On the prevailing Siorms of the Jlllantic Coast. 27 



islands ; — that this progress, though slower in the lower latitudes, 

 was, after reaching the American coast, at a rate not greatly differing 

 from thirty geographical or nautical miles per hour, which is pre- 

 sumed to have been nearly the velocity of the direct southerly cur- 

 rent prevailing in the atmosphere at that time, at a medium height 

 from the surface ; and this rate of progression appears to have gov- 

 erned the duration and termination of the storm at each place over 

 which it passed ; — that on the western margin, or verge of the storm, 

 or at those places most distant from the sea, the wind was north- 

 easterly or northerly, while on the opposite verge, at sea, the wind 

 was southerly and westerly ; — that along the central portion of the 

 track, the storm was violent from the south-eastern quarter, changing 

 suddenly to an opposite direction; — and that there was previously 

 and subsequently, no prevalence of an easterly wind, nor was there 

 any other apparent cause for a direct movement of the atmosphere 

 from that quarter ; all the existing tendencies being in another direc- 

 tion. The center of the storm or hurricane, appears to have been 

 generally outside the coast, till, reaching Long Island, it crossed the 

 same, and entered upon the State of Connecticut. It seems also to 

 have passed westward of New Haven, and to have entered the val- 

 ley of the Connecticut river near Middletown, and after partially fol- 

 lowing that valley for some distance, and crossing the State of Mas- 

 sachusetts, the storm must have disappeared towards the eastern 

 •coast, and its further progress does not appear to have been reported. 

 The general analogy or correspondence of the foregoing facts to 

 the known phenomena of whirlwinds and tornadoes, will, it is be- 

 lieved, be sufficiently evident, at least so far as the difference in the 

 magnitude and other circumstances of these rotative masses, will per- 

 mit of the resemblance. As it will be assumed, in the progress of 

 our remarks, that this pecuharity of motion is a general attribute of 

 storms, it may therefore be proper to sum up these points of resem- 

 blance in a more concise manner. 



1. The regular progress of both the storm and the whirlwind from 

 the point where they first become appreciable in their effects, till 

 their ultimate extinction, uninfluenced by any particular direction of 

 wind which they may exhibit, deserves especial notice. 



2. The limited diameter of the known smaller, and the supposed 

 larger whirlwind, or storm, as compared vi^'ith the extent over which 

 they sweep in pursuing their several tracks, is an important resem- 

 blance, and is evidence of a similarity in the mode of operation. 



