The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-20
MOST DEADLY OF ALL STORMS.
PATHS or DESTRUCTION LEFT
m THE HURRICANES.
Their breeding Place I'm the west Indies
and Their Course Northw ard signs
ef Their Coming Tho Eauinoctisl
storm Danger Greate>t IN the south.


Cerr-isa' lsoi. =. r % Dsa-.
We near the end u the -eason Of the West
Indian hurricane. No other atmospheric
phenomenon takes ~ large a toll Of hu-
man life and destroys 80 great an amount
Of property. The tornado u swift and
terrible. and its passage lie the path Of
slaughter. but 1t Is a rar. visitor. it's range
Is soon spent. and the area Of devastation
j. narrow. On the other hand the hurricane
j. periodical ths swat 1t cuts il / 500 or 700
miles vide, and at the height OF it, fury,
a. at Galveston, It Stays its thousand where
tho tornado kills it, tens. Finally. Tho
tornado il often a by yellow of the hurricane
II rides on the wings Of tho greater wind.
and attends !, as famine ct pcs,ilcnce at
tends war.
4 few yesrs ago thes" vast storms were
technically called cyclones. thoug', that
term was also and erroncously employed
Ia designate the small. vhirling storm. born
e the little black cloud no bigger than a
mans hand which il. properly sIcaking.
Tho tornado Why Tho name has been
changed is not clear perhaps because the
word hurricane has a more terrifying sound
than cyclone
Originally the term hurricane Wa applied
49, |.fN NNN" - ~ - ANHAAF LNEN W r. v NNi"N
was associated vith storms Of the tasi
lndies and the China Sea N h purely n
loca~l designation. Now. IL II used TO dss.g-
nate all thosc widespread atmospheric
p"rturbations which move M from N"
region Of tho Wes' Indies. involving par'
~ the continent Of North America and the
Atlantic Ocean.
The hurricane season is from July To
October, Inclusive. Extensive storms form
Tag ~ moving over any part Il North
a VanFAsu wF .HNaT 1870 v.gHtla -. ..aNI.sN
cyclones, OF areas 81 low pressure, although
they might lie a. severe a. most hurri-
canes.
The IVES; Indian hurricane originates
~ develops m IN" southern region u the
zone of caStcrly tradc winds. generally
ea-t 81 the Windward islands, on the
border Of the Turrid Zone OF equatorial
bolt uf caluns. which ranges clos' 10 ten
degrees north latitude The tsli 81 calm.
or doldrums, a. they arr frequently called.
extends in Aug ust aud September from
three 90 eleven degrees north latit ude on
the Atlantic OCEAN and from seven 20 ten
degrees north latitude on tho Pacific Occan
The formation Of West Indian hurricanes
l. not fully understood IT" Infgrina-
ton al hand, which forms a summary oi
the study. would show that the~r storms
MAY H. DAYS CT even weeks IN forming
gathering In excessive moisture over n
central eglon Of excessive h-at. thus
gradually reducing the atmospheric pre-
N'ANF III wv NNlflNN lhNaTh lNl~ fftl'Tf
the surface or lower stratum 81 air starts
10 move from all points, and. l-,ing de-
n"ct'd. -ctS In operation a spiral inv ard
aud upward motion, th" movement icing
alwuy- from night TO left.
similar storms m the southern henlis-
pn'rc rotate from left to right The eN-
CessiNe moisture carried hy the upward
OF wind II condensed. the Atmps-
ph"nc pressure reduced. clouds are formed :
and heavy rain results. thus hbrrating a
great amount 81 heat utilized IN the pro-
cca~ Of evaporation
Tie i~ufluwiug aif currents blow horizon-
tally. with increa ,ing force a. they APP
preach the centre, gradually changing TO
"a vertical motion. and. when finally near
lh" centre. Ia an upward spiral motion
with the increasing fOrCO or spiral upward
AZ the Ccntre the infowing cur
rent at the surface hecomes more marked
until n vast region of air ls brought under
the influence OF al embryo hurricane.
Is an Upper s=ort.ont.i nS~ Of AR
with II cirrus cloud THESE spread far
In advance and are the f~orcrunners 81 the
approaching storm.
Several hours before these precursors
rcaCh the eye ~ tho observer the Atmosphere
beCOmc- very quiet and hazy often
almost a dead calm exists. The barometer
begins To- rise and all conditions point To- a
Of fair weather This i The lure Il
III" storm monster to deceive the unvarv
~ aIalili~'NI. III" NfHAl : shores ara ltnpu .
with the bones - hip that took no warn.
ing from hat bright, dead calm and rising
barometer. The experienced mariner in
Ia" tropical and semi-tropical seas becomes
keeps his weather eye out. paws
close heed to his glass and has all hands
Tor an emergency.
Soon the air hscomcs slightly hazy Far
aluft the flying scud 81 the lawu-likc cirrus
streams up 10 the zenith A surface
breeze springs up. moving IN the opposite
direction from the how OF IN" spreading
'louds. The breeze IL teing drawn toward
he centre 81 the impending storm The
Wind brisks up, h barometer begins 10
and presently black clouds darkcn the
horizon and tho hurricane II In sight.
II ~ not long after the rotary motion Of
he central column 81 warm air sets In that
he storm moves from its place Of formation !
n n westerly courSe, contrary 10 the move
ncnt ~ storms IN n more northeHy lati-
The westerly movement terminates
when tbs storm centre reaches the neigh
l"fhood 81 twenty-five or thirty degrees
lortL latitude and comes within the ia
iuence of tho prevailing south and west
II then rcCurves to the northeast
The recurvc may bring the centre In tho !
leighborhood OF the west CUR. OF possibly
@ the east of Florida In the Atlantic. Tho
torn centre then follows a CuIr-c nearly
.larallel with the Gulf Stream aud continues
course n~ortheastNard until beyond
hn region ~ observation II l. now an
Whirlpool OF VIVA, moving north
at cypress train speed, sometimes
akiug not nor" than twcnty-four hours
n passing from the Gulf of Mexico into the
>orth Atlantic.
In some cases these storms pass inland
'Ver the Gulf States 10 tho Great lakes
nd then out the 81 Lawrence Valley.
psing fore" IN travelling overland. II j.
aldoin that they retain their power n the
torn centre passes inland 10 the west
4 Va" Mississippi River. They display
heir worst elements Of wind and rain on
n near the coast. They appa rrntly ~.
themselves Uefone passing any great
inland, and become mere stmn--
depressions until they reach tho
axe Regions. where they ar~ supplied with
Moisture and regain sone ~ their former
~ rgy and pas out tho ~. Lawrence
alley or over tho New England States
10 tho Atlantic coast with considerable
prCe There ~ uo port on the A;lant.c
uast that has not it, rusicT Of missing ship,
ictims 81 tL">" great disturbances.
Hurricanes are characterized by very
eaNV rainfall and great wind violence. =
heir Creates forc- ~ axperiencyd h--
'T" they ccuTVc t. the northeast After
they inCicas" IN diameter and their
INV a. arsorltuglE dtTnt.i.hgl Iut .N- .