This Date in Weather History

The late summer of 1786 had been ideal for the growing of pumpkins and corn in Pennsylvania. In fact, pumpkin patches in central Pennsylvania, especially around the Susquehanna Valley were brimming with pumpkins. The ground was moist from a wet summer and the soil somewhat saturated. Then in early October torrential rainfall caused the Susquehanna River to flood. Reports from that time stated the river was anywhere between six and 10 feet higher than normal. These flood waters washed away the usual debris, in addition to homes and unharvested crops like corn and pumpkins. Large numbers of pumpkins were seen floating down the river on October 5, 1786, and people of the time dubbed it the 'Great Pumpkin Flood.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Late on October 2, 1867 a hurricane formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Holding its intensity, the storm system paralleled the Texas coastline, causing "many" deaths. A storm tide value of 7 feet was reported in Ludlum, and it is possible that Brownsville, Texas, was in the western eyewall of the hurricane at the storms closest approach. Turning toward Louisiana, the storm made landfall in the state with winds of 100 mph, as a Category 2 storm on October 4. Moving to the east and weakening, the storm made landfall on the state of Florida during the day on October 6. Holding its strength while crossing the Sunshine state, the tropical storm re-emerged into Atlantic waters. Taking a slight turn to the north, it dissipated off the coast of North Carolina on October 9. The hurricane struck Texas, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, and devastated Brownsville and Matamous. Because of the devastating effects in these three, state authorities sought help from the governors of two Mexican states. Relief was also sent from Veracruz, Mexico. The entire population of Bagdad Texas fled, while Matamoros was left nearly in ruins. The official death toll in the area was unknown, but local accounts stated there were at least 26 dead. Entire families disappeared from the area. Most buildings in Brazoa Santiago were leveled. Clarksville, two miles inland, was also devastated and shortly later abandoned. Galveston, had suffered mightily in an intense hurricane just 30 years earlier and would be hit by the worst natural disaster in American history a little more than 30 years later when the 1900 hurricane killed 6-12,000 people. The city was already in the midst of a yellow fever epidemic, was flooded by a storm surge. The mainland rail bridge, a hotel and hundreds of homes in the city were washed away. Twelve schooners and a river steamboat were wrecked in the bay there and wharves destroyed. On October 3 high seas and heavy rains flooded New Orleans. Bath houses and a saw mill there were blown away. High winds and heavy rainfall continued across southeast Louisiana until October 6, inflicting great damage on crops. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like everyone else, Benjamin Franklin was affected by weather; but unlike most people of his time, he tried to explain the reasons for various weather-related phenomena, and even discovered some ways to predict the weather. One of Franklin's first recorded observations of weather patterns occurred in October of 1743, when he planned to observe an eclipse of the moon. As Franklin prepared to watch the eclipse in Philadelphia, a storm moved in and clouds obscured the moon. Later he learned that people in Boston, hundreds of miles northeast of Philadelphia, were able to see the eclipse because the storm didn't arrive there until several hours after the eclipse. Franklin became intrigued and continued gathering observations and eventually determined the direction of movement for storms. He was the first to observe that storms can move in an opposite direction from the direction of the wind. In other words, although the winds in a nor'easter blow from the northeast, the storm is actually moving from the southwest. In trying to explain how this weather pattern worked, Franklin accurately theorized about the existence of high and low pressure and proposed one of the first correct explanations for storm movement in the northern hemisphere. Franklin was interested in climate-related phenomena throughout his life. Just six years before his death, he published a number of "Meteorological Imaginations and Conjectures." For example, he was puzzled that hail and ice could occur in the summer time. While having no way to test his ideas, he correctly deduced that the upper atmosphere was much colder than the air below it. Moist air flowing into the upper atmosphere could produce ice that could fall to earth before it melted. He also wrote about fog, wind direction, insulation, and heat radiation. He kept extensive daily records pf the weather wherever he was. In 1751 he was one of the founders of the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia and urged that they keep records of the weather each day. On October 3, 1769 it was recorded that snow fell in Philadelphia and covered the ground the buildings. This still stands as the earliest covering of snow in Philadelphia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moisture from Tropical Storm Octive led to destructive flooding across Arizona on October 2, 1983. Floodwaters that left 10 people dead or missing surged through normally bone-dry land, washing out bridges road and power forcing thousands from their homes, and turning a slice of desert Southwest into “a raging river”. Rivers swollen to record levels burst their banks amid heavy rains swallowing buildings and bridges causing millions of dollars in damage across a 200-mile swath of Arizona. Business districts and thousands of houses in Tucson, Clifton, Safford, Nagolas, and Marana were under several feet of water. A 4-foot high wall of water hit Tucson on as the Santa Cruz River crested closing all but one of the city’s bridges and knocking out major power lines to more than 20,000 homes and businesses. More than 4“ of rain fell in a 36-hour period. The peak flow estimated in the Santa Cruz River was 40,000. The greatest recorded previously, around 30,000 cfs or cubic feet per second, was in 1977. A 5- month-old, $500,000 office building was swept downstream when the banks of the Rillito River crumbled. Twenty-five miles downstream in Marana, the water spread out in a 3- mile swath, filling 100-foot-wide riverbed that usually stands dry. Clifton, about 100 miles northeast of Tucson on the San Francisco River, already had been hit so hard that there was little left to be damaged by further flooding. More than half the town been swept away, leaving the 4,200 residents without electricity, water, or phone service. Some businesses in downtown Clifton were under as much as 8 feet of water. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Texas won its independence from Mexico and officially became the Republic of Texas on March 2, 1836, remaining an independent nation until February 19, 1846 when it entered the Union. On October 1, 1837 a year and a half after independence, the new nation had to struggle with its first large-scale national disaster. A hurricane formed off the coast of Africa and took more than a week to make the journey into the gulf of Mexico. Then on October 1 the storm wrought destruction along the entire coast of Texas. The settlement at Brazos Santiago was almost totally destroyed, with only a few buildings left standing, while all ships there were sunk or driven aground. Communities along the shores of Matagorda Bay were heavily damaged, with buildings and wharves swept away. Farther north, a 7 ft storm surge flooded Galveston Island, where nearly every building was lost, along with all supplies and provisions. Of the 30 vessels present in the harbor at Galveston when the storm began, only one remained moored following its passage. In one case, a ship was driven against a three-story warehouse, causing the building to collapse. Among the ships destroyed at Galveston were two Texas Navy Schooners. In a scene of "utter desolation", and a scene that would be played out many more times in Galveston during the next 100 years, and especially during the 1900 hurricane, some individuals in Galveston survived the flooding by holding on to floating debris for days. Floodwaters rushed over coastal prairies for up to 20 miles inland drowning livestock. The storm surge deposited ships in fields several miles inland, heavy surf action significantly altered the coastline at the entrance to Galveston Bay and Houston experienced a 4 ft rise in water levels. Despite the damage throughout coastal Texas, only two people are known to have died there. The storm then moved onto the east along the Gulf Coast of the United States and produced flooding in New Orleans of 8 feet and brought heavy rains all the way into the Carolinas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Laguna Fire, was a 175,425-acre wildfire that burned from September 22, 1970 to October 4, 1970, and reached its height on September 30th in the Laguna Mountains and East County region and San Diego County in Southern California. It was the third-largest wildfire in the history of California at that time, after the Santiago Canyon Fire of 1889, and the Matilija Fire of 1932. It was one of many wildfires in a massive conflagration that spanned across the state from September 22 to October 4, 1970. The Laguna Fire of 1970 caused at least $234 million in 1970 USD in damages. The Laguna fire was started by downed power lines during Santa Ana winds in the Kitchen Creek area on the morning of September 26, 1970. In only 24 hours, it burned westward about 30 miles to the outskirts of El Cajon and Spring Valley. The fire devastated the communities of Harbison Canyon and Crest. In the end, the fire burned 175,425 acres and 382 homes, killing 16 people, before it was contained on October 4, 1970. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On September 29, 1988 a strong cold front that blasted southward from central Canada in across the great plans of the United States. It produced flooding rains and severe weather across Missouri. Kansas City received 4" of rain and 60 mph winds during the late night and early morning hours, trapping rush hour commuters in their cars under 6’ of water. Lawrence, Kansas had golf ball sized hail and 80 mph winds. Extensive tree damage and power outages in the Kansas City metro area; 60 mph wind gusts at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals, but no major damage was reported at the ballpark. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1896 Cedar Keys hurricane was a powerful and destructive hurricane that devastated much of the East Coast of the United States, starting with Florida’s Cedar Keys, near the end of September 1896. The storm's rapid movement allowed it to maintain much of its intensity after landfall and cause significant damage over a broad area; as a result, it became one of the costliest United States hurricanes at the time. It formed by September 22, before crossing the Caribbean Sea just south of the Greater Antilles. It entered the Gulf of Mexico as the equivalent of a major hurricane on the, and struck the Cedar Keys—an offshore island chain that includes the island and city of Cedar Key—late on the night of September 28, 1896 with winds of 125 mph. The area was inundated by a devastating 10.5 ft storm surge that undermined buildings, washed out the connecting railroad to the mainland, and submerged the smaller, outlying islands, where 31 people were killed. The hurricane still had considerable strength when it entered southeastern Georgia. The winds brought down telephone, telegraph, and electric wires throughout the region, severing communications. Southern South Carolina also saw the damaging effects of the storm, which was accompanied by estimated winds of up to 100 mph. As the cyclone expanded and accelerated, it entered Virginia with renewed violence, and produced what still stands as the most severe windstorm in Richmond’s history. More destruction was occurred in the Washington DC area as well as Maryland and Pennsylvania. The system merged with a storm moving out of Canada and across the Great Lakes region producing gales and sinking ships in the Great Lakes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The year 1816 is known as the "Year Without a Summer", also the "Poverty Year" and "Eighteen Hundred and Froze To Death" because of severe climate abnormalities that caused average global temperatures to decrease by almost a degree and a half. Summer temperatures in Europe were the coldest on record between the years of 1766–2000. This resulted in major food shortages across the Northern Hemisphere. Evidence suggests that this was caused predominantly what is called a volcanic winter event caused by the massive 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora in April in the Dutch East Indies known today as Indonesia. This eruption was the largest in at least 1,300 years. In China the result was a massive famine. As a result of the series of prior volcanic eruptions, crops had been poor for several years; the final blow came in 1815 with the eruption of Tambora. Europe, still recuperating from the Napoleonic Wars, suffered from food shortages. The impoverished especially suffered during this time. Low temperatures and heavy rains resulted in failed harvests in Britain and Ireland. Families in Wales traveled long distances begging for food. Famine was prevalent in north and southwest Ireland, following the failure of wheat, oat, and potato harvests. In Germany, the crisis was severe. Food prices rose sharply throughout Europe and lead to peasant revolutions. In the spring and summer of 1816, a persistent "dry fog" was observed in parts of the eastern United States. The fog reddened and dimmed the sunlight, such that sunspots were visible to the naked eye. Neither wind nor rainfall dispersed the "fog". Because it was really not a fog at all – but the result of the dirt and debris hurled into the high atmosphere – the fog – so to speak was literally above the weather. The weather was not in itself a hardship for those accustomed to long winters. The real problem lay in the weather's effect on crops and thus on the supply of food and firewood. At higher elevations, where farming was problematic in good years, the cooler climate was not able support agriculture at all. On June 6, snow fell in Albany New York, frost was reported five nights in a row in late June, causing extensive crop damage as far south as Pennsylvania. New England also experienced major consequences from the eruption of Tambora. Though fruits and vegetable crops survived, corn was reported to have ripened so poorly that no more than a quarter of it was usable for food. This moldy and unripe harvest wasn't even fit for animal feed. The final blow came on September 27, 1816 when a killing frost and freeze ended the growing seas from the Mid-Atlantic State northward. The Black Frost as it become known ushered in a terrible winter of famine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane Jeanne comes ashore near Hutchinson Island just to the east of Stuart, Florida on September 26, 2004 as a Category 3 storm. The storm passed over Polk County, Florida. Winds at Fort Pierce Inlet gusted to 126 mph, and gusts to 104 mph were recorded at Vero Beach. 1 million people without power. Many houses had been blown off of their foundations. The centers of Charley, Frances, and finally on September 26, Jeanne all passed over Polk County in the 2004 Hurricane season. This is the first time since 1950 that the entire eye of two Category 3 hurricanes impacted Florida in the same year. Many people became unnerved by having all 3 hurricanes hit the same place and 2 of them so powerful and this led to a decline in the population in that region for the next several years as people simply moved away from the hurricane prone area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On September 25, 1939 “El Cordonazo” or “The Lash of St. Francis” a tropical storm, hit Southern California and causes the greatest September rainfall ever. The storm lost hurricane status shortly before moving onshore at San Pedro as a tropical storm. Torrential rains hit, with Los Angles getting 5.42” in 24 hours, and Mt. Wilson 11.60” both records for the month of September. 3.62” fell in Needles, 1.51” Palm Springs. Needles measured 8 and half inches of rain for the month of September 1939, about double the seasonal average. 45 were killed in floods all over Southern California, and 48 more were lost at sea with $2 million damage to structures along the coast and to crops. Rain from tropical systems are unusual but not rare in southern California, but this storm brought rains never seen before and it was the only tropical storm to make landfall in California in the twentieth century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1888 was a cold year in the eastern half of he United States. The Great Blizzard of '88, or the Great White Hurricane in March 1888 was one of the most severe recorded blizzards in American history. The storm paralyzed the East Coast as well as the Atlantic provinces of Canada. Snow fell from 10 to 58 inches in parts of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, and sustained winds of more than 45 miles per hour produced snowdrifts in excess of 50 feet. Railroads were shut down and people were confined to their homes for up to a week. Railway and telegraph lines were disabled, and this provided the impetus to move these pieces of infrastructure underground. The winter leading up to the Blizzard had been quite cold with one bitter blast after another. The summer of 1888 returned to more normal temperatures especially in the southern states with usual bouts of heat and humidity. But on September 24, 1888 a sever frost struck South Carolina, Georgia and even reached into northern Florida effectively putting an end to the growing season at least a month and a half early. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the course of a three-month period in the summer of 1993, a slow-moving and historic flooding disaster unfolded across the midwestern United States, leaving economic ramifications that would be felt for years to come. More than 17 million acres were flooded across nine states in the Midwest during the summer of 1993, starting in June and lasting through August. This is an area larger than the entire state of West Virginia. “The magnitude and severity of this flood event was simply overwhelming, and it ranks as one of the greatest natural disasters ever to hit the United States,” said the Hydrologic Research Laboratory. This long-duration river flooding caused hundreds of levees failures, 50 fatalities and an estimated $15 billion in damages. While the worst of the flooding occurred in the summer of 1993, impacts across the region lasted for years. In St. Louis, the Mississippi remained above flood stage for 144 days between April 1 and September 30, 1993. Of the 17 million acres that were flooded, a majority was being used as farmland. This had a long-term impact on the industry as some of the land was not able to be used again for farming for several years after flood waters had receded. Shipping and transportation industries were also severely impacted during the height of the flooding. High water also rendered some bridges that spanned across the Mississippi River unusable for weeks, disrupting travel across the region. In some cases, this meant taking a detour of over 100 miles just to make it to the other side of a flooded river. The historic flooding was not caused by one single rainfall event, but rather an extended period of above-normal rainfall across the same region. On September 23, 1993 the summer was over, indicative of the rainfall was Cedar Rapids, Iowa that measured 35 inches of rain for the summer, the 3 summer months brought them the average rainfall for the entire year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugo was still at hurricane strength as the storm advanced quickly north-northwest across central SC and into western NC during the early morning hours of September 22, 1989. Considerable damage occurred in Sumter, SC where winds gusted over 100 mph. Winds gusted to 90 mph in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg County, NC area, which was declared a disaster area. 90% of Charlotte was without power. Tornado touchdowns were reported in Burke and Caldwell counties in NC. Charlotte airport recorded 3.16" of rain. Hickory recorded an 82-mph wind gust, while Greensboro had a 54-mph gust. Hugo was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm while crossing western NC during the mid-morning hours of the 22nd. Tropical Storm Hugo advanced rapidly northward at about 50 mph during the afternoon, moving across southwest VA and western WV. By 6:00 PM EDT, Hugo was downgraded and was located just east of Youngstown, OH. Storm reports during the day included Shenandoah, VA - gust to 67 mph; Snow Shoe, WV -gust to 60 mph. 6" of rain at Poor Mountain, VA. 1.5-3" of rain across Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell and Buchanan counties of VA in a 3-hour time period. Hugo turned out to be the costliest hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland until Andrew in 1992, with damage totaling over $7 billion dollars. 82 deaths were attributed to Hugo, 27 were in SC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane Hugo intensified on September 21, 1989 as the storm moved northwestward toward Charleston, South Carolina. Hugo made landfall just prior to midnight over Sullivan’s Island, north of Charleston, with winds estimated between 130 and 150 mph northeast of the storm's center. A reconnaissance aircraft measured the pressure at 27.58" when Hugo made landfall. Wind gusts up to 119 mph were recorded in downtown Charleston, with extensive damage along with low-lying flooding. Most buildings on the barrier islands northeast of Charleston were destroyed due to a storm surge of up to 20'. All bridges to the barrier islands were washed out. The Charleston airport, miles inland from the city, had an 84-mph wind gust, while Sumter, SC had a 106-mph gust. A storm survey team estimated that the swath that had 100 mph plus winds extended from Charleston northeastward about 50 miles up the coast. The band of 100 mph or greater winds pushed inland 5-8 miles before the friction of land broke the winds into shorter, but often just as powerful, gusts. The area that had wind gusts over 100 mph extended as far as Sumter, which is 80 miles inland. Damage was extreme in the areas which experienced sustained 100 mph winds and severe in areas where gusts hit 100 mph. Damage was much less severe south of the storm's center where top winds were just over 75 mph. Hugo was the strongest hurricane to landfall on the contintenal United State in two decades. Along the coast of South Carolina, Hugo set new records for storm surge heights along the US east coast, reaching 20.2 ft near McClellanville, SC. The surge and winds wrought extensive damage across South Carolina's barrier islands, destroying many beachfront homes and other coastal installations. Hugo's northward acceleration at landfall led to unusually large and significant impacts to forests between South Carolina and Virginia, inflicting further damage to property; in South Carolina alone the loss of timber was estimated at $1.04 billion. Flood and wind impacts followed Hugo across much of the eastern United States and into eastern Canada. The cleanup and recovery efforts that followed were extensive throughout the areas affected by Hugo. There were at least 39 fatalities during the post-storm recovery phase; more people died in South Carolina in the hurricane's aftermath than during its passage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Snow fell on September 20, 1792 across northern Pennsylvania, in and early season storm that all but put an end to the growing season. A blast of cold air from Canada arrived just before a storm system moved up along the Atlantic seaboard. Life was a hardscrabble mixture of hunting, trapping and faming across the region and everything needed to go just right to make it through each coming winter. The autumn of 1792 was cold and harsh in the agricultural valleys of northern Pennsylvania. Mary B. Lantx, Historian in Milton, PA, reported that on September 20, 1792 "A very cold morning. It was surprising to see so much snow on the ground at this season of the year. The limbs of the peach trees broke, and large limbs of the oaks broke down, and saplings bent across the road. It began to snow last night before we went to bed". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lightning is a major cause of storm related deaths in the United States. A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage. According to the National Weather Service Storm Data, over the last 30 years the U.S. has averaged 43 reported lightning fatalities per year. Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability. More recently, in the last 10 years, the U.S. has averaged 27 lightning fatalities. On September 19, 1992 a lightning bolt struck a high school football player on the practice field in Silver Springs, Maryland and smashed his football helmet. 40 other players felt the shock. Amazingly no one was seriously injured. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By September, 1926, the population of Dade County and the City of Miami had blossomed to well over 100,000; more than doubling from the census figure of 42,753 in 1920 - construction was everywhere. New buildings were constantly starting on Miami Beach, which had been built across Biscayne Bay on a series of barrier islands, bulldozed from their mangrove beginnings. Most of the new residents were unfamiliar with tropical storms and hurricanes. According to the National Weather Service, On September 11, 1926 a few ships in the central Atlantic reported on a tropical system moving west. It passed north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, avoiding normal channels of Caribbean information. In those days before satellite pictures and reconnaissance aircraft, the hurricane remained somewhat of a mystery, with only a few ship reports to tell of its existence. As late as the morning of September 17, less than 24 hours before the category 4 storm's effects would begin in South Florida, no warnings had been issued. At noon, the Miami Weather Bureau Office was authorized to post storm warnings. When barometric pressure began to fall rapidly around 11 PM the night of September 17, hurricane warnings were issued. The eye of the hurricane passed over downtown Miami and parts of Cocoanut Grove and South Miami around 6:30 AM on September 18. The residents of the city, unfamiliar with hurricanes, thought the storm was over and emerged from their places of refuge out into the city streets. People even began returning to the mainland from Miami Beach. The lull lasted only about 35 minutes, during which the streets became crowded with people. The worst part of the hurricane, with onshore southeasterly winds bringing a 10-foot storm surge onto Miami Beach and the barrier islands, began around 7 AM and continued the rest of the morning. At the height of the storm surge, the water from the Atlantic extended all the way across Miami Beach and Biscayne Bay and into the City of Miami for several blocks. On October 9, well after the hurricane, the Red Cross reported that 372 persons had died in the storm and over 6,000 persons were injured. Damages in 1926 dollars were estimated at $105 million, which would be more than $164 billion in 2021 dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the afternoon of September 17, 1923, just about everyone in Berkeley California had taken note of the uncommonly warm, dry wind blowing in from the northeast. What they didn’t know was that a small grass fire over the hill in Wildcat Canyon was growing fast, leaping from grass to brush to tree—and it was about to crest the hills of North Berkeley. When it did, near Berryman Reservoir, the fire was a half mile wide. A thick black cloud came pouring over the hill, followed by surging flames pressed low by warm, gale-force winds, known as Diablo winds. The fire raced and bore down on the Northside neighborhood. Just a few decades earlier, at the turn of the century, the area had been sparsely developed pastureland known as Daley’s Scenic Park. But, spurred in part by immigration across the bay after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, there was a surge of subdivision and construction. As the fire roared downhill, the homes literally exploded in flames. Berkeley’s small contingent of firefighters was forced to repeatedly abandon their positions as the wind-propelled fire speedily advanced. The entire city, it seemed, might be consumed. But just as the flames reached the shopping district, the wind reversed direction and the fire was blown back onto itself. With nothing left to consume, it died out. When North Berkeley residents returned, there was nothing to salvage. It was a naked landscape of charred tree trunks and freestanding chimneys surrounded by bare foundations. At final tally, more than 500 homes were destroyed. Miraculously, no one was killed, but 4,000 people were left homeless, including more than 100 University employees and faculty and over 1,000 students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Okeechobee hurricane of 1928, also known as the San Felipe Segundo hurricane, was one of the deadliest hurricanes in the recorded history of the North Atlantic basin, and the second deadliest hurricane in the United States, only behind the 1900 Galveston hurricane. The hurricane killed an estimated 2,500 people in the United States; most of the fatalities occurred in the state of Florida, particularly in Lake Okeechobee. The storm developed off the west coast of Africa in early September. About 72 hours later, the storm strengthened and became a Category 1. Still moving westward, the system reached Category 4 intensity before striking Guadeloupe on September 12, where it brought great destruction and resulted in 1,200 deaths. Around midday on September 13, the storm strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane and peaked with sustained winds of 160 mph. About six hours later, the system made landfall in Puerto Rico where strong winds resulted in severe damage in Puerto Rico, leaving over 500,000 people or 1/3 of the entire population homeless. Heavy rainfall also led to extreme damage to vegetation and agriculture. While crossing the island and emerging into the Atlantic, the storm weakened slightly, falling to Category 4 intensity. It began crossing through the Bahamas on September 16, where it resulted in 18 fatalities. The storm made landfall near West Palm Beach, Florida, later that night, with winds of 145 mph. In the city, more than 1,711 homes were destroyed; the effects were most severe around Lake Okeechobee. The storm surge caused water to pour out of the southern edge of the lake, flooding hundreds of square miles to depths as great as 20 feet. Numerous houses and buildings were swept at least 2,500 people drowned, while damage was estimated at $25 million. Overall, the hurricane caused $100 million in damage and killed at least 4,112 people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Preservation Society of Charleston, South Carolina reports from the South-Carolina Gazette, September 19, 1752 the following description: “The mid-September, 1752, cyclone was "the most violent and terrible hurricane that ever was felt in this province." Strong winds began the evening of September 14, becoming more violent as the storm blew closer. Rain sluiced down steadily through the early morning, and a terrifying night gave way to a horrifying day. The storm surge poured in about 9:00 AM, overflowing seawalls and creek beds. Before 11 o'clock, nearly all the vessels in Charleston Harbor were on shore, some driven into the marsh, some riding the flood to crash into wharves and buildings. A ship blew up Vanderhorst’s Creek as far as Meeting Street, carrying away a corner of the “new Baptist house” near the creek. Only the HMS Hornet, a fourteen-gun sloop of war, rode out the storm. Water had risen more than ten feet above the normal high-water mark, the sea covering the entire peninsula, and high tide was not expected for another two hours. With many houses flooded neck deep, panicked people fled to the upper floors and "contemplated a speedy termination of their lives." Their reprieve was deemed an act of Providence. The wind shifted, the tide ebbed, and the water flowed out as quickly as it had come in (the South-Carolina Gazette reported it fell five feet in ten minutes). By three o'clock Friday afternoon, September 15, the wind had died completely and the storm was gone. The hurricane "reduced this Town to a very melancholy situation." Although there are no accurate figures of the deaths or injuries, many drowned; others were killed or dangerously injured when houses fell apart. An estimated five hundred buildings were destroyed completely; broken chimneys, lost roofing tiles and slates, shattered windows, and dislodged foundations were universal. All the wharves and piers were smashed, every building upon them beaten down and carried away. Likewise, fortifications along the waterfront sustained heavy damage, most of their cannon dismounted. Granville's Bastion was "much shaken, the upper part of the wall beat in, the platform with the guns upon it floated partly over the wall." In the account just reported it can be concluded that the eye of the storm, mostly likely a hurricane can very close to Charleston. The rapid rise of the water pushed into the town from a storm surge near the storm’s center and then as the storm passed the wind shifted from the southeast off the ocean to the northwest and pushed the water out to sea rapidly are all indications of a direct hit by the eye of the storm. September 15, 1752 when one of the one of the first accounts of the direct hit of a hurricane was reported in North America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Rising Sun Hurricane struck Charleston, South Carolina in mid- September in 1700. Typical of a powerful hurricane making landfall, the storm cut a swath of devastation through the region. This hurricane, however, is best remembered for the eyewitness account detailing the destruction of the storm’s namesake: the Scottish warship, Rising Sun. The Rising Sun was on a return trip to Scotland. The passengers were the remnants of a failed Scottish colony in Panama. The ship ran afoul of a hurricane, while sailing through the Gulf of Mexico. The fierce weather dismasted the Rising Sun, and the ship limped northward, seeking a port to repair the damage. On September 3, the Rising Sun arrived outside of the Charleston Bay, but an underwater sandbar prevented the heavy warship from entering. The Captain dropped anchor, set the crew to lightening the ship. The hurricane arrived as repairs were underway. Edward Hyrne, resident of Charleston, detailed the events that followed in a letter to his wife. Safe in a home overlooking the bay, Hyrne watched as the storm wreaked havoc among the ships throughout the bay, writing, “the greatest mischief fell amongst the shipping, of which about a dozen sail of all sorts were riding at anchor before the town, some of which were driven on shore and broke all in pieces, some were carried a great way up into the marshes and one driven clear over the point of land which parts two rivers into Ashley River, in her way breaking down a pair of gallows from which eight pirates at once were hanged since my coming here.” The fate of the Rising Sun, was covered in Hyrne’s description, and he wrote, “The greatest and most deplorable loss of all was that of a great Scotch ship called the Rising Sun, which … was riding at anchor outside the sand bar, with design to come in here and refit…. The storm rose and she foundered at anchor, the captain and all the Scots on board, being about 100, miserably perishing.” The hurricane had sent the warship up onto the beach, slammed it into pieces, and all of the Rising Sun’s passengers and crew swept out to sea and drowned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

