44 GENERAL EEMARKS. 



Easterly winds are generally succeeded by southeasterly, which are 

 accompanied by heavy rain. 



A southeasterly gale in summer usually blows itself out in that 

 direction, but in autumn the wind veers suddenly to southwest and 

 then to northwest, with undiminished force; these rapid changes 

 should be prepared for. 



At the entrances of most of the harbors the wind is generally 

 variable in direction, with frequent squalls, which at times are so 

 heavy that great caution is necessary when approaching in a vessel 

 under sail. 



In Belleisle strait the normal direction of the wdnd is either east- 

 erly or westerly through the strait, notwithstanding the direction of 

 the wind outside. From June to September, 1898, the prevailing- 

 direction of the wind was westerly. In September strong northerly 

 and northwesterly winds were frequent with clear weather. From 

 December to February winds between north and west prevail; they 

 are squally and accompanied by snow ; the changes to northeast or 

 east, with more snow, or to southwest or south, with rain, are usually 

 short. The following remarks will explain these changes. 



Meteorologically considered, the region under discussion occupies 

 a unique position. In the first place, it lies immediately to the south- 

 west of the area of constant low barometric pressure, which extends 

 from Baffin bay on the Avest to Iceland on the east; in the second 

 place, it lies immediately in the path followed by the centers of those 

 temporary moving barometric depressions which originate in the 

 interior of the Xorth American continent and travel eastward with an 

 irregular velocity until they either disappear by filling up or lose 

 their identity by coming within the limits of the permanent low. As 

 a consequence of the first condition, the barometric gradient or slope 

 over the region being to the northeastward, the prevailing direction 

 of the wind is to the west of northwest. As a consequence of the 

 second condition, these prevailing winds are subject to constant 

 interruption by the wind systems proper to the approach and passage 

 of each of these temporary areas of low pressure, the wind at any 

 station in advance of such an area invariably going to south or south- 

 east, shifting to westward as the cyclonic center passes, the shifts 

 taking place through the north (backing) if the point of observation 

 lies to the north (left hand) of the storm track, through the south 

 (veering) if it lies to the south (right hand) of this track. 



Along the coast of Newfoundland, the prevailing winds are thus 

 from the westward, subject to interruption with the approach of 

 each of these occasional low areas; and as these occur during the 

 winter (November to April) with far greater frequency than dur- 

 ing the summer (May to October), the winds of the latter season are 

 the more uniform, both in force and direction. 



