624 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. DEOEMBER, 1906
630a.m ................. 7:Na.m ................. 8:SO a m ................ 9 3 0 a m ................. 1OSOa.m ................. 1 l :l S a m ................. 1:OOp.m ................. 200p.m ................. 3:OOp.m ................. 4:Wp.m ................. 6:Wp.m. ................ 645-7:Wp.m ............ 9Wp.m ............................. .............................
...........
ll:Wp.m
Average
TABLE la.-Air and water h n p e r ~t ?a at Tobico, near Bay aty-hnt'd.
57 66 ........... 50 66 72 68 46.5 64
65.4 68 ............ 61 67 76 70 ............ 65.5 68.6 ........... 69 68 79 71.5 ............ 70.5 69.8 ............ 69.5 69 79 7?.5 ............ 69.3 72.2 ............ 72.5 70.4 79 72.5 ......
73.3 74.8 73 73.2 ............ 85 75.3 ............ 73.4 75.3 75.5 74.5 ............ 79 h 5 .1 ............ 73 75 76 74.2 ........... 73.2 75.5 ...... 1 ...... i 3 74.1 74.2 73.6 ............ 71.1 74.5 ...... ' ...... 72 73 72.6 72.6 ............ 70.5 73.5 ...... 68 71 132.6 71 ............ e3 69 ...... 59 69 ............ M 66.5
55 68
69.7 71.8 $67.07 $69.9
75.2 74 ............ 74 71.7 80.5173.4 ...... ::::::
...... 50.5 66
............ ............ I
I
19M.
~
5 ,.
Q .2
;q
i ?:
3 -4
m.
0,3S3 0,620
4,426
5.776
5 030
1,926
3,063
?:a70
......
l,ls'!
...... 4.965
1,750 833
1 Aug. 18. 1 Aug. 22. 1 Aug. 23. 1 Aug. 25.
~
Aog. 26.
-I +
2
-__
nr.
10,765
...... 11,278
...... 4.502
836
......
......
1,757
...... ............ 1,711
...... ...... ......
))I.
,814
,O M
,600
,053
,847
,764
,406
,635 ,146
,682 ,615 639
....
.....
*Average of the 24-hour period ending with the last ohservatiou of this date.
climate of lower Michigan. Moreover, the temperature of the
water, as a rule, being greater than that of the air from
about 7 p. m. until about 9 a. m. the day following, the tend-
ency would be to increase the temperature of the adjacent
shores. On the other hand, the air temperature being greater
during the remainder of the day, the water would tend
to establish an equilibrium by reducing the air temperature,
the mean range probably approaching a mean of the average
ranges of air and water temperatures. The more prolonged
period of higher water temperature is doubtless the greater
factor in this question.
E
L -*d 2 Z a
$k G ~~-
?)I. tn.
9 054 8 936
R'OfiJ 7'851
5:893 518%
3,632 3,676 2 163 1 SI5
1:RRO 1:574
2,100 2,160 1445 ..... 1:707 1,402
3,990 5,485 2,057 2,525 675 944
3,293 3,792
1'792 1'079
.............
INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL DEFINITIONS AND SYMBOLS.
('irro-cumulus ............. AlteD-stratus ............... Alt.o-~llmulue.. ........... Rt.rato-ciuniilus ............ Nimbus ...................
Compiled by E. R. MILLER. Datrd Washiugtun, D. C., Jauuary 1, 1506.
Progress in meteorology, both practical and theoretical,
depends, more than in the case of other sciences, upon inter-
national uniformity in methods of observing, recording, and
publishing data. Such uniformity may be secured by aclher-
ence to the recommendations of the international meteoro-
logical congresses, conferences, and committees. The reports
of the meetings of these organizations have been published
in the principal European languages, including English, and
the resolutions and recommendations of the various confer-
ences from 1872 to 1891 were codified and published by Prof.
H. Wild, of St. Petersbnrg, in his Repertorium fur Meteor-
ologie, Band YVI, No. 10, 1893.
The nomenclature, definitions, and classification of clouds
recommended by the International Meteorological Committee
in 1894, was made the official system of the United States
Weather Bureau in 1895.
The international meteorological symbols mere devised by
the permanent committee appointed 11s the International Mete-
orological Congress that met in Vienna in September, 1873.
