Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-08-01
HOW TO FORETELL THE THUNDERSTORM


and negative, always try to unite. The
ascending portions of the air and the
clouds generally are charged with neg
ative electricity, while the surface or
the earth over which they swim are
charged with positive electricity. Each
seeks to unite with the other. The ma
jority of the particles are not strong
enough in electricity to span the space
of air lying between, and can do so
only under high tension. AS the frie-
ton increases, electricity accumulates
on the brims of the clouds and the pro-
jections Of the earth's surface, trees,
houses and mountains. The currents
of air become sturdier. They bend the
boughs of the trees, scourge the waves.
lash the ships. The last feeble sun rays
breaks through the massy clouds, cast
ing an unusual. threatening, and un-
canny light over the scene. The clouds
gather more and more thickly, trans
forming themselves from the light
cumulus clouds to rain clouds. The
struggle Of the negative and positive
poles of electricity become more saw
age. If metal ball is charged with
electricity only the surface becomes
magnetic The interior is not electri-
fed, similarly the microscopic drops of
water forming the clouds are electrical
only on their surface. Through the ever
greater condensation they come nearer
and nearer, and finally many together
form one large raindrop. This larger
raindrop contains all the electricity of
the many smaller drops, but as its sur
face is more limited than their COM
bined surfaces its electricity is of great
er power.
Storm in All It's Fury.
The raindrops, too large and heavy to
hover in the air, fall to earth. AS the
clouds merge, raindrops form more and
more rapidly and the rain falls more
violently and copiously. The storm s
now fully developed, and unburdens
itself with fury. Brilliant flashes of
light produced by powerful electric
sparks illuminate the darkness. and the
thunder growls in the sky. The tension
between the surface Of the earth and
that of the clouds has become stronger.
The tracts of air which at first were too
vast to be traversed by electricity are
now the pathway of lightning, not
only between earth and clouds, but also
between cloud and cloud, negative and
positive poles meeting whenever strong
enough to cross the necessary space
The lightning comes in three forms.
Zigzag lightning with Its crooked.
| branch-like forks, is produced when
electricity amassed in small proportion
al points opposite each other wishes to
meet. The electricity seeks to spring
across by the shortest route In
straight line, but is hindered by the re-
sisting masses or air and clouds. Hence
it goes as best it can, leaping to those
spots charged with electricity, whereby
it assumes it's characteristic aspect.
lightning Flashes 1900 Yards.
Flashes a thousand yards long are
not rare, while those 10000 and 1900
yards in length have been seen. The
vast force of these long flashes may be
guessed at when it is known that
streak a yard and a half long is the
largest that our stoutest apparatus per-
mits our eyes to inspect. Besides the
familiar destruction of the bolt in
houses, trees, beast, and man, it has
been known to charge iron fences with
magnetism. A single flash, as sci
entifc man has calculated, if utilized
with customary Illuminating appara-
tus, would yield enough power to light
| a city for month.