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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0223.PDF
MARCH 16. 1916. [/UGHT] THE WEATHER ZEPPELINS HAVE COME IN. \ VERY illuminating analysis of the weather conditions on the occasions when Zeppelins have visited these shores, which has been compiled by a special correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, goes 10 disprove several ideas which have been put forward as to what Zeppelins can and can not do, and what weather conditions they can and can not operate in. The notes, which appeared in our contemporary on Saturday last, are as follows :— " Many theories have been put forward about ' Zeppelin weather.' Among them there have been: (1) The moonlight theory ; that Zeppeiins do not come during the second and third quarters of the moon. (2) The temperature theory ; that at low temperatures on the surface the high altitudes are too cold for them. (3) The wind theory; that a breeze that sets the dust flying and makes an umbrella difficult to manage, is too strong for them. (4) The wind direction theory; that certain winds hindered their passage across ihe North Sea. (5) The cloud theory ; that in skies heavy with clouds they would be unable to see the land below and steer a course. (6) The fog theory ; a stronger version of this last theory. (7) The rain theory. (8) The snow theory, (q) The barometer theory; that Zeppelins need be expected only when the aneroid weather there has, of course, been every sort of variation of the barometer. " The table below has been compiled with strict exactitude from official records, mainly supplied by the Meteorological Office. It states the conditions of temperature, wind, and weather, and the phase of the moon for every single Zeppelin raid, and for the districts raided. " In this table the wind velocities are taken from the Beaufort scale, which is the meteorological standard. It will be observed that two raids took place in a strong breeze, 25-31 miles per hour ; three raids in moderate breeze, 13-18 miles per hour; one raid in gentle breeze, 8-12 miles per hour ; seven raids in slight breeze, 4-7 miles per hour; eight raids in light airs, 13 miles per hour. Similarly on three occasions the wind was S.S.W., two occasions S.W., four occasions N., three occasions K.S.E., three occasions S.E., three occasions N.E., one occasion S., one occasion E., and one occasion N.N.E. During these raids the temperature has varied from 340 to 68 Fahrenheit. On three occasions there was rain, on one occasion fog, on three occasions mist, on five occasions the sky was overcast, on three occasions the sky was three-parU Date of Raid Temp. |(Fah.). Wind and Direction. Velocity of Wind. Miles per hour. Weather. State of Moon. 1915. I Ian. 19 ' Yarmouth ... Sheringham King's Lynn April 14 Tyneside ,, 15 Lowestoft .. East Coast „ 29 Ipswich Bury St. Edmunds May 10 Southend ... „ 16 Ramsgate j ,, 27 Southend ... „ 31 Outer London June 4 East and South-East Coast „ 6 East Coast „ 15 North-East Coast Aug. 9 '•• East Coast „ 12 East Coast „ 17 j Eastern Counties ... Sept. 7 Eastern Counties ... ,, 8 Eastern Counties and London ... „ 11 : East Coast ,, 12 I East Coast Oct. 13 London and Eastern Counties ... 1916. Jan. 31 Norfolk, Suffolk, Lines., Leices tershire, Derbyshire, Stafford shire Mar. 5 1 Yorkshire, Lines., Rutland, Hunt ingdonshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Essex, Kent j 41 Light air, S.W. 45 Slight breeze, S.E. . 52 Slight breeze, S.W.. 1 to 3 Overcast sky; rain; mist Four days after new moon 4 to 7 Overcast sky ; mist 4 to 7 Sky three parts clouded 47 Slight breeze, N.E. ... 4 to 7 Blue sky ; rain New moon One day after new moon Full moon 52 48 (.1 50 55 56 63 .8 61 62 07 61 61 56 Strong breeze, N.N.E. 251031 Light air, S.S.W. Strong breeze, N. Light air, N Slight breeze, E.S.E. Moderate breeze, S.E. Slight breeze, N.E.... Light air, E Light air, N Slight breeze, N.E. ... Light air, S.S.W. ... Slight breeze, E.S.E. Mod. bretze, E.S.E. Gentle breeze, S. Light air, S.E. 1 to 3 25 to 31 1 to 3 4 to 7 13 to 18 4 to 7 1 to 3 1 to 3 4 to 7 1 to 3 4 to 7 13 to 18 8 to 12 1 to 3 mist Four days before new moon Two days after new moon One day liefoie full moon Three days after full moon Last quarter Two days after last quarter Three days after new moon One day before new moon Overcast sky; mist; rain Two days after new moon Sky three parts clouded One day before first quarter Two days before new moon One day liefore new moon Two days after new moon Three days after new moon Two days before first quarter Blue sky Blue sky Overcast sky Blue sky Clouded sky Blue sky Sky half clouded Overcast sky Sky half clouded Sky three parts clouded Blue sky Blue sky Blue sky 41 Light air, S.S.W. 1 to 3 Fog Three days after last quarter 34 Moderate breeze, N. 13 to 18 points to 'Set Fair.' Generally the assumption has been that Zeppelins are fair-weather craft, and dare venture forth only in light airs and on dark nights ; that the moon is their most persistent enemy, putting them out of action for nearly a fortnight every month of the year ; that even moderate winds were dangerous to them ; and that snow would be fatal. " Each and every one of these theories, a? well as the underlying assumption, has been disproved by fact. There have been 21 Zeppelin raids up to date. The Zeppelins have come in virtually every phase of the moon, from new to full. In their successive visits they have had the wind from every quarter of the compass. The wind has ranged from ' light airs' to ' strong breezes.' The thermometer has ranged from frost to sweltering summer heat. Skies have been blue and overcast with clouds. There has been on several occasions mist; rain has been falling still more often ; and during the raid of March 5th there was winter weather of an extreme kind ; heavy snowfalls and squalls of wind. Bombs were dropped upon a northern town during snow squalls so bitter that the local correspondents spoke of a ' blizzard.' With all these varieties of ® ® Bays Wanted for the R.N.A.S. THBRB are still vacancies in the Royal Naval Air Service for boy mechanics to be trained as wireless telegraphists. Age between 17 and 17A in March, 1916. Pay is. per day up to the age of 18, at which age they are graded as 2nd Class Air Mechanics. Half clouded ; snow Day after new moon squalls clouded, on three occasions the sky was half-clouded, on eight occasions the sky was blue, and on one occasion there were snow squalls. The great majority of the raids took place at or about new moon and in the first and last quarters of the moon. Yet three raids took place on moonlight nights, one (assumed on subse quent evidence to be a Zeppelin) at full moon, one the day before full moon, and one three days after full moon. " Zeppelins like every other craft not independent of the weather, prefer to sally forth in calms or light winds; yet, as the record shows, they are not afraid of moderately stiff weather that would make the skipper of a trawler anxious. They prefer darkness to moonlight because their large bulk makes them a conspicuous target; yet moonlight is not an absolute barrier. In short, there are very few things that one can safely prophesy about Zeppelin raids. The utmost one can say is, fiist, that the calmer the weather the liklier a raid is to occur; and, secondly, that raids are less likely to occur in broad moonlight than on dark nights. But the table given above shows that, of any weather short of gales and storms, it is impossible to say that it is not Zeppelin-weather." ® . ® Service is for the period of the war only. There is no promise ot permanent service. Applications, giving full details of age, education, &c, should be made in writing, to the Wireless Officer, R.N.A.S. Depot, Barlby Road, North Kensington. No boy need apply whose hearing or eyesight is in any way defective. 223
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