MAY, 1922. M O N m Y WEATHER BEVIEW. 251
Without any doubt, fog and rain are the two greatest enemies of the aviator. The worse of these is the fog, however. Rain to a pilot feels exactly as one’s foot feels when “gone to sleep” except that it is about 10
times as bad. It feels as though someone had a mass of needles pressing them onto the hands and face, to say nothin of the extreme coldness of the result. Fog, or cloud, %owever, is very different. The order was given for a squadron of seaplanes to leave Ham ton Roads, Va., to come north to greet the George Wizdngton when she came back with President Wilson from France. On leaving Cape May, N. J., there was a cloud extending
-/
see 100 yards ahead, contrary to the coinmanding officer’s report, and having the constant fear of an a - proaching ship whose mast we might hit. We finalry spied Fire Island Light, sbopped. asked directions, and took off again. Soon the fog came in still worse, and many a time the wings would be at an angle of 45 to 60
degrees to the horizontal, which is great for a large, 5-tOn seaplane. Both port and starboard pilots to ether worked as fast as they could, to keep her righte%, the level-bulb being of no use because it did not show a hori- zontal owin to the turning of the seaplane. The climax came near t o n g Beach, where, coming out of the fog
I - I
FI~. I.-Showlng the fcnmatlon of a horizontal eddy over the Hudson River near New Y a k City.
down to about 250 or 300 feet altitude, so the order was given to ascend above the clouds where flying was very simple by com ass. Being seaplanes, there was a great
ron would be over rand rather than water if forced to land suddenly, which would necessaril cause a total wreck.
radio message, &emsin aloft, a m going down to ascer- tain weather conditions.” We all received the message and ok’d it, then waited for the result. The flagplane dove into the clouds-out of sight-and in about 15
minutes another message came, IiAll clear 300 feet, descend.” Immediate1 all the remaining planes dove
we had arrked at Rockaway Beach hours later. We were at that time in the vicinity of Atlantic City. We man- aged to fly dong the surface of the water, barely able to
fear that somet R ino would go wrong and that the squad-
The commandin officer of the iT agplane sent us all a
into the clouds. We B id not see the other planes until
over water, we barely missed a house, rose, and turned, only to skim the top of a hu e elm tree. Direc.tly ahead
chine. We put out our anchor immediate1 and waited for the fog to clear. At 11 o’clock it had %fted, but it was rainin
for the pro ellers, we made our way in the rain to sock- away Beac t . After landing, anchoring, covering up the motors, etc., our commandin officer came down and gave us the order to o out an 9 meet, the George. Wading-
shi , the rain driving in our faces all the while. #hese are but a few incidents which could be paralleled b many an aviator, especially by one who has flown in
was a little creek, into whic % our pilot headed the ma-
instead. As rain was merely disagreeable aiid fair1 ba gi
ton. All wet and co B d, we I ‘ took-off )) again and met the
t I e South or over land and water.
It was just big enough to clear the banks.
THE AUSTIN TORNADO OF MAY 4,1922.
By FRED MORRIB, Cooperative Observer.
[University of Texas, Austin, Tex., June 14,ISaa.l
EASTERN CLOUD.
The morning of Ma 4 was sultry, with clear skies and
stationary, or practically so; if they had any movement it was so sli ht that their direction could not be noted.
