The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-31

1
which several feet OF snow remained on
the ground from Christmas to the middle
OF March and the thermometer in the same
period Rugged zero. To-day weather OF this
| sort is known only in Canada. Snow in this
| city and in this State out side OF the Adiron-
| darks, IL getting to be about as rare In the
| winter months as apple blossoms. The
sight OF a cutter or any form OF sleigh
| except boys sled is a rarity, and, indeed,
we understand that the manufacture ofthcse
vehicles in these parts has almost stopped.
! Conversely. while wa do not think that
our summers have ceased to be as warm to
the same degree that our winters have
ceased to be cold. popular observation GER
tainly is that they are less warm than
formerly, though much more humid and
oppressive. The old dry heat OF summer,
eliminating in two or three weeks OF what
was known AS 1.-THE heated term" IN bu-
gust, has gone. The maximum tempera-
ture Of the year in this neighborhood Is
now apt to be felt in June, though Of course
it is not prolonged at that time.
The tendency of our weather seems to be
to arrive at n mean temperature through
out the year. eilecting kind OF abolition OF
great and intensely disagreeable increase
in the amount OF water held in solution in
the atmosphere. Rain. nevertheless, is no
more common than ever, and very often as
has recently been the case, the air may he
so filled with moisture that respiration
is measurably more difficult, while the
ground beneath lis parched and dry to
the extent OF veritable drought. While
few profesScd meteorOlogists will be- willing
to agree upon any one way OF putting the
matter, they all admit we believe, that
there is some basis for the suppostion OF u
decided climatic change And for our part we
think that the various theories propoundcd
by these wise men As probable causes for
this change-that the Gulf Stream is COM
ing nearer to the coast, tho cutting down
of our forests, n change in the earth's axis
are all unsatisfactory. The new kind OF
weather is here and we must make the best
Of it, wondering what we have done to de-
serve such evil
One thing the meteoroIogists can do, and
especially that particular meteorological
who presdes over the Government f,nc-
tions OF this kind, is to exercise a little
more care in weather prophecies or in pro-
claiming changes in the weather based
on conditions elsewhere when conditions
here are wholly stationary. So far MS
have observed, the Governments
weather man in the daily indications which
he sends out for our local weather, fails to
take into consideration the state of the
atmosphere which exists to the seward OF
our coast line. The predictions for forth
coming weather in our city and over the
Middle States at least, seem to be founded
upon high or low 'thermometrical areas" in
the South and West, wholly irrespective Of
their possible modification by the great and
varied streams Of influences pouring in
from the SEQ. II consideration is really
given to these influences there is naught in
the Government forecast to indicate it.
1t is not expected that the weather experts
can definitely understand what these in
fuences are. But they might spare
themselves such modification and the pub
lie such disappointment and indignation as
have attended their efforts in the last week,
for instance, II to their prophecies OF future
weather they attached the saving clause,
Subject to the unknown influence OF the
east wind" Indeed II our recollection
serves, such was the phrase formerly
universally attached to the Government
weather Indications; and we are at a loss to
know why ii was ever abandoned.
Another common fault OF the Weather
Bureau is akin TO the foregoing, namely,
that having found n storm or other marked
weather condition in certain locality
with the rate OF its progress evident, the
Bureau sets and predicts definite time for
the arrival OF a storm in another far distant
locality, quite regardless OF what may
happen to it on the journey. How MANY
cold or warm waves" have been To-
Gated in Manitoba or other parts OF
the West which. after they have been
impressively announced as due here
on n fixed day and sometimes at fixed
hour have never been heard OF more.
save in fugitive references In the weather
reports az having been "disspated"
over the South or. as having disappeared"
down the st. Lawrence Valley. The COM
motion caused in the early summer by the
horrifying warnings sent over the United
States by the Weather Bureau OF the dread
approach OF the West Indian hurricane.
will be remembered. Ships from one end
OF the Atlantic coast to the other were tied
up at their wharvcs. while families as far
north IA New Jersey spent their nights in
the cellars OF their houses awaiting death.
When the hurricane did come it was barely
recognizable in lower Florida as an ord-
nary windstorm.
Such haste and carelessness has its
serious side: but for the most part. we are
happy to say, the Weather Bureau at these
not infrequent times is in no worse plight
than hcvy of trunlpeters who, having
drawn crowd and nearly burst themselves
in hernlding the royal approach in state,
discover that the king went out privately
by rear door, some hours before.