On the prevailing Storms of the Atlantic Coast. 21 



verely ; as was also the case in the south-eastern parts of Connecti- 

 cut. In the north-western portions of the latter state, and the adja- 

 cent towns of Massachusetts, the gale blew with its chief violence 

 from the north-western quarter, and the trees and corn, as the writer 

 afterwards witnessed, were uniformly prostrated towards the south- 

 east. At Worcester, in Massachusetts, the storm occurred some 

 hours later than in Connecticut. 



It appears, therefore, that the more violent effects of this storm 

 were of limited extent from south-east to north-west, but were ex- 

 hibited over a much greater range of country from south-west, pro- 

 gressively, to north-east ; that in the central part of Connecticut, 

 the mass of atmosphere upon the earth's surface, was moving for 

 several hours, apparently towards the north-west, with a probable 

 velocity of seventy five to one hundred miles per hour, while in the 

 northern parts of Litchfield county, in the same state, at a distance 

 of say forty miles, the wind, at about the same period, was blowing 

 with nearly equal violence towards the south or south-east. To- 

 wards the sea coast of Rhode Island, from whence the gale at Mid- 

 dletown, in Connecticut, seemed to come with such surprising ve- 

 locity, the gale was of no extraordinary character ; while at New 

 York, the storm had ceased blowing from the eastward, soon after its 

 commencement from the south-east in this part of Connecticut. 



In reviewing these facts, we are led to inquire how, or in what 

 manner it could happen, that the mass of atmosphere should be found 

 passing over Middletown for some hours, with such exceeding swift- 

 ness, towards a point apparently within thirty minutes distance, and 

 yet never reach it ; but a portion of the same or a similar mass of 

 air, be found returning from that point with equal velocity ? and how 

 were all of the most violent portions of these atmospheric movements 

 which occurred at the same point of time, confined within a circuit 

 whose diameter does not appear to have greatly exceeded one hun- 

 dred miles ? To the writer there appears but one satisfactory ex- 

 plication of these phenomena. This storm ivas exhibited in the form 

 of a great ivhirlwind. 



This position renders it proper to notice a class of winds which we 

 have not previously considered. 



Some idea of the existence and character of whirlwinds or torna- 

 does, as they are sometimes called, is common to most persons who 

 are at all conversant with the subject of meteorology. One variety 

 of whirlwind is often exhibited during the prevalence of dry westerly 



