The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1903-08-27
WHAT A CLOUD BURST REALLYls
Result Is as If the Bottom Dropped
Out of a Suspended Lake.

When we read in the newspapers
that a "cloudburst' has occurred ONE
where and has resulted in great loss of
life and destruction of property we are
prone to consider the term merely one
used for a sudden and excessive rain
storm. While, OF course, 1t would be
wrong to consider a cloud as a great
bag or envelope filed with water, and
which has only to burst in order TO de-
LUCE the earth beneath, there is really
such a thing as a "cloudburst" as dis
tinguished from n rainfall, however
heavy the latter may be. The New
York Herald gives a clear and interest.
Ing explanation OF just what a cloud
burst really is and a study of the
phenomenon will prove of interest, par
tlcularly as 1t was a genuine cloud
burst which a few days ago practical
ly wiped the town Of Heppner, Oregon,
from the face of the earth and de-
stroyed some 200 lives.
The 'cloudburst' is always preceded
and caused by a windstorm or small
cyclone, the air whirling in a circle and
at the same time moving along horl-
zontally. As the air whirls about in a
circle II forms a sort OF cone with the
apex at the top. This whlrling motion
causes an thrush Of air from all sides
at the base and these masses of air
quickly form a powerful and rapidly
ascending current in the heart of the
nascent tornado.
Now, II the atmosphere through
which this wlndstorm is pa ssing Is de-
void of moisture, there will be no rain
fall, but If there is a quantity of moist
ure In the air the ascending current In
the center Of the tornado will natural
ly, in carrying great quantities OF 1t
skyward, pile up this moisture in the
form of a cloud at the top. This cloud,
being In n colder stratum of air, speed
lily becomes densely saturated with
moisture. Under ordinary clrcum.
stances this moisture upon being con,
densed into drops would be precipltat.
ed to the earth, but in this instance the
pressure OF the upward current pre-
vents 1t falling. On the outskirts OF
the cloud, where the pressure is less
rain does fall, but at the apex of the
whirlwind 1t continues to become more
and more dense.
Finally the conditions become so tina
the column of ascending air is sup
porting above 1t a veritable lake. Now
so long as this air pressure is main
tanned the water cannot fall, but a:
soon as the storm strikes a mountain
the raised land breaks and destroys thu
whirlwind and the water is permitted
to f~all-always on the leeward side o.
the mountain. The water m dow
In a perfect deluge, much the same a
il a lake had been suspended In thu
hea n and the bottom had suddenly
fallen out. IL the 'cloudburst," as thi
Is called. takes place over a marrow
valley down which the great mass o
the water must fow to find a level on
can readily see what a force 1t mus
bring to bear on everything whicl
, stands in the way. When 1t is borne IL
mind that a single inch Of rainfall owe
one square mile weighs 10000 tons, 1
is not difficult to imagine what a RUS
of water follows the sudden downfa
of several inches oyer a space Of eyel
much less than a square mile.
A glimpse of the illustration furnish
cd on this page will make very plat
the operation Of this terribly destruC