The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1920-06-04
STRANGE FREAKS OF THIS
STRANGE SUMMER WEATHER
By Fred. ]. Haskins.l

BY Fred. ]. Haskins.)
From ali parts of the country come
reports that people are observing
very strange climatic conditions this
year. Not only is the season one of
the most backward ever known but
the very character OF the sunlight
what little there is of it's of poor
quality, like almost everything else.
The amount of sunshine has been
FAR below the average, and the light
has peculiar quality such as is seen
during an eclipse of the sun-as If
the sun We're shining through 4
smokescreen of dark glass.
The effect is also observed on veg
citation. The leaves come out very
slowly and the foliage has an all
graygreen tinge like that of plants
which grow where the light is deflc-
lent. Both ground and air are cold
and the termination OF seeds is
greatly delayed. This threatens a
short growing season, an augmented
shortage of all soil products and con-
tinued high prices.
Not enough is known of conditions
to say positively what the cause of
all this disturbance is. We can
pretty well trace 1t back to the sun,
but no doubt the sun itself Is the
victim of exciting influences which
have their origin still farther off.
We know that this is a period of
unusual agitation in the sun. Ex-
traordinary eruptions are taking
place on that orb. One OF the effects
of this great activity was seen in the
rare display of the aurora of March
% and the interruption of telegraph
and other electric service at that
timei.
The sun rotates on its axis once in
about Is or IS days. Sunspots are
virtually holes or craters in the sur.
face of the sun. You can see that
they are actually holes, for when,
you watch spot that is on the edge
of the sun you can see gap at that
point.
/ Usually spot doesn't last long, as
the whole outer mass of the sun is
one great seething mass of matter in
molten or vapor form and it is not
solid like the crust of the earth. But
a very large spot may last for some
months. In that case IL disappears
from view when il passes round on
the other side of the sun. and it re-
appears on the other edge after
period of II or IA days.
A sun spot affects the earth only
when ii is on our side of the sun and
is turned toward us; II is something
like the horn of an old phonograph,
which directed the sound according
TO the way il was turned. Thus a
spot which produces a baneful effect
on the earth may return to the same
position little less than month
later and get in another piece of dir
ty work -''
Some students of the subject pre-
dicted that auroral displays or other
manifestations might be looked for
when the spots which produced the
aurora of March % came back into
range next time. This made il about
April Is. And as a matter of fact
there were unusual disturbances at
that time. Several volcanoes be
came active, there were unusual
earthquakes. considerable aurora,
and terrible tornado which caused
heavy loss of life and wide devas-
tation in the southern states.
We cannot say for certain that such
great storms are a result OF storms
in the sun, but the facts indicate
that there is a strong sympathy be
tween solar conditions and terrestrial
conditions. We do not know enough
yet to be abfe to predict what form
the disturbance will take Some.
times sunspot activity will be accom-.
panied by very hot weather. or n
drouth or a very wet spell or cold
wave: but AT any rate the delicate
equilibrium of the earthly climate is
upset by any abnormal eruptions IN
the sun.
II cannot be mere chance that
has made the weather conditions foI
the last several years so contrary.
Human beings chronicaliy complain
about the weather no matter how
fine ii may be. but we all know that
conditions during this period have
been extreme. and for the most part
adverse. The sun seems 70 be blan
keted with an unusually thick cnye
lope OF yapors or clouds. This oh
scufes part Of the light and allows
certain forms Of rays 10 pred0mi
nate, 80 that the effects on the eli
mate. vegetation and even the hn
man family itself are noticeable.
There are regular periods uf max
mum sunspot actiYity-these being
about II years apart The neXi max
imum Is not scheduled til two year.
hence but we are already feeling Hl'
B crescendo. Conjecluring as far as
, we may. we car assume that th'
present abnormal disturbance vii
not pass away very soon. We are il
r a period Of adverse conditions and !
7 will probably take several years ye
. before we emerge from The shadow.