USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 1 > Part 35
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NORTH WEST.
Section 1. The northwest is the most frequent, constant, and we might add, powerful. It is dry, cold, piercing, elastic and invigorating. It commonly lasts three days ; sometimes it continues longer and sometimes shorter. In its movements it is usually rapid. It is of most frequent occurrence, of greatest duration, strength and velocity, in winter and spring, particu- Jarly in March and April. It is also pretty frequent in October and November.
This wind, in its march, sweeps the surface of the whole State,
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driving before it, and expelling all the other winds. It enters all places, and displaces all other airs. A change in the weather instantaneously follows its irruption and rapid advance. The thermometer will, in ten or twenty hours, sometimes in seven, descend twenty, nay, forty degrees. Every year several of these occurrences happen, The summer months, and the mild months of May and September, are not exempt, although the difference is less. In winter, which is the period when it exerts all its powers, the mercury, in the thermometer, has been known to sink sixty degrees in twelve hours. On such occasions the cold usually attains its maximum, a little after the wind has sub- sided. In summer the northwest wind sometimes blows with violence, and lasts three days, and has been known to occasion a depression in the thermometer of thirty or forty degrees, in twelve hours.
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In its numerous and violent irruptions, during winter, it raises the snow in open situations, and drives it forward, and heaps it along fences, and other obstructions, to considerable heights. This process it continues until it has denuded those places most exposed. The northwest wind is highly detriment- al to wheat, rye and meadows, but more especially to wheat, since the surface of the ground is subjected to thawings and freezings, which wound and kill the roots, thereby blasting the expectations of the farmer. The sun, it will be seen, thaws the surface during the day, and the cold during the night freezes it. Hence, there is a succession of thawings and freezings. The former expand, and endeavour to restore the surface of the ground to its natural condition, while the latter contract and harden it. Hence, the roots are loosened, distended, con- stricted, wounded and killed. In general, its operations are the most destructive in March, and the forepart of April, be- cause the thawings and freezings are of most ordinary occur- rence, the sun having returned so far to the north, as to be able to exert considerable strength by day. Then, also the northwest wind, striving with the warmth of the sun, and with the south, southwest and southeast winds, for the supremacy, acts with particular violence. Sudden in its irruptions, and
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rapid in its movements, it often, in twelve or twenty-four hours, introduces so much cold, that the ground which had been en- tirely thawed, freezes to the depth of one or two inches, and winter apparently reassumes his domain. 1
The northwest wind sometimes blows a gale, and does much damage to vessels. In November 1827, one of these gales did much damage to the shipping at New-York, as was an- nounced in the public papers.
During May, June, July, August and September, the north- west wind generally shows itself after thunder storms and in- tense heats. Quick in its inceptions, and impetuous in its move- ments, it changes the weather, causes a rapid evaporation, dries the ground, which had been drenched with wet, and suspends vegetation, or retards it. Its aridity, combined with its density, volume and renovation, is such, that it excites, when it acts . with energy, a more copious evaporation than the sun.
It is the northwest wind which opens and paves the way for winter. It is this wind, which, by its frequent recurrence and cold, occasions the ground to freeze. It is this wind which usually occasions rivers, lakes and ponds to be clogged with loose floating ice. It is this wind which introduces and leaves, upon its abatement, a frozen atmosphere, that speedily congeals the surface of the water, and covers rivers, lakes and ponds with strong mantles of ice.
Besides this general northwest wind, there is another, which occasionally ensues after thunder storms and rains, which is limited in extent, duration and intensity. From its sudden- ness, its limitedness, duration and mildness, we have reason to believe, that it has its origin in the superior atmosphere, or up- per stratum of air, and not in the frigid regions of the north- west. In hot weather, the lower atmosphere, or inferior strat- um of air becomes rarified, and whenever clouds, or any other ulterior agent disturbs its equilibrium, the cold air above, which is constantly at variance with it, descends and sup- plants it. In these descents, if the resistance be inconsider- able, the cold air establishes a current, obtains a direction, and assumes the appearance and character of the real
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northwest wind, although it is milder. This wind may last one, two or three days, because the store from whence it de- ·rives its supplies, affords constant renewals. The extent, du- ration and force, depend on the ulterior causes and resistance it meets with. Hence, it may occupy a small or large space. The valleys of the Mohawk and Hudson, particularly that of the former, seems adapted to this wind. They are deep, and their atmospheres are covered by colder strata of air. Hence de- scents.