By August of 1857 is was evident that something was going very wrong in the American economy. U. S. banks had invested heavily in businesses that were failing. Not only were investors beginning to panic by even small depositors were getting very nervous. The investors were losing heavily in the stock market and railroads were unable to pay their debts. Land speculators who had counted on the construction of new railroad routes were also losing money. People feared financial ruin. Everyone ran to the banks to withdraw their money, people demanded that the debit be paid not in paper money, they wanted gold. A huge shipment of gold was due to reach the banking centers in New York City arriving on a steamer from the gold fields of California by mid-September allowing the banks to pay off some of the debit and steaming the tide of the financial panic. Meanwhile a tropical storm was first observed east of the Bahamas on September 6. It moved slowly northwestward toward the coast of the United States and attained hurricane strength early on September 9. The storm continued travelling northwest along the US coast, becoming a Category 2 hurricane off the coast of Georgia on September 11. On September 13 the cyclone made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina, but then quickly weakened to a tropical storm and turned eastward into the Atlantic on September 14. Meanwhile, on September 11, the hurricane struck the steamer Central America which sprung a leak and eventually sank in the early morning hours of September 13, 1857 with the loss of 424 passengers and crew. Also, on board the ship were 30,000 pounds of gold bound for the banks of New York City to pay off the depositors. It contributed to what would follow. More than 5,000 American businesses failed within a year, and unemployment was accompanied by protest meetings in urban areas. Eventually the panic and depression spread to Europe, South America and the Far East. No recovery was evident in the northern parts of the United States for a year and a half, and the full impact did not dissipate until the American Civil War revived the economy in the north – and the south took a hundred years to recover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 29, 1960, the storm that would become Hurricane Donna formed near the Cape Verde Islands off the African coast. It would go on to cause 150 deaths from Puerto Rico to New England over the next two weeks. On August 31, Donna attained hurricane status and headed west toward the Caribbean. It was a Category 4 hurricane by the time it reached the Leeward Islands on September 4. Donna left a path of destruction across on Puerto Rico and a portion of the Bahamas before turning northeast toward Cuba and the Florida Keys. Donna punished Cuba, one hundred and twenty people lost their lives in there when evacuation plans were not carried out properly. On September 9, winds with speeds of up to 200 miles per hour battered the Florida Keys before Donna skipped back to the Atlantic Ocean. The storm then rode the Florida coastline, causing 13 deaths in Fort Myers and Daytona Beach. The state’s grapefruit and orange crops also took devastating blows and almost half of the largest mangrove tree forest in the United States was lost. It was the strongest storm to hit Florida until Andrew in 1992. On September 12, Donna battered the Outer Banks on North Carolina and was still a Category 3 hurricane. It stared to move quickly, it hit the New England coast on the night of September 12, 1960, still with hurricane force winds. Blue Hill Observatory, MA, had a wind gust of 145 mph. It is the only hurricane on record to produce hurricane force winds in every state that has a coast line on the Atlantic Ocean. Florida received the most damage from Hurricane Donna. Portions of southern and western Florida received over 10 in of rainfall from the hurricane. In the state of Florida, the storm destroyed 2,156 homes and trailers, severely damaged 3,903, and inflicted minor impact on 30,524 others. Winds as strong as 100 mph were observed along the coast of New Jersey. Damage from the storm was most severe in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties, where numerous boats, docks, boardwalks, and cottages were damaged or destroyed. A resort area in Cliffwood beach, New Jersey saw its boardwalk and tourist attractions destroyed by the hurricane, and the area has never recovered to this day, 61 years later. Losses to agriculture were significant, with damage to apple and peach trees "considerable", the former of which lost about one-third of its crops. Wind damage to corn and sorghum resulted in a delay in their harvest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

September 11, 2001 was a horrific day for the United States and the world. The day of the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. It was also a heroic day when passengers fought back and prevented even more destruction and loss of life. The visuals of it all were made possible by the weather. It was a bright, blue and pristine day across the eastern United States. Humidify was low with no haze or clouds. Visibility was unlimited, clear to the horizon. Those that seized the controls in the cockpits that day where easily able to see their targets. The ensuing crashes and destruction were also visible from afar and the horror easily seen. Because the next few days remained clear as a large high-pressure system perched itself over the east coast toxic dust was able to hang in the air much longer than if rain fell and washed the air clean. The plumes of smoke and dust in New York City and Washington DC continued to be seen. Those that died that day and those that worked to find victims and clean up and then suffered, and those that ran into the collapsing buildings are remembered again today. They are no less honored than those that also gave their last measure as American soldiers on battlefields across the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tropical systems do not typically bring high winds or heavy rain to the southwestern United States. Most Pacific Tropical storms and Hurricanes are embedded in easterly winds, and move westward—away from large land masses—until they dissipate over cold waters. Rare is the tropical system to impact Los Angeles. A large area of thunderstorms, with a diameter of about 500 miles formed 270 miles southwest of Acapulco in early September, 1976. Moving rapidly west-northwest, the formed into tropical depression on September 7. While turning and moving toward the east, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Kathleen. On September 9, Tropical Storm Kathleen was barely a tropical storm. Shortly thereafter, Kathleen turned north-northeast into warmer waters and the tropical storm began to re-strengthen. Despite moving rapidly north, it strengthened into Hurricane Kathleen. Kathleen's forward motion accelerated to speeds of 35 mph on September 10, 1976. Unlike the few tropical systems that make it as far as California, Kathleen weakened only slowly as it moved northward over the state. It moved across Death Valley and on September 11, entered western Nevada. Its impacts were significant and, in some places, devastating. In a region not prone to heavy rain and especially not accompanied by strong winds the damage was severe. On September 10–11, gale-force winds caused considerable damage to the city of Yuma. For a time, the sustained winds exceeded 50 mph. California received record rainfall, with almost 15” falling in the mountains of Southern California. Officials evacuated 175 people from the flooded area of Ocotillo and the nearby communities that surround the Salton Sea; the sea rose 8 feet in 3 hours. A quarter mile of Interstate 8 and a 60-foot bridge were destroyed by the flood, which also washed away mobile homes, trucks, and cars. In Los Angles, two people died of injuries suffered from slippery roads. Palm Desert received more than a year's worth of rainfall in a matter of days. Flash flood warnings were also issued for parts of California, as well as nearby states Nevada and Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1944 Great Atlantic hurricane was destructive and powerful and swept across a large portion of the US east coast in September 1944. An area of tropical thunderstorms was first identified well east of the Lesser Antilles on September 4, the disturbance only became well organized to be considered a tropical storm on September 9 northeast of the Virgin Islands. Moving west-northwest, the storm gradually intensified and reached peak intensity as a Category 4-equivalent hurricane on September 13 north of the Bahamas after curving northward. A day later, the storm passed by the Outer Banks and later made landfall on Long Island as a weaker hurricane on September 15. Passing close to the Outer Banks, strong winds were reported across eastern North Carolina, and knocked out telecommunications networks on the Outer Banks. Small homes were leveled by the winds. The hurricane was infamous for the amount of damage it caused along the New Jersey coastline. The shore towns on Long Beach Island, Atlantic City and Cape May all suffered major damage. Long Beach Island, Barnegat Island and Brigantine all lost their causeways to the mainland in the storm effectively cutting them off from the rest of New Jersey. Additionally, both islands lost hundreds of homes. In Atlantic City the hurricane's storm surge forced water into the lobbies of many of the resorts famous hotels. The Atlantic City boardwalk suffered major damage and in some places was deposited several blocks inland from the beaches. My mother-in-law and her family rode out the storm in a rooming house 2 blocks from the beach, protected by pieces of the boardwalk that logged against the structure. Both the famed Steel Pier and Heinz Pier were partially destroyed by the hurricane with only the Steel Pier subsequently rebuilt. Rain totals of 7 inches occurred in Hartford Connecticut and the city of Bridgeport saw the greatest official total at 10.7 inches. Tobacco and fruit damage in Connecticut totaled to about $2 