XOVEMBER 23, 1S83.] 



SCIENCE. 



671 



THE WEAVHER IN SEPTEMIiEH. 



Thk wcather-i-eview of the U. S. signal- 

 service siiows that in September there were 

 two peculiar features, — the low mean temper- 

 ature, and the deficiency in rainfall. Tiie for- 

 mer was characteristic of all districts east of 

 the Kocky ]Mountaius, though the temperature 

 was above the normal on the l^acilic coast. 

 The greatest deficiency in rainfall was in the 

 east Gulf states, but the drouglit has been 

 severe in various sections. Forest-fires burned 

 over large tracts of land, causing the destruc- 

 tion of much property, especially in New Eng- 

 land. 



The accompanj-ing chart exhibits the mean 

 pressure, temperature, and wind-directions for 

 the month, and needs no special comment. 

 Nine barometric depressions were observed 

 within the limits of the countrj-, the average 

 course being farther north than is usual. Of 

 these, one was especially severe on the Lakes 

 xiud in Canada, and one was a well-devel- 

 oped tropical hurricane. The latter was first 

 observed near Martinique, on tlie 4th : it was 

 very violent in the Caribbean Sea, and caused 

 great destruction in the Bahamas, the loss of 

 life being over fifty. It reached the North 

 Carolina coast on the lllh, and was a destruc- 

 tive gale between Cape Hatteras and Wil- 

 mington, but lost its energy on reaching the 

 land, and was wholly dissipated. AVhile the 

 damage from the hurricane was great, good 

 service to commerce was rendered by the fre- 

 quent warnings issued by the signal-service. 

 The depression which existed on the 21st is 

 worthy of note on account of its unusual track. 

 It moved from Milwaukee, north-west to St. 

 Paul, thence southward over Iowa and Mis- 

 souri, and was the means of considerably 

 modifying the effect of a cold wave whicii 

 threatened extensive damage by frost. Five 

 iitorm-centres are traced on the Atlantic, one 

 of which is a continuation of the second of 

 the August hurricanes described in Science, 

 No. 37, and which passed over Great Brit- 

 ain. Four vessels only report passing ice- 

 bergs. 



With the approach of fall, frequent frosts are 

 reported, and a frost-chart is a special feature 

 of the review : it gives the limits of the regions 

 in which frosts were experienced in connection 

 with the three leading cold waves of the month. 

 In contrast with this, maximum temperatures 

 of 100° or higher were noted in Arizona, 

 California, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, 

 Texas, and Utah ; the higiiest being 122°. 



The extent of the deficiency in the rainfall 



is indicated liy the following precipitation 

 table : — 



Average predjntation for September, 1S83. 



New Kngland . . . , 

 Middle Atlantic states 

 South Atlantic stales . 

 Florida peninsula . . 

 Eastern gulf .... 

 M'eatern gulf .... 

 llio Grande valley . . 



Tennessee , 



Olno valley .... 

 T.ower lakes .... 

 Upper lakes .... 

 Extreme north-west . 

 Upper Mississippi valley 

 Missouri valley ... 

 Northern slope ... 



Middle slope 



Northern plateau . . , 

 Southern plateau . . , 

 North Pacific coast. . , 

 Middle Pacific coast . , 

 South Pacific coast . . , 



4.9S 

 -1.33 

 4.64 

 8.48 

 2.49 



1.26 

 1.58 

 0.78 

 1.23 

 2.13 



6.31 

 2.29 

 1.53 

 2.S2 

 2.78 

 1.01 

 1.C7 

 2.60 

 0.89 

 3.02 

 0.06 

 0.57 

 1.18 

 0.48 

 0.04 



Comparlton of 



•1 yean. 



1.24 deficiency. 

 0.33 excess. 

 0.69 excess. 

 1.69 deficiency. 

 3.93 deficiency. 

 1.16 deficiency. 



1.77 excess. 



1.19 deficiency. 

 0.96 deficiency. 

 0.21 deficiency. 



1.20 deficiency. 

 1.23 deficiency. 



1.78 deficiency. 

 Normal. 



0.37 deficiency. 

 1.43 excess. 

 0.72 deficiency. 

 0.65 deficiency. 

 0.95 deficiency. 

 0.27 excess. 

 0.01 excess. 



The drought in the southern states is a con- 

 tinuation of that of former months, as is 

 shown by the foUowiug table of deficiencies in 

 the districts named : — 



Tennessee . . 

 South Atlantic . 

 Eastern guif. . 

 \yestern gulf . 



.July. August. 



Inches. 

 -0.41 

 -0.72 

 -1.94 



September. Total. 



Inches. 

 -1.19 

 + 0.69 

 -3.93 

 -1.16 



Inches. 

 -2.59 

 -0.76 

 -8.41 

 -5.58 



Several instances of great wind-velocity were 

 recorded, the maximum being a hundred and 

 eight miles per hour at Mount Washington on 

 the 9th. At Cape ilendociuo, on the Pacific 

 coast, a maximum velocity of ninety-six miles 

 was noted. The singular fact, not unusual, 

 liowever, in the winter season, is deserving of 

 mention, that the total movement of the air at 

 Delaware Breakwater and Kittyhawk, on the 

 Atlantic coast, is greater than that at the sum- 

 mit of Pike's Peak, the loftiest stati9n in the 

 world. 



THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ON THE U. S. 

 FISH- COMMISSION STEAMER ALBA- 

 TROSS.^— II. 



As supeiintendent of the building of the .ship, 

 my expectation was, that numerous and intri- 

 cate prol)lem8 would present themselves in 

 running the wires about the iron hull, through 



• Conlinucil from No. 41. 



