Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-12-23
WEATHER PREDICTIONS.

Some very interesting facts are to
be noted in connection with storms
across the country. Weather reports
from the seat OF war are meager, but
the dispatches tell. us that just now
the soldiers in Poland are fighting in
deep snow and bitter cold. liz west
crn France and Belgium the fighting
is done In mud. A short time ago
it was In the western area that the
snow was falling and the weather was
cold. The presumption is that the
storm wave which caused the bitter
cold and heavy snow along the west
coast has passed over the western Sec
ton and has reached the Russian ter
ritory. We may expect that the
warmer weather which has followed
along the coast will soon modify the
temperature in Poland.
Storm waves, or areas Of low bar
ometric pressure, according to Profess
sor Simpson of the university wealth
er bureau, travel from west to east,
and are not confined to any one coun-
try or continent. Until somewhat re-
Gently the collection Of weather obser-
vations for the use of the people OF
the United States has been confined
to this continent. But the develop
ment Of the science generally, and the
perfection OF wireless communication
have made it possible to make much
more extended observations
Because Of the better provisions for
observation the weather bureau at
Washington some time ago started the
preparation Of Il daily weather map
for the entire northern hemisphere,
and through study of this were made
the weekly forecasts which were pub-
iished In most OF the papers of the
country, and which proved both accu-
rate and useful. On one occasion the
weather map showed that a great
storm area had formed in eastern ST.
IBERIA. Its direction and rate of travel
were noted. together with the exist
ing conditions in its path, and it's ar
rival on our Pacific coast was predict
ed in about seven days. On the sew
enth day the storm reached Vancou-
yer, and swept the central part OF the
continent. 1t had traversed the entire
Pacific ocean on schedule time. and
ample waning had been given of it's
arrival.
The breaking out of the war put a.
stop to these general observations and
forecasts, for weather is one OF the
elements which materially affect war;
fare, and it is considered good mill
tary policy for each belligerent coun-
try to keep its weather news as much
to itself as possible. The news, for
instance, that foggy weather was ex.
pected over the British isles in about
three days might be Of decided ad-
vantage to Germans who were con-
templating a Zeppelin raid. and it is
easy to think Of many conditions in
which the publication Of weather
news would be undesirable. This SER
vice will be resumed and improved as
soon as possible after the war, for it's
great value is universally recognized.
Most of the great storm waves
which pass over this continent in the
winter time either originate in the
Canadian Northwest or strike the con-
tinent in the neighborhood of British
Columbia. They may form at sea, or
may have come. as did the one men
toned, from northern Asia or even
Europe. Crossing the mountains,
these storms as rule pass over the
Great Lakes territory and down the
valley of the st. Lawrence, across
New England, and out to sea. Some
Of them are dissipated from one cause
or other. while others make a COM
plete circuit of the globe.
The arrangements for local fore,
casts in the Northwestern territory:
are incomplete in that they do not
provide for forecast for the Rcd
River valley. Forecasts are made for
North Dakota, and for Minnesota. but
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