On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 21 
verely ; as was also the case in the south-eastern parts of Connecti- 
cut. In the north-western portions of the latter state, and the adja- 
cent towns of Massachusetts, the gale blew with its chief violence 
from the north-western quarter, and the trees and corn, as the writer 
afterwards witnessed, were uniformly prostrated towards the south- 
east. At Worcester, in Massachusetts, the storm occurred some 
hours later than in Connecticut. 
It appears, therefore, that the more violent effects of this storm 
were of limited extent from south-east to north-west, but were ex- 
hibited over a much greater range of country from south-west, pro- 
gressively, to north-east; that in the central part of Connecticut, 
e mass of atmosphere upon the earth’s surface, was moving for 
several hours, apparently towards the north-west, with a probable 
velocity of seventy five to one hundred miles per hour, while in the 
northern parts of Litchfield county, in the same state, at a distance 
of say forty miles, the wind, at about the same period, was blowing 
with nearly equal violence towards the south or south-east. 'To- 
wards the sea coast of Rhode Island, from whence the gale at Mid- 
dletown, in Connecticut, seemed to come with such surprising ve- 
locity, the gale was of no extraordinary character ; while at New 
York, the storm had ceased blowing from the eastward, soon after its 
commencement from the south-east in this part of Connecticut. 
In reviewing these facts, we are led to inquire how, or in what 
manner it could happen, that the mass of atmosphere should be found 
passing over Middletown for some hours, with such exceeding swift- 
ness, towards a point apparently within thirty minutes distance, and 
yet never reach it; but a portion of the same or a similar mass of 
air, be found returning from that point with equal velocity ? and how 
were,all of the most violent portions of these atmospheric movements 
which occurred at the same point of time, confined within a circuit 
whose diameter does not appear to have greatly exceeded one hun- 
dred miles? To the writer there appears but one satisfactory ex- 
plication of these phenomena. This storm was exhibited in the form 
of a great whirlwind. 
This position renders it proper to notice a class of winds which we 
have not previously considered. 
Some idea of the existence and cheieactat of whirlwinds or torna- 
does, as they are sometimes called, is common to most persons who 
are at all conversant with the subject of meteorology. One variety 
of whirlwind is often exhibited during the prevalence of dry westerly 
. 
