Historique du jour

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (550-500 B.C.):

During the first 30 years of this period we are in the warm phase of the 100-year cycle, but in this instance the cycle had shortened to 70 years. Notice how the latter part of the warm period was considerably drier than the former part. The drop in temperature and rainfall between 540 and 535 is typical in that it breaks the warm period into two parts.

 

HISTORY (550-500 B.C.):

Notice particularly, however, how uniformly red are the entries for the main events of the warm period and how quickly the pattern shifts as it turned cold between 520 and 515.

 

While at the opening of the warm period strong government~ revived, and while there was a revival of learning, this is not a major Golden Age period. Golden Age periods, with their conspicuously good leadership and great outcropping of geniuses, occur on the average of about every 200 years.

 

Remember that this is near the opening of a 500-year cycle. Consequently, we can expect profound events to be occurring, and they are. This period is famous for its origin of rational thought in the history of human intelligence. It was a small beginning, but a profound one. The human mind is rising out of semi-barbarism. Here occurred the crude beginnings of science and philosophy. Most of the early philosophers we know about only indirectly or through fragments of their writings. Their views were a mixture of rational thinking and superstition, but it was an important beginning. All of their names, which would mean little to the general reader, have not been included. Among them was Pythagoras, who founded a famous school of thought.

 

The fact that Buddha and Confucius flourished at this time indicates that the awakening was not confined to the region of the Meditertanean.

 

The great revolution that crowded the sixth century with important events will reach a climax during the early part of the next century. It was one of the great dynamic periods of history and the Golden Age of Greece.

 

Note the increase of despotism and atrocities, typical warm-dry events, during the last half of the warm period. While the period between 550 and 520 B.C. is known as the Age of Tyrants, such a statement is misleading because tyrants emerge universally during warm periods in history, especially during the warm-dry phases of the cycle. This does not mean that there are no tyrants during cold times, but it does mean that during the latter parts of the warm periods they fit into the total pattern. Frequently they are deliberately sought, even by the people at such times; while during cold times they do not fit into the total pattern, and efforts, generally successful sooner or later, are made by the people to oust them from office.

 

Notice the migrations toward the end of this period. The Gauls, Teutons, and Celts were western European, north of the Mediterranean; and the Slavs and Scythians were in western Asia. There were almost surely other migrations than those that were recorded. The Scythians were Monngoloid peoples like the Tartars who will be heard from many times. The Slavs were ancestors of the present Slavs.

 

PART 2 OF 30

[colapster89]

historique du 3 mars

 

1987

 

Jusqu'à 60 cm de neige tombent sur les Rocheuses au cours de la semaine. En raison du temps doux, le risque d'avalanches est très élevé à Banff et à Jasper. Plusieurs routes sont fermées dans les montagnes par mesure de prudence.

 

1920

 

Record officiel de froid (en 144 ans) pour mars à Halifax: -23,3 degrés Celsius.

 

1888

 

Record officiel de froid (sur 104 ans) pour mars à Edmonton: -40,0 degrés Celsius.

 

1875

 

Il neige encore à Toronto où il est tombé 55 cm au cours des 5 premiers jours du mois. Les tempêtes touchent tout le sud de l'Ontario et perturbent la circulation routière et ferroviaire. Un homme meurt de froid près de Calédonia.

 

1873

 

Record officiel de froid (sur 113 ans) pour mars à Winnipeg: -38,9 degrés Celsius.

 

1868

 

Record officiel de froid (en 143 ans) pour mars à Toronto: -26,7 degrés Celsius.

[fastefou]

Plus de 70 cm pour être exact, par ici (Cowansville) pour la tempête de la St-valentin! Ah!! Que de souvenirs! :P

J'espere vivre ca un jour une tempete de 70 cm. WOW!!! :P

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (500-450 B.C.):

If it is fairly certain where one phase of 10-year, 20-year, or 100-year cycle happens to be. reasonable surmisals can be made regarding the positions and lengths of the adjacent phases. Accordingly, the combined evidence points strongly to the development, immediately after 500 B.C., of one of the strongest warm-wet phases in the 100-year cycle to have occurred at any time in history since 600 B.C. It was warm most of the time for the next 200 years. There is almost no break between the 100-year cycle that began around 505 B.C. and the next one. That is, where the cold half of the cycle might have been expected there was a cold period that only lasted for about ten years. Much of the time during this whole warm-wet period the California sequoias were growing very fast; it is believed that near this time the Caspian Sea was very high; Nile floods were frequent occurrences; evidently, oases in the Sahara were large; and Europe had great amounts of rainfall, Tree data suggest a drop in temperature of about ten years centering on 460 B.C.; then it turned very warm and wet again.

 

HISTORY (500-450 B.C.):

At the beginning of this 50-year period occurred one of the Greatest Golden Age epochs in all history. The Greek City States like Athens, Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes were all in their prime and were beginning an era of great prosperity, but especially Athens. East of the Mediterranean, the new Persia became powerful and aggressive and clashed in the famous wars with the Greeks that are described in every history of the Ancient World. Rome was strong enough to begin her long career of conquest. The cultural awakening, however, was not confined to the Mediterranean area alone. This was an important period both in the history of China and India. There are evidences pointing to virile civilizations on the order of warrior nations in Scotland and also in North and Central America. There probably were strong tribal nations in Central Asia, and doubtless also in Africa, south of Egypt. In Egypt there was a conspicuous economic and cultural awakening. There were several empires around the Black Sea.

 

Most noteworthy of all, however, was the Golden Age of Greece, While the "official" Golden Age known to historians took place in the next 50-year period during the days of Pericles, his leadership marked the end of the Golden Age, not its beginning. The beginning occurred during the first outburst of political and artistic vigor at the opening of the century. At this time lived the famous Greek dramatist, Aeschylus. The Athenian Empire, characterized by the leadership of Athens over the Greek City States to the north and west, was founded in 478 B.C.

 

Struggles between the upper and lower classes of society have come to a head during practically every cold period in history. So it was in the brief cold period that centered on 460 B.C. Party struggles flared up in the Greek States between the aristocrats and the democrats. The famous Pericles. statesman and general, led the democratic party.

 

As it remained warm, governments increased their control over the people. Athens not only tightened the reins over her allies in a League which she had organized, but restricted the freedom of her own people. During the cold period around 460, the democrats in most places succeeded in gaining control of the government.

 

The Greek City States fought among themselves during both warm and cold times. During warm times the wars assumed more of the nature of imperialistic conquests for hegemonies over the weaker States. Sparta and Athens pursued long wars of this type. During cold times, the conflicts assumed more of the nature of party struggles between the reactionaries and the liberals.

 

 

PART 3 OF 30

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (450-400 B.C.):

In the early part of this 50-year period rainfall reached another one of the several major climaxes which occurred in rapid succession for nearly two hundred years. But as time went on it became drier, and we know that as it became drier it had to become warmer until a major cold phase set in. No major cold phase occurred between 450 and 400 B.C. There should not have been any long droughts during this time, and there isn't any evidence that there were. All of the evidence points to high rainfall during most of this period and only to a very short cold phase ending the 100-year cycle at 420 B.C.

 

HISTORY (450-400 B.C.):

The States and empires that formed over the world around 500 A.D. evidently continued to wax strong. Associated with the rise in temperature and rainfall after a cold wave at 460 B.C. , there occurred the expected outbreak of international wars. The Greeks and Persians were fighting again, and a long, drawn out war flared up between two groups of Greeks City States--the one led by Athens and the other by Sparta.

 

As it stayed warm, Athens under Pericles became more and more socialistic and reactionary. These were the days of great public works. The Acropolis with its beautiful temples and statues was restored. Famous dramatists, sculptors, painters, potters, scientists, historians, and philosophers abounded.

 

Throughout the entire Greek world, as in Athens, the political pattern was becoming more and more reactionary Fascistic and oligarchial in some of the City States, socialistic in others. The family pattern was suffering: in Sparta boys were controlled by the State from the time they were seven years old. The individual male member lived almost exclusively for the State, as he was supposed to do under modern Nazi socialism and as he does in Russia today. The State controlled more and more of the manufacturing and commerce. Individual initiative was on the wane. All this happened also in our last warm phase in the 1930's.

 

Recall that there was a cold period that centered on 420 B.C. In spite of its short duration, very important efforts were made to reinstate democracy. During this cold period most of the provinces of the Persian Empire revolted, including Egypt, where the revolt was temporarily successful. The Greek City States that were under the control of Athens rebelled. In Rome, newly conquered areas tried to regain their freedom. In China, imperialistic power reached a low ebb. This is the pattern of behavior that prevailed during the cold periods all down through history.

 

It will be remembered that preceding these cold periods there is generally a hot-drought phase in the 100-year cycle. It is during this phase that Fascism, despotism, socialism, and communism reach their peaks of intensity. By inspecting the red items numbered in yellow it can be seen that there was a strong trend in this direction even in the absence of long, severe droughts. Associated with the temperature climax was the advocating of a Utopian socialistic scheme by Hippodamus, Greek architect and town planner. Atrocities occurred in the wars between the Greek City States that ordinarily would not have been perpetrated. During these wars Sparta finally won, which meant a defeat for the defenders of democracy.