million, with similar overall damage costs occurring in Rhode Island. A total of 28 people died throughout New England as a result of the storm. On September 9, 1944, the storm that was officially upgraded to a tropical system would, in the next week result in one of the greatest destructive hurricanes on record for the resort beach towns of New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, killing at least 6,000 people, many more likely perished, that is because the storm caused so much destruction on the Texas coast that reliable estimates of the number of victims are difficult to make. Some believe that as many as 12,000 people perished, which would make it the deadliest day in American history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The summer of 1881 had been be brutally hot and dry across the Mid-west and into the eastern states. Because of the conditions and other factors massive forest fire had erupted in parts of Michigan early in September culminating in the Great Thumb fire in Michigan on 5 and 6th. It resulted in a yellow sky in the major eastern cities on September 6 because of the smoke and haze in the air. Strong, dry winds fueled the fire. No notable fires broke out in the east on September 7, 1881, but it sure felt like something was burning. Record heat scorched most of the big cities up and down the eastern seaboard setting record that still stand today 140 years later. The mercury soared to 101 degrees in New York City; 102 degrees in Boston, MA; 104 degrees in Washington DC a September record; 102 degrees in Philadelphia also a September record and the latest 100 degrees ever. Modern air conditioning wouldn’t be invented for almost another 20 years in 1902 by Willis Carrier and it wasn’t until the mid 1920’s that mass viable air conditioning was truly available. Prior to that, people have to rely on more conventional methods to cool off like going to the beach or a pool and as those folks did in the great September heat wave of 1881 – wait for autumn to arrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Thumb Fire took place on September 5, 1881, in the Thumb area of Michigan. The fire burned over a million acres in less than a day, was the result of drought, hurricane forces winds, heat and that after effects of the Port Huron Fire of 1871 and the ecological damage wrought by the era's logging techniques. The blaze, also called the Great Thumb Fire, the Great Forest Fire of 1881 and the Huron Fire, killed 282 people in 4 counties in northeastern Michigan. The damage estimate was more than $2 million dollars or $100 million in 2021 dollars. The fire sent enough soot and ash up into the atmosphere that sunlight was partially obscured at many locations on the East Coast of the United States. In New England cities, the sky appeared yellow and projected a strange luminosity onto buildings and vegetation. Twilight appeared at 12 noon. September 6, 1881 immediately became known as Yellow Tuesday or Yellow Day due to the ominous nature of this atmospheric event. August and the first days of September 1881 were hotter than usual, and the Thumb had had a rain deficit since April. There were forest fires beginning in mid-August. On Monday, September 5, the town of Bad Axe in Huron county burst into flames. Winds spread the fire on September 6 consuming most of Huron and surrounding counties. In 1881 Clara Barton, founded the American Red Cross. The organization's first official disaster relief operation was its response to the Michigan "Thumb Fire" of 1881. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1925 was extremely dry across the southeastern part of the nation. In fact, the summer of 1925 was the driest on record in Alabama. The drought would only be equaled in some places by the Dust bowl days of the 1930. The atmosphere heats up when the sun heats the ground and then the ground radiates or transfers the heat created by the sun back into the low atmosphere, heating the air. Normally some of the sun’s energy is used not to heat the ground but rather to evaporate any moisture in the soil. Since the ground was dry and dusty all that happened was that the ground baked away. The stage was set for the greatest September heatwave in Alabama history. Many cities would see their highest temperatures ever that September. That included Centreville, which set the state's all-time high temperature record at 112° F on Sept. 5, 1925. An incredible feat for the month of September. No other state has an all-time record high temperature set in September, most are in July or early August. By September the length of daylight is shortening and it’s harder for the sun to do it’s work – but not that exceptional year. In fact, on September 5, 1925 every reporting station in Alabama had a high temperature above 100°, a feat that has never been repeated. All across the state daily high temperatures set records. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tropical storm Norma formed off the west coast of Mexico just after the page of the calendar turned to September in 1970. By September 3rd it had reached minimal tropical storm force then was pulled inland after moving briefly up through the gulf of California. Its impacts were minimal in Mexico and many though the worst was over. It lost its circulation, but not it’s moisture. Heavy tropical moisture deep through the atmosphere came streaming northward into Arizona. The result was what is known as The Great Labor Day Storm of 1970.Severe flooding hit Arizona on September 4, 1970 that extended into the 5th. This storm dropped the most rain ever along the Mogollon Rim, near Payson, stretching from Workman Creek to Parker Creek to Crown King. The most rainfall in 24 hours reported in one range gauge outside of Globe was 11.92 inches.. Phoenix received 2.43 inches and Scottsdale 4 inches from the storm. Many were out and bout that Labor Day weekend at one of the many campgrounds in the area. Never before in the state’s recorded history had it rained so hard or so much in one day and never before had so many mountain streams and normally dry washes risen so rapidly or filled so fast with raging torrents of water. All-time previous high-water marks were exceeded. 23 lives were lost making it the greatest natural disaster in the history of the state. All who lost their lives were away from home and all but 4 were in automobiles. 14 died attempting to flee campgrounds in the headwaters of the Tonto Creek. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The strongest Hurricane of the 1935 Atlantic hurricane season formed from a slow-moving, weak disturbance east of the Bahamas on or around August 28, 1935. On 31 August, the U.S. Weather Bureau issued its first storm advisory. The report indicated that a tropical system of small size but noteworthy strength existed about 60 miles east of Long Island, Bahamas. The depression encountered the Great Bahama Bank later that day where warm, shallow waters combined with the storm’s slow movement, allowed it to intensify quickly. Early on 1 September, the depression reached hurricane status and continued to strengthen as it made its way through the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. On September 2, 1935, the hurricane reached its greatest intensity and made landfall later that night as a Category 5 storm, crossing the Florida Keys between Key West and Miami, FL. As it made landfall, it was packing sustained winds of 185 mph. After passing the Keys, the hurricane slowly recurved northward and closely paralleled Florida’s west coast. The then weakened hurricane made a second landfall as a Category 2 storm near Cedar Key, FL on the afternoon of 4 September. The hurricane quickly weakened as it moved inland across Georgia and the Carolinas on 5 September. By the morning of September 6, the center of storm passed again into the Atlantic near Norfolk, Virginia. It quickly regained hurricane strength and continued northeast until it became non-tropical south of Greenland on 10 September. Practically all losses from the hurricane were suffered in Florida, with most occurring in the Florida Keys. According to hurricancescience.org: “A swath of destruction 40 mi wide occurred across the Keys. Most structures were destroyed by the hurricane’s Category 5 winds, which gusted at times to over 200 mph, and the complete inundation of the islands by a 20 ft storm surge. On Metacumbe Key, every single building and tree was destroyed. The tracks of the Florida East Coast Railroad, the main transportation route linking the Keys to mainland Florida, were shifted off their roadbed and completely destroyed. The tracks were never rebuilt, as the railway now terminates in Miami. Fatalities throughout the Keys were significant. At least 409 people perished. Initial predictions of the storm indicated the storm would pass through the Florida Straight and into the Gulf of Mexico. When it was discovered these predictions were incorrect, as the storm was moving much slower than forecasted, the forecast was modified to predict an impact on Cuba. The true path of the storm was realized too late to allow sufficient amount of time for evacuation, and because of this late warning, many people did not leave the Keys. Among those who did not evacuate were World War I veterans working on a project to connect the railway to the Keys, 259 of whom perished.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to the website, The Revolutionary War and beyond, “On, September 2, 1775, the Independence Hurricane hit the American colonies as the American Revolution was beginning. It would be the 8th deadliest Atlantic hurricane of all time. After dumping rain for a week, the hurricane landed in North Carolina and continued up the coast through Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The storm was particularly devastating to the region's economy because it was harvest season. Many crops were still in the field and were completely destroyed. In addition, the Continental Congress had enacted a ban on trade with Britain to take effect on September 10th. This meant a flurry of activity was taking place in every east coast port, as merchants and farmers tried to get out one last shipment before the trade ban went into effect. Ships and warehouses were overflowing with tobacco, corn, salt, sugar and other goods. North Carolina suffered the worst effects of the Independence Hurricane, so named because it took place at the start of the War of Independence. The Outer Banks were destroyed and entire settlements swept away. Coastal cities were flooded, crops destroyed and many ships and their crews were lost. It is believed that over 200 people died in North Carolina alone. As the storm continued to rage across the Chesapeake, towns such as Norfolk, Hampton and Yorktown had their ports destroyed. Warehouses full of goods were blown away. Ships were deposited on shore. The roof of the State House in Annapolis was blown away.