Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-05-26
WAUSAU OUTER
EDGE OF BIG STORM
WEATHERMAN E. F. SHINES
EXPLAINS FORMING
OF HAIL


most plausible of which is the orbital
theory advanced by the late Prof Will
liam Ferrel," E. F.. Shines, weather
bureau official in the federal building,
tells The Pilot.
According to this theory, a hail
storm is simply tornado in which
the ascending currents are so strong
and reach so high up into the upper
strata of the atmosphere, that the
raindrops are carried into the cold re-
gions above, and into the central part
within the isobaric and isothermio
surface OF the freezing point, where
they are frozen into hail. In this con-
nection, tornado must not be con-
strued to infer the popular idea of a
storm of great violence at the surface.
In fact any storm which depends
mostly on an unstable state Of the at
mosphere and has both vertical and
gyratory circulations may be classed
as tornado in nature.
Friction Prevents Landing
I'm most hailstorms, not accompa-
nying surface storm of great vio-
lence, the central core of freezing tenn
perature,, brought down from the up
per atmosphere, is prevented from
reaching the surface by friction. This
central whirl continues above the sur
face of the earth and the air on all
sides is drawn in towards ii. AS this
air enters into the region of incipient
condensation it forms into clouds. In
its further ascent, more of its vapor
is condensed and likewise the temper
ature is lowered until the rising air
arrives at the surface of incipient
freezing temperature where the re-
naming vapor is condensed directly
into snow.
I'm such a tornado storm, the rain
drops are formed down in the cloud
region, but the ascending current is
often so strong that the drops are sup
| ported until, by the blending of the
small drops coming in contact, very
| large drops are formed and the strong
ascending currents often extend SC
| high that these large drops are carried
away up unto the region of freezing
temperature. They are there frozen
and after having been carried up and
out where the ascending currents are
not so strong, they slowly descend, re-
ceiving additions of ice as they fall
as long as their temperature remains
below freezing, from the rain below
Weight Forces Fall
1T often happens that in falling
very gently where the ascending cur.
rents at no great distance from the
vortex is not quite but nearly suffi-
cient to keep it suspended. the hail
stone IS again drawn in by the indraw-
| inv la
vortex, where the ascending current is
sufficient to carry ii up again into the
snow region, where il received another
coating Of snow and ice and is again
.arried out to where the ascending
currents are not so strong and the de-
scent begins again. This procedure
may continue for any number OF
times until the hailstone becomes so
large that it can no longer be support
ed by the winds.
On Outer Edge
From the above il can readily be
seen that the region in which the hail
falls will be on the outer edges of the
storm where the winds are lightest
and such was the case during the hail
storm of May END. Wausau was on
the outer northern edge of large
conventional storm which was cen
tered little north of Knowlton, and
moving a little east of northeast. The
hailstones formed by the strong con-
vectual winds became so large that
they could no longer be supported by
the lighter winds toward the edge OF
the storm and as they were at such a
distance from the vortex that they
could no longer be drawn into it, de-
scended to the ground in the region of
| light winds in the vicinity of Wausau.
MANY OF the stones which fell in
the storm of Sunday night on exam
! ination showed six or seven concen-
| trio layers Of ice and solidified snow,
indicating that the stones had been
carried by the winds into the region
of snow and freezing temperature six
and seven times before falling to the
earth"