114 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA 



position during the whole winter, causing the mild season that has prevailed 

 in the Eastern States. 



At its western border, when this warm current comes into contact with the 

 Polar current, great atmospheric disturbances have been produced — some of 

 the most destructive tornadoes ever known in this country having ravaged 

 portions of the Mississippi States during the present winter. Thus, at the two 

 ed^es of the northern current, both to the westward of our shores and in the 

 Western States, where it comes into contact with the warmer southerly stream, 

 great atmospheric disturbances have taken place ; whilst in that part of the 

 surface of the continent where the central parts of the currents prevailed, the 

 weather has been much more settled. In the Eastern States, where the 

 southern current prevailed, they have had south winds, warm atmosphere, and 

 plenty of rain ; whilst in the interior of the continent, and on this portion of 

 the coast, north winds have prevailed, with a general absence of rain and snow. 

 This state of things continued, with but little disturbance, until about the 7th of 

 February. The occasional rain we had, had been comparatively light, with north 

 and northwestern winds — more copious to the north and along the coast, but 

 not reaching the southern portion of the State, where the edge of the south- 

 western current was much farther from the coast than it was more to the north, 

 as is shown on the diagram. 



On the 7th of February I noticed cirrus moving rapidly from the southwest, 

 although the sky was otherwise clear and the barometer high. On the 8th the 

 barometer commenced falling, and cumulo-stratus formed to a considerable 

 extent — the wind from the west. By this time the southern current had struck 

 the northern part of the State, as it commenced raining heavily at Treka on 

 the 8th— in the evening. At Salem, in Oregon, a heavy rain-storm had begun 

 on the 7th. 



The southwestern current reached the surface here at about 11 a.m. by a 

 sudden gust of wind from the west, almost a tornado lasting for a short time 

 and accompanied by slight rain in large drops. At Virginia City the current 

 seems to have reached the surface earlier, owing probably to its elevation. 

 At 4 A.M. there was quite a hurricane there from the southwest, lasting for some 

 hours. Here we did not get the full force of the current until 4 p.m., when it 

 commenced blowing hard from the southeast, and blew until 9 p.m., with rain 

 showers. The full force of the wind did not reach Stockton and Sacramento 

 until six hours after it was felt here, and Los Angeles until the next day, and 

 about the same time at which it reached Elko, some six hundred miles beyond 

 Virginia. The Equatorial current did not reach so far south as San Diego. 

 For some days after this we had variable weather and a moderate fall of rain, 

 the polar current again prevailing, although at the same time in Oregon there 

 were strong southwest winds and a great deal of rain. On the 16th a strong 

 northeast wind prevailed, causing the coldest day of the winter. The barometer 

 rose to 30. 31, and the whole of the State seemed again under the influence of 

 the dry and cold Polar current. On the 17th cirri again began to form, with a 

 strong southwest upper current. This, however, did not reach the surface until 

 the 19th, at which time a heavy rain-storm was prevailing in Oregon. 