 

The cold period was not long enough to restore democracy. It was long enough, however, to influence the general pattern of Greek thought. Around 420, there emerged the first atomic conception of the Universe. Accompanying this mechanistic movement, which was promoted by Democritus and Leucippus around 420-410 B.C., there was a trend toward materialism and skepticism. An impasse developed in Greek philosophy. The first philosophers had raised more problems than they had solved and had confused the Greek mind. Hence, there occurred a wave of skepticism in which there were many who even believed that there was no logical basis for the moral life. This was the period of the Sophists. The great teacher Socrates, attempted to stem the tide and restore faith in the new thought, but upon the return of the reactionaries to power, he was accused of polluting the minds of the Greek youth and was made to drink the poisoned hemlock.

 

 

PART 4 OF 30

[colapster89]

historique du 4 mars

 

Date célèbre dans l'histoire de la météorologie canadienne pour ses chutes de neige et ses blizzards aux proportions gigantesques.

 

1985

 

Une super tempête avec pluie verglaçante déverse de 25 à 35 cm de neige sur le sud et le centre de l'Ontario. La poudrerie et plusieurs heures de pluie verglaçante créent un véritable chaos sur les routes. Pour la première fois en deux ans dans le Toronto métropolitain, on décrète l'état d'urgence à cause de la neige.

 

1971

 

Une des pires tempêtes à Montréal fait tomber 47 cm de neige. Les rafales de 110 km/h forment d'énormes congères et paralysent la ville pendant 2 jours.

 

1966

 

Un blizzard accompagné de vents de 120 km/h apportent 35 cm de neige à Winnipeg, paralysant la ville pendant 2 jours.

 

1935

 

Winnipeg enregistre sa plus importante chute de neige en un jour: 35 cm. Bien que des lignes électriques et téléphoniques soient renversées et que le transport routier soit perturbé, les trains et les tramways continuent de circuler grâce au deneigement ininterrompu. Nous sommes dans les "dures années 30" et la tempête offre à des centaines de chômeurs la chance inespérée de recevoir un salaire pendant quelques jours en travaillant au pelletage.

 

 

historique du 5 mars

 

1987

 

Un brouillard dense et le gel entraînent la formation de givre sur les ponts à la hauteur de Montréal. Nombreux embouteillages et accidents de la circulation, plus d'une douzaine de personnes blessées.

 

1910

 

Une avalanche dans la région du col Rogers, en Colombie-Britannique, tue 62 ouvriers des chemins de fer.

 

1882

 

Un violent blizzard, qui dure depuis hier, frappe le Manitoba. À Meadow Lea, près de Winnipeg, la maison d'un colon prend feu. Les 4 occupants doivent sortir dans la tempête. Malgré la proximité d'un abri, ils perdent leur chemin et meurent de froid.

 

 

historique du 6 mars

 

1987

 

Une vague de chaleur et de vents de 100 km/h retardent l'épreuve de descente de la Coupe du Monde de ski alpin. La température record de 20 degrés Celsius enregistrée pendant 2 jours à Calgary, qui fait disparaître 10 des 30 cm de la couche de neige, conviendrait davantage au ski nautique. De grandes plaques d'eau et de neige fondantes rendent le parcours impraticable. Même la piste réfrigérée de bobsleigh au Parc olympique est couverte d'eau par endroits.

 

1983

 

Une forte tempête d'hiver avec pluies abondantes et pluie verglaçante (28 mm) fait des dégâts de plusieurs millions de dollars dans le sud du Manitoba. À cause de la glace épaisse sur les pistes d'atterrissage, on est obligé de fermer l'aéroport de Winnipeg jusqu'au 8. Plusieurs grosses tours de télévision s'écroulent.

Modifié le 6 mars 2008 par colapster89

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (400-350 B.C.):

Between 400 and 350 B.C., there was another very strong warm-wet maximum. Nevertheless. there is now more evidence of droughts. There are two places in the climate curve where droughts can be expected. The first is when temperature reaches a climax just before it turns cold. and the second is during the climax of the cold period. It often happens that droughts occurring during the climax of the cold period continue after it has turned warm again. That is. following the cold-dry phase of the cycle. temperatures rise ahead of rainfall. Thus. it is that a "hot" drought frequently follows a "cold" drought without any intervening wet years. In this case. however, the hot drought is usually a short one.

 

A short but not severe drought occurred at 375 immediately following a very high, warm-wet maximum. A short, cold drought occurred at 365, and a rather severe hot drought occurred between 355 and 350 B.C.

 

HISTORY (400-350 B.C.):

The warm-phase pattern of behavior prevailed most of the time during this fifty-year interval owing to the prevalence of warm temperatures. But not1ce how the trend toward the cold pattern developed suddenly during the brief drops in temperature at 395 and at 365. Another conspicuous feature is the outcropping of nation-building events around 390 (red items numbered in green). and also the evidence of increasing despotism and socialism. especially during the warm-dry periods (red items numbered in yellow).

 

The wars between the Greek City States broke out again and were now of the imperialistic pattern. Sparta reached the height of her power during the warm-wet phase of the 100-year cycle, but became a worse taskmaster over the weaker cities than Athens had ever been. The result of the war was a temporary victory for the city of Thebes. Again, during the cold periods, the subject cities rebelled against their rulers; party struggles in which religion often played a part. flared up.

 

Greek culture was now in a sad state of decline. Good government was practically unknown. Reactionary oligarchs and socialistic dictators held sway. The individual was indifferent to the welfare of the State. Vitality had disappeared from Greek art and literature. The moral tone of Greek life was sinking lower. The entire region was in dire financial straits. The situation was equivalent to a long. recurring depression. Too much socialism was not working. and neither was Fascism.

 

During the brief revival of political strength that occurred after 390 B.C., a race of people to the north of Greece (Macedonians) began to make its presence known. By 360 these people, under the leadership of Philip, were ready to launch conquering expeditions. The conquests of Philip II and then of his son Alexander (especially those of the latter), correspond to the conquests of Hitler. The Greek City States were full of traitors and fifth columnists. Conditions were chaotic in many places. Greek reactionaries welcomed the invader.

 

The outstanding cultural event of the period was the appearance of the philosopher Plato. Plato was a pupil of Socrates who in turn was the teacher of Aristotle. Scholars came from far and wide to study with Plato, whose thinking closely followed the organismic pattern outlined in the Introductory Chapter. No one since his time has been able to improve upon his theory of knowledge. beyond bringing it up to date. But in his famous "Republic," Plato advocated a socialistic State While there are many differences, there are also many very close likenesses between the State advocated by Plato and the Russian system today. Both the "Republic" and the Russian State were associated with similar weather trends. Politically and socially, Russian communism resembles Plato's "Republic" far more than it resembles the society proposed by Karl Marx. Plato, remember, lived during a period when socialism had reached one of its all time highs in history.

 

PART 5 OF 30

[colapster89]

historique du 7 mars

 

1989

 

À environ 1 km des côtes du lac Erié, un hélicoptère des Forces armées canadiennes secourt 2 pêcheurs qui s'étaient réfugiés sur une banquise pendant 2,5 heures.

 

1987

 

Depuis le début des relevés en 1840 la température de 17,9 degrés Celsius à Toronto constitue la plus élevée jamais enregistrée sitôt dans l'année. D'autres records sont aussi établis dans le nord-ouest de l'Ontario avec des températures aux environs de 15 degrés Celsius. Une fonte rapide gonfle les rivières et les ruisseaux. Un embâcle sur la rivière Crédit, à l'ouest de Toronto, entraîne l'évacuation de 7 familles. Les rues sont couvertes de 60 cm d'eau.

 

1986

 

Une tempête provenant de l'Atlantique frappe les Maritimes, entraînant la fermeture des écoles dans les 3 provinces. Les chutes de neige atteignent entre 20 et 30 cm. Les régions côtières de Terre-Neuve signalent de forts vents soufflant en rafales de 115 km/h et le service de traversier du C.N. est interrompu dans le détroit de Cabot.

 

1970

 

Éclipse solaire totale observée pendant 2,2 minutes environ vers 14h55 près de la Nouvelle-Écosse et au sud-est de Terre-Neuve. Les conditions d'observation sont excellentes.

[colapster89]

historique du 8 mars

 

1986

 

Depuis le début de mars Whitehorse a reçu 47 cm de neige, ce qui correspond à une chute record pour le mois. Les fortes chutes de neige entravent la course annuelle de traîneaux à chiens qui a lieu entre Fairbanks (Alaska) et Whitehorse (Yukon).

 

1976

 

Dans le sud de l'Alberta, le chinook souffle 30 jours sur 35 à la fin de fevrier et au début de mars, érodant gravement le sol.

 

1900

 

Edmonton reçoit 24,1 cm de neige, record quotidien pour mars depuis 104 ans de relevés.

