The progress of the development of the law of storms, and of the variable winds, with the practical application of the subject to navigation. / by Lieut-Colonel William Reid.
- William Reid
- Date:
- 1849
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The progress of the development of the law of storms, and of the variable winds, with the practical application of the subject to navigation. / by Lieut-Colonel William Reid. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![mentioned. A few hours before the gale set in, the wind drew CHAP, round to W.N.W., N.W., and sometimes to N. A dense bank XII. of clouds from N.N.E. to W.N.W., a few degrees above the horizonj sky over head B.C. When at Vera Cruz always ob- served the high land of Delgado to the W.N.W. becoming rapidly enveloped in masses of clouds, and it frequently fell a flat calm a short time previous to the norther: this, or a very sudden shift of wind from westward, was a certain indication of its near approach, when on it came in a moment with fearful violence, bringing down the sea like a wall in its train. We frequently observed, the evening before, the insect tribe to be particularly active, and during their prevalence to be very inert. The force of these storms is very variable, some not amounting to above No. 7, whilst we experienced one up to No. 9, and another to 10$ this was the heaviest ever remembered at Vera Cruz. We com- monly observed, that when the barometer gave the longest notice, the gale proved most severe. Their duration is also most uncer- tain, some blowing four or five days, others not lasting above twenty-four hours : the hardest gale was generally the shortest. They commence in October and last until April: those of December, January, and February are most severe. In the north part of the gulf these storms do not blow with anything like the violence they do towards the southern shores • I should say Vera Cruz is the very focus of them, nor do they extend any distance in shore. The great gale of the 14th and 15th February last, did not reach Yalapa, 40 or 50 miles from the coast, but sleet and snow fell there on those days. We observed, that they usually came on near the full, change, or the quarters of the moon, those hap- pening at full or change being severest. “ 2nd—Particular Observations.—The gale of the 8th December, 1842, was preceded by a fall of the mercury on the 4th from 30*10 to 29*84, Ther. 72°, wind N.W. $ on the 5th, 29*84, Ther. 74°, wind S.E. $ 6th, 29*84, Ther. 76°, wind S.E. $ 7th, 29*87, Ther. 81°, wind S.E. $ morning of 8th, 29*96, Ther. 78°, calm. Gale at 6 a.m., a saturating dew had fallen all night. [See the accompanying tables for progress of gale &c.] On the 31st January, 1843, we were assailed by a furious norther in Lat. 22°.36', Long. 95°.48' W., about 200' north of Vera Cruz: the Bar. fell on the 29th *05, Ther. 77°, wind S.S.E. [See table for further progress.] It will be seen, that as the gale approached the mercury in the barometer rose slowly whilst the thermometer fell $ this we found to be the general case. This norther did not](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2499148x_0341.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
