New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-17
4 RTT OF A FTPPTCANF.

The first general storm which the Middle
Atlantic States and New England have ex-
perienced for several months made its appear
ance yesterday on the coast on this side Of Cape
Hatteras Though It's path was comparatively
narrow. its progress was attended with great
destruction. Atlantic City was not only one OF
the first localities to suffer. but. by reason Of
the prevalent style of architecture there. was
peculiarly susceptible TO damage. Other places,
further inland and to the nOrthward however.
came in for their share of trouble Steeples
were blown down. houses unroofed vessels
stranded or wrecked. trees uprooted and tele-
graph and telephone wires Frustrated by gales
Of exceptional violence and many washOuts Oc-
Cured as a result Of the sudden and tremen-
dous downpour of rain.
While the full fury Of a West India cyclone
was moi exhibited. it was closely approached.
There is little doubt, moreover, that the invader
was really of tropical origin. 1t was not identi-
cal with the hurricane that visited the Ba-
hamas and Florida last week and that re-
tanned its organization for several days there
after. Traces of the earlier storm. greatly en-
feebled. were still evident on the weather maps
on Wednesday, the centre being in the East
Gulf States.
Many indications. however agree in fixing the
character Of the later disturbance. Its north
ward movement when the first hints Of it were
detected off Hatteras. suggests that its birth
place was in the warm waters adjacent TO the
Antilles. The startling fall Of the barometer
which attended it's advent and the almost
equally abrupt rise after the passage Of the
centre We're equally significant A third char
acteristic Of the storm which assists in identify
ing the type was fits small diameter. That was
illustrated by the short duration of the heaviest
Dor tf,o obs 81
such storms when once well outside the tropics
is more rapid than while they remain in low
attitudes. and partly because this latest speci-
men seems TO have been below the average I'm
intensity. its effects were not so terrible as
those witnessed in Jamaica a few weeks ago.
Yet most people will he content to accept fits
pretensions 10 being the genuine article. with
ont insisting on a closer conformity to estab-
lshed standards.
Owing TO the proximity of the equinox. no
doubt yesterdays demonstration raised the
question in many minds whether or not this
was the equinoctisl storm" belief in such
a storm is still rather common. but meteorolo-
gists discourage It. The propriety Of the phrase
Of course. depends on the precise sense in which
il is used. Owing 10 the greater temperature diff
ferences between the tropics and polar regions
IN winter than in summer. there is n brSker
general circulation Of the atmosphere in the for
Iner season than in the latter. In other words
higher wind velocities. On the whole. are OBJ
served In cold weather than in warm. Sooner
or later during the second half of every year
there is a transition from one set Of conditions
TO the other, and the change is not always i'm
perceptible. In some parts Of the world it is
occasionally introduced by disturbance Of con-
spicuous severity. though this may occur as
as FSf or ate Cirfo "
vember. To calling such storm an "equinoc-
tial" there could certainly be no objection. Ex-
perts who have examined the record for many
years. though, say that no greater number of
heavy storms visits this country within five
Gays or September II. eitaer before or after,
than during any other ten-day period in autumn
or winter. Hence they discredit the theory that
any immediate effect is produced upon the
weather by the suns crossing the line