6. METEOROLOGY.

XIX.
Memoranda of Climatic Phenomena and the Distribution of Solar Heat in 1820. By Henry R. Schoolcraft.

The influence of solar heat on the quantity of water which is discharged from the great table lands which give origin to the sources of the Mississippi was such, during the summer months of 1820, that, on reaching those altitudes in latitude but a few minutes north of 47°, on the 21st of July, it was found impracticable to proceed higher in tracing out its sources. Attention had been directed to the phenomena of temperatures, clouds, evaporations, and solar influences, from the opening of the year, but they were not prosecuted with all the advantages essential to generalization. Still, some of the details noticed merit attention as meteorological memoranda which may be interesting in future researches of this kind, and it is with no higher view that these selections are made.

Observations made at Geneva, N. Y.
1820.7 A.M.1 P.M.7 P.M.REMARKS.
April 20 64° 73° 60°Clear.
" 21627461Clear.
" 22657866Clear.
" 23606959Clear.
" 24597061Clear.
" 25546455Clear.
" 26556754Cloudy, with rain.
" 27506051Rainy.
" 2864......Clear.
Observations made at Buffalo, N. Y.
1820.8 A.M.2 P.M.REMARKS.
April 30 43° 60°Clear.
May 14964Clear.
" 24563Clear.
" 34465Clear.
" 44679Cloudy.
" 54068Cloudy, with rain.
" 644...Cloudy.

These places are but ninety miles apart, yet such is the influence of the lake winds on the temperature of the latter position, that it denotes an atmospheric depression of temperature of 5°. At the same time, the range between the maximum and minimum was exactly the same.

Observations made at Detroit.
1820.8 A.M.12 M.6 P.M.REMARKS.WIND.
May 15, 50° 61° 51°Fair.N. E.
" 16,496250Fair.N. E.
" 17,506451Fair.N. E.
" 18,526460Fair.N. E.
" 19,606860Fair.N. E.
" 20,646863Fair.N. E.
" 21,678266Fair.S. W.
" 22,648882Fair.S. W.
" 23,728476Cloudy, some rainW. N. W.
" 24,5364...Cloudy.N. W.

The average temperature of this place for May is denoted to be some five or six degrees higher while the wind remained at N.E., but on its changing to S.W. (on the 21st), the temperature ran up four degrees at once. As soon as it changed to N.W. (on the 24th), the thermometer fell from its range on the 21st fourteen degrees.

The uncommon beauty and serenity of the Michigan autumns, and the mildness of its winters, have often been the subject of remark. By a diary of the weather kept by a gentleman in Detroit, in the summer and fall of 1816, from the 24th of July to the 22d of October, making eighty-nine days, it appears that

By a diary kept at the garrison of Detroit (Fort Shelby), agreeable to orders from the War Department, from the 15th of Nov. 1818, to the 28th of Feb. 1819, making 105 days,

By Fahrenheit's thermometer, kept at the same place, and under the same direction, it appears that the medium temperature of the atmosphere was agreeable to the following statement:—

7 A.M.2 P.M.9 P.M.Average.Lowest deg.Highest deg.
Nov. 13 to 30,41°47°41°43°31°58°
December,22 29 25 25 2 50
January,30 31 30 30 10 58
February,29 39 31 33 8 58
Prevailing winds, S. W. and N. W.
Observations on Lake and River St. Clair, Michigan.
1820.6 A.M.8 A.M.12 M.2 P.M.6 P.M.8 P.M.REMARKS.
May 24,............... 51°
" 25, 47° 56° 56°... 46°...Clear. Wind N. W.
" 27,...5253 56°45...Clear. Wind N. W.
" 27,...5455......44Clear. Wind N. W.
Temperature of the Water of Lake and River St. Clair.
May 25, at 6 A. M., 49°at 12 M., 54°
" 26,at 8 A. M., 55at 2 P. M., 55
" 27,at 8 A. M., 54at 12 M., 55at 8 P. M., 50°
Observations on Lake Huron.
5
A.
M.
°		6
A.
M.
°		8
A.
M.
°		9
A.
M.
°		11
A.
M.
°		12
M.
°		1
P.
M.
°		2
P.
M.
°		3
P.
M.
°		5
P.
M.
°		6
P.
M.
°		7
P.
M.
°		8
P.
M.
°		A
v
e
rt
ae
gm
ep.		REMARKS.
May 28....54....53............4151Clear. Wind N. W.
" 29....44........70....53....55Clear in the morning; in the afternoon high wind from N. W. with thunder and lightning.
" 30....46....53..........48..49Clear. Wind high; N. W.
" 31......54....55..54....48..53
June 146....5761............54..54
" 2..........55..........50.. 5½
" 3..50..........61......47..52½
" 4..52..51..........49..45..49Cloudy, with rain. Wind strong; N. W.
" 5..48......57........44....49½Flying clouds. Wind strong; N. W.
" 6....49....57........46....50½Clear. Wind Strong; N. W.
516/10Average temperature of the air.

