Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-23

because the steamship might be delay
ed by fog. or the cars might meet with
an accident
Storms, like pineapplas, as a rule 90
not originate in the United States.
They come to us, some from the Phil
ippines, Japan, Siberia, Alaska Canada
or the Gulf of Mexico. The weather
bureau gets cable, telegraphic or wire
less notice of a foreign storm. Sta
ton after station, or vessel after ves-
sci reports the storms arrival in its
neighborhood. so that the general d.
rection and rate of progress can De
determined very nearly. In fact, the
arrival of some storms can be fore
told ten days in advance.
The forecasters watch for the re-
gion of low barometer which is the
storm center around which the winds
blow. This whirl or eddy moves bod
iIv forward with the general eastward
drift of about $50 miles day in our
ATTITUDES. AS the lines of equal pres
sure Gsobars) around the low celSer
crowd closer together, the winds at
tending the storm increase In force
The forecaster determines the direc-
tion of movement of the storm and its
velocity.
When weather disturbances are re-
ported, the forecasters know from eA-
nerience about how long it takes them
to reach our Pacific coast, and then
how long after they will reach the
Atlantic coast. For example, If
storm coming from Siberia drifts east
ward around the North Pole and re-
appears In Alaska, it should appear in
washington and oregon in about two
days: should get to the Great Lakes IN
six davs and to the Atlantic coast in
seven or eight days.
Unexpected conditions may delay
storms or divert them from the
straight track just as a refrigerator
car may be thrown off its schedule or
he shipped by accident on a wrong
road. Some of these storms deplete
themselves by running into regions OF
high barometer which are of greater
magnitude and extent than the storm
itself. Some of them, however, travel
completely around the world.
To keep tab on cold waves that
come into the United States from Can
ada and Alaska, the weather bureau
studies the Canadian weather reports.
England sends reports from Iceland.
the British Islands and Continental
Europe, and daily reports come from
ST Petersburg on the conditions in
Russia and Siberia
The same businesslike system used
in tracing the track of a storm is ap-
piled in determining the arrival of
frosts.
Flood forecasts are made in much the
same way Information as to the
amount of rainfall at the head waters
of streams that cause floods are COW
cred by telegraphic reports sent by
local observers. AS this rain reaches
the main channel, the height of the
water in the channel is determined
by successive gaging stations. Past
records establish how much height.
say of 20 feet at Dubuque, Iowa, will
produce at Davenport. another station
so miles down the Mississippi. This
plan is followed all the way down the
river, and at each point full allow
ance is made for the effects of water
from tributaries, and from additional
and local rainfall. AS result Of
these observations in the recent flood.
the people of Cairo had warning a
week or ten days in advance. The
Pittsburgh district can be given only
IL to "a hours notice, because flood
is upon them within "a hours after
a heavy rain-storm