l68 CLIMATE, .fee, SOUTH SHORE LAKE ERIE. 



but a stiff breeze springs up, and the stars become unusu- 

 ally brilliant. The thermometer vacillates between 32° and 

 38", rising with the gusts of wind, and falling with the 

 intervals of calm. Ihen no frost will appear- 

 Again, none of those modifying causes may intervene, 

 but the temperature may fall below the freezing point, ice 

 form on the surface of water, and the expanded fruit, leaves 

 and blossoms congeal. Under such circumstances, the first 

 rays of the rising sun, the next morning, will be arrested 

 by a haze, which will soon thicken, and before noon a 

 warm rain will probably fall. The frost will be abstracted 

 so gradually from the frozen vegetation as not to impair 

 its vitality. 



These contingencies have all occurred within the period 

 of our observations. The year 1834 proved an exception. 

 The general cold prevailed over the local warmth of the 

 Lake. Freezing weather continued two or three days, and 

 fruits were cut off, even on the shore of the Lake. 



In Autumn this great body of water begins to part with 

 its warmth to the colder incumbent atmosphere, and the 

 process continues during the Winter. While its progress 

 is most rapid, strong southerly winds prevail at the earth's 

 surface, while volumes of clouds, at a high elevation, may, 

 at the same time, be moving rapidly in an opposite direc- 

 tion. 



These counter currents have sometimes given origin to 

 a phenomenon in the city of Cleveland, not well under- 

 stood by all of its good citizens. The vane of the lofty 

 spire of the Baptist church, standing on a high ridge of 

 ground, may point steadily to the North, while that on the 

 low cupola of the First Presbyterian church, situated on a 

 less elevated plateau, may be directed to an opposite point 

 of the compass, with a stiff southerly breeze at the same 

 time. 



