METEOROLOGY REVOLUTIONIZED BY THE WEATHER-MAP. 45 



Whether the storm produces rain or snow depends somewhat on the season, 

 but more especially on the latitude of " Low." 



Local storms comes from the confines, or outer lines of the passing " Low," 

 and mostly occur during the warmer month when ** Low " is on a high line of 

 latitude, or when there is not any very well-defined centre. A tornado is a 

 severe local storm which occurs in the track of "Low" and generally when 

 "Low" is on a high line, or passing to a high line. 



It would require too much space to enumerate all the changes. A close 

 observation of the Weather-Map for a season will explain all. When we have 

 become familiar with this map we will readily see the absurdity of the statements 

 made by the so-called "weather-prophets." They often say "it will be pleas- 

 ant or stormy." "When?" is the pertinent question, for we see that it all de- 

 pends upon the location and relation of these two factors " High " and "Low." 

 It may be very stormy weather in one section and not in the other. Until the 

 " weather-prophet" can locate his storms and give us the positions of " High" 

 and "Low" he had better remain silent; and if he remains silent till then, he 

 will be forever a silent man. 



At present the territory from Nebraska to the Atlantic Coast is well supplied 

 with stations, but from there to the Pacific we have very few, and these far 

 apart. As most of our storms come from the west it would be a great advant- 

 age to us to have more stations in this locality; not only due west but well to 

 the southwest and to the northwest, from Lower California to the British Pos- 

 sessions. 



A few storms come from the south. We should, therefore, be prepared to 

 have ample warning in regard to them, and have stations through Mexico and 

 one or two sea-stations in the Gulf of Mexico, and a few more on the West India 

 Islands. We need protection from the west generally ; that is, give the most 

 generous interpretation to the term west, for these storm-centres as they pass 

 around the world are liable to travel, as we often see them in the United States 

 for a distance of i,ooo or 1,500 miles due north. We should be prepared against 

 these erratic or occasional ones as well as against those of a more regular course 

 which enter our territory by the regular west-gate. 



Most of the " Lows " that pass over the United States pass to the northeast, 

 either through the St. Lawrence Valley, or somewhere between there and Cape 

 Hatteras; hence the prevalence of fog and stormy weather off this northeast 

 coast. 



More interest should be centered on this subject. When this is done it will 

 not be difficult to obtain more stations in the localities where they are so much 

 needed. 



There is a bright day ahead for this despised branch of science, and when it 

 arrives our Weather Bureau will become one of the most influential branches of 

 government, and one we will support in the most effectual manner, because of 

 the practical benefits we will derive from its more perfect state. The Map will 

 open to us new avenues of pleasure and mterest; aad when its beauties and prac- 



