest. threatening a cold wave. this
Will reach the gulf states II the move
ent Is rapid; it will be dissipated in rain
or snow If the low is much retarded. Special
attention should be directed to the probable
behavior of the st. Lawrence high as mnon
thls Will depend success in forecastine the
advance OF large storm from the south
west 'N"'A
Record for Twenty-Five Yenr.
The following data compiled from the
weather bureau records at Washington. u.
C.. cover the period of twenty-five wears
Tor the month of February and should
prove of value and interest in anticipatine
the more important meteorological ele-
ments. and the range within which such
variations may be expected to keen for the
coming month:
Mean or normal temperature 36 degrees
Warmest month, 1890, with an average of
43 degrees.
Coolest month, 1895, with an average of
26 degrees.
Highest temperature, 7S degrees on ord
1874 " 'N'
Lowest temperature, degrees below zero
on 5th, 1856.
Average date on which last killing frost
occurred IN spring. April IA.
Average precipitation for the month. 2.37
inches.
Average number of days with .O1 of an
inch or more, IL.
Greatest monthly precipitation recorded,
6S4 inches in 1854.
Least monthly precipitation, O8s inches
in 1872.
Greatest amount of precipitation recorded
In any twentyfour consecutive hours ~
inches on 9th, 1885.
Greatest amount of snowfall recorded in
any twenty-four consecutive hours record
extending to winter Of 1SS4-5 only) 10
inches on Sd, 1856.
Average number of clear days. Z; partly
n DIV do 1. a1o 1ry 14,