Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 80.djvu/141

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VALUE OF WEATHER OBSERVATIONS
137

against southerly and southeasterly winds, but as these seemed to be winter winds the harbor would doubtless be safe in summer. The explanation, which could not be given in Captain Lewis's time, is to-day found in the frequency of strong southerly winds during the cyclonic storm season (winter) of the Pacific coast. If any one can read Captain Lewis's weather record for the northern Pacific coast without gaining from it a vivid idea of the cloudiness, the heavy rainfall, the high winds, the small amount of sunshine and withal the mildness of the winter of the particular district which the expedition encamped, he must be a hopelessly unappreciative and unintelligent person.

In looking over what I have written on the weather records of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, I realize that I have failed to bring out, with any of the clearness which it was my hope to secure, the climatic picture which Captain Lewis makes so distinct and so interesting. In spite of the deficiencies in my presentation, I hope, nevertheless, that I have to some extent succeeded in emphasizing the value of non-instrumental meteorological observations.