VOL. XXII.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, JULY 16,1887.
NO. 29
TORNADOES.
What They Are—How and Where Pormed—
How to Observe Them.
Prof. John P. Finley was assigned the
duty by thc Tinted States Signal Service
of gathering thi; data respecting tornadoes,
cyclones, etc., in the I'nited States, and
this has been published by Mr. C. C. Iline,
of Xew York city, in a very interesting
volume of about 200 pages, highly illustrated. For the information of the readers
ofthe IM.IANA Fakmhr we are permitted
to publish some of this Important information, and give illustrations of noted
storms:
The tornado is truly and invariably a
land-storm, which we find possessed of
the billowing prominent characteristics:
A path varying in width from a few yards
to So rods. The general direction of movement of the tornado-cloud is invariably
from a point in the southwest to the northeast. The tornado-cloud assumes the form
of a funnel, the small end drawing near to
or resting upon the earth. This cloud, or
the moving air of which it is the embodiment, revolves about a central, vertical
axis with inconceivable rapidity, ami always in a direction contrary to the movej-
ment of the hands of a watch. The destructive violence of the storm is sometimes con fiBed to the immediate path of
the cloud, as when the small or tail end
just touches the earth. While, on the
other hand, as the body of the cloud lowers,
more of it rests upon the earth, the violence increases and the path widens to the
extreme limit. The tornado with hardly
an exception occurs in the afternoon, just
after the hottest part of the day, and generally disappears before the going down
of the sun. The hour of greatest frequency is between three and four p. in.
A tornado very rarely, if ever, begins after
ti p. m., but a tornado commencing about
live j.. m. may continue its characteristic
violence until nearly eight p. in., which
only means that thc tornado-cloud may
be traveling after six p. m. or after seven
p. ni., but it does not develop, that is,
make its appearance for the lirst time,
after those hours. Without the path of
destitution, even to the shortest distances,
at times even along the illl mediate edge,
the smallest objects often remain undisturbed, although a few yards distant the
largest and strongest buildings are crushed
to atoms. At any point along the storm's
path, where there is opportunity afforded
the tornado-cloud to display its |«>wer, the
disposition of the debris presents unmistakable signs of the revolving, right-to-
left action of the wind. The violent* and
intensity of the destructive power increases directly as you pass from the circumference of the storm to ils .enter.
observations with the barometer are of
little pradical value at any one point,
whether made before or after the tornado-
cloud has formed or while it is approach,
ing. Such observations will not indicate
its approach, however near the position of
the instrument to the point of the cloud's
iu«>eption. The "tornado season" i- eni
braced between March and October. The
months of greatest frequency are May ami
July. There are exceptional instances in
a long series of years were tornadoes have
been reported in every month of the year.
They may, an.l sometimes do, occur in
some of the .Southern States during the
winter and spring months. Taking the
whole t'nited States together and averaging the datesof occurrence for a long series
of years (over 200) it is found that the
region of greatest frequency embraces the
States of Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and
Iowa. Of all thc states in the Onion,
Kansas and Missouri rank the highest in
regard to frequency.
SI. INS OF THE TOIt.VADO.
extend from the southwest through the
west by the north to the northeast. More
frequently, however, they form in the
northwest and southwest, sometimes commencing, lirst in the former quarter and
then again in the latter, but in either case
they arc equally significant. The marked
peculiarity of the clouds is found to occur
not only in the form but in the color and
character of development.
The sudden appearance of ominous
clouds, lirst in the southwest and then almost immediately   in   the   northwest or
On the day of the storm, and for several northeast I perhaps the reverse in the order
hours previous to the appearance of the of their appearance), generally attracts the
tornado-cloud, the indications of its pro).- attention of the most casual observer, and
able formation and approach are within frequently overcomes him with astonish-
the comi.rehcnsion of any ordinary obser- ', ment. In almost all eases these premoni"
ver and can readily he detected by htm. tory clouds are unlike any ordinary and
A sultry, oppressive condition of the at- usual formation. If they are light, their
ii^^^Ai^l^iiiiii>AJ2^Jl^^ni^^^^—^^_^^^^^^^^^^
Near North Wnion, I ml., June 10,1883.   From a rude pen  sketch,  made from  memory  after the storm.
BallOOD cloud passed half a mile from the town.
mosphere is thus described by various ob- ai>|>earance resembles smoke issuing from
servers as follows: "I really experienced : a burning building or straw stack, rolling
a sickly sensation under thc influence of . upward in fantastic shapes to great
the sun's rays." "I was compelled to stop heights. Again, like a line mist or quite
work on account of the peculiar exliaus- white, like tog or steam. Some persons
tion experienced from physical exertion." describe these light clouds as at times ap-
"Tt seemed as if the lightest garments that I patently irri.lescent or glowing as if from
I con Id put  on   were  a  burden to me." ; their irregular  surfaces  a   j.ale,   whitish
''There was not a breath of air stirring."
"The air at times came in puffs as from a
heated furnace." "I felt a want of breath,
the air frequently appearing too rarilied
lo breathe freely." "I was startle.) at the
sudden and continued rise in the thermometer, especially at   this season of the
liglit was cast.