 

1879

 

Dans tout le sud du Manitoba la chute rapide des températures cause la formation d'une épaisse couche de glace sur la neige. Lorsque les vents se lèvent, "d'énormes plaques de glace de 10 à 20 pieds carrés sont soulevées, puis sectionnées en plus petits morceaux qui roulent comme des roues de charrette glacées. La prairie semble animée par une danse endiablée."

[colapster89]

historque du 9 mars

 

1988

 

Terre-Neuve est frappé par le pire blizzard de l'hiver. À Gander, des vents de 80 à 105 km/h transforment une accumulation de 38 cm de neige en énormes congères, ensevelissant des voitures stationnées et rendant les déplacements dangereux.

 

1987

 

De forts vents compriment la banquise sur la côte est de Terre-Neuve, ce qui perturbe le trafic maritime et notamment le service de traversiers entre les îles Fogo et Change. Un vaste pont aérien doit être établi pour approvisionner les communautés insulaires en vivres et en articles de première nécessité.

 

1970

 

Les premiers jeux d'hiver de l'Arctique ont lieu du 9 au 14, à Yellowknife, dans les Territoires du Nord-Ouest, dans des conditions météorologiques normales.

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (350-300 B.C.):

 

Notice on the climate curve how much cooler it is getting. Thirty out of the fifty years between 350 and 300 B.C. Were cold. This is because we are approaching the termination of a 100-year cycle. The warm phase that began at 415 B.C. did not end until 320, almost 100 years later. The cycle was a long one this time--120 years.

 

Compare the warm periods lying between the drops in temperature during this long warm phase with one another. It will be seen that there was a gradual tendency for them to become hotter and drier as time went on until the climax of the warm-dry phase (generally speaking, the last half of the warm period) was reached, beginning at 330 B.C. The hot drought lasted for 15 years, and was followed by the cold-wet phase. Now, in 1950 we are in the cold-wet phase of the 100-year cycle, and are headed toward the cold-dry phase. In the 1930's, we passed through a hot-drought phase that corresponds to the 320' s B.C.

 

HISTORY (350-300 B.C.):

The Greek City States had by now become economically bankrupt and the people morally bankrupt. Human nature had surrendered to immorality, graft, intrigue, and tyranny. Initiative had declined; loyalty had vanished; and the birth rate was down. It is estimated that the population of Athens at this time was only a small fraction of what it was 150 years previously. Wars had not killed off the people, nor had migrations removed them, yet no large armies could be put into the field.

 

Similar trends occurred in the 1920's and 1930's. Economic systems failed; vitality disappeared from art and literaature; modern civilization became morally bankrupt and degenerate; the birth rate was down; human vitality was down. In certain areas in the United States the birth rate sank very low. Unless migraations kept the population up, no one would be living there in a hundred years time. And so it was in Ancient Greece when Philip and Alexander came upon the scene. Both began their reigns during brief, high energy periods, 360 and 336 B.C.

 

Near the end of a short, cold period, Philip of Macedonia was assassinated. The empire passed to his son Alexander the Great, who carved out what was probably the largest empire the world has ever known. It stretched from western India across the Near East, through Egypt. He conquered this large area with a very small army made up mostly of mercenaries, and was aided immeasurably by the prevalence of fifth columnists. While it is no small feat to march the distances covered by Alexander, his exploits have been overrated. Recall how quickly France and Norway collapsed in World War II. The Macedonians were confronted with a very similar situation under similar weather trends. Finally, like Hitler, Alexander developed a Messiah complex. After the latter had conquered Egypt he set himself up as a god.

 

On the other hand, largely through the influence of his famous tutor, Aristotle, Alexander did much to further the advancement of knowledge. He encouraged naturalists and geographers to accompany him on his campaigns. While he was in Egypt, he founded Alexandria and established a library and museum which helped that city to become the center of world learning for several centuries.

 

Aristotle has often been declared the greatest mind of all antiquity. For the most part, he followed the organismic pattern. He wrote on innumerable subjects--philosophy, ethics, logic, biology, political science, geography, and physics, and founded the science of logic. Much thinking in science and philosophy today follows the path laid out by him.

 

Alexander's empire collapsed immediately after his premature death. His generals were soon quarreling among themselves over the division of the empire. Then bloody civil wars broke out; not only in Alexander's empire, but allover the known world for at 320 B.C. there began a worldwide cold phase in the 100-year cycle.

 

 

PART 6 OF 30

[colapster89]

événement météorologique du 10 mars

 

1979

 

Crue de la rivière Thames à Chatham en Ontario, la plus forte depuis 1958. La neige fond rapidement et est retenue par des brouillards glacés. Évacuation de plusieurs centaines d'habitants, inondation de 40000 hectares de riches terres agricoles, bétail noyé et 400 bâtiments submergés.

 

1961

 

Des vents de 150 km/h avec des rafales atteignant 200 km/h retardent les trains de 17 heures à St-Andrew's, à Terre-Neuve.

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (300-250 B.C.):

 

 

The year 300 B.C. marked the end of another l00-year cycle and fell in the center of a 40-year cold period. About 280 B.C. there occurred the expected rise 1n both temperature and rainfall (at the end of the cold phase), and the formation of the warm-wet phase. Rainfall was apparently very high for about ten years after which there followed a five-year hot drought. Rainfall was apparently very high for about ten years after which there followed a five-year hot drought. Rainfall then recovered to a moderate degree as temperatures rose again after a drop between 265 and 260. At the end of the 50-year period it was getting dry.

 

HISTORY (300-250 B.C.):

A glance at the blue items will show that during the 40-year cold period the important historical events belonged to the pattern of cold periods. Out of the confusion of civil war, several strong independent States emerged where once Alexander had held sway.

 

During this period, civilizations all Over the world received their first major shake-up in almost 300 years for this is the first long cold period since 575 B.C. The climatic reaction from the cold phase was apparently a very vigorous one. So was the cultural revival, for there now occurred another one of the greatest Golden Age eras in all.

 

Prominent among these civilizations was Egypt under the Ptolemies. Under Ptolemy Philadelphus, who reigned from 285 to 259 B.C., occurred a brilliant outburst of learning, a period of prosperity and good government. A group of famous scientists and philosophers, known as the First Alexandrian School, congregated at the Museum in Alexandria. Among them was the famous geometrician Euclid. Another was Manetho, an Egyptian historian whose chronologies of the ancient Egyptian civilizations were remarkable for their accuracy and thoroughness. Another was Arisistratos, credited with founding the science of physiology. There were many others.

 

Helped by the foundation laid down during the previous cold period by the patriot Chandragupta, Asoka was able to build one of the great empires of all time in India. He gave to that country one of the most brilliant periods in its entire history. He is known to history as the "Constantine of Buddhism."

 

Another important State was the Syrian or Seleucid Empire. Its capital at first was at Seleucid on the Tigris River, later at Antioch on the Orontes. Many of its kings went by the name of Antiochus; hence, the name of the city. The Seleucid Empire was the largest of the: remnants of Alexander's Kingdom, which extended into India from the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Soon, however, the large eastern part (Parthia, Bactria) gained its independence.

 

It was on this same climatic revival that Rome greatly extended her authority over the neighboring tribes and territory of the Italian peninsular. She completed the subjugation of Italy, and branched out to Epirus which was across the Adriatic Sea to the East. In 264 Rome began her distant conquests by defeating Carthage across the Mediterranean Sea to the South. Trouble had been brewing between these two City States for some time over commercial rivalry. This was the First Punic War. a typical nation-building war.

 

During the cold period previous to the great cultural awakening some of the most famous materialistic movements in the history of philosophy occurred. One of them was led by Epicurus; who advocated a philosophy based upon the pain-pleasure principle, i.e.~ the basic causes of behavior are man's "instinctive" avoidance of pain and attraction to pleasure. The word, "epicurean" today signifies a person dominated by pleasure and the principle: "Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you may die." Epicurus actually led a very dignified life and insisted that it was intellectual pleasure that man should seek. Another school of philosophers was the Stoics who advocated taking the world as you find it, bearing pain nobly, and doing good for its practical results.

 

PART 7 OF 30

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (250-200 B.C.):

 

The 100-year cycle seems now to be running shorter than normal 65 years. It is about the only time in history when it runs this short. In the new cycle that began around 235 B.C., the warmest phase was very weak and unstable. No sooner had it started to form when it was interrupted by a 10-year drop in temperature (220-210 B.C.). Then the warm-wet phase revived.

 

HISTORY (250-200 B.C.):

By 250 B.C. nation building was over and the empires of the world were already sinking into the usual period of decline preceding the outbreak of civil strife. Note how civil strife predominated from 245 to 210 when it was cold most of the time. But the instant the warm phase of the next 100-year cycle started to form at 225 B.C. nation building was under way again and international wars broke out.

 

Rome obtained her foothold in Greece by interfering with civil wars in that region. This policy finally resulted in annexing to the growing empire the countries around the eastern end of the Mediterranean. When Rome went into a region during times that were climatically mixed, or close to the average, her procedure was generally a liberal and democratic one, leaving to the country a considerable measure of independence and local autonomy, exacting, however, tribute and taxes.

