Dr. Klein, in reference to the use of daily weather reports, states that
in Europe, as in America, in all cases, the reports of the weather
westward of a given station are of the greatest importance, while
reports from stations to the east are, on the average, of minor
importance in making weather predictions.
A southerly wind in the region of Ireland, Scotland, or Norway indicates
the approaching side of an area of low barometer. It is therefore a sign
of a coming change in the weather.
A northerly wind in those regions indicates, for Germany, that the
pressure of the air from the ocean is high, and can be considered as a
sign of steady pleasant weather.
The region of high barometer is generally separated from oceans and from
equatorial regions by lofty chains of mountains. The coldest and densest
stratum of air can therefore not flow away toward the sea.
The area of greatest cold on this continent is not prevented by any
range of mountains from extending southward and eastward, but is only
hemmed in on the west by the Rocky Mountains. Thus while the Pacific
Coast is protected from an overflow of very cold air, the whole eastern
portion of America becomes peculiarly subject to it.