ON HUREICANES 



AND THE 



LAW OF STORMS 



In the Northern Hemisphere, when the Polar and 

 Equatorial currents of air are alternating with each 

 other, the regular shifting of the wind round the com- 

 pass will be through S., S. W., W., N. W., N., N. E., E., 

 S. E., S. — and the changes will take place oftener be- 

 tween south and west, and between north and east, 

 than between west and north, and between east and 

 south. 



Similarly in the Southern Hemisphere, it may be 

 inferred that when Polar currents of air alternate with 

 Equatorial, the regular shifting of the wind round the 

 compass will be successive through S., S. E., E., N. E., 

 N., N. W., W., S. W,, S. 



This is Dove's "Law of Gyration," (or the law 

 of the rotation of winds). And collecting the main 

 points into a few general propositions, it may be laid 

 down, that all steady winds are modified by the rotation 

 of the earth, in such a manner that Equatorial currents 

 of air receive a westerly deflection, and Polar currehts 

 an easterly deflection ; but latitudinal currents suffer 

 no change. The N. E. and S. E. Trade Winds are 

 steady Polar currents. The Monsoons are alternations 