Water at Lake Huron.
Average.
May 28,at 5 A.M., 55°at 12 A.M., 58°at 7 P.M., 56°56°
" 29,at 7 A.M., 54 at 12 A.M., 60 at 7 P.M., 63 59
June 1,at 5 A.M., 42at 11 A.M., 52at 7 P.M., 4440
" 3,at 6 A.M., 46at 2 P.M., 56at 8 P.M., 4647
" 6,at 8 A.M., 50at 12 A.M., 52at 6 P.M., 4950½
Observations at Michilimackinac and on the Straits of St. Mary's.
1
8
2
0.		6
A.
M.		8
A.
M.		9
A.
M.		1
P.
M.		3
P.
M.		7
P.
M.		9
P.
M.		A
v
e
r
a
g
e.		W
E
A
T
H
E
R.		W
I
N
D.
June 7...... 59° 61°...... 59°59½Clear.W. N. W.
" 8......59... 64°...5960Clear.W. N. W.
" 9......53...... 53°...52½Cloudy with rain.
" 10... 55°......60...5456Cloudy with rain.W.
" 11...52......54...5152Clear.S. E.
" 12...54...55......5253Clear.S. E.
" 13 53°......63......5858Fair.S. W.
" 1455......73......5761Cloudy.S. W.
" 15...66......6862...65Clear.S. W.St. Mary's
" 16...527082...66...69Clear.S. W.
" 17...58......82...7874Clear.S. W.
" 1856......76......6866Cloudy; rain.N. W.

The chief conclusion to be drawn, is the extreme fluctuations of winds and temperatures, in these exposed positions on the open lakes.

Observations on Lake Superior.
1
8
2
0.		4
A.
M.		5
A.
M.		6
A.
M.		7
A.
M.		8
A.
M.		9
A.
M.		10
A.
M.		11
A.
M.		12
P.
M.		1
P.
M.		2
P.
M.		3
P.
M.		4
P.
M.		5
P.
M.		6
P.
M.		7
P.
M.		8
P.
M.		9
P.
M.		10
P.
M.		A
v
e
r
a
g
e.		R
E
M
A
R
K
S.
June 19....64............78........72........70½Stormy and rain. Wind N. W.
" 20..72............75........6871........71½Stormy and rain. Wind N. W. Hurricane at night.
" 21............65..............70....50..62Calm.
" 22....55................63......49......55½Clear. Wind light from N. W.
" 23..65............68..................7067½Clear. Wind S. E.
" 24........58......74..........6063......63Clear. High wind, N. W.
" 25......60......62....76............53..62½Clear. Wind N. W.
" 26..........69........83..........68....73Rainy. Wind W. N. W.
" 27........68..........71......69........69Clear. Wind E. N. E. (Fair!)
" 28........74........91........74........79½Sky clear. Wind N. W.
" 29........79........94..........86......88Clear. Wind N. W.
" 30..........76....84..............60....73Clear. Wind N. W.
July 154......61..........75..80..68........67½Misty. Wind light at N. N. W.
" 270..........75......76......65..65....70Clear. Wind W. S. W.
" 3....70................66....52..61....65Cloudy, mist, and rain. Wind S. S. W.
" 4......57..61.......................... Wind S. S. W.

Temperature of Lake Superior.
Lake
average.
June 20, at 6 P.M., 55°
" 21, at 10 A.M., 60at 6 P.M., 56°at 9 P.M., 56° 57
" 22, at 6 A.M., 56at 3 P.M., 54 55
" 23, at 5 A.M., 52 at 12 A.M., 56 at 10 P.M., 64 57
" 24, at 6 P.M. 54at 7 P.M., 51 53
" 25, at 7 A.M., 67at 11 A.M. 66,at 9 P.M., 68 60
" 26, at 9 A.M.,56 at 8 P.M., 57 56
" 27, at 8 A.M., 57at 6 P.M., 62 60
" 28, at 8 A.M.,
  • Superior 62°
  • at 6 P.M.,Lake 72
  • Ontonagon 54River 71
 }67
" 29, at 8 A.M., 61
  • Lake 64
  • River 68
  • at 1 P.M., River 76
  • at 7 P.M., 75°
" 30, at 8 P.M.,
  • River 74
July 1, at 8 A.M., 61at 2 P.M., 65at 6 P.M., 66 64
" 2, at 4 A.M., 63at 11 A.M., 64at 2 P.M., 68at 9 P.M., 6264
" 3, at 6 A.M., 62at 3 P.M., 60at 9 P.M., 58 60
" 4, at 7 A.M., 58