 

The Second Punic War, the sudden power shown by the East Syrian or Bactrian Empire (over toward India) under Antiochus the Great, the appearance of a large Hunnish Empire in Siberia, and the revival of the Chinese under the Han dynasty, all illustrate that the nation-building process takes place on a climatic shift from cold to warm even when the transition is not a vigorous one. However, the building process is not, on the whole, as extensive or as far-reaching in its consequences as it is when the transitions are strong.

 

The Second Punic War began in 218 B.C. According to the climate curve it was actually cold and wet at that time, although it had been slightly warm for the preceding ten years. In any event, the long time trend that began to show at 225 was toward the formation of the usual warm-wet phase of the 100-year cycle. The historical facts harmonize with the variant in the weather trends. While Carthage and Rome were both interested in Spain and wished to gain control of that region, and while Carthage was still smarting from her defeat in the First Punic War, neither side was yet ready for a conflict. The Carthaginian armies were training in Spain for an eventual conflict with Rome, but for the present they were engaged in subduing rebellious tribes. Hannibal was a very young man. He was given command of the armies in defiance of orders from Carthage and so, in order to secure his position, he aggravated the Romans and played upon the desire of the Carthaginians for revenge. His plan was to advance on Rome from Spain, taking advantage of trouble which the Romans were having with hostile tribes in the North. Here is an example of how a human personality can cut across the timing of events by climatic factors. In a few years, a clash between Rome and Carthage would have been inevitable. On the other hand, it is very doubtful if Hannibal could have achieved his purpose if the climatic transition had not already begun, for the chances are that the necessary aggressiveness and unity would not have been sufficient.

 

In Egypt during this period the First Alexandrian School continued to thrive, but its pat fern changed, along with scholarship Over the known world as a whole. Aristotle was a great scholar who combined the organismic and mechanistic patterns, although the organismic dominated in his thinking. He had lived at the end of a warm period as it was turning cold. Now, 100 years later, another famous scholar did the same thing under similar circumstances. He was Archimedes, a great physicist and engineer who was said to have jumped out of his bath shouting, "Eureka!"(J have found it) when he discovered the principle of specific gravity.

 

 

PART 8 OF 30

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CLIMATE (200-150 B.C.):

 

This is the coldest 100-year cycle that has yet been encountered. Since the last cold-dry climax at 235 B.C., there have been no large warm-wet peaks. Consistent with this fact is the lack of any great era of nation building, although Rome has gradually been extending her conquests. It is typical for strong nations to colonize during cold times and this means coming into conflict with primitive tribes in uncivilized areas. Ordinarily, the resulting fighting is desultory, but during nation building time, this kind of warfare reaches a climax along the international wars, because the primitive tribes unify into federations at such times and are not only more aggressive in spirit, but militarily they are more powerful. Rome did a good deal of this type of expanding during cold times, as England did also over many centuries. During the last long cold phase (the 19th century) the European countries partitioned Africa, Russia spread across Siberia, and we spread westward across the North American continent. The motive behind this type of expansion is interest in exploration and commerce, rather than political domination.

 

HISTORY (200-150 B.C.):

Even though the warm phases were now running short, the culture pattern turned warm when the time came, although not to the extent that it would have done had the climatic shifts been stronger.

 

During the long and severe cold-dry period that centered on 170 B.C., Roman troops stationed in the outer provinces, as in Epirus, were out of control; the Syrians plundered in Palestine, not as organized armies carrying out a political plan, but as armed mobs. This is land piracy. The Greek City States were in a sorry plight. Sparta was "corrupt, self-indulgent, without loyalty or religion, down to the swineherd." Watch for the numerous evidences of a similar type of decline during long cold periods in other centuries and in other parts of the world. All this is typical of the anarchy and dissolution that prevailed during long, cold periods when strong governments of any kind are lacking. It is the type of situation which makes for a "Dark Age."

 

Recall that during the two previous cold periods the culture pattern turned mechanistic as it always does. In one of them there flourished the famous Epicurus and his pain-pleasure theory of life (called Hedonism), and a school of philosophers known as the Stoics; then in the next cold period Stoicism revived again. Greek sculpture underwent a significant change during these cold periods. It lost for the most part, its original dignity, force and reserve; it turned away from gods to nature, i.e., to portraits of actual people including children. The familiar Laocoon group with the father and sons struggling with the serpents reflects the violence and action that crowded this per iod of Greek history. (The time between Alexander the Great and the annexation of Greece to Rome in 155 B.C. is known as the Hellenistic Period of Greek history.) The Fighting Gladiator is another example of the realistic, action-packed art of the period. as is also Athena Overcoming the Giant. This title speaks for itself. In all of these works we see the chaotic vitality and disorganization of cold times, as well as the prevalence of sentimental, superficial feelings that so often stultify romantic movements in art. Notice from the blue culture items in Chart 9 how consistently the scholarship of this period followed the mechanistic cold phase pattern geography, grammar, agriculture, the weather," comic poetry, and so on. (The emphasis on geography during cold times happens again and again, as we have already pointed out.)

 

Before the anarchy and civil strife broke out, civilizations the world over apparently went through the expected climax in despotism and decadence during the hot drought phase of the cycle.

 

There are some important differences between the behavior of peoples when it is cold and wet and their behavior when it is cold and dry. People are more stable and tolerant when it is wet than when it is dry. Watch for the prevalence of anarchy, piracy, and migrations when the long, cold periods get dry. These are blue items numbered in yellow. When it is cold and wet, more of the items will be concerned with democratic reforms.

 

PART 9 OF 30

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événement météorologique du 10 mars

 

1979

 

Crue de la rivière Thames à Chatham en Ontario, la plus forte depuis 1958. La neige fond rapidement et est retenue par des brouillards glacés. Évacuation de plusieurs centaines d'habitants, inondation de 40000 hectares de riches terres agricoles, bétail noyé et 400 bâtiments submergés.

 

1961

 

Des vents de 150 km/h avec des rafales atteignant 200 km/h retardent les trains de 17 heures à St-Andrew's, à Terre-Neuve.

oula des rafales de 200km sa du vente de le coin

[iceberg]

CLIMATE (150-100 B.C.):

 

The 100-year cycle that began at 170 and lasted until 90 B.C. was, like its predecessor, broken up into short phases and again as a consequence there were no great waves of nation building. However, peoples allover the world, like the Romans, were building up slowly to a climax of power. In the process, class struggle increased and during the cold phases,. civil wars were becoming more and more organized and bloody. In Rome these conflicts reached a peak in the wars between Caesar and Pompey, then between Octavius and Antony. Meanwhile, commerce expanded and weather accumulated. The nation building climax occurred on a strong climatic shift from cold to warm following the date 80 B.C. (Chart 11.)

 

The present cycle suffered a long break between two warm periods, from 140 to 120 B.C. It could quite as well be said that there were two major cycles rather than one, and that the first of the two ended at 130 B.C. The only reason for not calling it two cycles is the practical one of trying to reduce the long-time picture as a whole to its simplest terms.

 

HISTORY (150-100 B.C.):

The autocratic-imperialistic pattern On the one hand, and the democratic pattern on the other, alternated with the short climatic fluctuations. Rome rapidly added to her empire, but with the advent of each warm period democracy suffered a serious loss until it vanished altogether. The nobles found it easier to control affairs against the will of the people as it became warmer, and the farmer class was in dire straights. The great landed estate worked by slaves was taking the place of the small farm worked by the independent farmer. The farmer left the country for the city in order to find employment, or he joined the army. During the cold periods, slaves who had taken the places of the farmers on the farms revolted.

 

During the cold period that centered on 130 B.C., a famous attempt was made by the Brachi brothers to restore democracy to the Roman Empire. The attempts were unsuccessful. One of the brothers, Tiberius, was slain in the civil war in 133 and the other, Caius, was murdered by his enemies in 121. The struggle was between the democrats and the aristocrats, and as it turned warm the aristocrats won. The Roman people took sides, some joining the reactionaries and others the liberals. But in the struggle, Rome eventually changed first to a dictatorship and then to a monarchy. Had it remained cold long enough, the course of Roman history might well have been radically different.

 

The longer the very rich aristocracy held the reins of the government, the more corrupt it became. This fact is illustrated by the bribery and corruption associated with the so-called Jagurthan War. Final victory was assured for Rome only when Marrius, an honest statesman, was put in command of the legions. But later, as a champion of Democracy and good government, he met his death.

 

Among the States that revived temporarily during the short warm periods were Parthia and Bactria which were engaged in a war between themselves. Parthia was a large country southeast of the southern tip of the Caspian Sea, and Bactria was east of Parthia, close to India.

 

Greece was now part of Rome and both during this interval and the preceding one, Greek culture--its thinking and its art--found its way into Italy and India. Cold periods are times of cultural mixing and borrowing. We are heading into such a period now and we can expect our stores to handle increasing amounts of foreign cultural products, especially of the arts and crafts. Already we are driving more English and French cars in this country, by far, than at any other time in our history.

