The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-28
COLD WAVE FLAG
GIVES WARNING
AT THE FREEZING POINT
MERCURY WILL PROBABLY BE IN
SAVANNAH BY TONIGHT.

Cold Wave Accompanied by High
Southwest Winds, Shifting to
NOrthvest-DrOp in Temperature
Will Extend Well Into Florida.
Front Line of Cold Wave Over
Mobile and MOntgOmery-Advan
ing Steadily Toward South Allan
tic Coast.
Temperatures in Savannah to-
night should be at the freezing point
and still falling.
That is the cherries news that went
forth from the weather man yesterday
and the night reports from different
stations throughout the country We're
but gloomy combinations of the
prediction.
Sweeping down from the northwest
with resistless force comes the storm.
High southwesterly winds, shifting to
northwest, accompany it. Bitter, freez-
ing, cold follows in it's wake, the
wave well-formed and strong, and
seemingly not even delayed by the
brighter conditions that oppose it.
Throughout the Northwest snow and
ice prevail and the bleakness, cheer
lessness, and biting cold is pushing
rapidly southwark.
Flags of Warming Fly.
At o'clock yesterday morning the
cold wave covered the entire country
west of the Mississippi, it's front line
just touching the Mississippi river
but pushing steadily and rapidly
eastward. Every indication is that
the wave will move forward until it
covers the entire South and Southeast.
Storm-signals and cold wave flags
float from Jacksonville to Fort Mon
roe in warning of the approaching
conditions.
At o'clock the front line of the
storm had apparently crossed the
Mississippi river and was just touch
ing Mobile at the extreme sC-~h and
Memphis at the north Phenomenal
drops of temperature, high winds that
reached velocities of from 40 to so
miles an hour. and in many places
sleet and snow mark the approach
of the storm.
Mercury Dropping Suddenly.
The last reports from the different
stations showed that the cold wave
and storm had forced its way well into
the southwest, and was rapidly APP
preaching the eastern coast. At Mo-
bile, mercury had fallen to A degrees.
Montgomery reported a temperature of
A degrees, and a southwest wind of
thirty-six miles an hour. AT New Or
leans tempera lures had fallen to AZ;
Galveston had dropped to 40 degrees,
though the wind was bowling along
from the southwest with velocity of
thirty-six miles an hour.
Palestine, Tex, reported only "a de-
grees Memphis had dropped to &c
nd rUactarlU wind of thiT-
ty-six miles an hour, made conditions
seem even colder. At Vicksburg freez-
ing temperatures are reported and a
northwest wind of sixteen miles an
hour, but increasing in strength. At
lanta was the only Georgia city to
report a decided falling Off and there
mercury stood at only 46 degrees.
The coolest place in the country to
report last night was Chicago. There
mercury stood at only 10 degrees and
southwest wind of fifty-two miles
made conditions uncomfortable. Kan
sas City and st. Louis both reported
temperatures of only degrees, with
northwest winds of twenty-four miles
an hour. Nothing could be obtained
from Marquette, st. Paul, Dodge City,
or North Platte, cities which are in
the center of the cold wave and the
high winds.
Temperature Falling Here.
The first touch of the change in
weather conditions came to Savannah
last night with two short showers.
During the first IL of an inch of rain
fell and IA during the second When
the rain had ended, though the sky
was still cloudy and OVERCAST, the
balminess seemed to have gone out of
the air and the first chill of the adj
vance line of the cold wave to have
taken its place.
The wind, which blew from the
southwest, freshened considerably and
by midnight had developed consider
able strength. Mercury, which had
climbed to the II degree point at 4
p. m. had dropped to &c at observa-
ton hour, o'clock. By midnight 6
more points had been clipped off and
it was still falling.
Freezing Point Tonight.
The first effects of the cold vave
and storm should be felt here this
morning. The falling off in tempera-
lures will continue throughout the day
and by night mercury will probably
have reached the freezing point or
lower. The cold wave will be felt as
far south as middle Florida.
This morning further predictions
can be made, when the reports from
the different stations are received.
Warnings have been telephoned to all
points where shipping can be COM
municated with, to truck farmers, and
to the freight depots of all the rail-
roads. Perishable goods, plants etc,
will be amply protected and no dam
| age is probable as result of the cold.