There is reason to believe that the northwest wind is less frequent, less cold, less violent, and of shorter duration now than it was before improvements were made. The cutting down the forests, draining the swamps and marshes, have ex- posed the surface of -the earth to the direct action of the sun's rays, whereby more warmth has been induced. The lower stra- . tuin of the atmosphere has become warmer ; mild winds and currents of air have been introduced, which, acting in concert with the genial rays of the sun, mitigate its fury.
The northwest wind is sometimes stormy and attended with rain and snow. In most of these instances, however, it is in- debted to the southwest for its supplies. For meeting this wind in the St. Lawrence basin, it either glides over it, carrying por- tions of its stormy clouds along with it, or displacing it, it drives portions before it, which descend in rain or snow. It also comes in contact with the northeast. In summer it drives before it some of its rainy, and in winter, some of its snowy clouds. In Ohio it is not uncommon for the northwest to be wet. This, however, is occasioned by the vapors which it takes up in crossing lakes Superior and Huron.
NORTH WIND.
Section 2. This wind is the most unfrequent and limited of all the winds. 'T'his is, in some measure, in consequence of the configuration of the State, and the Provinces of Lower and Up- per Canada. The principal theatres of its operations are the basins of lakes Ontario and Champlain. In the basins of the
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Hudson, lakes George, Cayuga and Seneca, the north wind is usually distinct from the true north wind-but more of this here- after. In May, June, July, August and September, it occurs `pretty often in the Ontario and Champlain basins ; but it is al- ways weak, not having much energy. The causes inducing it,, seem too inefficient to communicate much force or durability to it. Besides, it experiences opposition from other winds and currents. Hence, it never extends far beyond the confines of those waters. 'The north wind of Lake Ontario is the most considerable in force, extent and durability. It occasionally travels southwardly to the Susquehannah, Alleghany and Chatauque hills, upwards of forty miles, where it is repelled by the cold dense air of those elevated regions, and forced back, or diverted into other direc- tions. It is cold and moist, but seldom stormy. It is agrecable in summer and somewhat bracing. In hot weather it rarely ex- tends over twelve or fifteen miles, and is rather a breeze than a wind. The clearing of the country prolongs the line of its action.
The north wind of Lake Champlain is distinct from the pre- . ceding, each having its own basin. Its origin is probably simi- - lar. In summer and warm weather, it displays itself oftentimes along this lake, now and then extending to the Hudson, and ad- vancing along its stream. Its properties and characters are very much like those of the north wind of Lake Ontario, differ- ing only in strength.
The north wind along the Hudson is common in warm : weather, but it almost always originates from a different source. Its sphere of action is confined to the river and its vicinity. It is feeble and of short continuance.
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' In the basins of lakes George, Cayuga, Seneca, and Can- andaigua, the north wind is common in May, June, July, Au- gust and September. The wind of each lake forms a separate system. Each wind pervades its own basin. The winds of these lakes are not connected with those of Champlain and On- tario. We would not, however, be understood to say that those of the latter lakes may not, at times, extend to these collections of water ; but the cases are by no means common. These VOL. I. 52
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winds usually rise and fall with the sun. Their scope of action is confined. They are mild and refreshing in hot weather, and desirable. Iu winter, the character of this wind changes, but it is not commou in these basins.
The north winds of lakes Champlain and Ontario, are sometimes portions of the northeast, diverted from the basin of the St. Lawrence. , These, however, are readily distinguished from the true north wind, by their being colder, more moist, stronger, and of greater duration. The north wind, as we have before remarked, is never general, but always confined to par- ticular tracts of country.
NORTHEAST WIND.
