564 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



forming ascending currents of greater power than those produced over the sur.- 

 face of the ocean. 



Thus it will be seen that while no doubt exists as to the eight storms occur- 

 ring on the right of the line of low pressure, those on the left were the result mainly 

 of accidental, and even extraordinary, conditions. Upon examining the weather- 

 maps of other months I find still more convincing proofs that the great majority 

 of heavy rain-falls occur in the right half of the storm-area; and of these the larger 

 number are somewhat in advance of the storm-centre. 



When the people learn to study the weather by means of the weather map 

 and by their own observations, and place no reliance on the foolish generaliza- 

 tions of false prophets, they will then get possession of practical scientific facts of 

 great value. If these facts were properly understood by the farmers of our coun- 

 try, it might result in the saving to them of millions of dollars annually. 



November 19th, 1881. 



THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF CHRISTMAS WEEK FOR 

 THE PAST NINE YEARS. 



BY P. F. LYONS, SIGNAL CORPS, U. S. A. 



[Taken from the United States Signal Service Records, at Leavenworth, Kansas.'] 



The old adage "Green Christmas, open Winter," etc., etc., has been so 

 closely allied to if not really a household expression, that we are prompted to give 

 a review of the state of the weather as observed in this immediate vicinity during, 

 the winters of the past nine years. The principal point aimed at, however, al- 

 though not strictly scientific, is to show the degree of credulity that may be at- 

 tached to the adage " Green or warm Christmas without snow presages an open 

 winter," and the converse, vice versa.% 



The Records are as follows : December 23rd, 1871, shows a snow-fall of six 

 inches on that day, which was preceded and succeeded by a reasonably cold 

 spell and hence a "White Christmas" followed by a fair average winter. De- 

 cember 19th, 1872, a snow-fall of six inches was had; it was the forerunner of a 

 severe cold spell, which lasted for some time. A decidedly "White Christmas" 

 was that, and the immediate winter fully up to the average, exceeding the former 

 one in severity. 



The third annual cycle is shown by our records to be a repetition of Decem- 

 ber 23rd, 1871, as to snow; but the amount was very small and it rapidly disap- 

 peared before the close of the following day : that Christmas was " green " and the 

 old adage, "moderate winter" resulted. December 21st, 1874, a snow-fall of 

 eight inches, followed by a moderately cold spell — snow mostly disappeared by. 

 Christmas; some severe cold snaps were had that winter, and. the advocates of 



