New-York tribune., 1899-07-25
~'TTs NOTHING BUT A SHOWER"
HOW IT COMES AND GOES. IN QUICK
TEMPERATURE CHANGES.
RALPH s rARR EXPLAINS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
SOME OF THE WONDERFUL MYSTERIES

RALPH S. rARR EXPLAINS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE
SOME OF THE WONDERFUL MYSTERIES
OF THE CLOUDS.
During IN. summer months the swift and fire.
quent changes Of cloud and sky may be stuu'ed
continually since It is possible TO stay out Oh coors
all the time ir ranstorm haph o. ia'''
OF Cornell gives the following exposition OF sum
mer shower that will explain 10 the little people
who are ever finding curious things In the "orlo'
how the rain falls to gladden. the dry ear'h'
CLOUDS AND RAIN AND HAIL
TT is a hot summer day. the air is mussy and
oppressive. so that the least exertion causes
nersnration and even in the shade one Is un-
comfortably hot. Soon great banks OF CLOUDS ap-
pear The clouds draw near. lightning Is seen ana
thunder heard. and from the black base OF tne
cloud torrents Of water fall upon the ear'h' Oh
such a day as this the air near the grounu 10 80
damp that It gives up vapor easily, az you can
prove by allowing a glass Of ice water 10 ~ e1a"u
a table and watching the drops OF W.
gather there. causing the glass TO sweat inc
sun beats down upon the heated ground anu 'ie
surface becomes like furnace so tha' '"o ~
the ground is warmed.
"On such day. II you will watch clouo' !ou
will notice that its base is fat and this MARKS '"s
height above the ground where the temperature
Of the atmosphere is low enough 10 cnahge tne
vapor 10 fog particles. or course the ar sun
rises somewhat above this base. and continues u
get cooler and to have more and more vapor coh-
densed. This makes pile Of clouds resting o" INC
level base but with rounded tops
Just on the mountain side the drops grow larser'
until they must fall so here fog particles gro"
10 drops Of such size that they are too nea'y 10
foat.
This growth is often aided by the violent cur
rents OF air. which sometimes tumble ana 'oS 80
clouds about that you can see the commo'o'
from the ground These currents blow one par"-
Gle against another. forming single drop i,o'
the collision OF two; then still others are auueu'
until the raindrop is so heavy that 1t must ia'l'
But sometimes the air currents are so 'aP't
that the drops are carried on up, higher anu
higher. Notwithstanding the fact that tnsy are
heavy. Then they may be carried so hieh anu
into air so could that they are frozen forums lns
hail These hailstones cannot slnh 10 ~ %currents:
until they thrown out or the Vloleht Su''''
then they fall. , ,-uI
Some hastones are OF great size you wi! I'm
find il interesting 70 examine them II you 20 , a-n
notice the rings OF clear and couded Ice tha' az
often 10 be These are caused "heH III, 'roi,s
after forming, settles TO place where innt ~ Trow
ing larger by the addition of more vvsRRor.. .. The
continues. until finally the ice ball falIs 10 '"e
There is thunder and lightning in such storms terms
Sometimes the flash goes from clouo 20 ,eroT.s
exactly why the lightning comes. but we 90 h!io.
that il is an electric spark. something lKe Ihae
which can often see pass from the "O'e' ~
"-rhese are only few OF the things Of interest
that you can see for yourself by STUDYING S She
What Won car observe for yourself. Watch es-
pecially the clouds for they are not only interest,"
ing but beautiful Their forms are OFTEN eraceIu!'
and they change with such rapidity that you can
notice II as you watch them. Even IN me uay slIs
their coors and shadows are neau{I finI Ds1se5 D11
10 gorgeous banks Of color Watch the clouds and
you will be repaid.