to Zvelop into a cumulo-nimbus. There was nothing
unusual in the appearance of the cloud a t this time. It was just a ‘I thunderhead” from which a shower might be espected later in the afternoon. It remained rac- tically stationary, slowly increasing in size until a out 2:30 p. m., when it began to spread southward. At about 3:15 p. m., what ap eared to be cumulus
observed coming in from the southwest. Below these and coming in from a point somewhat east of south
a very 1’ ht southeast TI reeze. By 11 o’clock small cumu- lus clou ’% s had begun to form. These clouds remained
B noon t E e cumulus clouds to the nort,heast had begun
clouds at a very high altitude an t3 moving rapidly were
could be seen ragged dark cloud. The scud floatin rather low an velocity was coming in drawn east and west through the university. These clouds formed rapidly into a huge u 1 lookin mass with a very low, densely black base an! xigh pin! summit. This new cloud waa building up at a point somewhat east of the original cloudand about half way between it and town. The development of this second cloud was very rapid: also,
it seemed to be moving southward as it developed. At about 3:45 p. m. the first shar peal of thunder was
clouds ha a remained practically clear, but now began to show dark streaks, indicating that precipitation had be un. 5-y 3:50 p. m. a definite movement southward of both clouds was in progress. The eastern portion of the original cloud had become obscured by the second cloud
from a 7 1 directions
heard. U to this time the sky f elow the bases of these
252 ’ MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. MAY, 1922
and li htning was more frequent. It had grown dark enougf to make artiiicial lighting necessary in the build-
As the second cloud moved southward there was a
visible lowering of the central portion of its base. There was a violent churning action about this protuberance, and the whole base of the cloud seemed badly agitated. No true tornado funnel had as yet developed in connec- tion with this cloud, but the projection was lowering and the agitation becoming more violent as it moved south- ward. From this time forward, developments were rapid. The whole storm was moving in a direction about 30’
west of south and a t an increasing rate of speed. The destructive winds from this doud were h t felt a t the State Cemetery, a t Ninth and Coma1 Streets, where some branches were torn from trees, At this time it had the a pearance of bein only a fierce whirlwind. It next
ings were badly damaged. This was the first real e done by the wind from this cloud.
, it crossed First Street a t d e r . Here one of On the its tal light towers was blown down across the Tenth Ward Fire Station. From this point to the river a number of buildings in the path of the wind were badly damaged. Upon reach- ing the swollen river the true character of the cloud was outlined for the first time. An enormous volume of spra was lifted and whirled high into the air. It seemed
flashed into existence, and a few moments later as s u z denly disappeared. After crossing the river the whirl moved u south bank into Travis Heights, where a num er of fine homes were damaged or destroyed. F h m +As point on the funnel-sha ed cloud could be clear1 seen. Viewed from the high a owntown buildings
of clouds. (fibservers could c early see the matenals of the buildings thrown high into the air as building after buildin was struck. At this point the path waa about
dntinuing in a souther1 direction, the wind next struck at St. Edward’s Co$ege, where the dormitory, gymnasium, and power plant were destroyed. (See Figs.
5, 6, 7.)
;rigs*
struc- R at Sixth and Ng avasota Streets, where two build-
gontinuing sout Y ward and doing minor roperty damage roperty dam
as t l oueh a long white column of smoke had suddenl
\ the high
i t ha c9 the ap earance of bein a whirling, churnin5 mass
50 ar (K s wide.
(See Fig. 3.)
5
At the center of this whirling mass was a small black core about as big around as a
man’s body (viewed from Penn Field about one-half mile distant), moving alon in a zie-zag path, swin ‘n very
moved forward everything seemed to rush in to meet it. Large trees were torn up by their roots and drawn in, tops h t ; buildings of all sizes just seemed to go to pieces, and the materials, especially the roofs, sail in toward this central core, where they were torn to pieces and carried high into the air. Some of this material was thrown out at a height of 100 feet or more, while some of it disappeared entirely. The storm next struck Penn Field-the Woodward Manufacturing Co.’s plant-where the greatest property
damage in the storm’s path occurred.
much like the trunk o Y an elepxant. As this bffaci core
(Fig. 4.)
Immediately after striking Penn Field the cloud turned sharply to the southwest and passed through the St. Elmo neighborhood, where the Heartkoff Dairy plant, the Harper home, and the Holden residence were struck in succession and completely swept away. Other build- in-gs in the neighborhood were damaged. (Fig. 2.) The width of the storm’s path had gradually increased u to this point, and was about 225 yards wide here. T!ees blown down along the western edge of the path were lyin to the south, while those on the east side were lying
clockwise direction, considering the clock lying face up on the ground. Continuin in a southwesterly direction, the tornado
to t a e north, showing the wind to have had a counter-
struc.k and if estroyed a number of farni properties in its
-M A Y 4. 1932.- 29.7.-
29.6 -
29.5 -
2#.# -
i?BJ
292 -
z.9.1 -
FIO. U.-RaeS of the barograph at the University of Texas on Ma 4 1922 showing the
disturbance at the time of the occucrenw of tornadoes in t%ni &tp.
ath. The next im ortant destruction was in t.he neigh-
and Oak Hill. The tornado seems to have been ctp- proachin Davis Hill along a straight line. At the foot of this h !il some small houses were destroyed. The fun- ne1 then turned abruptly to the west and completely swe t away bhe Bar sley home, killing six ersons. A
fatalities increase the totalenumber of deaths to 12.