A few additional symbols have been adopted and the official
definitions have been modified a t the meetings held at Munich
in 1892, at Paris in 1896, and n t Innsbruck in 1905. With the
exception of the thunderstorm symbol (E) they have not been
adopted by the United States Weather Bureau for use by its
regular observers, but were reconimencled for use by the cooper-
ative observers in a circular issued by the Chief Signal Officer
in 1883, and again by the Chief of the Weather Bureau in a cir-
cular dated January 1,1894. They were introduced for the first
time into the tables of data published in the Annual Report of
the Chief of the Weather Bureau in the volume for 1903-04.
6,457 2,774 .3.432
1,771 1.197
The ciroular of January 1, 1894, unfortunately contained
several typographical errors, which also crept into the subse-
quent reprints of that circular in the Smithsonian Meteoro-
logical Tables, edition of 1897, in the MONTHLY WEATHER
REVIEW for July, 1898, page 311, and in the Classification of
Clouds and International Meteorological Symbols recently
published by the Weather Bureau.
It is with a view to presenting a complete and accurate
statement to American observers that the following reviuion
has been prepared.
We are indebted to Mr. A. L. Rotch, American member of
the International C'lond C'oniniittee and Director of the Blue
Hill Observatory, and Messrs. H. H. Clayton and S. P. Fer-
guson, of the Blue Hill Observatory staff, for valuable criti-
civilis and the notes accoiiipanying this article.
Qyier cZouda.-Cirrus (a). Cirro-stratus (b ).
I/iterniediate cZoitdR.-Cirro-cumulus (a). Alto-cumulus (a ).
Lower clouds.-Strato-cumulus (a). Nimbus (b ).
Clouds formed by diurnal ascending currents.-Cumulus.
High .fog.s.-Stratus.
The clouds mnrkecl (0) usually occur in separate or rounded
masses and are most frequently seen in dry weather. Those
marked (b ) are forms which are widely extended or completely
cover the sky, as in wet weather.
CLASSIFICATION OF CLOUDS.
Alto-stratus (h ).
Cumulo-nimbus.
HEIGHTS O F CLOUDS.
In the following table ' are given the mean heights of clouds
as determined by observations during the '' cloud year "
1896-97, except in the case of Allahabad, where the observa-
tions mere macle from December, 1898, to March., 1900:
Mean heiyhta of clouda.
SUMMER.
......
..... ...... ......
a- -
(d
1,781
9,031
1,601
510
............ .............
9.511 9,526 7,413
4.801 3.828
2,399 1,804
2,855 1,198
3,730
......
...... ......
1,132
~~
12,884 10,634
13,342 11.638
11,553 6,421
.............. 6,257 4,638
3,550 5.003 2.332 1,468
1,344 1,821
2,619 ....... 2,521 3,136
.............. ..............
............. .................... ..............
WINTER.
9,978
?,630 3,246
4,130
a,494 1,542
_..__. 1,336
...... ......
......
C'irrus .................... Ci rro-st r a t 11 Y ............ C'irro-cuuialus ...........
9.612 5.493
6,155
4,574
1,604
646
......
3,658
1,623
1,544
........... ............ ............ ............ 606
............. Alto-stratus Alto-cumlllus ............ Strato-cumiiliis ...........
8 514 5l849 5'634
3: 812
4,274 1 614
Cuuiuliin .................. 1,516 ...... 1;499 1;112
Cumulus (summit) ......... 1,649 1,602 1,744 2,371
Cumulus (hare) ........... l
714 ll.118
1
991
~
..... Frnctu-cumulus.. ......... 1.219 ...... 1.025 1.4211
.
. . .
.
Curnulo-uimhus
Stratus .................. .....
...... Cumul+niwbus (base) .... 1,377 ...... 3,825 ....
6 980 8 740 8 070
5'455 6:131 5:985 7'090 7'653 5:40(;
.4:114 172 3,MY
4 090 ...... 2,988
1.964 I?50i 1.415
Niiubris .................. 1 '987 1.: ... .11:265 1I053
m.
11,133
6,823 4,302 5.707
1 382
1,926
12,968
1,901
...... ...... ...... 6,454
1,065
...... ......
