New-York tribune., 1899-02-15
Az OLD-FASHTONED WINTER.

/ When. late I'm November last. this part Of the
country visited by a snowstorm that re-
minded OF the historic blizzard" Of 1888 II
was excusabe To hope that the episode
exceptional i'm its nature as that with which
everybody compared II. But when December and
January followed, with much more precipitation
In solid than n liquid form: when the icemen
were able to harvest good crop and the rubber
overshoe trade attained almost unprecedented
dimensions. It became apparent that old fash
ioned winter weather had returned again.
1t remained for February however TO afford
the most striking demonstration OF the season.
During the last few days the Gulf and Atlantic
coast States have experienced degree Of cold
that was more extreme than anything that had
been felt during the three preceding months.
Here in the metropolis there were three temper
ature records within quarter Of a century which
paralleed that Of last week. But in the vicinity
of Washington and further South the mercury
went lower by from = to degrees than in any
previous winter since the establishment Of
National Weather Bureau, twenty-seven years
ago. Severe cold has been reported from the
States west Of the Mississippi but 1T does not
appear that anything really abnormal occurred
there.
Up to a certain point 1t is easy to trace the
causes which have led 10 this remarkable
dition OF affairs. The temperature that prevails
at given place at given time depends partly
on the season OF the year. but also largely
upon the direction Of the wind. The latter is
determined by the relative position OF the areas
Of high and low barometer which Overspread
the earth's surface. and which are continually
moving across the continent I'm a generally east
erly direction. The air is forever pouring out of
the highs into the lows. And II, as the majority
Of them actually do. the lows come eastward
along the Great Lakes and so down the st. Law
renee Valley. OF course the Atlantic States are
brought under the influence Of southerly or
southeasterly winds when the depressions pass.
But IT, occasionally happens, a low area
skirts the Gulf Coast and then comes up along
the edge Of the Atlantic. the northery winds
on it's northern side must sweep over the region
which before had been bathed with balmy
breezes. In tho latter case the wind originates
in a locality that is Arctic in character If not in
latitude: in the former It proceeds from trOpi-
cal cline.
The usual route pursued by storms in summer
is along the lakes. and even in winter most
of them follow the same path But few either
originate in the Gulf Of Mexico and come up
the Atlantic Coast or else pushing in from the
Southern Pacific across California and Arizona.
seek the easiest way 10 the northeast. II they |
can get up the Mississippi Valley into the lake |
region they will. But IL forced to go around |
by way Of Georgia and the eastern slope Of the |
Appalachians they yield TO circumstances over |
which they have no control 1t may be said I'm |
a general way that I'm the eastern and south |
eastern parts Of the country there is little or |
no snow when the storms come by the lake |
route. but there is heavy fall. as we'll as bitter
cold. when the storms follow the southern route.
The latter path has been more extensively |
patrouzcd than usual during the present win
ter and this has been particularly the case since
the last week Of January. The existence and |
obstinacy Of areas OF high barometer in Montana.
Utah. Colorado and Kansas have forced the low
areas out OF what seems to be their favorite
course and given the Gulf and Atlantic States
much more severe weather than would have
been experienced otherwise.
Just what has led to the behavior OF the high
areas is not easily Indicated Their origin IS
not any too well understood 1t seems probable
that the great currents which effect an inter
change of air between the tropics and polar
regions are concerned in the matter and that
atmospheric events occurring at d remote dis
tance-perhaps in the Southern Hemisphere-are
related to the phenomena observed here But
however this may be. it is safe to say that the
now prevailing in the United States
have existed many times before. and Will be eX-
perienced many times in the future. IT, in Ger
tain localities a precedent cannot be found
within a period of thirty years IL is highly prob
able that this seasons record will be surpassed
If the search is carried back little further
Weather did not begin in this country twenty
seven years ago. neither did the custom OF reg
istering snowfals and temperatures
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"Whora are tho SHOWS Of yesteryear?" asked |