The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-26
A WEST INDIAN HURRICANE.
Richmond Was iu the Grasp OF a Sc.
we're Storm.
WIND AND RAIN DURING TWO DAYS,
The Tide Rose Higher Here Than In Many
Years. but There Was No Damage to
Property--Mr. Evans Explanation
of the Meteorological Conditions.

a West Indian hurricane since Saturday.
The storm which has ragged has caused
but little damage. but # has been accom-
panied by many disagreeable features.
on Saturday there was a marked
change in the weather 1t became much
cooler; in fact, it might have been called
cold as compared with the weather Of
several days previous.
Rain fen at intervals during the day and
night Saturday, and early Sunday morn
ing the wind increased I'm its velocity
and rain fell in torrents.
Sunday the weather was such as to
call to mind Longfenow's RAINY Day"
It was the drearicst Sunday OF the year.
Heavy winter clothing was put on. and
yet one felt very uncomfortable when he
went out of doors. The wind was sharp
and keen. Umbrellas We're OF little SER
vice. As night came on the wind was
higher Leaves were torn from trees as
if they had been chaff. Twigs and small
limbs were scattered over the green grass
in the parks and upon the sidewalks.
A DREARY SUNDAY.
Sunday night was a most dismal one.
The winds velocity had increased. but
not tO the extent of doing any damage.
Early yesterday morning rain fen in
torrents but there was not enough water
TO wash away three or four inches of dirt
that had accumulated on lower Main
street Yesterday was about such day
as Sunday. perhaps "a little colder and
little more disagrceable. Rain fell at in-
tervals and the wind played havoc with
the dead branches I'm the trees. lt was
reported that this city would get good
slice of the storms centre but it cvi-
IDENTIFY shifted Off In some other direction.
for Richmond escaped with little or no
damage.
There was no repetition of the terrible
features OF the hurricane of % little over
q year ago. which many expected.
4 wind Of far more than ordinary We
locity and very disagreeablc rain were
the only features Of the storm in this
city.
MR.. EVANS EXPLANATION.
In this connection statement from
Mr.. L. A. Evans. director Of the
local weather bureau, concerning
the storm viii be- of interest i'm reply 90
a request from The Times for his views
Of the storm Mr. Evans said.
general and may contain both the cle-
mcnts of wind and precipitation or either
OF them IL is uot necessary 10 have
rain To- produce what is known as a
storm or wind. Either of these two clc-
ments or both combined come under the
classification.
"Undcr the head local" are included
thunder storms toinadocs (crrorccusiy but
popularity called cyclones wind rushcs
and all atmospheric disturbances of a
purely local nature on occurring over n
limited area.
Under the head general are includ-
cd an those storms which cover large
areas of country. have well defined paths.
and whose attendant phenomena follow
very closely well known laws.
"In the United Statea these general
storms appear most frequently on
our northwestern border the states
of Washington Mont na and North
Dakota and traverse The coun-
try in generally eastcrly di-
rection ually passing out TO sea hy
way of the Gulf of ST. Lawrence.
''rhe second in point of frequency but
possibly not in point of rain deposited.
are those which appear ON the southwest
ern border of the United States. These
and tcmroraturcs higher than those of the
surrounding regions and they move in a
northcastcrlv direction passing successive
~ into the Mississippi Valley. the ONO
Valley the eastern lake region and then
out to sea by the ST. Lawrence valley
The third in point of frequency and the
class which u.s. by far Of the greatest
interest 90 the inhabitants of the Gulf,
South Atlantic and Middle Atlantic States
first appear in the Gulf region usually
south of the Florida coast. They are
known as West India hurricanes. also
eauinoctidl storms. though a is latte, de-
signation is erroneous
WEST INDIAN HURRICANES.
'From "a strictly scientific standpoint
they are the true cyclones They origi-
mate on the northern side of che equator
Uhat is those which move into northern
latitudes) and moving at first due west
are finally hy the earth's rota-
ton To the east detected north. so
tina. hy the time they approach the coast
of South America they are headed nearly
due north Advancing in this direction
they pass successfully across the en-
trance of the Gulf of Mexico. the groups
of islands i'm the Caribbean Sea the West
Indies and ON mp the Atlantic coast. com
ing To- the east on the North Atlantic
coast and cross the ocean about i'm the
course taken by steamship lines plying
between America and European ports.
"'These storms are Of varying .Nlo-
lence. some severe. others moderate.
Their diameter may be from 900 to 1000
miles. If violent. they are likely 10 cause
high tides I'm addition 10 dangerous gales
ana as. by reason of one being sheltered
merc or less from the storms originating
10 the westward OF us by the Allcgha-
pies. they are the ones which cause more
destruction 10 life and property on or
coasts and possess more interest for
our peopie than either of the others.
THE PRESENT STORM.
Passing to the consideration Of the
storms which Is now prevailing. ! would
say il is Of this latter type. full grown
West India hurricane, possessing all the
features usually associated with this
class Of storms, dangerous gales blind
ing rain and combining a rapid rotary
movement with slow progressive one.
To make this palmer It must be consid-
cred that storm has two motions rotary
and progressive The rotary movement
is the circulation Of the winds into the
centre or eye Of the storm. while the
latter is its forward movement
ron Saturday morning the map COM
piled from the telegrams received disclosed
the presence Of Storm 10 the south Of
Florida. The kilograms of Saturday
night ana Sunday showed IL creeping
slowly up the coast accompanied by vio-
lent winds and rain and this morning
found IL located off the Virginia and