~
An inspection of the table will suffice to establish the validity
of the following rules:
~
Rapport sG%s observations internatiouales des nuages au Cornit6
International MBteorologique par H. Hildebrand Hildebrandsson. Part
11, 1905, Table I, page 2.
DECEMBER, 1906. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 525
1. The heights of clouds, especially upper clouds, decrease
from the equator toward the poles.
2. The heights of clouds are greater in summer than in
winter in the temperate zones. I n India they are, in general,
higher during the northeast monsoon than during the south-
west monsoon.
DESCRIPTION OF CLOUDS.’
The following descriptions are quoted from the English
test of the International Cloud Atlas, Paris, 1896, with some
modifications to make them agree with the French and Ger-
man texts, and other modifications adopted by the conference
a t Innsbruck in September, 1905, and which will appear in t,he
new edition of the cloud ntlas.
Cirrus (Ci 3. ).-Detached clouds, clelicate and fibrous look-
ing, taking the form of feathers, generally of a white color,
sometimes arranged in belts which cross a portion of the sky
in “great circles,” and, by an effect of perspective, converge
toward opposite points of the horizon; the Ci.-St. and the
Ci.-Cu. often contribute to the formation of these belts.
Ciwo-strati(s ( Cz.-St.’).-A thin, whitish sheet; a t times com-
pletely covering the sky and giving i t a whitish appearance,
when i t is sometimes called cirro-nebula, or at other times pre-
senting, more or less distinctly, a formation like a tauglecl web.
This sheet often produces halos around the sun and moon.
Cirro-aitniiiltts ( Ci.-Cic.).-Small globular masses or white
flakes without shadows, or having very slight shadows,
arranged in groups and often in lines.
Allo-cuni d u s (A.-Cu.).-Rather large globular masses, white
or grayish, partially shaded, arranged in groups or lines, ancl
often so closely packed that their edges appear confused.
The detached masses are generally larger and more com-
pact (changing to St.-Cu.) at the center of the group; a t
the margin they form into finer flakes (changiug to Ci.-Cu.).
They are often spread out in lines in one or two directions.
Alto-stratus ( A.-St.’).-A thick sheet of gray or bluish color,
showing a brilliant patch in the neighborhood of the sun or
moon, and which, without causing halos, may give rise to
corone. This form goes through changes like those of the
cirro-stratus, but its altitude is one-half as great.
Strato-cuni u h s (St.*-Cu. ).-Large globular masses or rolls of
dark cloud; frequently covering the whole sky, especially in
winter, and occasionally giving it a wavy appearance. The
.layer of strato-cumulus is not, as a rule, very thick, and
patches of blue sky are often visible through the intervening
spaces. All sorts of transitions between this form and the
alto-cumulus are noticeable. It may be distinguished from
nimbus by its globular or rolled appearance, and also because
it does not bring rain.
Rain cloud.-A thick layer of dark clouds,
without shape and with ragged edges from which continued
rain or snow generally falls. Through the openings in these
clouds an upper layer of cirro-stratus or alto-stratus may
almost invariably be seen. If the layer of nimbus separates
into shreds, or if small, loose clouds are visible floating at a
low level, underneath a large nimbus, they may be described
as fracto-nimbus. (Fr.-Nb.) (The “Scud ” of sailors.)
Cumulus ( CU.~). Woolpack clouds.-Thick clouds of which the
In order to secure complete uniformity in the observations the con-
ference at Innsbruck requested authors of meteorological treatises or instructions to reproduce verbatim the deflnitions of the International
Cloud Atlas without additions or changes.
3 It i s recommended by the conference that the abbreviated name of
the cloud observed be underlined when the form is typical, e. g., A B
and that the kind of cloud from which rain falls be noted.
I t is recommended hy the conference that nimbus be abbreviated to
Nb. and stratus to St. in order to avoid confusion with the abbreviation
N=north, and %south.