Fifty persons were injured. oint on slight damage waa done to farm
. It is interesting to note that when last seen t is funnel was lying in an almost horizc..tal position, and resembled very closely the funnel which swept through the western part of town.’ The trace of the University of Texas barograph is shown in Figure 12.
lorhood of Davis Hi 7 1, about half way between Manchaca
stu B ent at St. Edwar i ’s college was also kille$ and other
pro erty, aa t Yl e funnel continued in a westerly direction an cf finally lifted from the
From this
Tound
..
. ?M. W. R.. May, 1922. (To face p. 252.)
F .-Th stin tornado of Ma 4,1922 (western cloud). This photograph was taken at 3:48 y. m.,,from.the IeEeld Iding, when the czud was about 3 miles northwest ofthecamera. Thefunne hadlustnsen the llO5,d Blind Institute when Mr. T. B. Kellum took the picture. Negative owned by the Gszley Co., 204 W. Sixth Street, Austm, Tex. (Courtesy Austin Chamber of Commerce.)
M. W. R., May, 1922.
of the Harper home at St. Elmo. The house, which was destroyed by the eastern cloud formerly stood within the rectangle formed by the four oaks.
..
:.
TIC+. t.-Home in Travis Heights damaged by the eastern cloud.
Fro. 4.-Water tower at Penn Field destroyN by the eastern cloud.
M. W. R.. May, 1922,
,
B? -Western cloud of the Austin tornado. (Copyright, Phntoeranhic Lahoratnro TTnivqrsity of Texas.)
BIG. 9.-Western cloud of the Austin tornado. (Copyright, Photographic Laboratory, University of Texas.)
M. W. R., May, 1922. (To face p. 252.)
FIG. 10.-Western cloud of the $ustin tornado. (Copyright, Photographic Labaratory, University of Texas.)
ll
FIG. 11.-Austin tornado (westen? cloud). This photograph was taken by Mr. A.D. Boone,at 4:12 p. m., May 4, 1922, when the cloud was about 2 d e s west of thecamera. (Courtesy Austin Chamber of Commerce.)
Mil-, 1922. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 253
January ................................. February.. .............................. March. .................................. .................................... ..................................... ................................... July ..................................... August. September October..
................................. ............................... ............................
WEBTERN CLOUD.
While the eastern tornado was by far the larger and more destructive, it was not seen by nearly so many peo le
was watching while the ea.sterii funnel formed and cut its destructive path through the sout;hwest>ern portion of the county. The wind from this cloud was first felt in contact with the ground at a point about 6 niiles northwest. of town, where some farm buildings were damaged. It,s nest important destruction was about 3 niiles farther south, at the State school for the negro deaf, dumb, and blind. At this institution the industrial building, t.he laundry building, and a dormitory were destroyed. Moving in ti
southwestern direction and along a line pract,icall parallel to the path of t,he eastern cloud, it nest struc% at Dee At this point con-
injured. Lifting a large volume of spray high into the air as it went, the whirl crossed the river, cut a pat,h about 25 yards wide through the timbered hills, and
eventually disappeared to the southwest. The pabli of this funnel while in contact. with the ground WRS about 3
miles to the west of, and practically parallel to, the east- ern funnel.
as was the western cloud. (.Fi s. 1, 8 , 9-11.) I t was t r lis
spectacular westeTn funnel w a ic.11 practically every one
Eddy on the river’s bank. siderab P e roperty da.niage was done and two persons
.-
SOME OBSERVATIONS MADE ON THE ORIGIN, GROWTH, AND DISAPPEARANCE OF THE TORNADO WHICH PASSED
WEST OF AUSTIN MAY 4,1922.
