668455-1886-Report-on-the-Typhoons-of-1884-and-1885- — Page 4

908 SUPPLEMENT TO THE HONGKONG GOVT GAZETTE OF 2ND OCT., 1886.

In Observations and Researches made in 1884 (Appendix M.) I have suggested the division typhoons into four classes according to the paths which they usually follow. No doubt abnorm instances occasionally present themselves (Comp. Typhoon VI of 1885), in China as well as in oth countries but they are of rare occurrence.

The first class of typhoons occur at the beginning and end of the typhoon season.. They cross t China Sea, and pass either in a WNW direction from the neighbourhood of Luzon towards Tonqu as Typhoon II of 1884, or, if pressure is high over Siam and Annam, they pass first Westward a subsequently SW, as Typhoon XVIII of 1884. They can generally be followed between 5 and days.

The second class of typhoons is the most frequently encountered, and their paths can be trac farthest. They generally move NW and either (a) strike the coast of China south of the Form Channel before recurving as Typhoon IX of 1884, in which case they generally abruptly lose t character of tropical hurricanes, or (b) traverse the Formosa Channel as Typhoons I of 1884 and V of 1885 or (c) they strike the Coast of China north of Formosa as Typhoons IV of 1884 and V of 18 After recurving they generally cross Japan or the Sea of Japan. They occur from June to Septeml inclusive but are most common in August and September. More than a third of the typhoons of 18 and 1885 belonged to this class. They can be followed on an average 7 days, or rather betweer and 12 days.

Typhoons of the third class are probably the most numerous of all, but they are not encounter quite so frequently as typhoons of the second class and therefore their existence is sometimes unst pected, although they no doubt influence the weather along the Eastern Coast of China through th high pressure area. They pass E of Formosa moving Northwards. After recurving tkey skirt t Southern Coast of Japan or cross Japan or traverse the Sea of Japan or enter Southern Siberia. Th prevail at the same season as the typhoons of the second class and they may be traced on an avera during 7 days or more correctly between 3 and 12 days. A typhoon of the third class frequent follows after one of the second class. When the latter has recurved, the former proceeds Northward This is explained by the circumstance, that the effective low pressure area in Asia, the precedi typhoon, is then in fact considerably E of its normal position. It is also well known, that depressio: are attracted towards places, which have just been traversed by a depression.

Typhoons of the fourth class pass S of Luzon moving Westward or first in this direction and the SW. They occur at the beginning and end of the typhoon season namely in April and December, b they are very rare. I have not succeeded in following them for more than a day or two.

TYPHOONS OF 1884.

On the 25th June, 1884, the barometer rose along the Coast of China and in Formosa, and fell Manila, where a fresh breeze blew from SW with misty weather. The temperature was high, t humidity moderate and the weather cloudy along the Coast. Typhoon I appears to have been abo: 17° N, 123o E at 10 a. on this day. Moderate SE winds and a heavy swell are reported from ship that were out in the China Sea at the time. At 4 p. the barometric pressure was 29.71 in Manil It blew a moderate SSW gale and the weather was overcast and wet. At 10 a. on the 26th the typho may have been about 18° N, 120° E. The barometer had risen in Manila and had begun to fall alor the SE Coast of China, but it remained steady in the North. Fine weather and light winds prevail: along the Coast.

At 10 a. on the 27th the typhoon may have been in 191° N, 119° E, and the baromet was falling along the SE Coast, but had risen in Shanghai, where it however began to fall in t afternoon. At 10 a. on the 28th the typhoon may have been in about 21° N, 118° E. The cent appears to have recurved about a degree East of the Pratas Shoal. The barometer was still falli slowly along the SE Coast and in Formosa. The air was comparatively dry. Light winds prevaile The layer of clouds stretched out at least 200 miles in front of the centre and it rained 100 miles front. But in fact cloudy weather, with drizzling rain in places, prevailed along the E Coast and Formosa, where the weather had been unsettled for the last few days with a heavy swell in the se In the evening it blew a fresh SE breeze at. S. Cape. The weather was misty and the sky had threatening appearance.

In the early morning hours on the 29th it blew a whole gale in Takow, the wind shifting to N and back again very rapidly to SE probably owing to eddies round the hills. The squalls were heav In the Pescadores it blew a breeze from ESE and the wind backed and increased in force till 4 when it blew with typhoon force accompanied by heavy rain. At S. Cape it blew a fresh SW ga on the same afternoon. At 10 a. on the 29th the centre appears to have been in 22° 45′ N, 119° 3 E and its progressive velocity was then suddenly increased, thus furnishing another instance of the fo frequently observed, of a depression passing through or crossing the Formosa Channel at a great increased rate of progress. The energy of this typhoon appears however to have been to a great exte expended before it re-entered the Pacific. It was not felt in Foochow.

At 10 a. on the 30th t centre may have been about 27° N, 123° E. Strong SSW breezes or a moderate gale from the Northern entrance to the Formosa Channel and from Northern Formosa.

are reporti

The other typhoons in 1884 have been reported on in the Monthly Weather Reports for that yea but the publication of the paths was unavoidably delayed. They are represented on the first four the accompanying plates.