It will be observed that the fluctuations of temperature noticed at lower points on the lake chain, about the latitude of Michilimackinac, have also characterized the entire length of Lake Superior. The atmosphere observed at three separate times, during twenty-four days, by Fahrenheit's thermometer, during the months of June and July, has varied from an average temperature of 62° to 88°, agreeable to masses of clouds interposed to the rays of the sun, and to shifting currents of wind, which have often suddenly intervened. Its waters, spreading for a length of five hundred miles from E. to W., observed during the same time by as many immersions of the instrument, has not varied more than two degrees below or above the average temperature of 55° in mere surface observations.

Observations on the Sources of the Mississippi River.
5
A.
M.		7
A.
M.		8
A.
M.		12
P.
M.		2
P.
M.		8
P.
M.		9
P.
M.		REMARKS.
July 17......... 76°80°79° 78°Morning rainy, then fair.
" 18...... 51°64665350Fair.
" 19......46637055...Night rainy, morning cloudy, then fair.
"; 20......60808475...
" 21......6886888574
" 22......73889077...Cloudy, some thunder.
" 23 ......70828878...Night and morning rain, afternoon thunder.
" 24......74878078...Fair.
" 25............8574...Fair.
" 26 61°.........8161...Morning fair, evening cloudy and rain, clear.
" 2762.........8075...Morning fair, evening fair.
" 2862.........7661...Morning fair, rain in afternoon.
" 2950.........7452...Clear.
" 30...60°......76...63Wind N. W., weather clear.
" 31...65......81...69Wind W., weather clear.
Aug. 1...67......8370...Fair.
" 2...72......[ [263]......Fair.
Observations at St. Peter's (now Minnesota).
1820.7
A. M.
2
P. M.
9
A. M.
WINDS.WEATHER.
July 15, 61° 79° 64°S.Clear; fair.
" 16,628276S.Clear; rain towards morning.
" 17,708861W.Cloudy; rain, thunder and lightning.
" 18,587856E.Clear.
" 19,598064S.Cloudy; rain P.M.
" 20,688065S.Clear.
" 21,698472S.Clear.
" 22,758872W.Clear; cloudy P.M., rain, thunder and lightning during the night.
" 23,738670W.Clear, cloudy; rain and fair weather alternately.
" 24,708972W.Clear; calms.
" 25,708066W.Clear; high winds at night.
" 26,688264W.Clear; calm.
" 27,727862W.Clear.
" 28,677558S. E.Clear; fresh winds.
" 29,607154N. E.Clear.
" 30,607663N. W.Clear.
" 31,658169W.Clear.

