The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-07-29
LONG-RANGE WEATHER FORE.
CASTS.
Public Interests Are Injured by Their
Publication.

publication.
1t is to be regretted that some
newspapers give valuable space to
so called lon~-range weather forecasts
covering periods Of a month or longer,
that might be devoted to something
better, a few, it appears, even paying
for the privilege of publishing them.
In the opinion of the leading meteor
ologists of the world, public interests
are injured by their publication, es-
pecially by such predictions as relate
to severe storms, floods, droughts II
other atmospheric disturbances OF a
dangerus or damaging character. IL
the science of meterology had advanc-
ed to such an extent that weather
forecasts of a reliable cnara~ler for a
year or even a month in advance was
possible, some Of the prominent me-
t~eorOlOgiStS, astronomers or Otner
other scientific investigators OF this
or other countries, especially 0
connected with government instltu-
tons, would doubtless have discover
ed the fact ard have utilized the dis
covery for the benefit of the public;
instead. they consider that forecasts
for long periods in advance are as yet
not only impossible, but misleading
and harmful. We are always ready
to welcome any new successes in SCI
entific investigation and research,
especially such as may be applied to
the welfare Of the public, and are pre-
pared to never be astonished at the
achievements of science. but we also
like to see good results. TIC the man
who gives the matter serious thought
when reading some OF these long
range forecasts, it is interesting to
note the uncertainty in expression as
to the time and geographical bounda-
ries within which the conditions
prophesied are to occur, and the init
nations of coming danger or disaster
somewhere.
The United States covers an extern
sive area and it probably is seldom
that an atmospheric disturbance OF
more or less energy is not in opera
ton somewhere within this area. Pre-
dictions that require such ambiguity
of expression as some 70 these fore
casts manifest might we'll be consid-
cred of no value to the man who
thinks for himself and Of evident dis
advantage to the c%redulous.
The weather bureau Of the United
States department Of agriculture,
which we as a people have just rea-
son to be proud of, does not undertake
to issue long-range forecasts, and un-
til that bureau dOes so we are content
in the opinion that to the interests OF
South Dakota, at least, the publication
of them is harmful. The time may
come, and We sincerely hope it will,
when 1t may BIO possible to forecast
with some certainty the weather for
the coming seasons, or to specify In
what respect the coming month or
season will conform to or depart from
the weather that is common for the
month or season, but we believe that
that time has not yet arrived.
The man who now originate so
called long-range forecasts may be-
lieve that thew have discovered some
thing in this respect that eminent sci
entists OF the world have not been
able to find, but whether they do or
not it appears to us, after careful in
yestigation Of the subject, that the
omission of such matter from Jul
newspapers would be beneficial to
public interests.-Huronite.