Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-06
Made a Poor Job of Breaking
Winters Backbone.
DIDN'T SEE NOON SHADOW
Fact It Showed Later in Day De-
clared Not to Count.
BUT WEATHER WENT AWRY
Today Hasn't the Balminess Which
Should Prevail With Winter
on the Run.

| The ground hog had a severe jolt this
morning as weather prophet. If his
claim be that the backbone of winter is
| broken. provided he does not see his
| shadow at noon on Candlemas day. Feb
ruary ,, he's goner and no mistake.
| When he peeped his nose out Of his
winter resting place at noon last Thurs
day he did not see his shadow. A heavy
pail of clouds obscured the sun, although
the sun sneaked almost through them
late in the afternoon. But for the pur-
poses of the ground hog prediction, the
sun did not shine that day. Therefore
the backbone of winter ought to have
been then and there broken without
further ado.
But what has happened. Forgetting for
the nonce the blanket of snow that en-
velops the outdoors today and that filled
the air this morning like a blizzard bound
to last for days. those who like to follow
the weather may be interested in knowing
the scientific forecast of the weather
bureau.
Tonight and Tomorrow Forecasted.
The forecaster said today: LOOK for
snow turning to rain tonight, with ris
ing temperature. Tuesday it will be
cloudy. The lowest temperature tonight
will be about 80 or 81 degrees. The low
est last night was % degrees"
Prof Willis Moore said: 1.-THE coming
week will be marked by a series of well
defined storm areas passing eastward
across the United States from the Pa
cific ocean. in consequence of which
N0rin nf foiS foul thnr. mill
follow in quick succession. The first Of
these disturbances is now over the east
ern slope of the Rocky mountains chat
was yesterday, whence 1t will move
eastward attended by rains in southern,
rains and SHOWS in middle and SHOWS in
northern districts east Of the Mississippi
river, reaching the Atlantic states by
Monday night tonight or Tuesday.
Another disturbance from the Pacific
coast is due in this section Thursday or
Friday, and still another will reach the
middle west about Wednesday or Thurs
day. Marked variations in temperature
will occur during the week in practically
all districts east Of the Rocky noun
tains."
Mr.. Ground Hogs reputation seems in
danger If this forecast, added to what
has already occurred, pans out as pre-
dicted.
Saw Shadow Last Year.
oHe year ago Oh CdnQleHldS Jay NIL
Ground Hog saw his shadow. He came
out in the sunshine and then. as the
story goes, hied back for another sleep
Of six weeks of wintry weather. Prof.
Edward p. Garriott, the official weather
forecaster, and an authority on meteoro-
logical matters, then said he had no faith
in the animal as a weather fOrecaSter.
even though the United States, and in
fact all English-speaking peoples. as well
as the Germans and others, had. The
maximum temperature that day was
~ degrees, the minimum % degrees, the
mean temperature SO, the normal being
33 degrees. This year Candlemas day
grees, minimum of 35 and a mean of
"A
February 3. 1910, the maximum temper
allure was 46. the minimum So. the mean
40 The same day this year had a maxi
mum OF 49, minimum Of q and a mean
of 33. Last year the freezing temper
allure of the past two or three nights"
according to The Star of that date. cover
ed Occoquan creek and bay with ice
from one to two inches thick. and tugs
with ice plows had to be sent down to
break 1t up and let out the vessels frozen
in
This. year for the same day the forecast
was increasing cloudiness followed by
rain or snow late at night or Saturday
with rising temperature. The tempera-
ture at o'clock in the afternoon was
30 degrees and at midnight 30 degrees.
February 4. 1870 with q forecast of
Fair tonight and Saturday; not much
change in temperatures; lowest tonight 81
degrees. with brisk westerly Winds" al
most had It's counterpart in the forecast
for February this year in Fair tonight
and Sunday, followed by unsettled wealth
er Sunday night; lowest temperature
tonight about 81 degrees, with moderate
westerly Winds The minimum temper
allure for the preceding twenty-four hours
c4Hy III to- n
grees year ago.
Ignored Br'er Ground bog.
But the weather bureau, notwithstand-
ing the ground hog prediction, began to
tell about disturbances" over the plains
states Friday and other disturbances
over the southern plateau states, which
were to reach the lower plains states by
Sunday morning. 1t predicted rains and
SHOWS over the northern states from the
lake region and the Ohio valley east
| ward, to the Atlantic coast, and thun-
| derstorms Friday last in the Ohio valley,
| Tennessee and the east gulf states. A
| decidedly higher temperature was pre-
| dicted for the eastern states.
February year ago had it's "disturb-
| ances, too. The minimum tempera ture
| then for the preceding twenty-four hours
was % degrees. There were heavy SHOWS
| on the New England coast, and in Maine,
| New Hampshire. Vermont and north
| eastern New York, and heavy rains gem
orally east of the Mississippi river The
| temperature dropped with dull, sicken-
| ing thud the night before from 40 in the
afternoon to % at 8 o'clock in the morn
| ing. 1t was destined to go down to %
degrees that night. and heavy winds that
| blew with velocity Of thirty-five miles
an hour blew down awnings, signboards
and everything weak in their wake
| February this year had maximum
tow @y~.try nf - N~-1
| mum of 80 degrees. The normal was S3
and the mean temperature AZ degrees
February s. 1910. should be compared
| with yesterday. Its maximum tempera-
ture was 40 degrees. as against Al degrees
yesterday; it's minimum %. as against %
| yesterday; ITS mean 80, as against 35
yesterday.
| Halley's Comet Butted In.
A year ago the forecast for February :
was Fair tonight and Sunday and colder
| tonight" Halley's comet was getting In