The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-31
Hicks Forecasts for January.

The LIST and End are rsactionary storm
days, hence on and touching these dates it
will grow warmer, barometer will fall. and
cloudiness with rain and probable thunder IN
the south. turning to snow in most sections
northward may reasonably be expected. A
prompt and sharp rise of barometer and rush
| of cold from the northwest should be antlcl-
pateG in the rear Of all these mid-winter
| storms.
A regular Vulcan storm period covers the
4th to 9Th, central on the 9th. The FIRST OF
these periods, as rule, brings bright days
and change to falling barometer and warmer
! in western extremes. By the time these con
| ditions end in rain and snow storms west,
warmer with falling barometer will reach cen
trail and eastern sections; and by the time tie
| areas of rain and Snow reach eastern sections,
change to cold wave and blizzardous condi-
tons are prevailing westward. Later the cold
and high west winds reach the eastern parts.
! We can never emphasize this progressive law
! of storm movements too much. At times
when vast polar perturbations lie along the
extreme north through all the longitudes OF
our continent, great snow storms and billiards
| strike the extreme northeast coasts with the
northeasterly gales that rush in from the norta
Atlantic to meet the continental low barome-
ter advancing eastward over the country.
In such cases the extreme east will have cold
and billiards. almost or quite as early as the
west. The great storms along the east coasts
in the closing months of 1898 were marked in
stances, and were the inevitable results OF
phenomenally low barometers over the whole
country west of those regions.
The storm diagram shows that we enter a
MeIcu perturbation about the Sth, the
pei iod being central on the 18th and extend
ing to the 18th. Within this Mercury period
eli L. rl.ol of
moon phenomena. 1t will be at greatest south
declination on the 9th, at new and perigee on
the 18th, on the equator on the 18th. and at
first quarter on the 18th. Meantime there is
a reactionary storm period central from the
18th to 18th, and IA regular Vulcan storm pc
Rod from the 10th to 10TH All the central
part of the month will also feel the perturba
tons caused by the opposition of the planet
Mars. The earth will glide between Mars and
the sun on January 18th, which fact lnsures
an abnormal tension ofthe magnetic, electrical
and atmospheric states of our globe for at
asst ten days before and after the 18th. All
through the Mercury period stormy and phe-
nomenal weather may be expected, but the
times of natures greatest storm pulsations and
throbs will fall about the 18th to 13th and
the 10th to 10Th. The phenomena at these
times will have wide range i'll character as
well as in extent, thunder, lightning and trop-
ical rains occurring to south ward, turning to
vast, destructive sleet and snow storms north
ward, ending III dangerous billiards. and cold
waves that will send a low thermometer quite
to the southern gulf. If a general low barom-
eter over the continent uShers in these storm
periods, we admonish our readers in the far
south to beware of the sequel-to look for cold
to follow. Under the same conditions, At
lantic coast regions should be watchful against
violent, northeasterly storms. Whatever pre-
cautions are practicable to prevent destruction
and hardship by heavy sleet storms and biz
yards, shold certainly be employed or kept
at ready command on land and sea. Perisha-
BILE goods of all kinds should be protected
against the extreme cold likely to follow
storms at this time, and ample protection
should be provided for the dumb, dependent
brute creation.
On and touching the oath to Doth, falling
barometer, change to warmer, with return OF
rain and snow storms will be very natural.
Another sharp return to cold will bring up
the rear of these disturbances but the cold
wave will suddenly moderate as we enter the
Vulcan storm period extending from the 18th
to 3lst.
This closing January storm period Will be
central on the 29th the moon being on the
celestial equator ut the same time. In all
probability the temperature will rise so that
general thawing will take place about the 18th
to 30tn, attended with warmer rains and posi-
bly, tropical storms southwark about Sunday
the 29th to Tuesday the 3lst. But let none
of our readers rashly conclude that ''the back
bone of the winter is broken.'