The Great Storm of March 11-U, 1888. 4Y 



been briefly outlined, and, although they are subject to consider- 

 able variation as to temperature, velocity, and limits, in response 

 to the varying forces that act upon them, this general view must 

 suffice for the present purpose. 



Now to consider for a moment some of the phenomena result- 

 ing from the presence and relative positions of these ocean cur- 

 rents, so far as such phenomena bear upon the great storm now 

 under consideration. With the Pilot Chart of the North Atlantic 

 Ocean for March there was issued a Supplement descriptive of 

 water-spouts off the Atlantic coast of the United States during 

 January and February. Additional interest and importance have 

 been given to the facts, there grouped together and published, by 

 their evident bearing upon the conditions that gave rise to the 

 tremendous increase of violence attendant upon the approach of 

 this trough of low barometer toward the coast. In it were given 

 descriptions, in greater or less detail, of as many as forty water- 

 spouts reported by masters of vessels during these two months, 

 at various positions off the coast, from the northern coast of Cuba 

 to the Grand banks ; and since that Supplement was published 

 many other similar reports have been received. Moreover, it was 

 pointed out that the conditions that gave rise to such remarkable 

 and dangerous phenomena are due to the interaction between the 

 warm moist air overhanging the Gulf stream and the cold dry air 

 brought over it by northwesterly winds from the coast, and from 

 over the cold inshore current, and the greater the differences of 

 temperature and moisture, the greater the resulting energy of 

 action. Reports were also quoted showing that the Gulf Stream 

 was beginning to re-assert itself after a period of comparative 

 quiescence during the winter months, and with increasing strength 

 and volume was approaching its northern limits, as the sun moved 

 north in declination. 



Such, then, were the meteorological conditions off the coast, 

 awaiting the attack of the advance guard of this long line of cold 

 northwesterly gales, — conditions still further intensified by the 

 freshening gale that sprung up from the southeast at its approach, 

 drawing re-enforcements of warm, moist ocean air from far down 

 within the tropics. The energy developed when storm systems 

 of only ordinary character and severity reach the Atlantic on 

 their eastward march toward northern Europe is well-known, and 

 need not be referred to further : let us now return to the consid- 

 eration of this storm which is advancing toward the coast at the 