5 The Corm assumed by certain clouds, particularly during the sirocco,
mistral, or foehn, 1. e., that of an ovoid with sharp edges, and sometimes
irideecent, is called lenticularis, e. g., cumulus lenticularis. During
Nimbus (Nb. ’).
upper surface is dome-shaped and exhibits protuberances
while the base is horizontal. These clouds appear to be
formed by a diurnal ascensional movement, which is almost
always observable. When the cloud is opposite the sun, the
surfaces presented to the observer have a greater brilliance
than the margins of the protuberances. When the light
falls aslant, these clouds show deep shadows; when these
clouds are on the same side as the sun they appear dark, with
bright edges.
The true cumulus has definite superior and inferior limits.
It is often broken up-by strong minds, and the detached por-
tions undergo continual changes. These portions are dis-
tinguished by the name of fracto-cumulus, (Fr.-Cu.).
Cutti i/lo-)iinibi(s ( Ct(.-Nb.‘). TI1 undercloud, shoicer-cloud.-
Large masses of clouds, rising in the form of mountains,
turrets, or anvils, generally having a sheet or screen of fibrous
appearance above (“false cirrus”6) and a mass of cloud simi-
lar to nimbus underneath. Froin the base there usually fall
local showers of rain or of snow (occasionally hail or sleet).
Sometimes the upper edges have the compact cumulus form,
forming into massive peaks round which the delicate “false
cirrus ” floats, ancl sometimes the edges themselves separate
into a fringe of filaments similar to that of the cirrus cloud.
This last form is particularly comiuon in spring showers.
The front of a thundercloud of wide extent frequently pre-
sents the form of a large arch spread above a portion of the
sky which is uniformly brighter in color.
Sfratus ( St.’).-A uniform sheet of cloud, analogous to
fog, but not touching the ground. The complete absence of
detail distinguishes stratus from the compact sheets formed
by other clouds. When this sheet is broken up into irregular
shreds by the wind, or by the summits of mountains, it may
be distinguished by the name of fracto-stratus. (Fr.-St.)
INTERNATIONAL METEOROLOC3ICAL BYhLBOLS.’
The international symbols were devised for the sake of
brevity, and to provide characters independent of language
to represent the word or words used in any language to desig-
nate the respective phenomena.
These symbols are convenient for use in manuscript records
and are nom almost universally employed in the publications
of the various national weather services; consequently all
American observers should be familiar with them.
I n any publication defining the use of these symbols the
ot-ticial definitions by the international meteorological con-
gresses and committees should appear first without modifi-
cation. Any additional explanation for the benefit of stu-
dents and observers should be supplementary, and should be
kept separate.
It is suggested that in the publication of climatological
data the symbols appear in tabular form, as shown below
(this plan having been adopted by many institutions), and
that the arrangement of the test relative to the symbols be
as follows:
1. Title.
the summer all low clouds, as a rule, assunie special forms resembling
more or less the cumulus; t h e e are called stratus or nimbus cumuli-
formis.
It sometimes happens that a cumulus preseuts a mammilated lower
surface. This appearance should be noted under the name of mammato-
cumulus. It should always be noted whether the clouds are stationary or in
rapid motion.
fi Tonitro-cirrus or thanderstorm-cirros would be a better name than
‘.false cirrus.’’ H. H. C.
Tbt Blue Hill the symbols are used only to define a process and not a re-
sult. For example, means that snow fell at a certain time, not that
means that ice formed over objects during a given interval, not that it covers the object at the time of observation. The same is taken as true
of hail, sleet, frostwork, etc. Any other interpretation, it seems to ua,
would result in confusion, but this usage has not been definitely adopted
by international agreement.-H. H. C.
siiom lieson the groun % at the time of observation. In a like manner 00
526 MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. DECEMBER, 1905
2. Descriptive or introductory paragraph stating authority
3. Table of symbols.
4. Paragraph describing the use of exponents, abbreviations
for time, duration, etc.
5. Supplementary description or cletailed explanation.
The great saving of space and time attained by the use of
and reasons for using these symbols.
the symbols is indicated by the following example:
1<9p.-lOp.inE; 3811p.-; iQ-lOa., K 3 p -5 1 ~.
The translation of which is as follows: On the lst, sheet
lightning was observed from '3 to 10 p. m. in the east; 3c1,
.rain began at 11 p. m. and continued during the night; itli,
rain ended at 10 a. m. and thunderstorm prevailed from 3 to
6 p. m.
The international symbols and their equivalents are as fol-
lows:
English terma. French ternia. Gernictn terms.