 

The Third and final Punic War occurred in 151-146 B.C. On a small scale, it corresponded to World War II in that it reflected the moral decline both of the Romans and of the Carthaginians, but especially of the Romans. Carthage was razed and many of its inhabitants were sold into slavery (warm and dry). The benevolence of the Republic toward its satellites and conquered peoples vanished as the spirit of democracy waned.

 

PART 10 OF 30

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CLIMATE (100-50 B.C.)

 

This period began with a 15-year cold-dry period in which the l00-year cycle ended. The transition to the warm-wet phase was a very pronounced one, ending in a strong warm-wet maximum that was interrupted in the middle by a few years of drought. After the drought there was another strong revival in rainfall and a rise in temperature. It seems quite reasonable to assume from the evidence that this warm-wet phase, as a whole, was the strongest in 200 years, or since the time of Ptolemaic Egypt around 280 B.C.

 

According to Brooks, a British climatologist, the first century B.C. was definitely a very wet one. After 80 B.C. the California sequoias grew the fastest in 200 years, indicating a strong warm-wet period. Huntington believes that Owen's Lake in California was very high at this time. It is quite evident that a prosperous civilization sprang up in Central America. Prosperity returned not only to the stronger civilizations of the world, but to the minor ones as well. For example, the Suevi (Swiss) in Germany developed a kingdom under Ariovistas about 75 B.C., which forced the Gauls to form a union against him. It has been said before that imperial vigor can hardly develop in the absence of economic prosperity, a nd wherever the facts are known this is always what has happened. Economic prosperity can hardly occur unless rainfall and temperature combined to produce a series of good growing seasons. Reports from Britain dated 72 B.C. indicate storminess in that area.

 

The dry years from 65 to 60 B.C. stirred up several migrations over wide areas of the earth. A tribe in western Turkistan called the Yueh-chi moved south into Bactria; Scythians moved into India, settling in the Punjab and the provinces of Katharwar and Gujerat. At the same time Persia was overrun by Turanians.

 

According to Briton, 70 to 60 B.C. was severely dry in England and Ireland. This agrees with the story told by the California trees at 65 B.C. During this dry period the Gauls were so troublesome that finally Caesar determined to conquer them. In 56 B.C., according to Caesar, there was a bad storm in Britain. This is close to the strong tree maximum of 58 B.C., and probably belonged to a world-wide sequence of rainy years.

 

The drought ran its course, rainfall recovered and was apparently good from about 63 to 56 B.C. Between 55 and 50 more droughts occurred. The evidence for these droughts comes from four different continental areas; California, Europe, Central Asia, and India. This is the position for hot droughts in the 100-year pattern.

 

According to Parker, between 55 and 50 B.C. there were several droughts in Central Asia. While Caesar reported bad storms in England in 56 and 55, by 54 a widespread general drought had developed over western Europe and Britain, so severe that his army, in winter quarters, had to be separated into small scattered units in order to secure sufficient food. Since there were no reports of excessive cold (and the chances are that there would have been, had it been cold) we may assume that the winter temperatures were mild, and that the droughts were part of a warm-dry climatic phase.

 

Still further evidence is found in another widespread outburst of migrations. The Iapodes moved into Dalmatia in 52 B.C. At 50 B.C. the Huns were travelling again; this time moving westward from Mongolia in large numbers. According to Huntington, the date 50 B.C. centered in a severe drought and famine period in China. These famines were especially tragic in 48 B.C. in the four provinces of Shansi, Honan, Shantung, and Chihli. Ponds, lakes, reservoirs and gardens, owned by the rich were lent to the poor. Then, when it did begin to rain it came in such floods that grain and money had to be imported from other regions to save the people in Kwan Sung province.

 

After events like these one can look for a sharp drop in world temperatures. The California trees point now to just such a drop but not to a major cold phase of the l00-year cycle. They point to a sharp break only in the warm phase, because the tree minimum was not a long time, and it was located between two maxima as close together as 58 and 23 B.C.

 

(Recall that when the different lines of evidence were being discussed earlier 1n the volume, it was pointed out that the distribution of international versus civil war battles could have been used to locate the warm and cold periods of history. The positions of all the known dated battles in history that we have so far been able to locate in the literature have been plotted against the world climate curve and will be published in a forthcoming volume.) Since the behavior of primitive tribes is being followed In relation to climatic fluctuations, especially their migrations, if. can be mentioned in passing that during the 40's and 30's B.C. the Romans were constantly having trouble with Celtic Gaul. The Bellovici revolted in 46, the Allabroges in 44, and the Aquiani and Morini in 33 and 30 B.C. These revolts were attended by migrations. There is no record of consequential revolts attending the earlier migrations of the 60's and 50's. Some historians believe that the great migrations of history were for the most part caused by internal strife. At best, internal strife could cause but a certain fraction of such migrations and even then could hardly have been more than a contributing cause, not the main cause. In the absence of any evidence of civil war, the migrations of the 60's and 50's could hardly have been caused by factors rather than dwindling grass and water supplies and a succession of crop failures.

 

The suspicion that the cold period that followed after 50 B.C. was worldwide receives substantiation from Russian Turkistan where, in 36 B.C., it was so cold that hordes of people perished. Isolated reports like these are almost never out of place in the l00-year cycle apparently for the reason that they so seldom occur out of place. Ordinarily we have not gone into the evidence regarding the weather trends and we do so now only because this was one of the very important periods in history.

 

HISTORY (100-50 B.C.):

This period was one of the most crucial in the long history of the Roman Empire. Great social and political changes were under way. The warm period from 80 to 10 B.C., with its long cold interruption from 50 to 30, marked the apex of Roman history. While it did not mark the period of her greatest physical expansion, it was the period of her greatest vitality, leadership, and cultural achievement. It was also the turning point in Roman history. After the Augustan Age, Rome declined steadily throughout the remainder of her history as an Empire.

 

While Rome was building up to the climax of her history during the current nation building era, Tartars and other Asiatic peoples were shaping up strong empires on the order of the Khans of the Middle Ages.

 

Ever since the days of the Gracchi around ]25 B.C., Rom; had been divided into two hostile camps, the aristocratic and the democratic parties (which from time to time divided within themselves). In the Gracchinn struggles, the reactionaries had been victorious. During the interval 100-50 B.C., however, there came to the front a young general and champion of the people, Marius. At the same time another famous general, Sulla, was the leader of the aristocratic party. Both generals had large followings. During the first twenty years of the century, Rome along with the rest of tile known world, was torn in civil war. Some of the, Italian cities seceded, until citizenship was granted to them. Between 118 and 82, Marius and Sulla fought it out and Marius was defeated. In 82 B.C., Sulla returning from the East, helped cruel vengeance upon the followers of Marius when he reached Italy. Then Sulla declared himself a dictator and instituted a reign of terror (notice that it was turning warm).

 

Then came Pompey and Caesar. Pompey stood for the aristocracy, and Caesar stood for the democratic party. When Pontus became too powerful in the East, Pompey was sent against them with absolute power over the eastern legions. Pontus, Syria, Cappadocia and other regions were converted into Roman provinces. Caesar was becoming eminent in the West. The situation was loaded with dynamite. At first a reciprocal agreement was made between Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus (the First Triumvirate). Crassus was killed in battle, which left Caesar and Pompey. For a time, friendly relations existed between them. It was upon Caesar's return from his conquest of Gaul and Britain that he decided on precipitating civil war by his crossing of the Ruhicon. Pompey was defeated. Caesar then conquered Egypt, and there met Cleopatra.

 

The majority of Romes most brilliant scholars (of which there were not many) other than the poets who came a little later, flourished from 100 to 50 B.C. Early in the century there were: Varro, agriculturalist, author of several ency· clopedic works and a student of rhetoric; Rosidonius, Stoic philosopher (recall that Stoicism is cold); Cassius Dionysius, botanist and author of a materia medica; and King Mithridates of Pontus who was a reknowned student of poisons. Specialties in limited fields like these, are, as we have seen all along, typical of cold periods.

 

Note how the pattern of scholarship changed as it turned warm. There was now Asclepiades, a famous Greek physician, who was author of a new approach to medicine called functionalism (an emphasis on forces and processes as opposed to anatomy and structure),. Emphasis on functionalism is a warm phase trend. Asclepiades opposed that he thought was in his predesessors an overemphasis upon anatomy. Themison was another physician of the time, founder of "Methodism," which was not a religion, but as, the term implied, an emphasis on method. This was another approach to functionalism. There was the philosopher Andronicus of Rhodes, who followed Aristotle's organic theories of life as opposed to the mechanistic and materialistic theories of the Hedonists and Stoics of the preceding cold period. Cicero, the orator, was also a great scholar and believed in the organismic as opposed to the mechanistic conception of life. And finally, there was the greatest scholar of them all, the philosophical poet Lucretius, who wrote a long poem, "De Herum Natura" which has been variously interpreted since then as mechanistic and organismic. It is in reality a mixture of the two patterns, but Lucretius possessed the sweeping understandings typical of the warm phase mind, and followed the warm, pattern in the great breadth of his interests and in the sweeping character of his deductions. Among other things, he anticipated a most astonishing manner the modern theory of relativity in its logical aspects. Such insights belong to the warm pattern.

