The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-10-04
NEW LAKE STORM CHART
Secretary Wilson Extending
Work of the Department.
GREAT AID TO MARINERS
The Principal Storm Tracks In the Great
Lakes Region = In October Five
Storms. on an Average. Pass
Over the Lakes.

Washington. Oct. 3.-li is the policy
OF Secretary James Wilson Ia extend
the operations If the department of
agriculture ON al useful lines author
iSed by Law. Thepecretary, after con-
sultation with .th rhief OF the weather
bureau. decided make use Of some
Of the great fund meteorological in
formation conlaiAsd In the weather
bureau by having monthly marine
meteorological chart issued FOR the
benefit of the m<Giners Of the great
lakes. He was 4 he opinion that by
a study OF the 4 rds Of past storms
much useful info Iation might bc coli
lected and publis kd showing a month
in advance what mariners might rea-
sonably expect.
The first Of thk series Of monthly
charts was mailh from the central
Office Of the we<fher bureau yesier-
day. IL gives inSbrmaiion relative Ia
the present month of October. II
shows the principal tracks pursued by
storms In crossing the lake region.
The track OF greatest frequency is
eastward across the center of Lake
Superior. The storm track next I'm inn
portance is line drawn from Mil
waukee. northeast Ia Alpena. The next
In order of frequency is a line drawn
from the southern point of Lake Mich
igan northeast 10 Port Huron; and
the least frequented Of the four storm
tracks is reported by line drawn
from Port Arthur southeast to Petos-
key. Mich; In other words. II. during
the coming month a mariner notices
by the daily reports a storm center in
the region of any one of these tracks,
he can very accurately determine
what will be its future course and can
steer accordingly.
The chart shows the normal wind
direction fuf the coming month at
each one of the weather bureaus. and
also the number of foggy days that
may be expected on different portions
of the several lakes. as determined 10y
the records Of the past % years.
The text printed ON the back al the
chart shows the location Of all the
danger signals of the weather bureau
about l2s In number, and much other
information useful Ia vessel masters
A typical cyclonic storm IL shown In
one corner of the chart. with the con-
vereing Of the winds toward the cen-
ter. and a wind barometer table of the
A little study Of the diagram of the
Storm center and wind barometer table
Will enable captains who have left
port tn determine the probable course
Of storm centers last noted ON the
weather bureau charts on shore.
ON the average five storms pass di-
rectly over the lake region in October,
"A majority Of which, however, can he
safely weathered by the larger craft.
Occasionally an October storm of un-
usual severity sweeps over the lakes.
endaneering the safety Of the strong
est vessels. In the last 20 years. not
more than half dozen such storms
have occurred in the month above
named. The storm of oct. 23-2f, 1857,
was probably one of the most wide
spread and severe Of the season that
has occurred within recent years.
October Is a month Of transition
from warm To cold. generally one of
the most pleasant In the year. The
change TO winter conditions Is first
noticeable on Lake Superior. where
light snowsiorms may occur at any
time after the 18th. Snow falls In the
vicinity of Marquette little earlier
than at other points Ia the westward.
II has been observed as early as Sept.
~. both at Marquette and Sault Ste
Marie. ON lower Lake Michigan snow
has fallen as early as Oct. 8. but the
! average date for snow there is about
a month later. The average date of
snow at the eastern end of Lake Erie,
that Is. oct. ~. is about 10 days earlier
than al the western end.