The times., 1899-12-01
TIE WEATHER FUR AYEAR
Annual Report of W L. Moore,
Chief Of the Bureau.
Called to the Tempestuous
Conditions Mt the Close of 1895
Kites and Cloud Observations
Timely Warnings of Severe storms
Changes in the Forecast Work.

The annual report of Prof Willis L.
Moore, Chief of the United States Weather
Bureau, recently submitted to the Secretary
of Agriculture. deals largely with the work
of the bureau in announcing the tempes-
tuous weather of the closing months of
1898 and in the exploration of the upper air
by means OF kites and cloud observations.
No destructive marine storm occurred
without the danger warnings of the bureau
preceding the storm.
Timely and important warnings of Sc
| we're storms. hurricanes, cold waves, and
frost were issued on number OF occa-
sions. The latter end of 1898 was espe-
| cially stormy on the Great Lakes and the
New England coast. Probably the most
severe storm within the memory of the liv-
irg swept along the Massachusetts coast
on November 26 and q, entailine a loss
of at least 200 lives and many vessels.
This appalling loss of life was largely due
to the sailing of one vessel the Portland
with passenger list of probably 150 The
captain Of the Portland left Boston Harbor
at the regular time for sailing. D. M, al
though storm signals had been flying since
II a. m. and marine interests had been com
pletely notified Of the coming storm The
disasters of this storm will not soon be
forgotten, yet what might have been the
record of death and destruction if the har-
bors of the New England coast had not been
filled with hundreds of craft which had
sought a safe anchorage on the advices of
the Weather Bureau?
An important change in the forecast
work of the bureau was the extension of
the usual time limits of the night forecast
from thirty-six to forty-eight hours Per-
sons who receive the forecasts through the
morning newspaper frequently wish to
know the weather conditions to be expeeted
on the coming day. Although attempts to
extend the time covered by the forecas, s
had been made heretofore, they were not
successful. In the belief that as a result
OF the special study of the problem of fore
casting made during the past two years.
such an extension was not only practica-
bic, but very greatly desired forecast Off
ctals were directed that, beginning March
l, 1899, the period covered by the night
forecasts should be increased to forty
eight hours. The success already attained
has fully justified the. issuance of the or
der.
The only hurricane I'm the West Indies
during the season OF 1898 followed closely
the establishment of stations in that re-
glon. Hurricane warnings were cab,ei to
Weather Bureau Stations in the Lesser An
TILES September 10, in advance OF the storm
and the officials in charge were instructed
to give the widest possible distribution of
the warnings in their respective districts
The Weather Bureau observer at Bridge
town, Barbados, warned all local interests
OF the approach of the hurricane The
storm reached the island of Barbados the
night Of September 1e, and the islands of
st. Vincent and st. Lucia the morning of
September II. At Barbados SO persons
were killed, $50 injured, and property to
the estimated value Of $500 600 was de-
stroyed. '4
The season was prolific of marine dis
asters on the Great Lakes. One large
steamer, considered to be seaworthy in all
respects, was lost on Lake Michigan with
all on board, and three steamers were
driven on the rocky lodges Of Lake Su-
perior.
In the West Indies the work of estab-
fishing a storm warning service was prose-
cuted under very great difficulties The
natural inertia of native mechanics and the
difficulty of finding suitable quarters delay
ed the beginning of meteorological obser-
vations at the headquarters for the service
until August I, 1898. Within a short time
thereafter a small chain OF stations was
in operation and the bureau was able to
forecast the approach Of several severe
hurricanes, which have since happened
The West India service was also instru-
mental in giving advance warnings of a
hurricane that struck our South Atlantic
coast October 2 The coming of this storm
was successfully announced and sailing
vessels valued at $3.50 600 were held in port
until the danger had passed.
The bureau is in receipt of many COM
munications from local Government Off
cials and those whose lives were in dan
ger, CT who had property invested in
shipping, thanking the bureau for the
broad philanthropy which prompted the
Government of the United States to con-
tinue as a perpetual benefit to the COM
merce Of all nations that which was begun
under the direction of the President as a
war necessity.
Climate and crop services have been es-
tablished in both Cuba and Porto Rico,
and the organization is far enough ad-
vanced on both Islands to issue weekly
and monthly bulletins giving the condition
of the crops as affected by the weather.
In regard to aerial Investigations Prof.
Moore says that the kite observations were
continued until the middle of November, |
in which the elevation attained exceeded !
l ,000 feet, were made. A study of these |
valuable observations will hereafter be
made with a view of ascertaining what !
they may teach with regard to special /
areas Of high and low pressures, thunder
storms, haiIstorms, etc. For the first time |
in the history of meteorology facts are |
instead OF hypotheses as to the |
average air conditions for many days and |
over large region of country.
The cloud observations carried on for a |
year by international agreement form the !
subject of a detailed report by Prof Bige- |
low, which viii appear in the full volume !
several months hence. The primary object /
of the international committee was to Sc
cure concerted observations upon the di- !
rection and velocity of motion and the |
height of clouds, and thus determine the I
direction and velocity of the horizontal
motions OF the air in the principal cloud f.
levels. Such detarmiuation becomes very
important when applied to the origin and |
development OF storms and is particularly
appropriate to The American continent.
where the majority of storms have their
birth. The analysts OF cloud motions has
led TO better understanding of the crcu-
lation of the air in areas Of high and low
pressures. What the ultimate result of the
Investigations viii be in its bearing upon
the problem OF weather forecasting cannot
now be stated.
-I
An Italian hmm is;ration bureau.
An effort is being made by Baron Fava,