New-York tribune., 1906-04-03
WEATHER FORECASTS.
General Conditions Knoscn Weeks
an 4dUonce.
fFrom The tribune Bureau ]

rFrom The Tribune Buresu1
washington, April 2-The new system Of
lonr range weather forecasting by which the
United States Weather Bureau expects TO pre-
DICT IN advance the general character of the
seasons for periods OF several weeks at time
VIII go into effect next December. The Weather
Bureaus h-st essay along this line will prob-
sblv ne an attempt "a forecast early in Deem
her he weather for the Christmas holiday sea-
son Professor Willis /. Moore. chief OF the
weather Bureau. who announced his intentions
81 2 dinner given by the Maritime Association
IN New-York recently, declines for the present
- enter into details as 10 the plans proposed or
she scientific disclosures by which long range
vreather forecastins is 10 he made possible Mr.
Moore contented himself with saying 1T is
obviously inadvisable 10 widely herald cur plans
or 70 make predictions as 10 their success
Nevertheless it is true THAI the bureau is pre-
psred 10 enter upon new field of observation
As the result Of our researches Mount
Weather. and Of the Investigations that have
been going on since the bureau was started. we
nave obtained knowledge Of meteorological phe-
r,orpenS tha. viii surely advance the accuracy
cf weather fo-ecastine We do not intend 10 put
these plans in operation. however. until they
have been subjected 10 thorough test Still
eurthel scientific investigation is necessary
In explanation Of tlc proposed long range
-reathe~ forecasting. Nr Moore said there would
he 10 efor. 70 predict The exact character OF the
weather on 2 certain day month in advance.
we viii no. attempt to predict fo~ instance"
said NJ NsEe "tha, thcre viii be rain on
ar-l y or thar April - vlll ne bright ana fair.
The effort VIII be r1erely 10 forecast the general
rha-acte~ o.: The weather fov that weeks period,
As. for smpie. thai il viii be cold and Wet. or
hot ana dr. Climatic conditions will be fore
caste, with a degree of accuracy.
Meteor ,-oioaists here attribute whatever suc-
cess The Weather Bureau may achieve ir fore
c5stl-K th- seasons 70 more intimate knoVvl-
saqe of sol9r r7vsics Mr. Moore has repeatedly
STATED TINT the further Development o: our
know ledge o. storms ana OF the weather gen
.ranv depends in large measure on a better
understanding of the sun and its relation 10 the
,-le+eoroioav OF the earth. The sun, in his opin-
ion. is the initiating cause of all movements of
the atmosphere affecting the weather. 1t was
primarily 10 carry ont researches along this line
thar the station was established at Mount
Weather Seven buildings have been erected
there ana the most approved apparatus has been
ins1aIled for studying atmospheric electricity
md raEnerisrl. Tor measuring the solar radia-
zion in the spectrum ana for registering the sun
sIot areas and the extent of the facule. These
rre all valuable as registers of the solar energy.
which. falling upon the earth, plays a part in
stirring uD the atmosphere and producing
weather" one Of the important undertakings
ar Mount Weather is the exploration of the
unrer air with balloons. A self-recordlng instru-
.llert oe extreme MEhtness, invented by c F.
Marvin Of The bureau, is attached 10 sInalI
rubber balloon and se- loose The balloon shoots
,Ir f0u- er I'VE miles. getting larger and larger
as the pressure 0f air diminishes. until il finally
bursts The fan immediately opens a parachute
upon which the instrument floats down very
slowly. recording the character Of the air as II
descenGs Stye-al hundreds Of these balloons
are 10 be liberated simultaneously in different
paris the country. As a reward VIII be onered
sor their return. and they Will make very
g0nspcuous objects in the sky. the Weather
nents and thus obtain facts about the upper air
,UrTeu1s which most important and little
understood.
II a recent report Mr. Moore says: The
climate and crop conditions from year to year
depend largely upon The Invisible and subtle
solar radiatiors. known 70 exist waves, like
those used in wireless Biography The space
between the sun and tie eGT1h-rhat is. the COS
IHical ether-ls filed with wireless messages
which science Is lsh0~iouSly learning 10 inter
frF-- It's votaTies do not understand the solar
ode very well. and the process OF deciphering II
inscriptions namely. by putting this and that
together learning 70 read biz here and there
ny luTercorpa rlSDus trial and failure, TIL at
-ensth The language of the sun shall be under
eIhle 10 Interpret the seasonal weather from ye5r
n wear II advance. II has not YET arrived The
F-Iu moves leisurelN through its cycles and the
terrestrial conditions seem 10 follow loosely. At
present an available information concerning
-leSe matters comes in scattered form from on
Sc necessary therefore, TO have Instruments.
-ra-leG research observers and C0Uputers and a
discussion n results. subject tC the direct n
rrol Of the Wea her Bureau