The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-10-13
WEATHER PROPHET
TALKS OF DROUGHT
Winter to Be Cold-One Snow Likely
to Fall in Coiumbia-Frost
Due This Month

Due This Month
The State, 9th.
w. 2. Houseal, Dutch weather
prophet, says that the approaching
winter will be colder than the winter
Of last year and that at least one
heavy snow Will fall south and east
of the Blue Ridge; the indications
are, the prophet says, that Columbia
will be in the path Of this snow.
Following are the weather COM
ments Of Mr.. Houseal:
The prolonged drought has no
doubt brought an apprehension that
it would continue throughout the fall
and winter. However. conditions
which prevailed September 1920 in
dicated precipitation during the win
ter to provide sufficient soil moisture
for the sowing and termination Of
grain crops. These indications have
already been apparent in the abund-
ant ran which has broken the
drought.
The drought had some remarkable
features. Il prevailed over the
whole country and was broken by
rainfall simultaneously in the regions
of the lake and gulf. The change was
apparent Thursday at noon when the
wind. which had been from the east
nearly three weeks, moved to the
south in the upper atmosphere, yet 1t
still continued from the east in an
exceedingly lower stratum barely
above the height of three story
, building. There was never any doubt
at sunset Wednesday that this section
would be visited by rain within II
hours. The principle in meteorology
which governs these conditions Is as
old as the earth itself. The east
wind had deposited a tremendous
~ameunt~ Of Jasture tie" upper at
mosphere and as the high pressure
changed to the lower form it met a
response in a like condition coming
from the caribbean sea and the south
wind gradually absorbed the east
wind by rising above it. This was
clearly indicteda week before the
direct change occurred, as all the
clouds which were to be observed at
all came from the gulf. Usually un-
der normal conditions such an east
wind as prevailed during the latter
part of September would bring rain
within one-tenth of the time as was
the case during the recent drought.
1t is very probable that about Oc-
tober % a disturbance of great in
tensity will prevail in the gulf and
its course be northeastward and
along the south Atlantic course.
In addition, the same conditions
observed September 22-29 indicats a
colder winter than last year. The next
period for lowest temperature OF the
season will occur around October Is.
This will be the central date, and one
frost will occur either three days
ahead or after this date. 1t will not
be killing frost. Nature is greae
protector of its products and obser-
vation of certain fauna show that
frost thus early will not prevent their
full growth and bloom. So far, how
ever, as crops are concerned the
drought has had the same effect
killing frost would have produced at
this period of the year.
At least one heavy snow will occur
during the winter south and east of
the Blue Ridge. and indications are
such that Columbia will be in its
path. While it is not easy to fore
cast the date of snow more than 80
days ahead of time, it has been my
purpse to say that in this annual
forecast snow will occur about the
date of the winter solstice. December
20.
As a postscript: Rain will occur in
this season within y hours from sum
set Sunday, October 8.
! Amick- ck-McCartha
Miss Bessie Amick and Mr.. Ray