 

PART 11 OF 30

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CLIMATE (50 B.C. - 0 A.D.):

 

There have been several times in history when the warm phase of the 1000year cycle was interrupted by a rather long and vigorous cold period. During each one of these interruptions there have been historic civil conflicts. These civil wars are generally very bloody, fought between two strong factions --the liberals versus the conservatives. .

 

A cold interruption of this sort began around 130 B.C. and was marked by the famous wars of the Gracchi in Rome. Now, at 50 B.C., there began a 20-year cold period during which furious civil wars were fought in the Roman Empire. Another famous cold period of the same sort began in 1510 and was followed by the Protestant Reformation. Still another took place immediately after 1810. This was the decade during which the Latin American countries began their struggle for independence.

 

Following all of these cold periods, the second half of the warm phase is much drier than the first half and terminates in the main warm-dry phase of the cycle. In the present instance, however, the droughts were not excessive and there was a sufficient recovery in rainfall to produce a period of prosperity and a brief but historic cultural epoch--the "Augustan Age" of Rome.

 

At 10 B.C. it turned cold for the main cold-phase of the 100-year cycle and remained cold most of the time for the next 75 years. It was during this cold period that, in accordance with our reckoning, the current 500-year cycle came to an end.

 

HISTORY (50 B.C. - 0 A.D.):

All through the cold period from 50 to 30 B.C., Rome was gripped in civil war; first between Caesar and Pompey, then between Octavius and Antony. The whole known world seethed with political intrigue and double crossing. In 45, Cleopatra poisoned her brother in Egypt, and reigned alone. Caesar was assassinated in 44. Cicero was murdered in 43. Herod had to quell rebellions in Palestine. Civil wars were general across Arabia and Asia. Empires and states allover the known world began disintegrating. From 10 B.C. to 70 A.D. chaos reigned every· where.

 

The Golden Age of Rome was short. It marked the climax of her greatness and the turning point in her 100-year history. When Octavius returned victorious from Egypt after making that country a Roman province, the senate bestowed upon him the title of Augustus, and Rome officially became a monarchy. As it remained warm, Rome continued her conquests, subduing all of Spain, the southwest German province of Raetia, then the eastern province of Pannonia (Austria). By the end of the warm phase, or very close to it, rebellions began breaking out again. and Octavius tightened the reins of government, assuming the title of Pontifex Maximus. The severe oppressions of Herod in Palestine led to a revolt in that province. By 10 B.C. it was turning cold and at 4 B.C. occurred that incomparable event of history the birth of Christ.

 

The literature of the Roman Golden Age at first followed the organismic, classical pattern, but in the case of Ovid particularly, it turned in the direction of the cold phase romantic pattern. Horace was philosophically and moralistically inclined; a romantic in the sense that Wordsworth and Goethe have been called romantic (very inaccurately and with little regard for the historic trends in literature), but quite unlike that other kind of romanticism as seen in Robert Burns and Longfellow. Virgil, the oldest of the three, reflected more clearly the spirit of subordination that always developed in harmony with the trend toward strong government. He expressed the nobleness in human affairs and in great institutions together with the mysteries of the unseen world. All this is typically warm. Ovid, the youngest, was the most descriptive of the three and reproduced the light-hearted gaiety and brilliant fancy of a nascent romantic spirit among the people. This is a trend toward the pattern that prevails during cold times.· Life is no longer subordinated to reflection and serious purpose; reverence is gone and with it all sense of mystery and majesty. This is the phase we are now irr, in 19S0. And thus it is that the poet mirrors the culture pattern of the day. The transition from the warm to the cold phase is nicely exemplified in the transition from Virgil and Horace to Ovid.

 

Part 12 0f 30

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MONTREAL'S GREATEST SNOWSTORM FROM THE 1800S.

 

 

Montreal had its greatest strom of the winter on the 16-17th of march 1821 when 2 feet fell. This storm raised the cover at Riviere du Loup to 4 feet. The month of March brought some heavy snows to the St. Lawrence Valley. The snow cover for

Montreal stood at 4 feet also during this period. This was 187 years ago.

[colapster89]

11 mars

 

1987

 

C'est l'une des meilleures années pour ce qui est de la surface gelée des Grands-Lacs. La glace anormalement mince commence à fondre dès le début de mars. Un embâcle atteignant 1,5 m d'épaisseur se forme sur la rivière St-Clair. Cinq brise-glaces américains essaient en vain de la casser. Le brise-glace canadien "NGGC Griffin" vient à leur aide.

 

1986

 

De nombreuses routes sont recouvertes de verglas et on signale des conditions dangereuses dans le sud du Québec et de l'Ontario. À Toronto, la circulation à l'heure de pointe est très hasardeuse, jusqu'à ce qu'on répande du sel dans les rues.

 

1984

 

Des vents forts soufflant du nord-ouest et des bourrasques de neige rendent la visibilité quasi nulle sur presque tout le sud de l'Ontario. On attribue, à la réduction subite de visibilité, plusieurs accidents de la route.

 

1901

 

Record, sur 112 ans de données, de pluies diluviennes sur une journée en mars, à McGill à Montréal: 56,9 mm.

 

12 mars

 

1888

 

Un fameux blizzard laisse 76 cm de neige à Albany, à New York et 71 cm à New Haven, au Connecticut, pendant 24 heures. "La neige était partout...des amas de neige s'élevaient comme des tombes arctiques".

 

1870

 

Première des 3 tempêtes qui ont eu lieu en mars dans le sud de l'Ontario. 23 à 63 cm de neige entre Hamilton et Markham. Deux autres tempêtes suivent avec des chutes de neige de 45 à 63 cm de neige le 16, jusqu'à 90 cm le 27. Hamilton recevra 168 cm de neige durant le mois. Près de Napanee, des congères de 4 à 5 m de hauteur bordent la voie ferrée.

 

13 mars

 

1989

 

Une immense explosion à la surface du soleil produit des aurores boréales visibles jusqu'en Jamaïque et provoque une panne de courant généralisée au Québec. Il s'agit de la quatrième plus importante tempête solaire à se produire depuis 1932.

 

1985

 

Record à Gaspé: il tombe 88,6 mm de pluie et de neige. Après la tempête, le vent glacial du nord rend les routes glissantes.

 

1980

 

Une tempête avec de fortes pluies et des vents violents de 100 km/h frappent la Nouvelle-Écosse provoquant de nombreuses inondations. Le "Desgagnés", un cargo de 2500 tonnes, pris dans des vents violents et des vagues de 6 m, coule à 75 km au sud-est de Halifax.

 

1757

 

Extrait des archives de la Cie de la Baie d'Hudson pour le comptoir de York: "Les gens portent des mitaines pour dormir à cause du froid".

 

14 mars

 

1989

 

En Afrique du Sud, après une semaine de pluies torrentielles, presque tout le sud du Malawi est inondé. Les récoltes et les bestiaux sont affectés, les communications sont perturbées et 50,000 personnes se retrouvent sans-abri.

 

1986

 

Tard dans la nuit du 14 au 15, de la pluie verglaçante et de la pluie s'abattent sur les Maritimes. Une panne de courant touche environ la moitié d'Halifax. Les pompiers et la police sont submergés d'appels: alarmes d'incendies qui se déclenchent sans raison, arbres abattus et accidents de voitures. On annule de nombreuses activités.

 

1986

 

Un épais brouillard fait des déplacements en Ontario, un cauchemar: 3 personnes perdent la vie, on ferme l'autoroute Queen Elizabeth et l'horaire des vols de milliers de passagers est bouleversé. Seulement 3 avions décollent de l'aéroport international Pearson dans un brouillard décrit par les contrôleurs aériens comme le pire des 25 dernières années.

 

1902

 

Un blizzard de 3 jours s'abat sur le Manitoba du 14 au 16. Les vents de plus de 100 km/h balaient les 28 cm de neige en congères énormes. Les températures tombent à -23,9 degrés Celsius.

 

1870

 

Une violente tempête de neige, accompagnée de vents forts, frappe l'Iowa. Le journal local parle d'un "Blizzard". C'est la première fois qu'on imprime le terme pour décrire une tempête de neige intense.

 

15 mars

 

1980

 

Après un hiver particulièrement doux, Montréal reçoit une tempête de neige de 20 cm, sa pire tempête de l'hiver. La tempête qui frappe également Québec perturbe le transport et entraîne la fermeture des écoles et des commerces dans les deux villes.

 

1973

 

La température au sud de l'Ontario atteint 21 degrés Celsius le 15, mais tombe rapidement à l'arrivée d'une tempête avec vents de 130 km/h qui déverse 38 cm de poudrerie. Les eaux inondent les propriétés de la rive du lac St-Clair. La tempête fait plusieurs victimes sur la route.

 

1952

 

Record mondial de précipitations en une seule journée: 1870 mm à l'île de la Réunion dans l'Océan Indien.

 

44 av J.C.

