Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-06-06
FREAKS OF WEATHER
FOGs, WINDS AND STORMS OF VA
REo IRREGULARITIES.
The "Williwau" That Spends Itself
Upon TERRA del FuegO-The "Fohn"
Wind of Switzerland and the Fc-
rocious "PurRa" of Siberia.


Upon TERRA del Fueso-The "Fohn"
Wind of Switzerland and the Fc-
rocious "Purga" of Siberia.
In mountainous countries, such as
Scotland, fog usually forms at the
top of hill and works downward.
The cold mountain top, cooling warm
current of wet air, renders its moisture
visible, and this cold fog, being of low
er temperature than the air below and
therefore heavier, drops gradually to
the valley. Colorado, however, can
show an exception to this general rule
There jim winter the frost on the low
ground is so intense that fog often
forms in the valleys and works slowly
up the mountain side. This is known
by the Indian name of 'pOgonfp."
Peru has hundreds of square miles
along its coast of rainless country. In
this tract rain is never known to fall
from one century's end to another. Yet
the region is not entirely barren Of veg
citation. Some parts of it, indeed, are
comparatively fertile. This is due to
the extraordinary fogS known as ga
ruas." They prevail every night from
May to October after a summer that is
sultry and extend up to level Of 100
feet above the sea. Above 1900 feet
rain falls.
The "callna' of Spain Is fog we
may be rateful that we do not have.
1t is a dry, yellow mist which some
times hides the sun for days at q time
over vast tracts of country and makes
the sky look as though covered with
leaden gauZe.
Another peculiar freak of weather
we must be thankful to escape is the
"williwau.' This form Of storm is
confined to that farotf island TERRA del
Fuego. The coast is indented with
deep f1ords crowned with high noun
tains. Down from their gorges drops
the ''williwau." A low, hoarse mutter-
ing is heard in the distance. Sudden
ly, without the least preliminary puff,
a fearful blast of wind drops upon the
sea. The water is not raised into
waves, but driven into fine dust. For
tunately the shock lasts but ten or
twelve seconds, and calm follows at
once, for no vessel could stand such
wind for even half minute. During
the coming and going of a 'williwau"
the barometer may be watched to drop
a tenth of an inch or more and rise
again at once.
Similar in name if not In nature is
the willy willy" with which Kalgoor-
lie gold diggers are acquainted, to their
cost. "Dust DEVILS" some people call
them. Half dozen may be seen dane
ing harmlessly along over the desert
when suddenly one will dive into the
city and fill all the shop windows in
Hannah street with dust and sand,
binding every passerby. The willy
willy" is Il thief of the worst kind. 1t
will steal the washing from a line or
the roof from shed. In some parts Of
the country wire ropes are anchored
over the roofs of huts to save them
from the attacks Of these odd little
whirlwinds.
Most people have heard of the "fOhn'
wind of Switzerland, that warm, dry
gale which comes over the mountains
and In spring will melt two feet Of
snow in day. Its cause is most Pc
culiar. The "fohn" comes from the
south. As 1t strikes the Alps it is wet
like most gales which have crossed the
sea, but the south face Of the noun
tains receives its rain, and as it crosses
the submits it is dry. The moving air
current is also compressed and there
fore Dramatically heated. AS 1t falls
into the northern valleys in cataract
of air it gains heat at the rate of half
a degree for every 100 feet Of descent.
1t usually blows for two or three days,
causing great suffering by its dry heat
and oppression. While it lasts the tenn
perature is about thirty degrees above
the average. The Chinook" of Brit
ish Columbia and the western side of
the United States is very similar to the
'fohn."
England has adopted the American
word "blizzard" for gale with snow.
But the blizzard, however, must yield
to the ferocious Duran" Of the central
steppes Of Asia and the ''purga" Of
northern Siberia. To be caught in gales
such as these means death in a very
few minutes, however warmly clad, for
the very air becomes unbrea thable, so
hlled Is 1t with spikes Of ice drift.
"Khamsin" Is the hot wind from the
desert which blows out of the Sahara
upon Egypt. The word means fifty,
from the idea that it lasts for fifty
days. The "khamsin" is terribly hot
and dry and sometimes brings pesti-
lsnce with it.
Red snow we have all heard Of. 1t
is caused by a microscopic infusorial
growth and only occurs in snow that
has lain unmelted for long time. In
Spitzbergen recently green snow has
been noted tinted by similar organisms.
"Gold DUST snow has often been
seen, but only in spring. At one time
1t was a mystery how the surface Of
new fallen snow came to be strewn
with shining yellow deposit. Now it
Is known to be due to the pollen Of
pine trees.-Pearson's Weekly.