Section 3. This wind is very common on the Atlantic coast, and in the basin of the St. Lawrence. It now and then displays itself in the interior, when it becomes general, and spreads over the whole State. It originates in the arctic circle, or contiguous to it, and crosses the northern Atlantic ocean, to this continent. On the coast, and in the St. Lawrence basin, it is wet, cold and impetuous, but in the interior, it has less humidity, and less im- petuosity, having parted with some portion of the former, in crossing the mountains, and having lost much of the latter by the resistance of the mountains. It generally lasts two or three days ; now and then longer. In winter it brings snow, and in summer, rain ; in spring and autumn it brings both, now one, and then the other. On the coast, it bears along with it, the coldest and most distressing storms of all the winds. Hardly & year passes without three, four, or more of these storms, which usually continue three days, and extend southwestwardly as far as Georgia, or the Mexican sea. In winter, the snow will oc- casionally fall to the depth of a foot or eighteen inches, on the coast, and as far back as the mountains, while not any will fall behind the mountains, unless it be in the St. Lawrence basin. When, however, this wind is general, it snows in the interior as well as on the coast, and in the basin of the St. Lawrence, but the snow does not fall so deep. In the latter basin, the north-
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east is not so humid, violent and stormy as it is on the coast, owing to its want of volume, and the obstacles it has to encoun- ter in its progress.
The character and properties of the northeast wind change as it advances towards the torrid zone, in consequence of its mixing with warmn air, and in consequence of its parting with its moisture in its progress. In the interior, it is much drier than it is on the coast, and in the St. Lawrence basin, and the basis of lakes Ontario and Erie. In the latter basins, it ac- quires meister in its way over those large expanses of water. In the northeasterly parts of Ohio, and those parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, between the mountains and the Ohio and Al- leghany rivers, it is often dry, elastic, and bracing, and not unlike the northwest, though it has not so much strength. In both the cases cited, it has parted with most of its moister.
The northeast is much less habitual on the coast, and in the St. Lawrence basin, during May, June, July, August and Sep- tember, than during the other months. The northeast wind is the most violent and tempestuous about the time of the vernal equinox, and in the month of October, especially on Lake Erie. Here, at these times, and not unfrequently on the coast, it dis- plays great fury in limited districts-perhaps in consequence of the opposition it experiences from the southwest, south, and southeast winds, which also blow furiously at those times. Lake Erie furnishes one of these districts, and the coast of the Atlantic, several. We are not in possession of sufficient data to form a correct opinion, in relation to the particular causes. Hence, we are under a necessity of resorting to some conjec- tures. 'First, as to Lake Erie :- this lake is situated nearly mid- way between the Northern Atlantic ocean, and the Mexican sea, whence the northeast and southwest winds take their rise and departure. Second, these winds meet on this lake, where they contend violently for the mastery.
Like two hostile armies, the one will gain an advantage in one quarter, and the other in another, while perhaps the ad- vancing columns will be balanced, or so nearly so, that por- tions rise and assume new directions, or else the one obtains
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a momentary advantage, which its antagonist soon recovers, and compels it to fall back. Hence, calms, tardy movements, impetuous movements ensue in a small space, and in very short periods of time. The wind, in one of these spaces, will either blow in a steady gale, or with fury, while in another, owing to the equilibrium of the currents, it will be apparently . still. Hence, the wind, in two or three hours, will stift to every point of the compass. At such times the lines of movement seem to be controlled by circumstances, and act in unison with the ad- vancing and retiring masses. In these contests, the southwest wind almost always comes off victorious, and compels the north- east to retreat : sometimes pursuing it as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, or the borders of the ocean adjoining that gulf. The St. Lawrence and Mississippi basins are flat and low at their mouths, more particularly that of the latter. They, however, rise imperceptibly, and attain considerable elevation, perhaps seven hundred or eight hundred feet at the line of contact. Both basins have mountanious barriers on one side. The for- mer has its barrier on the southeast, and the latter on the same side. The barriers, on ordinary occasions, confine the winds to two channels. The opposite banks of these basins consist, in great part, of elevated plains or regions, with rolling surfa- ces, which rise westwardly and northwestwardly, and act like mounds. The northwest, on that side, also tends to confine them, being the enemy of both. Hence, these winds are pent up in a narrow space.
We have said that the northwest wind was the common an- tagonist of the southwest and the northeast. We shall endea- vour to elucidate it. The northwest wind originates in the elevated parts of the continent, at a point intermediate to those of the others. In its progress it comes into contact with both ; its course being directly across their lines. Hence, it drives iu those winds, and prevents them from spreading much on that side. Hence, it will at times displace both, or pass over them, carrying along with it portions. Hence, the cause of its being rainy or snowy. When the southwest, however, is not opposed by the northeast, it usually prevails, and it is the same with the northeast at times.
