Observations on the Storm of Dec. 15, 1839. 113 



derived from the meteorological journals of scientific and intelli- 

 gent observers, or from the log-books of vessels exposed to the 

 storm ; and I take this occasion to offer my thanks to the gen- 

 tlemen who have so kindly furnished me with their observations. 



The position assumed for the axis of the gale, at noon, should, 

 perhaps, be nearly in line with the position of the ship Morrison 

 and Cape Cod Bay ; at which places the wind was then blowing 

 from opposite points of the compass, but, as may be seen, not in 

 actually opposing directions. The Morrison was from China, 

 bound to New York ; and I have reason to believe that her posi- 

 tion at noon may be safely relied on. The violence of the gale 

 was here so great that the ship, as I am informed, was lying to 

 without canvass. This ship had encountered the western side 

 of the gale, suddenly, at 7, A. M., and the sun shone chiefly un- 

 obscured during the greater part of the day. 



The gale was severe over the entire surface comprised in the 

 map, except, perhaps, on its extreme northern and northwestern 

 portions, and excepting, also, the lighter winds which were ob- 

 served near the apparent axis of the gale, in the region of Buz- 

 zards' and Cape Cod bays, &c., in the afternoon and evening. A 

 very heavy fall of snow accompanied the gale in the states of 

 Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and 

 Maine ; also, in some parts of New York and southern Vermont. 

 Some snow also fell in the western and northern parts of New 

 York and Vermont, but attended with more moderate and varia- 

 ble winds, chiefly from the north and west. 



The southwesterly and southerly winds, which connect the 

 westerly with the southeasterly winds in the circuit of rotation, 

 are found at Nantucket in the afternoon, by the farther advance 

 of the storm, and also in the log-books of a number of vessels 

 whose positions were eastward and southward of the ship Morri- 

 son, but beyond the hmits of the map. 



The barometrte minimum, as in other storms, appears to have 

 nearly coincided, in its progress, with the apparent axis of the gale. 



My main object in collecting the observations contained in the 

 subjoined schedule, has been to establish the course of the wind 

 in the body or heart of the storm at a given time, and apart from 

 all other considerations. I am in possession, however, of more 

 extended observations of this gale. Many of these appear to 

 agree with some of the following characters or modes of action 

 Vol. xLii, No. 1.— Oct.-Dec. 1841. 15 