 

Aux ides de mars, Jules César est assassiné sur les marches du Sénat à Rome. Les dieux expriment leur mécontentement... L'Italie connaît des orages violents et des tempêtes de grêle et de neige, il se produit de nombreuses inondations durant le mois.

 

16 mars

 

1979

 

À Brandon, on enregistre la fin de la plus longue période de températures inférieures à zéro dans le sud du Manitoba, soit 126 jours. Le record précédent enregistré en 1874-1875 à Winnipeg, était de 123 jours.

 

1868

 

Un orage intense avec grêle et violentes rafales de vent endommagent considérablement les bâtiments les plus exposés et les constructions provisoires dans le sud de Toronto, près des rives du lac.

 

17 mars

 

1987

 

Une tempête s'installe au-dessus du Nouveau-Brunswick, le 16. Le lendemain, jusqu'à 50 cm de neige recouvre la province et certaines parties de l'Ile du Prince-Edouard et du nord de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Des vents atteignant 75 km/h forment d'énormes congères et paralysent tous les transports. On n'a rien vu de pire depuis des années. 8 morts sont attribuables à la tempête. Les écoles et les commerces sont fermés pendant plusieurs jours.

 

1976

 

Une tempête de vent en Nouvelle-Écosse, (148 km/h), renverse des remorques, détruit des bâtiments, arrache des toits et fait tomber des fils électriques. La pluie verglaçante rend la conduite dangereuse. Nombreuses crues de marées et inondations.

 

18 mars

 

1989

 

Le premier lancement de fusée en sol canadien depuis 1984 a lieu à Churchill au Manitoba. La NASA entreprend une série de lancements afin de recueillir, dans la couche supérieure de l'atmosphère, des échantillons qui serviront à l'étude de la pollution de l'air, de l'amincissement de la couche d'ozone et de l'effet de serre.

 

1987

 

Un temps presque idéal accompagne les vacances d'hiver dans les écoles de l'Ontario. Des températures douces atteignant jusqu'à 19 degrés Celsius, beaucoup de soleil et une bonne couche de neige sur les pentes réjouissent les skieurs et ceux qui ne se déplacent pas pour les vacances. Il pleut en Floride. Les Prairies reçoivent pour leur part de 20 à 30 cm de neige et les contreforts de l'Alberta, 60 cm. Ceci correspond à la plus forte chute de neige de l'année dans certaines régions.

 

1980

 

Une pluie diluvienne record de 74 mm à St-Jean inonde les sous-sols et oblige à évacuer de nombreux habitants. Surveillance des crues pendant plusieurs jours.

 

1925

 

La tornade la plus meurtrière de l'histoire des États-Unis frappe le Missouri, l'Illinois et l'Indiana, faisant 692 morts et 2000 blessés. Le même jour, sept autres tornades font encore 100 morts aux États-Unis.

 

19 mars

 

1986

 

De l'air froid de l'Arctique retarde l'arrivée du printemps dans tout l'Ontario et le Québec. En Ontario, il s'agit de la période de froid la plus tardive depuis 1967. Le froid ralentit la récolte de sirop, mais avantage les stations de ski.

 

1964

 

Chute de neige record pour une journée pour le Québec: 99,1 cm à Cap Whittle.

 

1936

 

Le niveau de la rivière St-Jean à Frédéricton est de 8,9 m supérieur à la normale en raison d'un embâcle en aval et de l'accroissement du débit attribuable à de fortes pluies ainsi qu'à une fonte rapide et hâtive. Au plus fort de l'inondation, le niveau de l'eau augmente de 0,3 m/h et la glace s'infiltre dans le centre-ville. À 21 heures, un mouvement puissant de la glace arrache les madriers qui supportent le pont de la voie ferrée, qui repose ensuite sur la glace.

 

1885

 

Yarmouth, en Nouvelle-Écosse, enregistre 68,6 cm de neige, record quotidien officiel pour toute station de la Nouvelle-Écosse.

 

20 mars

 

1979

 

Tempête de pluie verglaçante dans le sud du Manitoba les 19 et 20. Une couche de 2 cm de glace fait tomber plusieurs fils électriques et oblige à fermer les écoles et l'aéroport de Winnipeg.

 

21 mars

 

1980

 

Pluies abondantes (30 à 50 mm) dans l'est de l'Ontario. Les eaux gonflées de la rivière Ganaraska, près de Port Hope sont refoulées par un embâcle: 10 M$ de dégâts.

 

1951

 

La terre d'Adélie et la terre de Georges V, en Antarctique, sont les endroits les plus venteux au monde. Les 21 et 22, une station française enregistre une vitesse moyenne de 174 km/h. Pendant 122 jours, la vitesse moyenne est de 117 km/h.

 

1913

 

Grêle du Vendredi-Saint dévastatrice de Windsor à Cobalt. Arbres déracinés, bâtiments détruits, poteaux électriques renversés par la "tornade". Rafales de plus de 150 km/h à Windsor. Sept victimes ensevelies.

 

1876

 

Dans l'est et le sud du Québec, une violente tempête de neige perturbe le transport ferroviaire et la distribution du courrier. En 2 jours, il tombe 28 cm à Ottawa, 50 cm à Montréal et 45 cm à Québec.

 

22 mars

 

1968

 

Calgary enregistre une humidité relative extrêmement basse: 6% à 15h, température de 17,8 degrés Celsius et point de rosée de -20 degrés Celsius.

 

1920

 

Une aurore boréale très brillante empêche presque complètement les communications par fil.

 

1894

 

La première partie de la Coupe Stanley est présentée devant 5000 partisans sur la glace naturelle à la patinoire Victoria de Montréal. La température de la soirée est de -1 degré plus basse que le 1 degré de l'après-midi. Le AAA de Montréal défait les Capitals d'Ottawa.

 

23 mars JOURNÉE MONDIALE DE LA METEO

 

1987

 

7 skieurs, 6 américains et leur guide canadien, déposés par un hélicoptère sur une montagne du centre de la Colombie-Britannique, 180 km au nord de Kamloops, sont surpris par une avalanche et meurent ensevelis sous 4 m de neige. Les victimes sont traînées sur près d'un km par le mur de neige.

 

1972

 

Une forte tempête entraîne des précipitations records de 24 heures à Halifax: 90,1 mm à l'aéroport et 82,6 mm à la Citadelle (sur 114 ans).

 

1889

 

La plus chaude journée de mars jamais enregistrée à Edmonton: 22,2 degrés Celsius (sur 104 ans).

 

24 mars

 

1980

 

D'après les relevés, c'est la première fois que les écluses de Sault-Ste-Marie ouvrent leurs portes si tôt dans l'année.

 

1975

 

Nolalu, près de Thunder Bay, reçoit 102 cm de neige, soit la plus importante chute de neige jamais enregistrée au cours d'une seule journée en Ontario.

 

1954

 

Une tornade soulève des voitures et rase des garages à Burnaby en Colombie-Britannique.

 

1904

 

Violent blizzard dans le sud du Manitoba les 24 et 25. Winnipeg signale 30 cm de neige, des vents de 100 km/h et des températures de -18 degrés Celsius. Des centaines d'immigrants se réfugient dans l'immeuble de l'Immigration. Cinq trains transcontinentaux sont bloqués par la neige entre Winnipeg et Calgary.

 

25 mars

 

1989

 

La fin de semaine de Pâques, la pire tempête de l'hiver venant de l'Atlantique frappe le Cap Breton et l'est de Terre-Neuve. On enregistre une accumulation de 35 cm de neige au Cap-Breton, de 20 à 40 cm dans le sud-est de Terre-Neuve et de 59 cm à St-Lawrence. Des vents de 100 km/h entravent le transport routier et aérien.

 

1980

 

Des vents de la force d'ouragan poussent des brouillards glacés le long de la rive ouest du golfe St-Laurent forçant les 209 passagers du "Marine Atlantica" à rester au large de Sidney pendant 6 jours.

 

1961

 

Pluies exceptionnelles dans le bassin de la rivière St-Jean, au Nouveau-Brunswick. Record de pluie en 2 jours enregistré à Brockway du 25 au 27: 176 mm.

 

26 mars

 

1979

 

Remplie de glace et gonflée par les plus fortes pluies depuis 78 ans, la rivière St-Jean déborde près de Frédéricton. La route Transcanadienne et la voie ferrée du CP, près de Hoyt et Stanley, au Nouveau-Brunswick, sont emportés.

 

1921

 

Lancement du célèbre clipper "Bluenose 1" à Lunenburg, en Nouvelle-Écosse. Conditions météorologiques: ciel couvert, vent du nord-ouest à 8 km/h et température de 13,8 degrés Celsius.

 

27 mars

 

1987

 

L'inconcevable se produit. Des vents d'est poussent la glace flottante qui reste normalement au large des côtes de la Nouvelle-Écosse jusque dans le port d'Halifax, pour la première fois en 27 ans. Le trafic maritime est interrompu, y compris le service de traversiers entre Halifax et Dartmouth. La glace se retire finalement du port deux jours plus tard.

