Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13

merous correspondents giving the weather
conditions. During the crop-growfng sea-
son the Office here also issues each week
| the National Weather Bulletin. paper
containing series of charts illustrating
current and normal conditions Of temporal
| ture and rainfall for the entire country.
/ During the winter this Office also issues
/ what is called the Snow and Ice Bulle-
/ tfn.' which shows the area covered by
! snow. its depth and the thickness of the
ice in the rivers This is of particular
| value in regions in whic.. winter wheat
IS grown. In regions where cotton. corn,
wheat, sugar and rice are grown. desig-
mated centers receive telegraphic reports
of rainfall and the daily extreme tenpere-
lures for publication in bulletin form.
| Storm warnings are displayed at nearly
300 points along the Atlantic. Pacific and
guif coasts and the shores OF the great
t lakes, including every port and harbor of
any considerable Importance. and so
nearly perfect has this service become
that scarcely storm of marked danger
to maritime interests has occurred for
| years for which ample warnings have
not been issued from twelve to twenty
four hours In advance.
-
Willis L. Moore. chief of the weather
bureau. has for some time been endea~or-
ing to increase this ocean
ocean service. 1t is his idea to
c.r.;. have ali vessels in the
Atlantic and Pacific
| oceans and the Gulf of Mexico including
those in our navy. take observations
twice day. These, according to his plan,
| will be sent by wireless either to the
nearest shore station or ship, which in
the second event will be relayed to the
shore point. Ships too far out to send
to American points will send to Eng
land. Once received at the shore stations
forecasts similar to those already issued
will be compiled. and then sent to sea by
the wireless from one ship to another
. With England cooperating it will be pos
sible to protect the greater portion of our
sea traffic from uncharted storms, accord
ing to Prof. Moore.
The Canadian and Mexican govern
ments maintain weather forecasting sys-
TENS similar to ours, and by daily inter-
change reports are received from a num-
Der of stations outside the United States
DAILY reports are also received from the
Azores, Iceland, Farce Islands, Germany,
France, Portugal. European and Asiatic
Russia, the Philippines. Hawaii and
Alaska. England also sends in these re-
ports, and II those taken at sea were in
cluded 1t would be but perfecting sys-
tenn already in existence. The real value
- Swim "6IAIHSS 10 OnIy TedllZeQ Dy
those closely connected with shipping in
terests. AS matter of fact the sailings
or the immense number of vessels engage
ed In our ocean and lake traffic are large
~ determined by these warnings That
for single hurricane Is known to have
detained In port on our Atlantic coast
vessels which with their cargoes were
valued at more than $30OO000O
Next in Importance to storm warnings
come the warnings of those sudden and
destructive temperature
Cold Wave changes known as cold
Warnings. t waves sat, These, issued .s''s
ty-six hours in advance, are distributed
by every available means in order to aid
the rapidity Of circulation. Warnings is
sued for single cold wave of exceptional
severity and extent have been known to
save more than So, 100000 worth of prop
erty. Warnings of frosts and freezing
weather are also of great value, particu-
larly to fruit. sugar, tobacco and mar
ket garden interests. BY the issuance
of timely warnings in these sections the
value of the orange blooms, vegetables
and Strawberries protected, and thus
saved. on a single night in limited dis
tF1ct III FiOf1Oa on one occasion was eS-
t1mated at over 100000.
An instance in which the weather bu-
reau made some accurate forecasts that
were of untold value was at the time of
the great flood in the upper Mississippi
watershed, which was one of the worst
in history. The warnings for this flood
were issued from four days to three
weeks In advance, and in no single
case did the forecasts differ from the
record Of the actual flood by more than
ton he of frnt
ence was about one-fifth of a foot.
Agricultural and shipping interests are
noticeably dependent upon weather con-
ditions, and 1t is easily seen to what ex-
tent weather forecasts can aid them. In
other pursuits, however, these forecasts
can bee just as important, although not
apparently SO. Railway and transporta-
ton companies. for instance. make con-
tinued use Of the forecasts. Perishable
products are protected against tempera-
ture extremes by icing or heating, as con-
ditions demand. Bananas, for example
need very careful handling and must be
kept at certain temperature. thus re-
quiring careful study of existing and
and cattle are not shipped by freight
when a hot wave is expected if it is pos
sble to avoid it, High temperature is
also harmful to oysters. and consequent
ly the necessary supply of ice is deter
mined by study OF the forecast charts.
Wine shipments are usually held until
fear of cold Is past, and many brewers
hold their beer shipments, when the dis
+ lance Is over sixty miles, if the tempera-
ture is expected to drop to 30 degrees
Notices of cold waves close greenhouses
and start the boilers. Fire plugs eX-
posed mains and general
PRACTICAL plumbing are protected.
Street railway cOmDanieS
ooASns0' arrange for more heat in
their cars. Natural gas companies turn
on a larger supply of gas. Dealers in
winter goods and rubber articles increase
their advertisements, while others de-
crease theirs. Charity organizations pre-
pare to meet the increased demand for
clothes and fuel. All these things take
place in a city when decided cold wave
is threatened.
Warnings of spring. frosts cause the
farmer to cover his crops or start
ifornia have to protect their fruit trays
look ahead for clear days on which to do
when notified. tell patients suffering from
pulmonary troubles to remain indoors.
Some dentists, too, make appointments
their plate work for inclement weather.
machines of the railroads into use. Flood
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