396 PHILOSOPHY OF STORMS. 



An Account of a Remarkable Storm which occurred at 

 Catskill, July 2$th, 1819. 



[Silliman's Journal, Vol. 4.] 



195. About half past three, P. M., three distinct clouds, 

 dense and black, arose in the south east, in quick succession. 

 A brisk shower followed. A fresh wind blew for a little period; 

 but before four o'clock, a calm ensued, which lasted nearly 

 an hour. A short suspension of the rain took place soon 

 after five o'clock. The whole quantity which had de- 

 scended between this time and the commencement of the 

 storm, was considerable. About half past five, another 

 dense and black cloud, accompanied by a fresh wind, arose 

 from the south west. Shortly before the cloud reached the 

 zenith, three vivid streaks of lightning issued from it, ap- 

 pearing like branches of the same flash. About the same 

 time, or immediately after, a very thick and dark cloud 

 rose up rapidly from the northeast. They met immediately 

 over the town. At this instant, a powerful rain commenced. 

 The air soon became so obscure, that trees, buildings, and 

 other objects, could not be discerned at the distance of a 

 few yards. The obscurity did not appear to arise from a 

 fog of the usual kind, but from the abundance of rain and 

 the low descent of the clouds, which seemed to rest on the 

 ground, or to hang a little above it. After the clouds met, 

 the wind became very variable and blew for short periods 

 from almost every point of the compass. At times, it came 

 with so much force as to drive the rain in a very unusual 

 manner through the crevices in doors and windows and the 

 roofs of dwelling houses. Many houses which had never 

 before been known to leak, at this time admitted great 

 quantities of water. In several instances the wind sud- 

 denly abated, and a calm of a few minutes ensued. The 

 lightning and thunder were unusually severe. The thun- 

 der frequently resembled a violent crash, and was as sud- 