The dai k clouds at times present a deep,
green's") hue, which forebodes the greatest
evil and leaves one to imagine quite freely
of dire possibilities. Again, they appear
jet black from center to circumference, or,
iu it change  of form,   this   >lee|.-set color
Near."    "In thc forenoon I   actually  wore   may only appear al the  center, gradually
an overcoat, but shortly after dinner I put
on my straw hat and worked in my shirt
sleeves." "I noticed a remarkable change
in the temperature, many of the neighbors
spoke about it and said that there was a
p.'.jnliar feeling about the licit, something
they had not before experinee.) ill years."
"It was terribly oppressive;   it   seemed as
diminishing in intensity as the outer
edges of the cloud or banks of clouds arc
approached. Sometimes these dark clouds,
instead of appearing in solid and heavy
masses, roll up lightly, but still intensely
black, like thc smoke from an engine or
locomotive burning soft coal. They have
been described as   of   a*purple or bluish
if the   atmosphere   was   unusually  l|cav.v tinge, or at times   possessed   of a strange
atld pressing down   on   me   with  a great li\ illness.    Frequently dark   green, again
weight." an inky blackness that fairly startles you
These citations clearly indicate the chin- with its intensity.    Many observers are at
aet.r   of   this  peculiar sultriness.    Other a loss for words in Which to  give jut  ade-
signs equally important and reliable  may quale description   of   the   terrible  scenes
be found in the development ami peculiar and simply say:    "Thev uere   the   worst
formation of the   clouds in   the western lookingclouds 1 eversaw,perfectly awful."
horizon.   Sometimes these peculiar cTotWs ' Said one observer, "The clouds seemed to
be boiling uj> like muddy water, the upper
surface of the cloud reminding me of the
ii ssimt eddies   or   whirls   seen   in   the
muddiest portions of the Missouri river."
.ith.r observers as follows: "I saw two
whirling circles of lightish gray clouds in
the west; they were acting independently
of each other and moved slowly inward
toward each other from opposite directions. The clouds were very low, seemed
to be on the earth, the wind in contrary
directions across the face of the western
sky and surrounding clouds in great confusion." "Observed clouds moving in all
directions, some of a dark green color,
others white us steam." "The lower end
of the cloud was very white, like fog." "I
saw a great smoke, an.l supposed at lirst
it was a lire." "I saw a terrible cloud of a
dark jiurplish color." "There was a peculiar ami terrifying look to the clouds." "I
saw a green-looking cloud iu the northwest, surrounded by others not so deep-
set in color. 1'nder the cloud from the
southwest, there came a large number of
little thunder-heads, some very dark but
Others as white as steam. Thev seemed
to l.e separated and running very low. 1
never saw clouds so low before. Pretty
soon they began to go in all directions,
some np. some down, right ami left, backwards and forwards. I next saw a cloud
that looked even all over in color ahd very
white} the edges pretty   even,   li moved
remarkably steady anil seemed to 1* right
under the edge of the cloud from the
southwest." "The clouds looked as if a
mosquito-net had been spread out over
the sky." "1 saw clouds tumbling over
and over in terrible confusion." "I noticed a strange action in the clouds and
saw a cloud rolling on the ground coming
from the southwest." "The ground was
covered with White, steamy-looking clouds
that prevented one from seeing any distance." "Two clouds, one from the northwest and the other from the southwest
seemed to meet, and after meeting passed
still lower. Above their place of meeting
black smoke appeared in very peculiar
shape." "The air presented a very peculiar appearance, it seemed to be iii different-shaded strata and quite marked." At
the bottom of the cloud a hazy apjiearance
rose up, obstructing thc view." "Two
clouds came together, one from the southwest and the other from the northwest;
the latter was the highest, and the former
the heaviest and looked the worst." "A
heavy cloud spread out before us to a
width of about I'M) feet, and as black as
night."
As they approach from opposite directions they arc suddenly thrown into the
greatest confusion ; breaking up, as it were,
into small portions, which clash pell-mell
over each other anil in every direction;
now darting toward the earth, now rushing Upward to considerable heights like
sky-rockets, or at moderate elevations
rolling over each Other In a well-developed
whirl. An observe*, in describing theap-
j.i oach of the clouds from tlie southwest
and northwest, stated that they "came together with a terrific crash, as if thrown
from the i.louthsofcannons." Generally,
follow ing closely upon the existence of
this condition, the funnel-shaped tornado-
cloud appears against the western sky,
moving boldly to the front from without
this confused mass of (lying clouds. As
the torua.lo-cloud advances these scuds
continue to play about its top and sides,
constituting a eharaetertic feature of the
scene.
Another and invariable sign of the tornado's approach is a heavy, roaring noise,
Which augments in intensity as the tornado-cloud advances:   This roaring is com
pared to the passage of a heavily loaded
freight train moving over a bridge or
through a deep pass or tunnel. To the
roaring of a railroad train such as is heard
on Samp mornings when the sound is
very dear and loud.—To be continued
next week.