0 Rain. Pluie. Regen.
* snow. Neige. 8c1111re.
Snow on ground. Sol couvert de neige. Schneedeclie.
-+ Drifting snow. TempBte de neige. Schneegestijber.
c Floating ice crystals. Aiguilles de glace. Eisuadelu.
A Hail.
A Sleet.
( Silver thaw,
1 Frostwork.
j Glazed frost,
c\3 1 Ice storm.
u Hoarfrost.
a Dew.
= Fog.
Damp fog, mist.
E Ground fog.
00 Haze, dust haze.
Thunderstorm.
T Thunder.
< Sheet lightning.
3 Strong wind.
Q) Solar corona.
@ Solar halo.
w Lunar corona.
Lunar halo.
Rainbow.
Zodiacal light.
&Aurora.
-
GrGle. Hagel.
Gr6sil. Graupeln.
[- C:irre. Rauhfrost, Duft.
1 Verglas. Glatteis.
CMBe blanche. Reif.
Ros6e. Than.
Brouillard. Nebel.
Brouillard qui mouille. Nebel welcher niisst.
Brouillarcl bas. Bodennebel.
Brouillard sec, brume. Dunst, Hi;hrnrauch.
Orage. Gewitter.
Tonnerre lointain. Donner.
Eclairs sans tonnerre. Blitz, Wetterleuchtru.
Vent fort. Starker \Vinil.
Cloiironne solaire. Sonnenring.
Halo solsire. Sonnenhof.
Couronne lunaire. Mondring.
Halo lunaire. RIondhof.
Arc-en-cisl. Regenbogen.
Aurore polaire. Polarlicht, Norcllicht.
LumiBre zodiacale. Zodiakallicht.
The intensity of a phenomenon is denoted by an esponent;
(") indicating slight intensity, the absence of an exponent
moderate intensity, and (') great iniensity.
The continuance of a phenomenon is indicated by a dash (-).
0 Rain.-Indicates that rain is falling or has fallen during
the day, since the last observation. [See foot note No. 7.--C'. -4.1
* ,Snow.--Indicates that snow is falling or has fallen since
the last observation; Xo may be used to denote light mow,
or snow in which only light scattered flakes fall; X-' indicates
a rapid fall of snow.
Snoir?, on gro~~~iJ.~-Snow lying OLI the ground, when more
than half the ground in the neighborhood of the station is
covered with snow. I f the snow covering is thin use Ho; but
if it is considerecl deep for the station use Ha.
-+ Briftirtg atiow-This symbol indicates that strong winds
are raising the snow from the ground, filling the air with it,
and transporting it horizontally; this may occur under a clear
sky. The symbol does not refer to snow falling from the
clouds, nor to the mere fact that the snow is lying in drifts
8This symbol indicates that the ground near the station is inore than
half covered with snow. The deiith mag lie inilicated in it wparatr
column or next the symbol, thus: ++ 10 or m; but when this is clone the exponent seemti unnecessary.-8. B F. 10
on the grouncl. When the air is filled with blinding snow
dust. use the symbol f+ ', but for light snow dust use 4- O.
- Flocrti)ig ice i*tystnls.9--Small ice crystals floating in the
air usually observed during or iinmediately after very cold
weather. If clouds are observed they are usually very thin
and broken.
A HtriZ.-The fall of hard transparent ice pellets or nodules,
whether small or large, crystalline or rounded. A' indicates
a siiiall quantity of hailstones; A* a large quantity of hail-
stones, or a rapid fall of hail.
A ,Ykrt.--Pellets of snow, or soft hail, without any crystal-
line structure. This symbol is used by the Germans for
graupeln or snow pellets, and for the semitransparent mixture
of snow and ice that in central Europe nearly corresponds to
the sleet of England and America. Ao should be used to in-
dicate a small fall of sleet; 2' much sleet.
t. or xilr*rr their. ~~~ost-rr~,,,~X..lo-This refers to
n of frost on t,he linibs of trees, etc. The ex-
ternal appearance is silvery white and rough. It is observed
during foggy weather when the temperature is below freezing
or else after a cold spell when the temperature rises rapidly
and stones, etc., remain colder than the air.