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The tempests on the coast are probably occasioned by the resistance which the northeast receives from the southeast, south and southwest, and the form of the coast.
EAST WIND.
Section 4. This wind is common to all the Atlantic coast, from Hudson's bay, to the confines of Georgia. It is also not unusual in the interior, although by no means as frequent as it is * on the coast. It is distinct from the trade-wind, which blows between and near the tropicks, this being regular. The east wind, coming immediately from the ocean, is wet, cold, and often very strong .on the coast. In the interior it blows with Jess strength, chiefly in consequence of the opposition it encoun- ters in its passage over the mountains. It is also less wet and stormy. Its duration and power are less than those of the northeast. . Its advance is steady. In summer it rarely crosses the mountains. In autumn, winter and spring, it every now and then surmounts them, and progresses as far as Upper Canada, &c. On these occasions it is accompanied with rain or snow, the former being in autumn and spring, and the latter in win- ter. The falls of rain and snow are the greatest on the east side of the mountains, and the least in Canada. The quantities diminishing very gradually all the way. More falls in the east- ern part of the -tate than in the middle, and less in the western than in the latter. The east wind is general. The east wind now and then blows, without disturbing the air, in the basin of the Hudson proper. At such times it, after crossing the moun- tains of New England, glides over the atmosphere of the valley, and reaching Kaatskill and Sacondaga mountains, pursues its way over their elevated summits.
In the valley of the Mohawk, and along Oneida Lake, there are east winds which may be called local. They have no connection with the real east wind. That of the Mohawk val- ley is occasioned mainly by the diversion of a portion of the . south wind, which blows along the Hudson. The diversion is - induced by the mountains, which nearly environ the upper part
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of the basin of that river, and the configuration of the valley. This wind does not assume a westerly direction, before it has proceeded about twenty-five miles westwardly of the Hudson. Along that river, for eighteen or twenty miles west, it is south ; then southeast, and lastly east, or as near that direction as the valley will allow. 'This wind is much more frequent than the east, since it almost always blows, when there is a considerable irruption of the south or southwest winds, into the basin of the Hudson. It is distinguishable from the east wind by its being milder and more imbecile.
This wind, we have on several occasions, traced to and from its source. We shall narrate two instances. In the one, we travelled from Charlton, in the county of Saratoga, eight miles north of Schenectady, to Palatine church, a distance of thirty- four miles, in a direct line ; and in the other, from Fall Hill, in the county of Herkimer, to the city of Albany, a distance of seventy miles. In both instances, we set out early in the morn- ing. In the first, the wind was due south, and had been for twenty-four hours or longer. It blew with considerable force, and there were strong indications of rain. At first our course was northwesterly, to the borders of Montgomery, and then westwardly to Palatine. After reaching the Montgomery bor- der, we found the wind southeast, and soon after east, which direction it kept to Palatine. At Johnstown and Palatine, we believe the south wind never blows, or if it does, it is merely a gentle breeze from the hills. Besides, we made enquiries at both places, and were informed, that the wind had been east more than twenty-four hours.
. In the second, the wind came from the east. It was in March, and we travelled in the stage. The sleighing being very good, we reached Albany in rather over nine hours. The wind was at first weak and rather chilly, and was attended with some sleet. As we proceeded, it became stronger, moister and warm- er. Instead of sleet, rain fell but sparingly. After reaching Amsterdam, it became southeast, and in the vicinity of Sche- nectady south, and so to Albany. Shortly after our arrival at the latter place, it abated, and the valley of the Hudson was
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presently enveloped with fog. On enquiry we learned that it had been south at Albany, for nearly three days, and that con- siderable rain had fallen that day and the preceding night. The snow had experienced a great reduction. It was otherwise in the Mohawk valley above Amsterdam. There the wind, confined to a narrow space, and mixing with the air of the valley, bad not enough of warmth to occasion much diminu- tion.
The east wind of Oneida Lake, seems to be occasioned by the contiguous air advancing upon the air of the lake, and producing a current which sets westwardly. The order is often reversed, and the wind blows easterly. Indeed, nothing is more common in warm weather than east and west winds on and along this lake. Their scope of action will be enlarged when the country around the lake is cleared. These winds are light and moist.
