AN ABNORMAL WAVE IN LAKE ERIE) 
HOWARD S. REED. 
On July 19, 1895, between 8 and g P.M., in the vicinityvof 
Erie, Pa., the waters of Lake Erie suddenly rose in a single 
wave about six feet high, which advanced upon the shore and 
after a few moments quietly subsided to their former level. 
Five miles west of Erie the rise was but three or four feet, and 
three distinct rises were observed; the first and second rises 
were about fifteen minutes apart, the second and third about 
half an hour apart. Fifteen miles east of Erie the rise was 
about six feet, and but one wave was observed. 
The weather on the day referred to was calm and clear 
where the rise occurred, and had been pleasant on each of the 
two preceding days, with light variable winds most of the time, 
and a range of temperature from 80° to 90° F. 
On the evening of the 19th the sky was cloudy, as if a storm 
were approaching. All day long the lake had been very 
calm 
Mr. R. J. Moorehead thus describes the phenomenon, as 
observed off North East, Pa.: 
“Between eight and nine o'clock, while we were sitting near 
the shore of the lake, the water suddenly rose about six feet, 
vertically, running back on the beach about sixty feet. But 
for the sharply shelving beach just at the water’s edge, many 
would undoubtedly have been drowned. 
“The day had been calm, no wind, thermometer 91° F. in the 
afternoon. 
1 The writer wishes to acknowledge his obligations for information to Willis 
L. Moore, Chief of Weather Bureau, U. S. Department of Agriculture; R. F. 
Stupart, Director of the Meteorological Service of the Dominion of Canada; 
Commander E. H. g TR p U. S. Navy SRT Ri J. 
Moorehead, North East, coe baba AaS Pa.; P. A. Sanborn, 
North East, Pa. He is aa liiis HLE sell, Professor of et in 
the University of Michigan, for friendly iaiu and criticisms. 
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