Glazrtl .frost.-Tliis refers to an accumulation of ice on
trees. The external appearenre is smooth and transparent.
I n using the symbols for silver frost nnd glazed frost these
terms are to be consitlered as descriptive of the resulting
phenomena no niirtter how they are hrought about, therefore
the clefinitions avoid any statement as to the conditions attencl-
ing the formation of the deposits. The same rule applies to
tlie use of the syiubol for hoarfrost.
- Hou$)*IJs~.- uo light honrfrost; u4 heavy hoarfrost, in-
jurious to vegetation. The expression frosty weather refers
to the low temperature as such; but the expression hoarfrost
refers to the cleposit of fine ice crystids upon the surface of
solicls in tlie open air. Hoarfrost is generally deposited on
objects under a clear sky at night.
As the formation
of dew depends upon the nature a i d exposure of the surface
on \+liich the clew is deposited, the observer should use the
smle horizontal surface exposed uniformly throughout the
seasoii.
= FfJy.--8 dry fog enveloping the observer; =' thin fog;
=* heavy or dense fog.
f: U n m p .fog.-A fog that wets as distinguished from fog
that does not collect upon surrounding objects.
Groutid f~g.-Fog that does not exceed the height of a
These fog symbols are not to be used when an observer
at a high station observes fog in the valley below him; such
an observation should be recorded as a note in the daily
journal.
03 Huz-Socli as makes distant mount ains appear h a z ~,
or such as covers the sky in the case of Inclian summer haze,
or prairie fires. If cloucls are also prevaleut in connection
with this haze, the proper cloud symbol should lie given in
aclclition. The intensity, or density, of the haze is expressed
by CSo for light haze and cm' for dense haze. The symbol ca
indicates merely the hazy conclition or the optical result, with-
out considering whether the haze is caused by dust, or inois-
ture.
K TI1 1/ti(IPrslo)',)i.-Thun~ler, whether with or without light-
- Dew.- no light dew; a* heavy dew.
Illan.
~~~ ~~~~
:'This phennrnenoii resembles snow and occurs aornet,inies when the
sky is nearly or iluite clear and t.einperature quite low. It is probahly
sonietirnes rwnrded as '' snow froin cloudless sky.' -H. H. C.
lo This synitml is at present. employed to iriclicste two entirely different
phenomena: (1) t.he accumulation of frost-work I)U the windward sides ot
trees, buildiiigs, etc., when enveloped in fog at, trinperatores below
freeziug, and (2 ) the coating of frost appearing on rocks, etc., when t.here
is a railid rise of temperature a h r protracted cold weather. The first
phenomenon is frequent in winter on mountains.-H. H. C.
DECEMBER, 1906. MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW. 627
ning, rain, hail, or wind. This symbol will be used to indicate
all cases when the storm is supposed to have passed near the
station.
T 5%rcitder.-Distant thunder.
(* Lighfiiirig."-Distant lightning, usually called sheet or
heat lightning. Go faint lightning; $' brilliant lightning.
When distant lightning appears at a definite direction in the
horizon the observer should enter in the record the point of
the compass, e. g., (4' NW. 10 p. for " distant heat lightning in
the northwest a t 10 p. ni."
Strong wind, oi*gale.l'-The feathering of the arrow may be
varied to indicate the force of the wind according to the Beau-
fort scale, or the symbol, an arrow with -1 feathers, may be used
to indicate a wind whose strength is S, 9, or 10 on the Beau-
fort scale, or any velocity in excess of 50 miles per hour or
20 meters per second in absolute measures; M2 a remarkably
strong wind or one exceeding 11 on the Beaufort scale or 80
miles per hour, or 35 meters per second.
