34 



RECORD AND DISCUSSION OF TEMPERATURES. 



These results are necessarily imperfect, on account of the impossibility of obtain 

 ing a correct mean temperature from so short a series of observations, yet their 

 ratio may be depended upon. We notice that all winds tend to elevate the tem 

 perature, and the calms to lower the same. The frequency of the calms is greater 

 than that of all the winds combined. The difference in the temperature of the 

 warmest and coldest wind is 2.8; N. E., E., and W. (magnetic) winds show a 

 mean value; S. E., S., and S. W. winds are from 0.6 to 1.4 above, and N. and 

 N. W. winds 1.4 below, this mean temperature. The region included by the 

 directions S. E. and S. W. (magnetic), or N. N. E. and E. S. E. (true), 1 being the 

 quarter of the warmer winds, and the space between W. S. W. and S. S. W. (true) 

 that of the colder winds. It must be remarked that, since a true north wind the 

 longer it blows assumes a more and more easterly direction, the true directions 

 between N. N. E. and E. point to a more northerly origin of the wind than actually 

 indicated. 2 



Of the rise of temperature during certain gales, the explanatory foot-notes in 

 the temperature abstract may be referred to; the more remarkable cases are the 

 following ones: 



Gale of November 28, 1853, 



&quot; December 10, &quot; 



&quot; December 28, &quot; 



&quot; February 7, 1854, 



&quot; May 7-8, &quot; 



&quot; November 20, &quot; 



&quot; December 18, &quot; 



&quot; January 29, 1855, 



&quot; February 13-14, 1855, 



from the S. E. (a little snow falling). 



&quot; S. E. (not snowing). 



&quot; S. E. and S. W. (no snow). 



&quot; S. (no snow). 



&quot; S d 



&quot; S. W. 



&quot; S. E. 



&quot; S. E. 



&quot; S. E. 



The reader may also be referred to pp. 17, 30, 39, 40, and 55, of the 2d vol. of 

 the Narrative. 



Effect of Snow (and Rain) on the Temperature. If we combine in like manner 

 the differences of observed and mean temperature of all hours during which snow 

 fell, we find a great regularity in the monthly values expressing the elevation of 

 temperature during the hours of the fall of snow, due to the conversion of latent 

 into sensible heat. The following table exhibits in the first column the algebraic 



1 See my discussion of Dr. Kane s magnctical observations, in Vol. X. of the Smithsonian Contribu 

 tions to Knowledge, 1858. The magnetic declination is found 108 west. 



3 The bearing of this investigation on an open (partially so) polar sea, can only be fully made out 

 after the construction of a hygroraetric and barometric wind-card. The direction of the warmer winds 

 points towards the Spitzbergen Sea, and the relative colder winds come in a direction from the northern 

 most part of continental America. 



