New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-09-12
4 STRANGE SPRING AND SUMNER.


Although there has been a return TO some
thing like normal weather with the approach OF
the autumnal equinox. the half yearly period
| now closing has certainly been one or excep-
| tional eccentricities. Over a large part of the
| United States and Canada during the month or
March a degree of warmth prevailed which was
unprecedented for many years. In limited To-
calities this excess was greater than any which
had been observed for over half century. A
little later. when the temperatures were more
seasonable. the northeastern part of the coun-
try experienced drouth which, for springtime,
was almost equally unusual. Scarcely more
rain fell here in the course OF fifty-two days
rhan often results from single shower. What
made such a scanty precipitation the more tan
talizing was the contrast afforded by copious
downpours in the Missouri Valley, where floods
not recently paralleled ensued. The third freak
in he'East was a series of daily transforms ex-
tending over fortnight Finally, after this
terminated, came three months so cool that one
hardly realized that it was summer at all.
Close observers of the weather in the temper
ate zones realize that a slight variation from
average conditions is always to be expected.
So conspicuous have been the departures during
the current year, however, that one naturally
wishes he might find 4 satisfactory explanation.
No authoritative, statement has recently been
made by experts on this subject, but up to a GER
tain point the phenomena can be accounted for
by familiar facts The immediate apparent
cause of the weather q given day is the dis
tribution of air pressure at that time The
wind blows from an area of high pressure to a
low one Upon the direction of this movement
depend humidity, rainfall and even tempera-
ture. Warmth comes with southerly breezes,
and cold with northerly ones The most obvi-
into
change of air between the tropical and polar
regions near the earth's surface Collision and
friction between these develop areas of conges-
ton, or banking up. and depressions; and the
two sweep over the country from west to east
by substantially the same paths. Any varia-
ton in their route velocity will sensibly af-
feet an extensive region. During March, for
instance, the northerly course and slow prog
ress Of the depressions along the Canadian from
tier In combination with exceptionally high
pressures south of the Ohio River gave to the
northeastern part Of the country a remarkable
abundance of southerly winds.
Then came a readjustment Of conditions The
small high pressure areas, which ought to have
travelled more rapidly. came to a standStill
over the lakes. not only preventing the rain
bearing low areas from reaching New-York and
New-England, but proonging the precipitation
chapter opened the barrier was removed TO the
vicinity Of Newfoundland, and the blockade re-
suited in thorough drenching of the districts
that had Just suffered from drouth Enough
data are not at hand TO show the pressure dis
t-ibution in July and August. 1t is not unlikely.
however that the banking up of the atmos-
phere over the ocean and the general subsi-
dence over the continent were more marked
than they ordinarily are in summer, and that
the abnormal GOODNESS of the last few months
was associated with, if not due to. an unusual
prevalence Of sea breezes thus generated
STILL it is possible that some other influence
was at work TO aggravate the natural inequali-
ties of air pressure and to explain the extremes
to which the abnormal conditions prevailed 1t
has been suggested that volcanic disturbances
in the West Indies, Mexico and Guatemala may
have thus operated by altering the direction or
force Of the great air currents of the globe
The notion is by no means absurd but il is
open TO at least one serious objection Both
near the surface and aloft the circulation in
the trade wind belts is now believed to be
largely independent of that outside the tropics
This was shown by the swiftness with which
the dust from krakatoa encircled the globe
along the equator, and the slowness with which
il spread northward and southwark
1t is also conceivable that sun spots may
somehow be related TO the business. The mini
mum stage of the last eleven-year period of
frequency was reached in 1901 and spots are
now on the increase Lockyer thinks that the
sun radiates more heat at the maximum stage
than at any other time but even were this so
meteorologists are not sure that any other ef-
feet would be observed than a brisker boiling ~
the atmospheric pot. K6ppen. well known
German expert, thought he detected evidences
Of slightly higher temperatures all over the
globe at and before the sun spot minimum.
From this alleged discovery a tendency toward
generally cooler conditions might now be ex-
pected; but his belief has not been fully estab-
lished. BTIckner has shown rather more con-
clusively that an oscillation between warm dry
weather and the cold, wet variety occurs IN
periods OF thirty-fve or thirty-sx years. His
observations assign the latest elimination of
| the former In the United States 10 ISSO-'s5
and hence there should be marked reaction ar
|. the present time. Lockyer goes step further.
and tries TO connect this change with sun snots.
| but even il he were right his theories vould
not clearly explain the spasmodic intensified.
| ton Of natural conditions that has recently
| been experienced. Further light is needed he
| fore the mystery can be regarded as solved