By PAUL T. SEASHORE.
[University of Texas, June 11, 1922.1
While seated by a n0rt.h window in Breckenrid-e Hall at the University of Texas on t.he afternoon of Itfay 4 I became aware, due to the rumbling of thunder, of an accumulation of clouds in the nort,h and northeast,. On
account of the heat, of the early afternoon and of the knowledge t,hat we were in an area of low pressure I thought it perhaps advisable to watc.h these cloiids for sym toms of tornadic disturbances. Tge clouds approached 1uit.e rapidly and seemed to be traveling in a southerly direct.ion, perhaps slightly west of south. The ap roaching clouds were scarcely 5 miles
disturbance. In a osition nearly due north a ragged
and had assumed the sha e of a V wit a slender t,hresd-
like wisp was continualTy bein drawn up into the larger
two, and then trailmg down to the earth again, swinging to the right and to the left. This phenomenon was con- tinued for possibly two or three minutes, and t,hen t,he V-shaped body with its ap endage disappeared.
that it had been present, the bod rea peare as before,
a position a few degrees west of north. Directly above
ths minature tornado small fragments of clouds were flying here and there with an irregular motion, confhed, it seemed, however, to a certain area horizontally but not vertically. From this irregular boiling there gradu-
away when I first g ecame aware of the tornadic formative
edge, or that art w Fl ich appears to an observer as bemg the bottom o P the cloud had in one lace dipped lower
like appendage swingin- P rom the bottom. This smoke-
V-shaped body, staying there B or the space of a second or
After being absent for a ?J out the same len th of time
only it had grown larger and ha B sh -P ted from north to
R
%
n 0.00 1 .a3 I9 .83 9 1.03
Lu 2. sn 2.00 60 18 .w 16 .53 10 .33 5 .17
ally grew a regular movement, which was counterclock- wise and assumed the shape of a narrow, slight1 taper-
zontal. The small V-shaped body was drawn up into the larger cone, but the threadlike wisp of the former re- mained and was seen to grow larger, attac.h itself to the tip of the larger cone, and estend vertically to the ground. It remained on the ground for a few seconds and then drew up to a position about midway between the cone and the ground. The tornado at this stage was a proximately north 3 5 O west from niy position. As t % e rapidly whirling gray cone passed to the west it assumed a more vertical position and ap eared to
seen drawn into its vortex After the cone had passed to the southwest of my point of observation it became funnel-shaped and again seemed to dip toward the earth. It now gradually broadened out, became bell- sha ed and disappeared in a heavy rain.
“u s tornado was followed by a cloud having a bluish green color. The whirling cone itself had a grayish color until it became obliterated by the rain.
ing cone inclined at an angle of about 30’ wit,h t i e hori-
slightly larger. Fragments of ragged c. P ouds c o u l r c
TORNADO FREQUENCY I N KANSAS.
Uy S. P. PETERWN, Meteorologist
IWeather Bureau, Wichita, Kans., May 18,1922.1
The following table has been compiled from the readily available records of tornadoes in Kansas so that there may be a clearer conception of the frequency of occur-
rence of tornadoes in that State. The records upon which the table is based are com iled from Mr. S. D. Flora’s article on “Tornadoes in Iflansas,” published in the MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW of December, 1915, and from the records of tornadoes found in the Monthly Cli- matological Datu for Kansas for the years 1916 to 1921,
inclusive, published by the To eka Weather Bureau
scanned for a11 records of tornadoes contained during that period. The total, apparently quite complete, records of tornadoes cover a eriod of 30 yeais-from
When tabulated we get the following results, showing the total number of tornadoes that have occurred in the various months during the period of record, from which is computed the average monthly frequency and the average number of tornadoes that may be expected to occur in Kansas per year.
Tame l.-Tornndo .frfqi/fnry i?i h-msm, 30 yt‘nrs‘ record (h y months).
office, the Climatological Data s laving been carefully
1874 to 1887, 1SS9 to 1S96, a m P 1914 to 1931, inclusive.
frequency.