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yuma, Arizona is noted for its weather extremes. Of any populated place in the contiguous United States, Yuma is the driest, the sunniest, and the least humid, has the lowest frequency of precipitation, and has the highest number of days per year—175—with a daily maximum temperature of 90. Yuma features a hot desert climate, with extremely hot summers and warm winters. Atmospheric humidity is usually very low except during what are called Gulf Surges, ", when a maritime tropical air mass from the Gulf of California is drawn northward, usually in connection with the summer monsoon or wet period or the passage of a tropical storm to the south. The sun is said to shine during about 90% of the daylight hours, making Yuma one of the sunniest places in the world. The city receives the most recorded average sunshine of anywhere on Earth. The area's first settlers for thousands of years were Native American cultures and historic tribes. In 1540, Spanish colonial expeditions under visited the area and immediately recognized the natural crossing of the Colorado River as an ideal spot for a city. But it wasn’t until the 1860s that the city gradually grew. Slow growth were the watchwords until the advent of air conditioning because of its hot climate. On September 1, 1950 the temperature in Yuma reached 123 degrees – the highest temperature ever recorded in the United states in the month of September. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the summer of 1772 a young 17-year-old clerk was toiling in the West Indies on the Island of St. Croix. He had been born in poverty, but even at his young age had risen to be given responsibilities of management at the firm he clerked for. On August 31, 1772 as a powerful hurricane roared through the region. The clerk wrote a letter describing the storm that said in part: “It’s impossible for me to describe, or you to form any idea of it. It seemed as if a total dissolution of nature was taking place. The roaring of the sea and wind, fiery meteors flying about it in the air, the prodigious glare of almost perpetual lightning, the crash of the falling houses, and the ear-piercing shrieks of the distressed, were sufficient to strike astonishment into Angels. A great part of the buildings throughout the Island are levelled to the ground, almost all the rest very much shattered; several persons killed and numbers utterly ruined; whole families running about the streets, unknowing where to find a place of shelter; the sick exposed to the keenness of water and air without a bed to lie upon, or a dry covering to their bodies; and our harbors entirely bare. In a word, misery, in all its most hideous shapes, spread over the whole face of the country.” Once the letter was published in the British Colonies of North America the businessmen of St. Croix were so moved by account of the tragedy that they demanded to know who wrote the letter and took up a collection to send him to America to be educated. This was incredible given the state of the island, which was ravaged by the storm and wouldn’t recover for years. Sometime in late 1772 or early 1773, the clerk boarded a ship to the Colonies, never to return to the West Indies. That clerk was Alexander Hamilton. He would enter Columbia University in New York and then, at the start of the Revolution, become an officer in the Continental army. He helped turn the tide in the battle of Trenton, was on the general staff of Washington and led the final assault on Yorktown that all but ended the Revolutionary War. He was one of the authors of the Federalist papers that helped turn opinion to adopt the Constitution and then served as the first Secretary of the Treasury producing a brilliant plan to stabilize the new American Currency and thus set the nation on firm financial footing. Recognized as one the founding fathers Alexander Hamilton may never have come to the Colonies had it not been for the hurricane that struck St. Croix and his description of it from August 31, 1772 and who knows was impact that might have had on the future of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Date in Weather History is often filled with stories of Hurricanes this time of the year. These monster storms all across the globe leave a trail a destruction and despair. They can change history and the fate of millions. Almost every storm’s impacts are a result of heavy rain, powerful wind and pounding rampaging sea and surf. On August 28, 1839, such a storm struck Charleston South Carolina with strong force to flood the streets and nearby farms. It moved quickly up the coast dumping more heavy rain in North Carolina and there are reports of some damage in Norfolk, Va. The system then headed northeast and off the coast. It was still powerful enough to sink a floating lighthouse off the coast of New Jersey. On Sunday August 30 as the storm headed for the open waters south of Cape Cod a surge of unseasonably cold air blasted out of eastern Canada and into New York state. Across the Catskill mountains temperatures plunged to near freezing, yet moisture was still being hurled inland. The result was one of those rare occurrences across the uplands of eastern New York – a snow hurricane. Several inches of the white stuff mounted up – the wind was still howling and the heavy wet snow plastered itself to everything in what could be describe as a hurricane white-out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane Katrina was a large Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane that caused more than 1,200 deaths and $125 billion in damage in August 2005, particularly hard hit was the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time, the costliest tropical cyclone on record, and is now tied with 2017's Hurricane Harvey. The storm was the third major hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, and the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall in the lower 48 states. Katrina began to develop on August 23, 2005 as a tropical depression. Early the following day, the depression intensified into a tropical storm as it headed generally westward toward Florida, strengthening into a hurricane two hours before making landfall at Hallandale Beach on August 25. After briefly weakening to tropical storm strength over southern Florida, Katrina emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on August 26 and began to rapidly intensify. The storm strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It made landfall over southeast Louisiana and Mississippi on August 29. There is controversy to this day as to the strength of the storm when it came ashore. The National Hurricane Center determined that the system weakened as it crossed the coastline to a Catagory 3, yet evidence and surveys after the storm and the complete and utter destruction lead some to suggest that it was still a Cat 5. Flooding, caused largely as a result of fatal engineering flaws in the flood protection system known as levees around the city of New Orleans, caused the greatest loss of life. Eventually, 80% of the city, as well as large tracts of neighboring parishes were under water for weeks. The flooding also destroyed most of New Orleans' transportation and communication facilities, leaving tens of thousands of people who had not evacuated the city prior to landfall stranded with little access to food, shelter or basic necessities. Many of those left behind were people of color and others in working class neighborhoods. The scale of the disaster in New Orleans provoked massive national and international response efforts; federal, local and private rescue operations evacuated displaced persons out of the city over the following weeks, but to many the response was too slow. Multiple investigations in the aftermath of the storm concluded that the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, that had designed and built the region's levees decades earlier, was responsible for the failure of the flood-control systems. The emergency response from federal, state and local governments was widely criticized, resulting in the resignations of FEMA director Michael Brown. Many government officials were criticized for their responses, especially the New Orleans Mayor and the Louisiana Governor, and President George W. Bush. The congressional elections the following year brought about a 31-seat swing from the GOP to the Democrats and control of the U. S. House of Representatives to the Dems. As a result of the Democratic victory, Nancy Pelosi, became the first woman and the first Californian elected House Speaker the change of control in the House was attributed by many, in part, to the inadequate response to Katrina the year before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1990 Plainfield tornado was a devastating tornado that occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 28, 1990. The violent tornado killed 29 people and injured 353. It is the only F5 tornado ever recorded in August and the only F5 tornado to strike the Chicago area. Between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. CDT on August 28th, 1990, a violent F5 tornado ripped through Kendall and Will counties. The tornado left a 16.4 miles-long damage which ranged from 600 yards to a half a mile in width. An estimated total of $160 million dollars in damages was added up with a total of 470 homes destroyed and 1000 damaged. Before the Enhanced Fujita Scale was put in use in 2007, the tornado damage was assessed by using the Fujita Scale. On the Fujita Scale, an F5 tornado has estimated wind speeds of 261-318 mph and is defined as having incredible damage in which strong frame houses can be leveled and swept off of foundations, automobile-sized objects can be lifted up into the air, and trees are usually debarked. The Plainfield tornado was the first ever tornado greater than an F3 rating, since records began in 1950, to occur during the month of August in the state of Illinois. It was the second killer tornado since 1950 to occur during the month of August in Illinois. 31 years later this tornado remains the only F5/EF5 rated tornado documented in the United States during the month of August. The tornado had low clouds and rain surrounding it, making it difficult to see. Because of this, no known photographs or videos of this tornado exist. The tornado approached from the northwest; most tornadoes approach from the southwest. Because of these factors and others there was little or no warning. Wikipedia reports that: “In the months following the tornado, the National Weather Service was heavily criticized for providing no warning of the approaching tornado. The NOAA Disaster Survey Report was highly critical of the forecast process within the Chicago office as well as coordination with local spotter networks and the preparedness of these groups. Prior to 1990, the National Weather Service in Chicago was responsible for providing forecasts for the entire state of Illinois. As the Chicago office was overwhelmed with its workload, no warnings were issued by the office until 2:32 p.m. – nearly an hour after the first tornado was sighted southeast of Rockford. A second severe thunderstorm warning was issued almost an hour later at 3:23 p.m., but this provided no indication that a tornado was on the ground and did not mention the area where the tornado had tracked. No tornado warning was issued until after the tornado lifted.