258 L. Loomis—Contributions to Meteorology. 
After the 24th the low area over Norway was diverted west- 
ward, perhaps by the warmer and more humid air upon that 
side, and after the 27th the pressure over Asia began to 
increase, and reached 81:0 inches on the 81st, at which time the 
conditions were similar to what they had been on the 14th, but 
the cold at the center of the high area was less intense. The 
region of greatest cold was near the center of Asia, but up to 
Jan. 5th the center of the high area was in Hastern Hurope or 
in Western Asia. The high area was apparently attracted west- 
ward by asecond high area in the neighborhood of Spain which 
coalesced with the Asiatic area on the 3d. On the 4th a con- 
siderable area of low pressure, which on the preceding day had 
prevailed near the coast of Norway, pushed farther eastward, by 
which means the pressure in Northern Europe was diminished 
and the center of high pressure moved eastward. It now came 
into the region where a very low temperature had been prevail- 
ing since the beginning of December. Simultaneously wah the 
fall in temperature, the pressure at the center increased and 
continued thus through the 9th. On the 10th the barometer fell 
below 31:0 inches and for the next 10 days continued with some 
fluctuations to decline until it fell below 30°5 inches. The most 
important cause for this decline, as far as can be learned from 
the International maps, was the eastward progress of the low 
area in Hurope already mentioned. This low area drew off 
the air from the western side of the Asiatic high area, and after 
the 9th the high area was not built up on its eastern side as fast 
as it was reduced on its western side. On the 16th and 17th a 
low area from the Pacific Ocean crowded the high area on its 
northeast side, in consequence of which the center of the high 
area moved southward. Therise of the thermometer shown by 
Table V, from the 16th to the 19th was the result of this south- 
ward movement of the center of high pressure. At Nertchinsk 
the thermometer still remained below zero of Fahrenheit. On 
the 19th the Pacific low area was filled up by the air which 
pressed in from the north, and the result was a slight increase 
of the high area over Central Asia. This increase was how- 
ever but temporary, for on the 21st the storm which had long 
prevailed in Kurope gained a considerable increase of intensity 
while a low area of moderate extent pushed northward from the 
Persian Gulf, and by the union of these two low areas the high 
area over Asia was completely broken up, and on the 22d the 
highest pressure reported at any of the Russian stations was 
30°3 inches. 
The history of this high area which for 50 successive days 
covered a large portion of Kuropasia, and which obtained a 
maximum greater than has ever been known at any other time 
in any part of the world, ought to furnish a basis for some 
