New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19
JACK FROST'S RECENT RAID.
A RECORD BREAKING INVASION OF THE
SOUTH.

spread nearly the WhOIe country eas' VI NV
Rockies between February and ID VIII iohs
remain a historic affair. But 1t was more eH-
ceptional in its character in the States along
the Atlantic coast. from Maryland southwark
and on the Gulf Of Mexico, than elsewhere
Coming Just after the mid-winter stage OF the
season had passed and after fully TWO mohths
of cold weather had prevailed, 1t was surprise
as well as a calamity in the particular ree'o" IN
dictated And although II is Impossible as yet
to estimate accurately the amount OF oan'ase
done or the extra expense incurred direc'y anu
Indirectly in consequence, it is already appa'eh.
that il has exceeded in severity any VisHatioh VI
It's kind for many years
II Is q recognized fact In meteoroios! 'n"'
when two cold waves sweep over the cou""'
in close succession the second one pears inc
market more effectually than the hrst Anu
that is what happened in the present instance
II Is Furthermore noticeable that co.d wave -
the Joint product of an area OF low Daroihe'r'c
pressure, which acts as suction engine anu d"
area Of very high pressure which Is e'sa"'''
mechanism for forcing out air from It's centre
along the earths surface.
On Sunday. February 3. there was in the Yves.
Culf a DEPRESSION or storm, which Slowly 'l'o'.
into Georgia and then out onto the
roast By Wednesday, the Sth, IL hau deh' "''
the Maine coast BY that time there h"u az
naared no in Montana and the Dako'as O'e
Id .'anti-cyclone," which was only 100 e"e
70 reduce its surplus OF cold air. Inc pai'"
va,uum created by the depression III the r'"-o'
vas promptly filled late in the week by the au
vance portlon of the high area. so tha' III 'i'e
lake region the Upper ono NaIey anu ''0
ctatee northeast of Washington the lowest tenn
nera,ures were recorded on Friday, February w.
mr. SATURDAY. the 18th. Meantime the cehie u
tho high area still remained in the Nor'h"eS'
nm Saturday Il received a vigorous reinforce
,,er, from some invisible base OF supplies up ]"
tho Arctic regions The barometer al Ass'hipoia'
inst over the frontier from Montana showed the
nreesure of 81 40 inches that morning. Such Il
record has not been made in that quarter TOT
several years.
simultaneously there appeared In the west
Culf another depression, which Immediately en-
tered into deadly conspiracy with the hish press
rro area The shortest path between them was
down the Missouri Valley and over Nof'her"
Texas and Louisiana. tremendous mortimer
developed on Saturday and Sunday and bathed
the intervening country with hood or atrhos-
phere whose temperature was at or below zero
As the storm moved to the eastward the cod
wave followed it into Alabama Georgia ana
1,,orida The most intense cold which the Gulf
States experienced was felt on Sunday and Mon
sav Then the depression came up the coast.
and on Monday night it was central off Boston.
Near and north Of the National capital there
was n snowfall unparalleled for more than
decade though above philadelphia the record
was not broken in respect to temperature. But
washington was not only buried In snow,
her temperature went lower than at any other
time since the United States Weather Bureau
was organized. in 1872. Vicksburg reported that
She mercury went ! degrees lower than the
scord for the last thirty years. and New-Or-
teams beat hers by degrees Indeed. through
that wide extent of territory known as the
South Atlantic and Gulf States" the tempera-
ture ranged from to 10 degrees lower than
ANYTHING known since the Civil War. The chart
which accompanies this article furnishes data
for a few prominent points. The temperatures
therein indicated are the lowest occurring with
in a week In some places the minimum was
reached when the first cold wave arrived and
at others only after the second made it's advent
The map therefore, is a composite the cold
shown by it was not felt simultaneously at all
points.
The first drop in temperature In some parts
OF the South. especially in the CarOlinas. was
great as 80 or 40 degrees like that in the
lake region and the Ohio Valley. In the West
Gulf States the first fall was not so severe and
abrupt But the second tumble amounted to be-
tween 10 and 20 degrees in the southern and
southeastern part Of the country. and carried
the zero line almost to the very edge Of the
Cuff Of Mexico. Freezing weather went far be-
low Tampa, and covered the orange growing
region and the winter resorts OF Florida as well
the sugar. cotton and vegetable-raising dis