1 897-] "Weather. 45 



"WEATHER." 



By Otto J. Klotz, D.L.S. 

 President of the Ottawa Literary and Scientific Society. 



The mathematician's definition of weather would be differ- 

 rentiated climate, and of climate integrated weather. A boy at 

 school once gave the explanation that weather lasted only for a 

 few days, while climate lasts all the time. 



Of all phenomena in nature undoubtedly the varying daily 

 atmospheric conditions were the first to attract the attention of 

 primeval man. 



Meteorology is the science which treats of the conditions of 

 the atmosphere, its changes in condition, and the causes which 

 give rise to these conditions and changes. It may be said to be 

 the youngest of the sciences and awaiting much developement ; 

 but the consciousness of knowing what we do not know, is know- 

 ledge too. 



The discovery of the law of gravitation has enabled the 

 astronomer to marshal the celestial bodies, but for the meteor- 

 ologist such a universal law, explaining all the atmospheric 

 movements, must be denied. Prediction is a natural sequence 

 to the discovery of nature's laws, and in this respect astronomy 

 furnishes us with its crowning glory. The conditions presented 

 in meteorology are subject and due to so many modifying 

 influences that the problem becomes highly complex and has 

 taxed the minds of the ablest physicists. The too patent benefit 

 resulting from weather predictions has enlisted public support 

 and stimulated investigators in unraveling the intricacies of 

 atmospheric phenomena. The ultimate result of all science must 

 tend towards the amelioration and benefit of mankind. In this 

 field meteorology already has and will yet have a greater role. 

 However, any theory of weather predictions based on other than 

 sound reasonings and accurate study of physics must be con- 

 sidered one of the worst forms of empiricism. 