Meteorological Journal kept at Chicago by Dr. A. Wolcott.
1820.Daylight.9 A. M.2 P. M.9 P. M.WIND. WEATHER.
Jan. 1,4°11°10° 0°W. N. W.Cloudy; light snow; first ice in the river, 14 inches thick; none in the lake.
"2,10142512W. N. W.Clear.
"3,491314W. S. W.Clear.
"4,914199W.Clear.
"5,95410W. N. W.Clear.
"6,1141528S. S. W.Clear.
"7,36363936S. W.Cloudy.
"8,32323433N. N. E.Cloudy.
"9,32333634N. E.Cloudy.
"10,32313125N. E.Snow-storm.
"11,1414162N.Clear.
"12,1715212S. S. W.Clear.
"13,20242512W. S. W.Clear.
"14,14151515N.Snow-squalls.
"15,12141510N. N. W.Clear; lake covered with moving ice, as far as the eye can see.
"16,20202121E. N. E.Snow-storm.
"17,14142510W. N. W.Clear.
"18,1418156W.Cloudy.
"19,100102W. N. W.Clear.
"20,6122513W.Clear.
"21,20222628E. N. E.Snow-storm.
"22,711125N. W.Clear.
"23,20403W.Clear.
"24,261816W.Clear.
"25,4397W.Clear.
"26,16192628E. S. E.Snow-storm.
"27,1821258S. W.Cloudy.
"28,811110W. N. W.Clear.
"29,12203118W.Cloudy; ice 18 inches on river.
"30,6645W.Clear.
"31,65317W. N. W.Clear; snow 22 inches deep.
Feb. 1,1201416S. E.Cloudy.
"2,22252920E. N. E.Snow-storm; ice 18¾ inches on river.
"3,10797W.Clear.
"4,052524E. S. E. Clear.
"5,30364040S. W.Clear.
"6,11123224S.Clear.
"7,28334230W. S. W.Clear.
"8,30344032E.Cloudy and mist; snow during the night fell six inches.
"9,30343431E.Clear.
"10,31323932E.Cloudy.
"11,2832 38 34S.Clear.
"12,32393420N. E.Cloudy.
"13,12223932W. S. W.Clear.
"14,34393736E.Cloudy; some rain with thunder.
"15,36383936E.Cloudy; some rain with thunder.
"16,38424733S. W.Clear.
"17,27272822W.Light clouds.
"18,102228 30E.Cloudy.
"19,32364624W.Clear.
"20,15222416W.Clear.
"21,8203738S. W. Clear.
"22,344045 32W.Clear.
"23,283746 36S. W.Cloudy; rain and hail with thunder.
"24,303340 39E.Clear.
"25,445059 54S. W.Clear.
"26,50493836S. W.Cloudy; tempest of wind with flurries of rain and hail.
"27,30313428W. N. W.Clear.
"28,20283039S. E.Clear.
"29,28365037S. W.Clear.
Mar. 1,32353618N. N. W.Clear.
"2,8152520N. N. W.Clear.
"3,26303622W. N. W.Cloudy.
"4,19284236S. W.Clear.
"5,30323623N. E.Cloudy.
"6,13192514N. N. W.Clear.
"7,16172418E. N. E.Cloudy; light snow.
"8,17242321N. E. Cloudy.
"9,22242623N. N. E.Cloudy.
"10,24263124N. N. E.Cloudy.
"11,22242931E. N. E.Cloudy.
"12,28323332E. S. E.Cloudy; light snow.
"13,32373934E. N. E.Cloudy.
"14,32363633E. N. E.Cloudy; light snow.
"15,2632......

Agreeable to a register kept at Council Bluffs during the month of January, 1820, the highest and lowest temperature at that place were, respectively, 36° and 22°, the month giving a mean of 17.89. Compared with the observed temperature, for the same month, at the following positions in the United States, both east and west of the Alleghanies, the Missouri Valley reveals the fact of its being adapted to the purposes of a profitable agriculture.[ [264]

Mean temperature
of the month.		Highest.Lowest.
Council Bluffs 17.89°36°22°
Wooster16.6936zero
Zanesville25.3442zero
Marietta28.4245zero
Chillicothe32.484810
Cincinnati28.764611
Jeffersonville23.05506
Shawneetown32.91528
Huntsville36.436212
Tuscaloosa46.637417
Cahaba65.877354
Ouachita34.166810
New Orleans52.167825
Portsmouth, N. H.19.31404[ [265]
Washington City29.19454
Council Bluffs,lat.41°45´,long.19°50´W. of the capitol.
New Orleans, " 2957"1253W."
Portsmouth, " 4305"610E. "
Difference of lat.13°48´. Difference of long. 26°.

Nor does it appear that the same quantity of snow falls in the Missouri Valley which is common east of the Alleghany Mountains. At the Council Bluffs, on the last of January, snow was but twelve inches deep; at the same period, it was three feet or more throughout the Eastern States.

A snow-storm fell over the middle and eastern latitudes of the United States, for the first time, during the autumn of the year (1820), in the first half of November. As a precursor to this, slight drifts and gusts of snow had showed themselves at Albany on the 25th, 26th, and 28th of October.[ [266]

"Montreal, Canada, October 28, 1820.—On Wednesday last we had the first fall of snow this season. It commenced in the forenoon, and continued slightly during the remainder of the day. Although expected to disappear, the frosts in the nights have been pretty severe, and a considerable quantity still remains (Saturday) at the moment we are writing."

"Salem, N. Y. October 31.—On Saturday last (27th), we had our first snow for the season. It fell during most of the forenoon, and for an hour or two the atmosphere was quite filled with it. Some cool and shaded spots still remain whitened, though yesterday was one of our pleasant autumnal days, with a mild west wind."

Early Sleighing.—The Burlington (Vt.) Sentinel of the 27th ult. says: "On Tuesday night and Wednesday, the snow fell in this place about eight inches deep on the level. It is said to be twelve inches deep in some of the adjoining towns."—October, 1820.