 

1986

 

Des vents violents soufflant en rafales de plus de 100 km/h s'engouffrent dans les rues de Calgary et renversent des piétons: plusieurs blessés. Dans certaines régions rurales, la poussière réduit la visibilité à 1 ou 2 km.

 

1980

 

Il fait 4,4d lorsque les Winnipegois partent pour le travail le matin mais, dans l'après-midi, nombreux sont ceux qui souhaitent avoir laissé leur lourd manteau à la maison alors que le thermomètre indique 23,3 degrés Celsius, un nouveau record mensuel.

 

1870

 

La dernière de 3 tempêtes successives au sud de l'Ontario. D'abord sous forme de pluie, les précipitations se changent rapidement en neige et atteignent 90 cm dans les régions de plus haute altitude. Peu de répercussion sérieuse sur les activités de la population.

 

28 mars

 

1989

 

Dans le sud du Québec, des températures très douces et de la pluie accélèrent la fonte des glaces et provoquent le débordement de plusieurs cours d'eau. Près de 1000 personnes sont évacuées, de nombreuses maisons sont endommagées et se retrouvent isolées à cause des routes inondées.

 

1987

 

La température atteint 19d dans l'Estrie, ce qui est excellent pour le ski de printemps mais trop chaud pour la production de sirop d'érable.

 

1986

 

La plus grande partie du sud du Canada connaît un temps idéal à Pâques: sec, ensoleillé et chaud. Dans le sud de l'Ontario, on enregistre le temps le plus doux en mars depuis 1946. Plusieurs stations de la Nouvelle-Écosse signalent des records de température: 23,9 degrés Celsius à Greenwood. Par contre, Frédéricton reçoit 25 cm de neige mouillée.

 

1984

 

Une tempête de 2 jours avec de fortes chutes de neige et des vents de force d'ouragan s'abattent sur Terre-Neuve. Gander reçoit 71,4 cm de neige fondante en 48 heures (hauteur record pour mars). Le blizzard rend les chemins impraticables.

 

1946

 

Une incroyable vague de chaleur du début du printemps établit des records de température maximale pour mars à Ottawa (25,6 degrés Celsius), Toronto (26,7 degrés) et la veille à Winnipeg (23,3 degrés).

 

29 mars

 

1986

 

Près de Valemount, en Colombie-Britannique, une avalanche fauche un groupe de motoneigistes: 4 morts, ensevelis sous 10 m de neige.

 

1975

 

La tempête de Pâques et ses vents violents de 125 km/h balaient le détroit de Georgie et les régions voisines, faisant 5 morts, renversant des avions stationnés au sol et submergeant de nombreux bateaux.

 

1946

 

À Ottawa, le mercure grimpe à 26,7 degrés Celsius, soit la température maximale record pour le mois. À Hull, une longue sécheresse et des vents de 50 km/h contribuent à alimenter l'incendie des 22,000 cordes de bois de pulpe à l'usine de E.B.EDDY, causant des dégâts évalués à 2 millions de dollars. Le pont Alexandria a également subi des dommages sérieux.

 

30 mars

 

1986

 

À Windsor en Ontario, le temps est radieux et il fait 29,6 degrés Celsius, soit un record pour cette ville en mars. Alors que les gens profitent du congé de Pâques, pour jouer au tennis, faire de la planche à voile ou s'adonner à d'autres activités de plein air, le service des incendies s'affaire à éteindre les feux qui ont pris naissance dans les broussailles et les wagons de marchandise des trains.

 

1964

 

Un important tremblement de terre près d'Anchorage, Alaska, engendre un raz de marée qui cause des dégâts dans plusieurs localités de l'île de Vancouver.

 

1848

 

Un embâcle poussé par le vent tarit la rivière Niagara. L'étrange silence réveille des centaines d'habitants. Le 1er avril, la rivière et les chutes retrouvent leur état normal.

 

31 mars

 

1989

 

À Victoria, le pire mois de mars de l'histoire se termine avec seulement 87,4 heures d'ensoleillement en comparaison de la moyenne mensuelle de 144 heures. Il a plu pendant 24 jours... un nouveau record. La floraison des jonquilles est en retard de trois semaines.

 

1987

 

Le mois de mars ne finit pas en mouton en Ontario. Après un avant-goût du printemps, la province subit une dernière fois les rigueurs de l'hiver avec un mélange de pluie, de pluie verglaçante, de grésil et de neige. À la fin de la journée, 15 cm de neige recouvrent le sud de l'Ontario, ce qui complique grandement la circulation matinale le lendemain.

 

1984

 

À peine remise de la violente tempête de neige du 29, les Maritimes essuient une autre tempête. Les 30 cm de neige balayés par des rafales de vent de 130 km/h forment d'énormes congères. La circulation est rendue impossible et on ferme les écoles et les bureaux.

 

1949

 

Terre-Neuve devient la dixième province canadienne. À St-John's, le temps à midi est nuageux avec des vents du nord-est à 22 km/h et une température de 1 degré Celsius.

[colapster89]

1 avril

 

1987

 

À la fin de mars et au début d'avril, le port d'Halifax se trouve bloqué par les glaces pour la première fois de mémoire d'homme. Des amas de glace venant de l'Atlantique couvrent environ les 3/4 du port.

 

Trois travées du pont de chemin de fer qui enjambe la rivière Ste-Anne à l'est de Trois-Rivières sont arrachées par le courant et les glaces.

 

1962

 

Tempête de début de printemps avec 42 heures de pluie dans certaines parties des Maritimes: Alma, au Nouveau-Brunswick, enregistre 228,6 mm en 48 heures, dont 179,1 mm aujourd'hui, record d'une journée au Nouveau-Brunswick.

 

1960

 

"TIROS I", premier satellite météo est lancé avec succès du cap Canaveral. En orbite pendant 2 mois et demi, il transmet 19389 photographies utilisables de nuages.

 

1914

 

Au cours d'une violente tempête, 77 chasseurs de phoques meurent de froid sur des banquises au sud-est des côtes du Labrador. Au plus fort de la tempête, entre le 31 mars et le 2 avril, la température atteint -23 degrés Celsius et les vents soufflent du nord-ouest à 64 km/h.

 

1848

 

Les chutes Niagara retrouvent leur débit normal après une embâcle d'une durée d'environ 40 heures causée par le vent. Les centaines d'habitants qui s'étaient pressés le long des rives pour observer l'étrange phénomène rentrent chez eux soulagés.

 

2 avril

 

1987

 

Des inondations entraînent l'évacuation de plusieurs villes au Québec et au Nouveau-Brunswick. Dans la Beauce, le niveau de la Chaudière augmente de 8 mètres. 600 bâtiments sont inondés et 2000 maisons sans électricité. À Perth-Andover, au Nouveau-Brunswick, le courant se déchaîne et de grosses plaques de glace renversent le pont du chemin de fer et 17 wagons chargés. La Transcanadienne est fermée en raison des inondations et Frédéricton est menacée.

 

1986

 

À la suite d'une fonte rapide, les glaces que charrie la rivière St-Jean, au Québec, ont emporté le pont couvert d'Anse-St-Jean, à 50 km au nord de l'embouchure du Saguenay. Il s'agit du pont représenté au verso des billets de 1000 $.

 

1975

 

Une grosse tempête d'hiver traverse l'Ontario, le Québec et les Maritimes, du 2 au 4. Les 25 à 50 cm de neige obligent la fermeture des écoles et des magasins et entravent le déroulement des activités normales et de la circulation.

 

3 avril

 

1986

 

La fonte des neiges rapide et la débâcle de la rivière St-Jean entraînent d'importantes inondations. 2 personnes se noient près de Simonds (N.-B.).

 

1975

 

Une tempête tardive oblige 200 employés du Service d'Environnement Atmosphérique à passer la nuit dans leurs bureaux à Downsview. La poudrerie et les congères bloquent le stationnement.

 

1974

 

Un nuage en entonnoir descend sur Windsor causant 0,5 M$ de dommages. La tornade détruit le club de curling de Windsor faisant 9 morts et 30 blessés.

 

1898

 

Après un retard de plusieurs semaines occasionné par des tempêtes de neige, les chercheurs d'or profitent de l'adoucissement de la température pour traverser le col Chilkoot entre l'Alaska et le Yukon. Plus de 60 personnes sont tuées lors d'une avalanche causée par des plaques de neige nouvellement tombée se détachant des sommets.

Modifié le 3 avril 2008 par colapster89

[A.Theunissen]

Le plus gros tornado outbreak de l'histoire des USA avait lieu le 3-4 avril 1974. Surnommé le Super Outbreak, il donna 148 tornades sur 13 États. 6 F5 et 24 F4 fût observées durant cet événement.

[Mesorageux]

Concernant cet événement, j'ai trouvé ça comme information - avec en prime, une image satellite - , ça démontre clairement que ce n'était pas qu'un simple système...

 

Super Tornado Outbreak (Wikipedia)

 

L'image satellite...

 

Image satellite sur le outbreak 3 avril 1974

[perdrix5555]

colapster89: J'ai comme l'impression que l'hiver prochain, il va y avoir plusieurs date sur 2007-2008!!!!!! :P