WEATHER BUEEAU. 171 



The storm referred to appeared over the North Pacific States on 

 the 14th and moved thence southeastward to the West Gulf States, 

 "where it recurved eastward and northeastward and passed to the 

 New England coast by Friday morning, the 18th. It was attended 

 by heavy snow from the Middle Mississippi Valley over the Ohio 

 Valley and lower Lakes, by rain or snow in the Atlantic and "West 

 Gulf States, and by rains and thunderstorms in the East Gulf and 

 South Atlantic States. Its passage over the Gulf and Atlantic States 

 was attended by gales of unusual strength. The storm was followed 

 by a cold wave that carried the line of freezing temperature to the 

 Gulf coast. 



The following editorial regarding the cold w^ave and storm above 

 mentioned is taken from the Oklahoma Oklahoman of Februarv 17: 



The remarkable accuracy with which the blizzard that is now traveling 

 across the country was predicted days in advance of its advent is deserving of 

 most favorable comment. Sunday's newspapers throughout the United States 

 carried a warning from the Weather Bureau to the effect that a storm was 

 approaching the Pacific coast that would traverse the entire continent and reach 

 the Atlantic coast by Friday. In Oklahoma marked derangement of atmospheric 

 conditions was noticeable Monday night. Late Tuesday evening there came 

 a sudden drop in temperature accompanied by high winds. By Wednesday 

 morning the mercury had dropped to 10° above, and the boreal blasts were 

 carrying considerable snow. Thus the story of a prediction and its fulfillment. 

 The advance warning should have been of incalculable benefit to live stock men 

 and to shippers and others engaged in vocations which are affected by meteoro- 

 logical conditions. 



In the latter part of March, 1910, it was thought that sufficient 

 advance had been made in the knowledge of general weather types to 

 permit the issue each Sunday of a forecast for the ensuing week. 

 Since that time weekly forecasts for the United States, together with 

 a general resume of weather conditions throughout the entire North- 

 ern Hemisphere, have been issued with gratifying success. 



The following is a copy of the first regular weekly forecast : 



The vernal equinox inaugurates the rainy season in the Tropics. The 

 autumnal equinox marks the central period of the season of so-called equinoctial 

 storms. When the sun in its annual northward journey crosses the line of the 

 equator the rainy season sets in over the northern equatorial region, and the 

 rain belt keeps pace with the northward movement of the sun until the period 

 of the summer solstice, .June 22. About that time the rain belt reaches the 

 northern subtroiiical regions, like Florida, and the rainy season begins in those 

 regions. Attending the southward movement of the sun, the rain belt again 

 crosses the Tropics, and when the sun has about half completed its return course 

 to the equator the season of severe tropical or equinoctial storms begins in the 

 tropical and subtropical regions of the Atlantic. The North Atlantic season of 

 equinoctial storms extends from August to October, inclusive. On the Atlantic 

 Ocean these storms are called hurricanes, on the Indian Ocean cyclones, and in 

 southeastern Asiatic waters typhoons. In the Pacific area the typhoon season 

 begins earlier and continues later than the hurricane season of the North Atlan- 

 tic. The vernal equinoctial period of the present year has been attended by 

 exceptionjilly fine weather over the American continent east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains and in western P'urope and adjacent waters. Along and south of the 

 transatlantic steamer tracks light to moderate winds and smooth seas have pre- 

 vailed. Over middle and southern latitudes of the Pacific and adjacent Asiatic 

 coasts no severe disturbances have been reported. Over western portions of the 

 American continent and in eastern Europe and the interior Siix'rian area marked 

 baromelric changes have prodnced unsettled and stormy weather. 



During the present week temperature in the United States will average mild 

 for the season. A disturbance that now occupies the California coast will move 

 <'astward and reach the Atlantic coast about Friday. Another disturbance is 

 indicated that should cross the country from about March ol to April 4. The 



