JULY 1ST HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1792... A tremendous storm (a tornado or hurricane) hit Philadelphia and New York City. Many young people were drowned while out boating on that Sunday. (David Ludlum) ...1911... The high of just 79 degrees at Phoenix AZ was their coolest daily maximum of record for the month of July. The normal daily high for July 1st is 105 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1979... It snowed almost half a foot (5.8 inches) at Stampede Pass WA, a July record. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Lake Charles LA was drenched with a month's worth of rain during the early morning. More than five inches of rain soaked the city, including 2.68 inches in one hour. A thunderstorm in the southern Yakima Valley of Washington State produced high winds which downed trees up to six feet in diameter. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Twenty-six cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date. Lows of 48 degrees at Providence RI, 48 degrees at Roanoke VA, 49 degrees at Stratford CT, and 48 degrees at Wilmington DE, were records for the month of July. Boston MA equalled their record for July with a low of 50 degrees. Five inches of snow whitened Mount Washington NH. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Showers and thunderstorms associated with the low pressure system which was once Tropical Storm Allison continued to drench parts of Mississippi, Louisiana and eastern Texas. Late night thunderstorms produced 12.58 inches of rain at Biloxi MS in six hours, and 10.73 inches at Gulfport MS. Flooding in Mississippi over the first six days of the month caused 55 million dollars damage. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 2ND HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1833... An unusually large New England tornado, one half to three quarters of a mile wide, went from Salem Pond to Norton Pond VT, and then into Canada. It "prostrated" nearly everything in its path. (The Weather Channel) ...1843... An alligator reportedly fell from the sky onto Anson Street in Charleston SC during a thunderstorm. (David Ludlum) ...1987... Thunderstorms in Colorado produced hail as large as golf balls northwest of Kiowa, which accumulated to a depth of twelve inches. Hail two and a half inches in diameter was reported at Black Forest. Hail damaged 900 acres of crops south of the town of Wiggins. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Twenty-six cities in the eastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date. The morning low of 47 degrees at Roanoke VA broke the July record set the previous day. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Thunderstorms produced severe weather in the south central U.S., with 158 reports of large hail and damaging winds through the day. Evening thunderstorms in northeastern Texas produced softball size hail which caused more than five million dollars damage at Allen, and wind gusts to 90 mph at Dallas, which injured eight persons and caused seven million dollars damage. Winnfield LA reported 29.52 inches of rain in six days, for a total of 62.50 inches for the first six months of the year. Midland TX reported an all-time record high of 112 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ?????? ...An unusual storm near Rich Valley IN covered a twenty square foot area with eight inches of snow. The snow was surrounded by hail. (David Ludlum) JULY 3RD HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS The "Dog Days" traditionally begin this day of the year. The hot weather period received its name from Sirius, the brightest visible star in the sky and known as the dog star. Sirius rises in the east at the same time as the sun this time of the year. (The Weather Channel) ...1966... The northeastern U.S. was in the midst of a sweltering heat wave. The temperature at Philadelphia reached 104 degrees. Afternoon highs of 102 degrees at Hartford CT, 105 degrees at Allentown PA, and 107 degrees at LaGuardia Airport in New York City established all-time records for those two locations. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Lightning struck and killed three men playing golf on a course near Kingsport TN. The three men had sought shelter from the rain under a tall tree on a small hill. Showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rain in New Jersey, with 5.2 inches reported at Trenton State College. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Thunderstorms around Fort Worth TX produced wind gusts to 76 mph at Burleson, along with two inches of rain in thirty minutes. The record low of 46 degrees at Youngstown OH was their sixth in a row. (The National Weather Summary)(Storm Data) ...1989... Showers and thunderstorms produced locally heavy rain in the eastern U.S. Bowling Green KY was soaked with 4.99 inches of rain during the morning hours, and up to ten inches of rain deluged Oconee County SC. The temperature at Alamosa CO soared to a record warm reading of 91 degrees, following a record low of 35 degrees the previous day. