New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-20
THE BACKWARDggss OF SPRING.

THE BACKWARDEESS OF SPRING.
Although there was a snowstorm In New-York
State and New England last week which was
remarkable for the time Of year, the average
temperature for the current month thus far has
been scarcely more than one degree below the
normal. The deficiency for March IN the East
was hardly any greater. Compared with the
same months last year the difference Is strlk-
ing. The temperature for March, 1908, In this
part Of the country was the highest known
since the establishment OF q national weather
service The excess In April was not so con-
spicuou5, but II was enough to give distinct
character TO last spring Taken by itself, the
present season Is not so very backward-per-
haps not more than n week or two. II is too
early TO look for green grass and Towering
shrubs outside OF the city parks, but people
who hunt in the right places can already find
arbutus and hepatica. Ploughing is hampered
By an occasional freeze at night, and the plant
ing Of garden vegetables IS retarded by whole
some fear OF frost. Il IS not at all unlikely,
though, that when the heavier seeding is at
last practicable, at least part Of the lost time
may be made up TO the agriCulturist. More
over the farmer has learned that a little delay
sometimes proves q blessing rather than
curse.
For the unusual length and severity OF tho
government meteorologists are Offering no by
pothesis at present. This much. however, APP
pears from the official records. SO far as they
have been published: All parts Of the country
did not suffer alike. over the largest part OF
the United States and Canada in December the
temperature was much lower than usual. but
on the eastern slope Of the Rockies and up IN
British Columbia and the Northwest Territories
Il was above the standard The cold OF Janu-
airy was felt chiefly on this side OF the Allssis-
sippi. Excessive warmth was reported stimuli
taneously in nearly the whole Rocky Mountain
region and in Manitoba. In n broad sense,
then, the severity Of the last winter WAS
local While it is not incredible that a COM
bnation OF influences rather than any single
cause was at work 10 produce the observed eff
feet It seems wise to look for terrestrial ex-
plantations in preference to cosmic. II sun
spots for instance, had anything to do with the
observed phenomenon, il would seem rational
to expect a more general prevalence of wintry
conditions over the whole continent. and, in
fact, over the whole globe. Such an Inference
is not an absolute necessity, bet, on the whole,
1t IS safer TO hunt for local agents first
The suspicion that volcanic eruptons in the
West Indies. almost exactly two years ago,
may have affected the weather somehow has
been entertained by a number Of 81 gaCiOus peO-
pie. What looked Ike partial confirmation OF
that notion was afforded by certain Observa-
tons made at the Smithsonian Institution.
One set of these related to fluctuations in the
intensity Of solar radiation, and the other to
the extent to which the atmosphere absorbed
the latter and thus checked its progress 10 the
earth's surface. So far any published in
formation goes the world is in the dark about
what has happened since last June. 1t is n
notable fact, though, that the absorption seemed
TO be greater during the first half OF 1903 than
In 1902 as II water vapor. volcanic dust
something else had been acting as a screen TO
the suns rays. However, in the northeastern
part of the United States year ago the weather
was extremely hot, not extremely cold! More
over, cOnceding that there may have been IN
invisible veil which shut off some of the suns
warmth during the earlier part Of last year,
there is no available evidence that # had not
disappeared before winter came The volcanic
dust theory does not yet fully fit the facts.
Prolonged departures from the normal tenn
perature Of a given locality and season are
often directly associated with slight excuses
deficiencies in air pressure over adjacent
areas. The direction and force Of the wind de-
pend upon pressure. the air always flowing
from high to low" Accentuate or dimin-
ish the barometric gradient, and the districts
trlversed by the wind will be colder or hotter
and experience serener or stormier weather ac-
which to indulge regarding the conditions
which have existed for the last five or six
months east Of the Mississippi would be to be-
lieve that this has been the immediate cause.
Manifestly, an unusual banking up of air would
produce dissimilar results in different places
In one there should be an excess OF cold north
erly winds, while in another an undue amount
Of warm sOutherly breeZes would prevail
These Irregularities and eccentricities of distri-
button grow out of the general circulation OF
the atmosphere, which is caused by solar heat
II may be found eventually that the aerial pot
bos more briskly at time than another,
and the output Of solar heat undergoes percep-
tible variations. Again il is possible that alter
ations in solar magnetism and electricity also
play a part In weather changes Just now,
though, It is better to stop with recognition
of the fact that the average air pressure over
wide tracts OF land and sea for weeks and
months at a time is little higher or lower
than the mean for many previous seasons.