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 27, 1893, a major hurricane which came to be known as the Sea Island Hurricane struck the United States near Savanah, Georgia. It was one of three deadly hurricanes during the 1893 Atlantic Hurricane Season; the storm killed an estimated 1,000–2,000 people, mostly from storm surge. .On August 15, 1893, a tropical storm formed off the west coast of Africa. It became a hurricane on the 19th, while crossing the Atlantic. The hurricane continued to strengthen, attaining Category 3 status on August 22 while located northeast of the Lesser Antilles. By the evening of the 25th, the storm was approaching the Bahamas. It is believed that the first effects of the storm were beginning to be felt in the Sea Islands area off the Georgia coast, with the winds steadily increasing during the night of the 25th. Landfall occurred near Savanah, Georgia, on August 27. Reports from the time say that wind during landfall was around 120 mph, making it a category 3 storm. Pressure in Savannah was measured at 28.00” modern estimates put the pressure as low as 27.50” out at sea. This would have made the hurricane most likely stronger than a Category 3 storm. The hurricane carried with it a heavy storm surge of at least 16 feet, although the modern hurricane models calculates that some areas may have been inundated up to 30 feet that caused great destruction along the coastline and offshore. An estimated 1,000 to 2,000 people were killed mostly by drowning, putting it on-par with 2005’s Hurricane Katrina as the sixth-deadliest hurricane in US history. St. Helena was estimated to have 6,000 African-Americans living there with the majority owning their own land and homes in a time when most Black people were prevented from doing so. Most structures in that area were not elevated higher than 2 feet; therefore, they were covered by the first waves that went above the normal water mark. Although the hurricane was devastating, the American Red Cross did not arrive until October 1, possibly because of ongoing efforts following another hurricane that hit South Carolina in June. Others claimed it was neglect because most of those impacted where Black Americans. Damage was reported as far north as Maine. Damage was heavy all along the New Jersey coast and breakers were described as the biggest ever witnessed. Railroad tracks were under four feet of water. Crops were heavily damaged in Pennsylvania and upstate New York. At Coney Island, roofs were lifted off big buildings and carried for blocks. Waves topped the seawall by 15 feet at Battery Park. Damage was heavy at resorts on Long Island and it was the worst storm on the New England coast in 20 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eruption of Krakatoa, in August 1883 was one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions of modern history. It is estimated that more than 36,000 people died. Many died as a result of thermal injury from the blasts and many more were victims of the tsunamis that followed the collapse of the volcano into the sea. The eruption also affected the climate and caused temperatures to drop all over the world. The island of Krakatau is in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. In May 1883, the captain of the Elizabeth, a German warship, reported seeing clouds of ash above Krakatau. He estimated them to be more than 6 miles high. For the next two months, commercial vessels and chartered sightseeing boats frequented the strait and reported thundering noises and incandescent clouds. At 12:53 p.m. on August 26, 1883, the initial blast of the eruption sent a cloud of gas and debris an estimated 15 miles into the air. The following morning, four tremendous explosions, heard as far away as Perth, Australia, some 2,800 miles away cracked the dawn. The initial explosion ruptured the magma chamber and the water flash-boiled, creating a cushion of superheated steam that carried the pyroclastic flows up to 25 miles at speeds in excess of 62 mph. The eruption is estimated to have had the explosive force of 200 megatons of TNT, or nearly ten thousand times more explosive than the nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. Volcanic rock fragments and hot volcanic gases overcame many of the victims in western Java and Sumatra, and thousands more were killed by a devastating tsunami. The wall of water, nearly 120 feet tall, was created by the volcano's collapse into the sea. It completely overwhelmed small nearby islands. Inhabitants of the coastal towns on Java and Sumatra fled toward higher ground. One hundred sixty-five coastal villages were destroyed. The steamship Berouw was carried nearly a mile inland on Sumatra; all 28 crewmembers were killed. Another ship, the Loudon, had been anchored nearby. The ship's captain Lindemann succeeded in turning its bow to face the wave, and the ship was able to ride over the crest. The explosions hurled an estimated 11 cubic miles of debris into the atmosphere, darkening skies up to 275 miles from the volcano. In the immediate vicinity, the sun light did not return for three days. Ash fell as far away as 3,775 miles (landing on ships to the northwest. Barometers around the globe documented that the shock waves in the atmosphere circled the planet at least seven times. Within 13 days, a layer of sulfur dioxide and other gases began to filter the amount of sunlight able to reach Earth. The atmospheric effects made for spectacular sunsets all over Europe and the United States. The impact of the weather was profound as average global temperatures were as much as 1.2 degrees cooler for the next five years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 hit the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia and the Massachusetts Bay Colony during August 1635. It is considered to be one of the earliest hurricanes to have struck New England, occurring just 15 years after the settlement at Plymouth rock. Although the hurricane’s exact track remains unknown, several historical accounts describe the storm. The storm is first mentioned on August 24, 1635, as it moved rapidly to the east of the Jamestown Colony in Virginia, but did not cause any damage. Massachusetts Bay Governor, John Winthrop, kept a running journal of his experiences in the Boston area at that time. On August 25 he described a storm arriving before midnight on August 25, blowing with “such violence” and “an abundance of rain”. Historian and writer William Bradford, who lived in Plymouth Plantation, stated that the hurricane “was such a mighty storm of wind and rain as none living in these parts, ever saw… It caused the sea to swell to the southward [of this place] above 20 feet right up and down…” Reverend Richard Mather, who was traveling on the ship the James at the time of the storm, recounted strong, shifting winds while aboard the vessel. The hurricane produced a storm surge of 20 ft in Narragansett Bay. Due to strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high tide, hundreds of trees were toppled, homes were destroyed, and ships were blown off their anchors. An estimated 46 people died. The damage to structures and the losses described were similar to the descriptions from the 1938 New England Hurricane, so, historians believe the intensity of the Great Colonial Hurricane was comparable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane Andrew was a powerful and destructive Category 5 hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged or destroyed, and was the costliest in financial terms until Hurricane Irma surpassed it 25 years later. It was the strongest landfalling hurricane in decades and the costliest hurricane to make landfall anywhere in the United States, until it was surpassed by Katrina in 2005. In addition, Andrew is one of only four Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States. Andrew caused major damage in the Bahamas and Louisiana, but the greatest impact was felt in South Florida, where the storm made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained wind speeds as high as 165 mph. Passing directly through the city of Homestead south of Miami, Andrew stripped many homes of all but their concrete foundations. In total, Andrew destroyed more than 63,500 houses, damaged more than 124,000 others, caused $27.3 billion in damage, and left 65 people dead. Andrew began as a tropical depression over the eastern Atlantic Ocean on August 16. After spending a week without significantly strengthening itself in the central Atlantic, it rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 5 hurricane while moving westward towards the Bahamas on August 23. Though it briefly weakened to Category 4 status while traversing the Bahamas, it regained Category 5 intensity before making landfall in Florida on Elliot Key and then Homestead on August 24 1992. With a barometric pressure of 27.23’ of mercury at the time of landfall in Florida, Andrew is the sixth most-intense hurricane to strike the United States. Several hours later, the hurricane emerged over the Gulf of Mexico at Category 4 strength. After turning northwestward and weakening further, Andrew moved ashore near Morgan City Louisiana, as a low-end Category 3 storm. After moving inland, the small hurricane curved northeastward and rapidly lost its intensity. Andrew first inflicted structural damage as it moved through the Bahamas, lashing the islands. About 800 houses were destroyed, and there was substantial damage to the transport, water, sanitation, agriculture, and fishing sectors. Andrew left four dead and $250 million in damage throughout the Bahamas. In parts of southern Florida, Andrew produced severe winds; a wind gust of 177 mph was observed. The cities of Florida City and Homestead received the brunt of the storm. As many as 1.4 million people lost power at the height of the storm; some for more than one month. In the Everglades, 70,000 acres of trees were downed. Rainfall in Florida was substantial, peaking at 13.98 inches in western Dade County. In Florida, Andrew killed 44 and left a record $25 billion in damage. Prior to making landfall in Louisiana on August 26, Andrew caused extensive damage to oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to $500 million in losses for oil companies. It produced hurricane-force winds along its path through Louisiana, damaging large stretches of power lines that left about 230,000 people without electricity. Over 80% of trees in the Atchafalaya River basin were downed, and the agriculture there was devastated. 23,000 houses damaged, 985 others destroyed, and 1,951 mobile homes demolished, property losses in Louisiana exceeded $1.5 billion. The hurricane caused the deaths of 17 people in the state. Andrew spawned at least 28 tornadoes along the Gulf Coast. In total, Andrew left 65 dead and caused $27.3 billion in damage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the first few centuries of European settlement in North America the English Colonies were known to experience the direct and indirect impacts of tropical storms and hurricane. The collective memories of the indigenous people who originally inhabited the region warned the Europeans of the huge storms that could create massive flooding and strong, powerful and damaging winds. Then, as now, preparations still cannot stave off certain massive impacts of the tropical systems. On August 23, 1724 and event known as the "Great Gust of 1724" occurred. Almost all tobacco and much of the corn crops were destroyed by this violent tropical storm, which struck the Chesapeake Bay. Intense floods of rain and a huge gust of wind were seen on the James River. Just as recovery was underway to salvage what crops they could, a week later another tropical system inundated the region with more heavy rain and flooding leading to an almost total failure of the corn crop and the suspension of the export of corn from the region for the next 12 months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cut Bank, Montana is located in eastern Glacier County, located in extreme northwestern Montana just 30 miles south of the US Canadian border, just east of the cut bank of gorge along Cut Bank Creek. Cut Bank experiences a semi-arid climate with long, cold, dry winters and short, warm, wetter summers. In winter, bitterly cold arctic air masses move south and impact the eastern side of the American Continental Divide – right where Cut Bank is situated. During such invasions Cut Bank, with its comparatively high elevation and topography is frequently the coldest location in the lower 48 U.S. States. Being close to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains also makes the area subject to occasional Chinook winds that blow down of the Rockies and heat up the air rapidly increasing the local temperature. This can also lead to rapid change in temperatures, especially in the spring and autumn. August 19 1992 was a typical summer day as the mercury soared to 90 in Cut Bank Montana, not a record, but still very high. But extremely cold air though had been building in Alaska and it came barreling down the Canadian plains and right into Cut Bank by the early morning hours of August 22, 1992. The high temperature that day only reached 33 degrees. 