On the west side of Lake Champlain, a local east wind is quite common. In summer it rises and falls with the sun. It advances into the level parts of Clinton, as ' improvements are made. It is rather a breeze, induced by the lake, than a wind. There is a land breeze in warm weather, which is westerly. It often rises on the other's falling. In Vermont, the westerly breeze from the lake, resembles the eastern, and vice versa.
The same kind of winds, are of ordinary occurrence, at Sacketts Harbour, and around the easterly end of Lake On- tario, in warm weather. These, as well as the preceding, are occasioned by different temperaments in the atmosphere over the land and over the lakes.
SOUTHEAST WIND.
Section 5. The southeast wind is not very common. It is confined mostly to the Atlantic counties. It is now and then stormy, and at other times not. Ordinarily it is light, and rather warm. It blows with most strength and impetuosity about the time of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, producing at the mouth of the Hudson, and some other places, tempests.
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These tempests are, however, limited. .. They are not confined to the coasts of this State, since they occur at Boston or Mas- sachusetts, Delaware and Hudson's bays, and other places. The southeast wind now and then crosses the Highlands, or Matteawan mountains, and those of New-Jersey and Pennsyl- vania, and displays itself in the basins of the Hudson and Sus- quehannah. These basins, although partially invaded by it, seem to limit it in some measure. It never surmounts the mountains, unless it has great force on the coast, as well as duration.
. The southeast, sometimes like the southwest, becomes a south- west wind along the Hudson, but it is ordinarily imbecile after it has passed the mountains. This arises from three causes, the direction of the valley, the contraction of the torrent at the mountains and its subsequent diffusion. Air or winds, like wa- ter, contracts and expands according to the channel which it flows in. The southeast wind is not unusual at Skanea'elis, in the county of Onondaga, and at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga. Snow or rain often comes from those quarters. The southeast wind is by no means uncommon in Chenango and Courtland, as well as portions of these counties ; but we sus- pect after all, that it is not in truth the southeast, but the east diverted. Subsequent observations must, however, determine this. We do not offer a perfect theory of the winds. The ut- most we propose is a contribution of our mite in the scale of science. To construct a perfect theory, it would be necessary
. to have simultaneous observations of all the winds, which cannot be expected, unless made under the superintendance of government.
SOUTH WIND.
Section 6. The south wind, strictly speaking, is not very common in this State, although winds holding that course, are . in the basins of the Hudson and ' Susquehannah, or at least in certain portions of the latter basin. In the former basin, the vind which becomes south, and which we distinguish by that
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appellation, is southeast, south or southwest, till it has reached the Highlands, or Matteawan mountains. The first and last never assume that character perfectly, before they have passed those mountains ; then, and not till then, do they take upon themselves that designation. To point out each. wind, and draw a line, is not easy. We shall, however, endeavour to treat of the south wind, in the first place, and then of the south- west diverted.
The south wind, which is not very common, when it does blow, generally extends north as far as Lake Champlain, and now and then to the St. Lawrence, pervading, not only the basin proper of the Hudson, but that of Lake Champlain. Af- ter it has reached the central and northern parts of the plains and champaigns of the Hudson, it detaches some branches which ascend certain valleys that open into that river. One of these branches ascends the valley of the Mohawk, and becomes an easterly wind. This wind we have already spoken concerning. The mountains lying around the head of Lake Champlain, it would seem, induce these diversions. The south wind, on reaching them, is repelled and compelled, in certain respects, to take different courses, and then to move in different channels, with diminished velocities. The main torrent, however, goes on northerly through the narrow bed of Lake Champlain, to Crown Point, where it again spreads. This wind, in its pro- gress, has two main diffusions; the one over the plains and champaigns of the Hudson, and the other on the broader parts of Lake Champlain. A greatly increased action occa- sions more extensive diffusions. Inequalities in the surface oc- casion retardations and accellerations in the ærial torrents .- Hence, the same wind will, at one time, advance with a strong steady pare, and at another with impetuosity. The Hudson and Champlain basins are connected by a narrow strait. This strait is between south bay and Ticonderoga. The south wind originates in or near the torrid zone, and reaches New-York, after having traversed a broad portion of the Atlantic ocean. It is strong or wrak, according to the primary cause, and the obstacles it has to encounter, which are inconsiderable, unless VOL. I.
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