Evening star., 1924-05-17
THE EVENING STAR WASHINGTON D. c. SATURDAY,

Strait. now the principal outlet,
should be blocked. it would result in
great onrush of cold water through
one of the other outlets.
2. Davis Strait may be blocked this
year. There is high, narrow ridge
extending from northern Scotland,
through Iceland. to Greenland and
thence to the North American conti-
nent. At some time in geological his
tory this ridge largely was above
continents with dry land. There is a
very remote possibility that some sec
tion of 1t, that through Davis Strait
for instance, might be thrown up
again so as to block the ocean cur
rents. IF this were the case the eff
feet on the weather of Europe and
America would be permanent for bet
ter or worse. 1t is, however, intensely
improbable. 1t would have been at
tended by tremendous earth convul-
sions which, although in untraveled
sections. certainly would have been
recorded on seismographs
Ice May Block Passage.
The other and more probable alter
native is that the strait may have
become clogged with ice along this
narrow ridge, constituting sufficient
resistance to hold back the water
trying to get out of the Arctic basin
for some time. The likely result. if
would be disgprged from the Arctic
through Bering Straits or down the
coast of eastern Greenland.
3. Weather depends on the move
ment of cyclones" the word being
ferring to tornadoes or unusually Sc
we're wind storms, but to travelling
storm centerS- Thus a cyclone might
move from Frederick to Washin gton.
bringing rain The direction of cy-
clones is determined by the distribu-
tion of pockets of warm air against
which the cold air strikes and is de-
hected in its course. For instance,
con nsidered on very small scale, the
cyclone moving from Frederick TO
Washington at a rapid rate might
hit warm air area in the sky over
Rockville and instead of continuing &
straight on it's course would turn into
Virginia, while Washington would
escape with fair weather.
"Lovo Near Iceland
4. One of the most notable warm
a section of the ocean inst south of
Iceland, caused by the drift of the
gulf stream. This, on weather maps,
is known as the .'1celandic low" 1t
is, the weather bureau points out. a
spot of "cyclonic circulation"-that
is, warm area in the midst of colder
areas. Into it the cold air drifts and
is set in rotation.
5. Storms over the North American
continent move from west to east
When they hit this Icelandic low
they are debated over northern
Europe.
Shift in Lows.
8. Suppose this Icelandic low is
wiped out by change in the Arctic
current. Suppose. at the same time,
another low is established at the
point where the gulf stream drift
brushes past the Grand Banks, as
seems likely to be the case if the
Arctic current really has disappeared
from its customary haunts.
:. In this case the storms sweeping
over North America would be de-
fected at Il totally different point
than has been the case for centuries,
would cross the Atlantic and hit
Europe at a different angle, possibly
bringing storms which ordinarily
would cross Scandinavia TO England
and France, or visa versa.
Effect on Europe.
g. For America these storms are
past history by the time they hit the
low either south OF Iceland or in it's
possible changed location. and the
effect is entirely on the weather of
Europe
+ .. But the probability is that the
Atlantic coast of the United States
would not be left unaffected. The
temperature of Washington and sur
rounding country is yitally affected
by an area of high pressure over the
Bermuda Islands. which has con-
tinued with little alteration since
records have been kept. Disappear
ance of the .Islandic low" it was
pointed out. may tend to modify this
pressure, bringing to Washington an
exceptionally cold summer or hot one.
10. Unusual heat of the water on
the Grand Banks doubtless will in
f1uence the temperature of eastern
Canada and the northeastern United
States. This would have the effect of
moving the cyclone belt north so
that storms which now hit the Caro-