The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-11-20
A GENUINE
KONA STORM
Prof. Lyons Thinks It
Is Not Over Yet.
WHERE It CAME FROM
Territorial Meteorologist Describes
Weather Phenomena Peculiar
To Hawaii,

The storm which has prevailed for the
past few days throughout the entire group
of Islands is the chief topic of discus
SIGN The causes and effect, atmospheric
and otherwise, have been advanced by
the knowing ones. The individual who is
unable to tell the difference between
ships compass and IA barometer or
trade wind and a kona is always heard in
the rand 1t is fact worthy of note, how
ever, that the Island group has been Wis
tied by the heaviest storm experienced
for years, while the barometer has reg
stered exceedingly low and the end Is
not yet
During an interview yesterday afternoon
with Professor Lyons, who has been con-
nected with the Government survey for
the past twenty-eiBht years, and who for
the past nineteen years has kept the
weather records. the Advertiser obtained
much information. He states that the
storms that have ragged for the past rev
days is what has always been termed a
"Kona'' by the natives, meaning OF
course a strong wind from the southwest,
called Kona in the native language, which
indicates the southwest corner of the
compass.
The white population have adopted the
word and use it to express this kind Of
storm where the wind is from the south
west or varying to the west and north,
said Professor Lyons. There Is no de-
gree of regularity in the coming of the
Kona but they appear in the winter sea-
son and mostly in November though oc-
casonally in other winter months one
having occurred as late as April.
"ln point of fact it is simply temper
ate zone revolving storm, while the move
ment itself is from the northwest as near
a. known. These revolving storms pass
across the Northern Pacific Ocean from
east to west, generally as far north as
latitude 40 or 50. We frequently catch
one of the southwest side of the circum-
ference of the circle, that gives us
northerly winds for a few days which
pass off. When the path of the storm is
well to the southwark, then We catch the
center and the southeastern side, which
gives US southwest winds, shifting to the
north after 1t has passed over. 1t seems
likely that the recent storm Is the one
encountered by the Doric on her recent
passage from Yokohama. She probably
sailed out of 1t. possibly travelling more
rapidly than the center of the storm did.
Honolulu is very much sheltered from the
Kona storms by the mountains, which set
the winds back and break their force "a
sometimes hear of Kona prevailing on
Maui, which is barely perceptible here: OF
course vessels at sea get the full force
of it,
THE heavy surf on the reef and the
very low barometer indicates that this
was an extensive storm and quite violent
at sea. As to the damage done by these
storms in the past, 1t can be stated that
houses have frequently been blown down
at Koolau. on this island, and also at Ko-
hala and other places on Hawaii.
point to be taken into consideration and
from which the Kona storms have gained
such an undesirable name is the fact that
the native houses and coasting schooners
are fitted out for trade winds, and are not
ready for winds coming in the opposite
direction The Island shipping have often
bod to rtIn IN r n no