8-12” of snow fell just to the north in parts of Alberta. Glacier Park Mt. had 12” of snow and 8.3" of snow covered the ground at Cut Bank. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Colorado became a state in 1876, its state fair was already earning its place in history. The first recorded gathering was in 1869, when approximately two thousand people converged on what is now Pueblo for a horse exhibition; from that meager beginning was born the Colorado State Fair. The Colorado State Fair is an event held annually in late August in Pueblo. The state fair has been a tradition officially since October 9, 1872. The fairgrounds also host a number of other events during the rest of the year. Organizationally, the fair is one of the divisions of the Colorado Department of Agriculture. On August 21, 1984 for the first time ever the Fair was closed after a vicious hailstorm struck. 9 people were injured; 500 light bulbs were broken by golf ball sized hail; 1 person among the injured was knocked unconscious. Damage totaled $40 million. In 2020 because of COVID gone were the concerts, the rodeo and the shopping exhibitions, The Colorado State Fair board canceled a majority of the events and concerts. In 2021 the fair is back to in person events held August 27 to September 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The wildfire season started early in 1910 in the western U S because the winter of 1909–1910 and the spring and summer of 1910 were extremely dry, and the summer sufficiently hot to have been described as "like no others." The drought resulted in forests that were teeming with dry fuel, which had previously grown up on abundant autumn and winter moisture. Hundreds of fires were ignited by hot cinders flung from locomotives, sparks, lightning, and backfiring crews. By mid-August, there were 1,000 to 3,000 fires burning in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. August 20, 1910 brought hurricane-force winds to the interior northwest, whipping the hundreds of small fires into one or two much larger blazing infernos. Such a conflagration was impossible to fight; there were too few men and supplies. The National Forest Service was only five years old at the time and unprepared for the possibilities of the dry summer or a fire of this magnitude, though all summer it had been urgently recruiting as many men as possible to fight the hundreds of fires already burning, many with little forestry or firefighting experience. Earlier in August President Taft had authorized the addition of military troops to the effort, and 4,000 troops, including seven companies from the U S Army’s 25th Regiment known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were brought in to help fight the fires burning in the northern Rockies. The arrival of the Black regiment of Buffalo Soldiers helped stem the tide for a while, but they were not enough and Smoke from the fire was said to have been seen as far east as Watertown, New York and as far south as Denver Colorado. It was reported that at night, five hundred miles out into the Pacific Ocean, ships could not navigate by the stars because the sky was cloudy with smoke. The fire burned after the strong winds caused those numerous smaller fires to combine into a firestorm of unprecedented size. It killed 87 people, mostly firefighters, destroyed numerous structures, including several entire towns, and burned more than three million acres of forest with an estimated billion dollars' worth of timber lost. It is believed to be the largest, although not the deadliest, forest fire in U.S. history. The extensive burned area was approximately the size of the state of Connecticut. In the aftermath of the fire, the Forest Service received considerable recognition for its firefighting efforts, including a doubling of its budget from Congress. The outcome was to highlight firefighters as public heroes while raising public awareness of national nature conservation. The fire is often considered a significant impetus in the development of early wildfire prevention and suppression strategies. In Idaho, one third of the town of Wallace was burned to the ground. Passenger trains evacuated thousands of Wallace residents to Spokane and Missoula. Another train with 1,000 people from Avery took refuge in a tunnel after racing across a burning trestle. The fire was finally extinguished when a cold front swept in, bringing steady rain and even some early season snowfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this age, where everyone has a cell phone, and almost every kind of event on planet Earth is recorded it is sometimes hard to harken back to the days when interesting events were missed entirely of if not missed, not recorded or remembered. But on August 19, 1896 one of the best documented sightings ever recorded of a waterspout occurred. It was visible by thousands of people about 8 miles north of Chappaquiddick Island, off the coast of Massachusetts. Three spouts altogether occurred between 12:45PM and 1:25PM. The largest of the 3 lasted 18 minutes with a diameter estimated at 240'. Water was agitated to a height of 400' and column was 3600' high. Rev. Crandall J. North reported; "the Whirlwind lashed the sea into foam, spray and vapor...it stood for many minutes before the wondering gaze of thousands, a variable pillar of cloud by day" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit the North Carolina coast during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. The system began as a tropical wave over the Atlantic Ocean, then developed into a tropical depression on August 7, 1955. Moving west-northwest, the depression became Tropical Storm Diane two days later. The storm turned north-northeast on August 11 and quickly developed into a hurricane about 400 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The hurricane reached its peak intensity at Category 3 status on August 12 with 120 mph sustained winds. It remained at Category 3 status for three days until cooler air behind Hurricane Connie, a Category 1 hurricane that struck the Outer Banks of North Carolina on August 12, became entangled in Diane’s circulation. As a result, Hurricane Diane weakened to Category 1 strength with winds of 74 mph before making landfall near Wilmington, NC on August 17, 1955. Diane’s landfall occurred just 150 miles southwest from Hurricane Connie’s point of landfall that was near Cape Lookout five days earlier, leaving residents of these areas with little time to prepare due to the close proximity of the two storms. Tides ran 6 to 8 feet above normal near Wilmington, and waves of up to 12 feet struck the southeast North Carolina coast. The resultant storm surge damaged beach houses, flooded coastal roads, and destroyed seawalls partially damaged by Hurricane Connie a few days earlier. Rainfall was most significant inland, where Hurricane Connie had saturated the ground and significantly raised water levels as it moved along the central North Carolina coast five days prior to the arrival of Hurricane Diane. Nationally, although Connie did not produce significant flooding, it set the stage for Hurricane Diane to create some of the most destructive floods the river valleys of eastern Pennsylvania, northwest New Jersey, southeast New York and southern New England had ever seen on August 18, 1955. Rainfall amounted to 20 inches in New England over the two-day period when Diane was a tropical storm off the Northeast coast. The state of Connecticut received the most rainfall, especially in areas north and west of Hartford, with up to 12 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. As a result, losses from Hurricane Diane were greatest in Connecticut, where damages amounted to $350 million or more than $3 billion in 2021 dollars, in Connecticut alone and 77 lives were lost. The city of Woonsocket, Rhode Island was heavily damaged as a dam broke to the north west of the city, pushing a 20-foot wall of water down the Blackstone River. Overall, between 180 and 200 total fatalities were estimated to be a result of Hurricane Diane. Although it was difficult to estimate total damages stemming from Hurricane Diane, it was determined that the floods and other impacts from the hurricane caused $1 billion in damage or almost 10 billion in 2021 dollars, making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On August 17, 1969, more than a half a century ago, Hurricane Camille slammed into the Mississippi coast, the storm still remains one of the most powerful and costly hurricanes on record to make landfall in the United States. Camille was the second-most-intense hurricane to hit the U.S. and remains one of only 4 category 5 hurricanes to strike the mainland U.S. The storm resulted in at least 259 fatalities and caused nearly $1.4 billion in damages at the time, which equates to more than $10 billion 2021 dollars. The hurricane formed in the Cayman Islands on Aug. 14 and continued to intensify rapidly before making landfall on Aug. 17, 1969, near Waveland, Mississippi. "Most hurricanes weaken as they approach landfall, but Camille is the exception," AccuWeather Forensic Meteorologist Steve Wistar explained. "That's unusual." Camille's intensity at landfall was 26.5 inches of mercury making it the second-strongest hurricane to make landfall in the continental U.S., exceeded only by 1935's Labor Day hurricane that ravaged the Florida Keys. The storm was slightly stronger than Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Michael. The storm caused a devastating 24.6-foot storm surge, the greatest for the U.S. until Hurricane Katrina, and winds gusted to more than 170 mph along the coast. However, the actual maximum sustained winds of Hurricane Camille are not known as the hurricane destroyed all the wind-recording instruments in the landfall area. A number of residents along the Gulf coast underestimated just how powerful this hurricane was becoming and either lost their life or suffered injuries. “It’s unlikely that those who stayed had any idea that a Category 5 storm was coming,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Dale Mohler said, adding that the government did not forecast hurricane categories at the time. It wasn't until the 1973 hurricane season that Saffir-Simpson scale was available to the public. Camille was a two-part disaster, as the storm's deadly impacts affected both coastal and inland areas. Following Camille's landfall, the storm weakened as it moved inland over the next several days. However, the slow-moving system wreaked havoc on the mid-Atlantic, especially Virginia. In Virginia, the storm dumped more than 27 inches of rain. With most of the rain falling in three to four hours in the southwestern mountains of Virginia, more than 100 people died due to disastrous flooding and landslides. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina eclipsed Camille as the most destructive hurricane ever to strike Mississippi's Gulf coast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.