At Philadelphia, it began on Saturday, 11th (morning), snow-storm from the east, and continued all day. At night a hurricane, accompanied by torrents of rain and snow, which did not subside until the 12th in the morning. Weather unsettled on the 13th.

At Worcester, a severe snow-storm, from northeast, on the 11th and 12th. On the 13th, snow was ten inches deep, the weather cold, and sleighing good.

Snow in Poughkeepsie fell twelve inches deep, and produced excellent sleighing.

At New Haven (Conn.), it began with snow, hail, and rain, on Saturday evening, 11th. The day before was wintery cold. The storm continued, without intermission, till Monday, 13th.

At Boston, it also began on Saturday, 11th, from the northeast, and fell six inches. On Sunday, rain and snow. Monday cold, and indifferent sleighing in the streets.—Boston paper, Nov. 14th.

In Vernon, Oneida County, it began on the 11th, in the evening, and continued, in all, till Monday, 13th, giving us snow, rain, hail, and wind, alternately. On the 15th, the snow, which lay six inches deep, began to thaw, and this was the beginning of our Indian summer.

The Buffalo papers, of November 14th, say that several vessels were lost in the gale and snow-storm, or driven ashore. The storm closed up on the 13th, at New York City; the wind at northwest, and very cold. The rain, snow, and hail which had fallen gave good sleighing a part of that day. These notices cover an area of about five hundred miles square, proving, the universality of our autumnal phenomena.

Indian Summer.

This season appears to be produced by the settling of a thin azure vapor. It is supposed to arise from the partial decomposition of the foliage of the forest after the autumnal rains are past. "What is called the Indian summer," says an observer at Albany, "usually gives us fifteen or twenty days of uncommonly pleasant fall weather, commencing in the early part of October. The present season it set in as usual, and we had a week or ten days of very fine weather, when a northeast storm commenced, and continued for part of two days; within which time more rain is supposed to have fallen than during the whole of the preceding summer and fall. Most of the streams and springs were filled, and the Hudson River, in many places, overflowed its banks. It however again cleared off pleasant, and remained so till Tuesday evening, when another storm of rain commenced, which continued the whole night. In the morning, there was some fall of hail accompanying the rain, and about 8 o'clock a slight flurry of snow, and another on Thursday evening; since which the weather has set in cold, and has the appearance of the closing in of fall or the setting in of winter. We however expect to put off winter and cold weather for some time yet, and anticipate many pleasant days in November."

Indian summer, in Oneida, commenced on the 15th November. The weather had previously been cold, with snow and rain and a murky atmosphere.

Wednesday,Nov. 15. The snow, which lay six inches deep, began to thaw, and the sky was clear and sunny.
Thursday," 16. Was a clear and pleasant day throughout; snow continued to melt.
Friday," 17. The same, and smoky; warm sunshine; not a cloud to be seen; snow melts.
Saturday," 18. The same.
Sunday,Nov. 19. The same; full moon; cloudy, with wind in the evening; snow gone.
Monday," 20. The same; sky clear and warm.
Tuesday," 21. Weather cloudy; wind S. E.; prepares for a change; a little snow during the previous night, but melts from the roofs this morning; no sun appears.
Wednesday," 22. Cloudy, dull morning; rain afternoon; sun appeared a few moments about 4 P. M.
Thursday," 23. Cloudy, with alternate sunshine and rain.
Friday," 24. Clear and pleasant.
Saturday," 25. Clear and pleasant.

Dr. Freeman, of Boston, in one of his occasional sermons, employs the following poetic language in relation to this American phenomenon:—

"The southwest is the pleasantest wind which blows in New England. In the month of October, in particular, after the frosts which commonly take place at the end of September, it frequently produces two or three weeks of fair weather, in which the air is perfectly transparent, and clouds, which float in a sky of the purest azure, are adorned with brilliant colors. If at this season a man of an affectionate heart and ardent imagination should visit the tombs of his friends, the southwestern breezes, as they breathe through the glowing trees, would seem to him almost articulate. Though he might not be so wrapped in enthusiasm as to fancy that the spirits of his ancestors were whispering in his ear, yet he would at least imagine that he heard 'the still small voice' of God. This charming season is called the Indian Summer, a name which is derived from the natives, who believe that it is caused by a wind which comes immediately from the court of their great and benevolent God Cantantowan, or the Southwestern God; the God who is superior to all other beings, who sends them every blessing which they enjoy, and to whom the souls of their fathers go after their decease."