Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1906-04-10
A New Weather Scheme
Will Soon Be Inaugurated
Professor Willis L.. Moore, Chief of
the Weather Bureau Makes %
Prediction.
io the DniIv Lender


Special to the Daily Leader.
Washington. April 9.-Professor
Willis T.. Moore has made a predie-
ton that IL will soon be possible
10 forecast weather a month ahead
has been fully concurred In by
weather scientists at this place and
they also believe that the next few
Years will witness most remarkable
advances i'm all lines OF meteorology.
4n s@s,, tae wearier observers nolu
IL not impossible thai even greater ac.
complishments may be had than those
predicted 10y Professor Moore and say
tie time may come when IL will he
possible To Interpret the seasonal
weather from year la year In advance
Now forecasts are made for from
thirty-six To forty-eight bours. The
government has been thirty years In
developing weather observations 10
forecast meteorological conditions for
two days Inc nights ahead. In this
work the United States has reached q
higher perfection than any other couu
try.
hNEtEN lOItCuNlb are Dhseu OIL Oh
servation OF surface conditions over
the entire country. Assistant Chief
Williams of the weather bureau ex-
planned. Professor Moore and his lieu
tenants are now branching out into a
new ield. This Is the exploration OF
the upper air or the atmosphere enyel
oping the earth up to a height or what
Is known as the ten mile level.
BY study OF upper air conditions, use
or the wireless telegraph for transmit
ting facts as 10 both surface and upper
air conditions at sea and by a system
or cooperation with other countries IL
- believed weather scienc can be de-
yeloped to "a degree that seems almost
beyond belief. Already the govern
ment has taken preliminary steps to
study the upper air. Three years ago a
special research Institution was begun
at Mount Weather, Virginia, In a high
altitude well suited for meteorological
observations.
Most Of the buildings are now up
and apparatus ready, and this summer
extensive work is planned In atmos-
pheric research. BY means OF balloons
and kites fiOated TO great attitudes and
delicate recording apparatus the tenn
perature. moisture. pressure, direction
and velocity Of the air at dizzy heights
will be ascertalned.
Magnetic observations will be taken
also. The absorption OF the suns heat
by the atmosphere will be measured.
and, more remarkable still. analysis OF
the sunbeam Will be made. In fact.
there will be the most minute study Of
everything pertaining To conditions
miles above the earth's level. Ii Is ex-
pected important results will follow
and that 1t will not be long before such
upper air observations can be extended
over the country.
When this study Is perfected at vari-
u points the weather men say there
Is nc telling how far In advance II will
be possible to read the weather.
The plain citizen ear easily tell when
going out on a months trip whether TO
take his umbrella and rain coat. The
effect ON agricultural industry and
many other Industries will obviously
be great.
Other nations have begun upper air
studies. with interesting results The
Germans especially have gone far In
this work. but mainly for scientific
purposes and with little idea or apply
ing their findings to practical weather
forecasting az yet. The possibilities OF
wireless telegraphy are enormous In
this connection. Already the govern
ment gets reports from various steam
ers and from lightships as To weather
conditions.
The weather bureau Is watching
closely Professor Alexander Graham
Bells experience with tetrahedral
kites. The other day at Fort Meyer.
near Washington, Professor Bell. with
a kite Mt 1000 feet, got a message
from $50 miles. An Rttaehe OF the
weather bureau is assisting him. As
the distance lengthens for transmits
sion Of wireless messages the neld for
weather reports from sea greatly in
creases.