0 ,clolur aurpole, comiiu, or ylory."-tTsed for small circles of
prismatic color surrounding the sun. The radii of these circles
are usually less than ti', but in the estreme cilse of Bishop's ring
the radius is 15". Several concentric circles are sometimes visi-
ble; each circular band of prismatic colors hits its red on the
outside and its blue, violet, or purple on the inside, with re-
spect to tbe sun. Such rings are generally formed when the
sun shines through a thin cloud, and mag be seeu if viewed
through a neutral tinted glass or by reflection in water. A
smaller circle surrounding the shadow of the observer's head is
called an anthelion, aureole, glory, or fog shadow.
w Lunar uicrpole or ~oror1a.'~--A small circle surrounding the
moon similar to the solar corona.
a Solar huio."-Used for larger circles surrounding the
sun, whose sizes are quite definite, namely, about 23" and -15'
radius from the sun. They are easily distinguishable from
the coronas by the fact that the colors are feebler and are so
arranged that the red color is inside or nearest the sui1 and
the blue color is outside. The greater part of the breaclth of
the halo is white. Complex combinations of halos, parhelia.
horizontal circles, and vertical columns sometimes occur. In
the symbol @ the esponent indicates that the display is more
brilliant than usual. A detailed statement of the radii or
diameters of the rings and columns and of their arrangement
should be given in the station journal.
rg Litnnr haZo."--A circle surrounding the moon similar to
the solar halo.
/? Rainbow.ls-Brilliant rainbows may be indicated by T\'.
When there are adjacent or supernumerary bows it should be
indicated in the journal.
& Aurora.-Any display of the aurora borealis or aurora
australis.
Q Zodiacal light.-The International Conference a t I ~n s -
bruck, September, 1905, recommended that observations of
this phenomenon be macle wherever practicable. I t is seen as
a triangular beam of light rising from the horizon in the west
after the end of evening twilight in the minter and spring,
or in the east before daybreak from September to January.
DEPOSIT OF ICE COLUMNS.
____
By E. R. MILLER.
On December 25, 1905, the ground in the vicinity of Cabin
John Bridge, eight miles west of Washington, D. C., was ob-
l1 The exponent when employed with this bymbol should indicate de-
gree of brightness or intensity, not relative frequency.--'% P. F.
I* The definition of a gale varies with every locality. At sonie places.
notably Mount Washington, and Reu Nevis, windb of 10 to 15 meters per
sevond. 22 to 33 miles per hour, are too numerous to be noteworthy,
while at less exposed places they would be quite rare, hence the symbol
should indicate the occurence of an unusually strong wind or gale.-
S. P. F.
Is The exponent should indicate brightness, not size or complexity of
structure.-S. P. F.
~-
served to be covered, especially where bare of vegetation,
wit,li a heavy deposit of ice columns. Where exposed to the
sun the deposit had the appearance of rough shaggy fur; in
shaded places the tops of the crystals were evenly covered
with a thin crust of ice to which the crystals remained attached
when lifted from the ground. The accompanying reproduc-
tion of a photograph shows such a fragment. The crystals
photographed were about three inches long, and were of a
fibrous appearance. The individual crystals were irregular
in section and were from & to +inch in thickness. Most of
the columns noticed had formed above the ground, but in some
places they had formed in the soil.
Fig. 1.-Deposit of ice columns.
The soil where the phenomenon occurred is loose and sandy.
Rain to the amount of 6.03 inches (at Washington) fell during
the night of the 20th and 21st followed by temperatures be-
low freezing on the 24th and 25t,h, a miniinum of 212' F. being
recorded at Washington on the imrning of the 25th.'
THE CLIMATE OF MADISON, WIS.
By J A M E ~ L. BARTLETT, H. S., Otwrver, U. S. Weather Hureao. Dated November 07,1905
TOPOCiR4PHT.
Madison, \Tis., l:ttitucle, d3" 05' north; longitude, 69' 23'
west, is situated in the southern portion of the State, about
75 miles west of Lake Michigan and the saiite distance from
the nearest point of the &Iississippi Riler. Locally, the city
occupies a strip of land one-half to three-quarters of a mile
wide, lying directly between Lakes Menclota and PIIonona, the
former o f which has an area of fifteen, and the latter an area
of five square iides. The iliain portion of the city extends
along the south shore of the larger lake. The site RH well as
the surrounding country is slightly rolling, some of the hills
risiug 100 feet, or more, abore the level of the lskes. The ele-
ration of t,he surface of Lake Mendota above iiiean sen level
is SA9 feet (see fig. 4).
HISTORICAL.
Meteorological observations were begun in Madison at the
north dormitory of the University of Wisconsin, by Prof. S. H.
See Monthly Weather Review, vol. 36, p. 217, and vol. 33, pp. 157-8.