330 



GENERAL TOPICS. 



II. MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS AND 

 TABLES. 



EXPLANATION OF THE FLAG SIGNALS ADOPTED 

 BY THE UNITED STATES WEATHER BUREx\U. 



The U. S. Weather Bureau furnishes, when practicable, 

 for the benefit of the general public and those interests de- 

 pendent to a greater or less extent upon weather condi- 

 tions, the "Forecasts" which are prepared daily, at 

 ID A.M. and lo P.M., for the following day. These weather 

 forecasts are telegraphed to observers at stations of the 

 Weather Bureau, railway officials, and many others, 

 and are so worded as to be readily communicated to the 

 public by means of flags or steam whistles. The flags 

 adopted for this purpose are five in number, and of the 

 form and dimensions indicated below: 



No. I. No. 2, 



White Flag. blue Flaj 



No. 3. 



White and Blue 



Flag. 



No 4. No. 5. 



Black Tri- White Flag 

 angular with black 

 Flag. square in centre 



Clear or fair Rain or snow. Local rains 

 weather. 



or snow 



h 



Temperature 



signal. 



Cold wave. 



No. I, white flag, 6 feet square, indicates clear or fair 

 weather. No. 2, blue flag, 6 feet square, indicates rain or 

 snow. No. 3, white and blue flag (parallel bars of white 

 and blue), 6 feet square, indicates that local rains or show- 

 ers will occur, and that the rainfall will not be general. 

 No. 4, black triangular flag, 4 feet at the base and 6 feet in 

 length, always refers to temperature; when placed above 

 Nos. I, 2, or 3, it indicates warmer weather; when placed 



