The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-19
COOL AND BRACING DAYS
How the Cyclone Came to Drift Over
to North Carolina.
WILL PROVE INJURIOUS TO COTTON
A Day Of Rain in Raleigh With Weather Calling
For Oyercoais and the Retirement
Of Straw Hats 10 the
Top Shelf.

Top Shelf.
Director Won Hermann sent out
warning to people living along the rivers
in Eastern North Carolina yesterday,
The bulletin announced that there would
be a considerable but not dangerous rise
in the rivers of that section during the
next forty-e eight hours. The estimate
was that the Cape Fear would reach 30
feet at Fayetteville, and the Roanoke %
feet at Weldon.
Locally the day was damp and drizz
ly specimen. When it was not pouring
it was drizzling, and when the drizzle
weakened you just absorbed moisture
out of the atmosphere as if you were a
human sponge.
1t got cold, too, and overcoats sudden
ly arrived on the scene, with collars
turned up about the neck. The man in
the straw hat received sympathetic
chances and the summer coat man had
a friendless look as the thermometer
crept down the tube and the water trick
led off of the umbrellas that banner like
were borne about yesterday.
The weather report of the day labelled
the disturbance as tropical storm with
a cool wave attachment. This cool wave
was reported as spreading rapidly south
ward and eastward from the central val
ley. Words telling of killing frosts with
temperature at and below 80 came from
Bismarck Huron and North Platte, while
light frosts were heard of at Detroit,
Chicago ST. Louis and Kansas City The
lowest temperature named was % de-
grees.
Inquiry of Director Won Hermann
about what was to be expected from
these tropical storms brought out much
information on the weather conditions,
and also the gratifying intelligence that
fine weather is to be looked for today
and will remain with us several days.
In reference to the weather itself it
was learned that certain disturbances
which Influence the weather in the
United States, especially in the Gulf and
South Atlantic States, have received the
distinctive name tropical storms be-
cause they originate in the region of
Gains near the equator and possess GER
tain peculiarities which distinguish
them from other storms or as the scien-
list calls them cyclones" cyclone is
merely an area of low barometer about
which the winds circulate in a spiral
course, and may be moderate or severe,
depending on the depth of the barometer
at the center.
Now the tropical storms as they form
over the ocean usually develop into
symetrical cyclones of much force, which
do immense damage both at sea and
when they strike the coast They are
peculiar in this way: all other storms
move off. towards the east or northeast
as soon as formed, but tropical cyclones
first move towards the northwest, and
about the latitude of 80 degrees north
they diminish in velocity, and slowly
curve around towards the northeast,
after which they again increase in speed
and force. Fortunately these destructive
storms usually occur only during August,
September and October.
The establishment of a system of OBJ
serving stations in the West Indies en-
ables the United States Weather Bureau
to keep track of all such disturbances
and to issue timely warnings of their
approach to South Atlantic and Gulf
ports. The storm which caused the ex-
yesterday was first observed by the
Weather Bureau on the morning of Sep
TENDER 18th when it appeared central
southwest of Porto Rico. From that po-
sition it moved in, the usual northwest
course into the Gulf of Mexico, and was
central south of Pensacola, Fla, at 8
a. M, the 17th
BY this time it had already begun to
J..
fact, it was probably prevented from en-
tering the Mississippi valley by the ex-
tensive area of high barometer and the
cool wave in the Northwest, and thus it
has thrust its unwelcome presence upon
US. the storm is not a very severe one
since the barometer has not fallen be-
low 1871 inches, and the maximum winds
reported We're only from 80 to SO miles
an hour.
During the night of September 18th it
moved northeast to Savannah Ca,
causing extremely heavy rains over Ala
bama. Georgia. South and North Caro-
lima, which will undoubtedly cause con-
siderable damage by floods and other
wise. During the 18th the storm con-
tinued it's northeasterly movement, prob
ably along the Atlantic coast and was
central at d. H. OH ddttefaS. Inc
effect of the storm will disappear rapidly
today, and the high barometer from the
west will spread over the State with
clear, cool weather, which may last sew
eral days.
The largest rains reported during the
last twentyfour hours were very note
worthy: Eufaula, Ala, 7.C2 inches;
Camak, Ca, 6.64; Newman, Ca, SIS, and
twenty-five other stations reported from
2 to inches. At Raleigh up to p. M
yesterday the total fall was $40 inches,
but the wind did not reach 25 miles an
hour, or as the sailors say that full
of water" The excessive precipitation
will undoubtedly prove very injurious to
open cotton, and further diminish the
yield of that staple.