THE forecasting of storms and weather- changes is generally supposed to be wrapped in mystery, md the rules which have from time to time been laid down for the assistance of the would-be fore- caster, to say the least, only experimental, whereas as a fact the general principles can be demonstrated with almost perfect accuracy. Failures must of course some- times happen, but then "the exception proves the rule;" and there are certainly cases on record of great storms having broken on our shores with little or no warning, accompanied by heavy rains; but it must be remembered that most of the great storms which visit us have an extraordinary high rate of locomotion.

Within the last quarter of a century, however, considerable strides have been made in satisfactory forecasting, in great measure due to the careful investigation of this interesting subject by the late Admiral FITZ-ROY.

Everybody thinks he understands the barometer, and many are guided entirely by it, even in the common-place matter of allowing, or not, as the case may be, an umbrella to accompany them in their " walks abroad;" but still the barometer, although the best meteorological instru- ment we have, is not quite the safe guide most people think it is. The fact is, it

fidence can be placed in weather forecasts I the Atlantic Ocean, it will certainly reach resulting from the observation of one ; us in five days, it may be dispersed en barometer. Observations, to be of any j route, or its direction altered; then, again, value, should be made simultaneously at I a storm may rise in mid-ocean, and reach neighbouring places, so that the changes / us without baring visited any other which take place over a large tract of shore.

It is quite a common thing to hear people declaim against the inaccuracy of the official weather forecasts, which are published daily in our newspapers, but the Some countries are better adapted than following figures, extracted from the others for successful forecasting, and most j Annual Report of the Meteorological merely gives the weight of the air above it, and one reading must not be expected to give any idea as to what the coming weather will be. It is the change in the weight of the atmosphere which mates the barometer a weather guide.

country can be watched; this, with the observation of certain clouds, sometimes called " mare's-tails," form the main features of weather forecasting.

A sudden or a rapid fall is a certain sign of bad weather, and the sooner a rise begins the shorter will be the stay of such unpleasing times; but nevertheless no con- other countries have the advantage over us in this respect, owing to the fact that most changes in the weather have their rise in the westward (i.e., in the Temperate Zone), and move eastward, so that they reach us from the Atlantic direct, and we have no opportunity of finding out what is taking place immediately to the west of us. This will account for the American meteorologists being more successful in their weather prophecies than we are; their eastern shore being their principal trade coast, and the storms travelling east- ward, they have merely to get information by telegraph from the west, and then they are well prepared for whatever comes.

The majority of the storms which blow in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere belong to weather systems moving from S.W. to N.E. at the rate of 500 miles per diem; but it does not necessarily follow that, because a violent storm is blowing on the western side of Office, will show that great reliance may be placed on these forecasts.

The total number of storm warnings justified was 81 • 9 per cent., and that of weather forecasts for the various districts into which Great Britain is divided varied from 74 per cent, in Scotland to 81 per cent, in " Scotland N." and " England S.," while the percentage of justification of the "Hay Harvest forecasts" ranged from 64 per cent, in " England, N.E." to 84 per cent, in "England E." and the Midlands.