"Additional Objections" relating to Whirlwind Storms. 489 



I am aware that Professor Loomis alleges, in his elaborate 

 account of this storm and its attendant phaenomena, which I 

 greatly value, although dissenting from some of his conclu- 

 sions, that " in this case there was no whirlwind." I will only 

 remark, that to me the characteristics of this storm appear to 

 be those of a diffused overland gale of the whirlwind cha- 

 racter; the only observations obtained being evidently on the 

 right-hand of the path of its axis. I understand, also, that 

 other inquirers have been led by the evidence to the same 

 result. 



The manner in which Dr. Hare has described this storm, 

 and his erroneous allegation in regard to its course, show very 

 strongly the importance of the inquiry, What are storms'? For, 

 was it the area of the minimum depression of the barometer 

 — or the area of violent winds — or the area of the rain — or the 

 area passed over by the wave of barometric oscillation — or the 

 area of extraordinary changes of temperature — which consti- 

 tuted the proper limits or identity of this storm*? 



Those readers who may desire to ascertain the general 

 course of the wind in the body of a great storm, without re- 

 sorting to a process of induction from characteristic facts on 

 one hand, or to the aid of ingenious hypotheses which regard 

 certain alleged but unknown movements of the air in connec- 

 tion with the higher atmosphere on the other, are referred to 

 a schedule and map of observations made at about forty sepa- 

 rate localities, at the hour of noon, in the storm of December 

 1839, which are found in this Journal for January 184-1. 

 These observations are believed to exceed in number and ac- 

 curacy any that have yet been obtained in equal limits, and 

 they are arranged on the map so as to speak their own proper 

 language as simultaneous observations f. Hence they appear 

 to show conclusively, that the violent easterly winds in this 

 American storm were resolved, through a circuitous geogra- 

 phical course, into the strong north-westerly winds which im- 

 mediately followed the easterly part of the gale; instead of 

 mounting to unknown regions, before opposing winds, as has 

 been alleged by others. 



* So far as definitions only are concerned, and these are important in 

 science, it may be proper to adduce the following from Webster, the lexi- 

 cographer : — 



" STORM, n. A violent wind; a tempest. Thus a storm of ivind is 

 correct language, as the proper sense of the word is rushing, violence. It 

 has primarily no reference to a fall of rain or snow. But as a violent 

 wind is often attended with rain or snow, the word storm has come to be 

 used, most improperly, for a fall of rain or snow without wind." 



f For more extended remarks relating to these observations, see Silli- 

 nian's Journal for April 1842, p. 112. 