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 4TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1776... Thomas Jefferson paid for his first thermometer, and signed the Declaration of Independence. According to his weather memorandum book, at 2 PM it was cloudy and 76 degrees. (David Ludlum) ...1911... The northeastern U.S. experienced sweltering 100 degree heat. The temperature soared to 105 degrees at Vernon VT and North Bridgton ME, and to 106 degrees at Nashua NH, to establish all-time records for those three states. Afternoon highs of 104 at Boston MA, 104 at Albany NY, and 103 at Portland ME, were all-time records for those three cities. (The Weather Channel) ...1956... A world record for the most rain in one minute was set at Unionville MD with a downpour of 1.23 inches. (The Weather Channel) (The National Severe Storms Forecast Center) ...1987... Thunderstorms around the country provided extra fireworks for Independence Day. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 82 mph at Clearwater KS, eight inches of rain in four hours at Menno SD, and three inches of rain in just fifteen minutes at Austin KY. Morning thunderstorms drenched Oneonta AL with 8.6 inches of rain, their greatest 24 hour total in thirty years of records. The heavy rain caused mudslides and serious flooding, claiming two lives. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms produced heavy rain over the Central Gulf Coast Region for the second day in a row. Monroe LA was deluged with 3.75 inches in two hours. Aberdeen SD and Rapid City SD reported record high temperatures for the date, with readings of 105 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Independence Day was "hot as a firecracker" across parts of the country. Nineteen cities, mostly in the north central U.S., reported record high temperatures for the date, including Williston ND with a reading of 107 degrees. In the southwestern U.S., highs of 93 at Alamosa CO, 114 at Tucson AZ, and 118 at Phoenix AZ, equalled all-time records for those locations. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 5TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1891... Sixteen horses were killed by hail, and many more have to be put to death due to injuries from a hailstorm at Rapid City SD. (The Weather Channel) ...1900... A spectacular three day fire began when a bolt of lightning struck a refinery in Bayonne NJ. (David Ludlum) ...1916... A hurricane produced 82 mph winds, an 11.6 foot tide, and a barometric pressure of 28.92 inches at Mobile AL. (David Ludlum) ...1937... The temperature at Medicine Lake MT soared to 117 degrees to establish a state record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) Midale and Yellow Grass in Saskatchewan hit 113 degrees to establish an all-time record high for Canada that same day. (The Weather Channel) ...1970... The morning low at Death Valley CA was 103 degrees, and the high that afternoon was 120 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Severe thunderstorms raked south central Kansas for the second morning in a row. Thunderstorm winds again gusted to 80 mph at Clearwater, and in the Wichita area reached 100 mph. Twenty-five persons were injured at a trailer park at El Dorado Lake. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms spawned eleven tornadoes in Montana and three in North Dakota. Baseball size hail was reported at Shonkin MT, and wind gusts to 85 mph were reported south of Fordville ND. Twenty cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Fargo ND with a reading of 106 degrees. Muskegon MI equalled their July record with a high of 95 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Moisture from what once was Tropical Storm Allison triggered thunderstorms over the Middle Atlantic Coast Region, which deluged Wilmington DE with a record 6.83 inches of rain in 24 hours, including 6.37 inches in just six hours. Up to ten inches of rain was reported at Claymont, northeast of Wilmington. July 1989 was thus the wettest month in seventy years for Wilmington, with a total of 12.63 inches of rain. Alamosa CO reported an all-time record high of 94 degrees, and Pierre SD hit 113 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 6TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1893... A violent tornado killed 71 persons on its forty-mile track across northwestern Iowa. Forty-nine persons were killed around Pomeroy, where eighty percent of the buildings were destroyed, with most leveled to the ground. Photos showed most of the town without a wall or tree left standing. (The Weather Channel) ...1928... A hailstorm at Potter NE produced a stone which was 5.5 inches in diameter, and seventeen inches in circumference, weighing a pound and a half. (David Ludlum) ...1985... Lightning struck a large transformer in Salt Lake County sending a 200 foot fireball into the air and blacking out almost the entire state for up to five hours. (The Weather Channel) ...1986... Thunderstorm rains during the mid morning hours, and again during the evening, produced major flash-flooding at Leavenworth KS. The official rainfall total was 10.37 inches, but unofficial totals exceeded twelve inches. At nearby Kansas City, the rainfall total of 5.08 inches was a daily record for July. (Storm Data) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced severe weather in twenty-one states east of the Rockies, with severe weather reported in Kentucky and Indiana for the second day in a row. A thunderstorm produced more than five inches of rain in one hour near Reynolds IL. Rochester NY was soaked with 3.25 inches, a record 24 hour total for the month of July. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thirty-six cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 98 degrees at International Falls MN and 101 degrees at Flint MI equalled all-time records. Highs of 96 degrees at Muskegon MI and 97 degrees at Buffalo NY were records for July. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Unseasonably hot weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. Ten cities reported record high temperatures for the date, including Las Vegas NV with a reading of 115 degrees. Hanksville UT reached 112 degrees, Bullhead City AZ hit 120 degrees, and Death Valley CA soared to 126 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 7TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1905... The mercury soared to 127 degrees at Parker AZ to tie the state record established at Fort Mohave on the 15th of June in 1896. (The Weather Channel) ...1915... A severe wind and thunderstorm caused heavy damage and 38 deaths in and near Cincinnati OH. Many older buildings were demolished. The steamship "Dick Fulton" was overturned. (The Weather Channel) ...1981... Montana was in the midst of a snowstorm that dumped ten inches at Glacier National Park, and produced winds to 90 mph. Meanwhile, Denver CO set a record high with a reading of 101 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms spawned eight tornadoes in Colorado, and three in West Texas. Thunderstorms also produced softball size hail at Bula TX. In the midst of a record thirty-nine day string of 100 degree days, the temperature at Tucson AZ dipped to 66 degrees, marking their third straight record low for the date. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thirty-eight cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date. Youngstown OH hit 100 degrees, and for the second day in a row, Flint MI reached 101 degrees, equalling all-time records for those two cities. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Thunderstorms produced severe weather during the day, with more than 100 reports of large hail and damaging winds from Ohio to Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Thunderstorm winds reached 90 mph in Sullivan County NH, and golf ball size hail was reported in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four cities, mostly in the southwestern U.S., reported record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 105 degrees at Cedar City UT and 114 degrees at Moab UT were all-time records for those locations. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 8TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1816... Frost was reported in low places throughout New England. (David Ludlum) ...1950... The town of York NE was deluged with 13.15 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1975... Three people were killed and six others were injured when lightning struck a walnut tree near Mayo FL. The nine people were stringing tobacco under a tin shed when the bolt hit the nearby tree. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms in the central U.S. produced wind gusts to 90 mph at Waterloo IA, 6.38 inches of rain at Tescott KS, and twenty-five minutes OF ping-pong ball size hail at Drummond OK. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thirty cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Beckley WV equalled their all-time record with a high of 93 degrees. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms spawned seven tornadoes in Adams and Logan counties of eastern Colorado, and hail caused 2.3 million dollars damage in Adams, Logan and Washington counties. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Sixteen cities in the central and western U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The high of 103 degrees at Denver CO equalled their record for July, and a 110 degree reading at Rapid City SD equalled their all-time record high. Denver reported a record five straight days of 100 degree heat, and Scottsbluff NE reported a record eight days in a row of 100 degree weather. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 9TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1860... A hot blast of air in the middle of a sweltering summer pushed the mercury up to 115 degrees at Fort Scott KS and Lawrence KS. (David Ludlum) ...1882... Ice formed on the streets of Cheyenne WY during a rare summer freeze. (David Ludlum) ...1936... The temperature hit an all-time record high of 106 degrees at the Central Park Observatory in New York City, a record which lasted until LaGuardia Airport hit 107 degrees on July 3rd in 1966. (The Weather Channel) ...1968... Columbus MS received 15.68 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a record for the state. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Michigan. A tornado near Munising MI destroyed part of a commercial dog kennel, and one of the missing dogs was later found unharmed in a tree top half a mile away. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Twenty-three cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Alpena MI and Buffalo NY suffered through their sixth straight day of record heat. The percentage of total area in the country in the grips of severe to extreme drought reached 43 percent, the fourth highest total of record. The record of 61 percent occurred during the summer of 1934. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Morning thunderstorms produced very heavy rain in southern Lower Michigan and northern Indiana. Up to 5.6 inches of rain was reported in Berrien County MI. Sioux Falls SD reported a record high of 108 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 10TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1913... The mercury hit 134 degrees at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley CA, the hottest reading of record for the North American continent. Sandstorm conditions accompanied the heat. The high the previous day was 129 degrees, following a morning low of 93 degrees. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1926... A lightning bolt struck an ammunition magazine in northern New Jersey, and a big red ball of fire leaped into the air triggering a series of explosions. All buildings within a half mile radius were destroyed, and debris fell as far as twenty-two miles away. Sixteen persons were killed, and property damage was seventy million dollars. (David Ludlum) ...1936... Afternoon highs of 112 degrees at Martinsburg WV, 109 degrees at Cumberland MD and Frederick MD, 110 degrees at Runyon NJ, and 111 degrees at Phoenixville PA, established all-time record highs for those four states. It was the hottest day of record for the Middle Atlantic Coast Region. (The Weather Channel) ...1979... The temperature at El Paso TX hit 112 degrees, an all-time record for that location. The next day was 110 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1980... The temperature in downtown Kansas City MO hit 109 degrees, following a sultry overnight low of 89 degrees. The daily low of 89 degrees was the warmest of record for Kansas City, and overall it was the hottest July day of record. It was the seventh of a record seventeen consecutive days of 100 degree heat, and the mean temperature for the month of 90.2 degrees was also an all-time record for Kansas City. ...1987... An early morning thunderstorm in Minnesota produced wind gusts to 91 mph at Waseca. Later that day, thunderstorms in South Dakota produced wind gusts to 81 mph at Ipswitch, and baseball size hail near Hayes and Capa. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms brought welcome rains to parts of the central U.S., but produced severe weather along the New England coast, in the Great Lakes Region, in North Carolina, and in the Southern Plateau Region. Strong thunderstorm winds gusting to 80 mph at Bullfrog UT sank three boats on Lake Powell. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Severe thunderstorms spawned seventeen tornadoes in the northeastern U.S. A powerful (F-4) tornado struck Hamden CT and New Haven CT, causing 100 million dollars damage at Hamden, and another 20 million dollars damage around New Haven. Forty persons were injured in the tornado. Seventy persons were injured in a tornado which traveled from Watertown CT to Waterbury CT, and another powerful (F-4) tornado touched down near Ames NY injuring twenty persons along its 43.5 mile track. It was the strongest tornado of record for eastern New York State. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 11TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1888... Heavy snow reached almost to the base of Mt Washington NH, and the peaks of the Green Mountains were whitened. (David Ludlum) ...1987... Early morning thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 90 mph at Parkston SD, and wind gusts to 87 mph at Buffalo MN. Later in the day strong thunderstorm winds at Howard WI collapsed a circus tent injuring 44 persons. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms produced heavy rain in southern Texas, with totals ranging up to 13 inches near Medina. Two men drowned when their pick-up truck was swept into the Guadalupe River, west of the town of Hunt. Ten cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Baltimore MD reported a record high reading of 102 degrees for the second day in a row. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather from North Dakota to Indiana. Thunderstorms in North Dakota produced tennis ball size hail at Carson. Thunderstorms in Indiana produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Fort Wayne. Five cities in the Southern Atlantic Coast Region reported record high temperatures for the date, including Lakeland FL with a reading of 100 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 12TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1951... The Kaw River flood occurred. The month of June that year was the wettest of record for the state of Kansas, and during the four days preceding the flood much of eastern Kansas and western Missouri received more than ten inches of rain. Flooding in the Midwest claimed 41 lives, left 200 thousand persons homeless, and caused a billion dollars property damage. Kansas City was hardest hit. The central industrial district sustained 870 million dollars property damage. (The Kansas City Weather Alamnac) ...1980... Lightning struck a large broiler house in Branford FL, and the ensuing fire broiled 11,000 nearly ready broilers. Firemen were able to save a few thousand chickens, however. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Cool air invaded the High Plains Region. Eight cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Sheridan WY with a reading of 37 degrees. Thunderstorms developing along the cold front in the central U.S. produced 6.5 inches of rain at Fort Dodge IA, and 2.5 inches in one hour at St Joseph MO. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Evening thunderstorms produced severe weather over the Dakotas, including baseball size hail at Aberdeen SD, and softball size hail near Fullerton ND. Thunderstorms produced heavy rain in Arkansas and northeastern Texas, with 6.59 inches reported at Mesquite TX in just an hour and fifteen minutes. Garland TX reported water up to the tops of cars following a torrential downpour. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Early morning thunderstorms over eastern Kansas deluged McFarland with more than six inches of rain. Afternoon thunder- storms in Wyoming produced up to eighteen inches of dime size hail near Rock Springs, along with torrential rains, and a three foot high wall of mud and water swept into the town causing more than 1.5 million dollars damage. Evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in Oklahoma and Arkansas, deluging Dardanelle AR with 3.50 inches of rain in less than twenty minutes. About seventy cows were killed when lightning struck a tree in Jones County TX. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 13TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1895... A tornado struck Cherry Hill in New Jersey causing fifty thousand dollars damage. It also descended into the Harlem and Woodhaven areas of New York City killing one person, and finally ended as a waterspout in Jamaica Bay. (David Ludlum) ...1975... Dover DE was deluged with 8.50 inches of rain to establish a 24 hour record for the state. (The Weather Channel) ...1977... Lightning struck a key electrical transmission line in Westchester County of southeastern New York State plunging New York City into darkness. (David Ludlum) ...1980... Afternoon highs of 108 degrees at Memphis TN, 108 degrees at Macon GA, and 105 degrees at Atlanta GA, established all- time records for those three cities. The high of 110 degrees at Newington GA was just two degrees shy of the state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Unseasonably cool weather prevailed across the Midwest. Ten cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Casper WY with a reading of 39 degrees. By way of contrast, record heat was reported in the eastern U.S., with highs of 93 degrees at Burlington VT, and 101 degrees around Miami FL. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... "Mother Nature" took a day off. There were just three reports of severe weather across the country, and just one record high temperature reported. Thunderstorms brought much needed rains to the Tennessee Valley area, producing nine inches at Senatobia MS. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... A thunderstorm at Albany GA produced 1.40 inches of rain in forty minutes, along with wind gusts to 82 mph. Afternoon highs of 98 degrees at Corpus Christi TX, 110 degrees at Tucson AZ, and 114 degrees at Phoenix AZ, equalled records for the date. Greenwood MS reported 55.65 inches of precipitation for the year, twice the amount normally received by mid July. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 14TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1936... Extreme heat prevailed across the central U.S. as severe drought raged from Texas to the Dakotas. Record high temperatures were established in sixteen states that summer, including readings as high as 120 degrees in the Great Plains Region. On this particular date, afternoon highs for 113 stations across the state of Iowa averaged 108.7 degrees. (David Ludlum) ...1957... Hail, with some stones up to an inch in diameter, covered the ground to a depth of three inches ruining crops in the Bath area of New Hampshire. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Severe thunderstorms in Iowa produced eight inches of golf ball size hail near Grafton IA, completely stripping corn stalks in the area. Hail caused more than a million dollars damage to crops in Worth County and Mitchell County, and another million dollars damage in Ada County and Crawford County. Unseasonably cool weather prevailed in the Great Plains Region. Eight cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Duluth MN with a reading of 37 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Severe thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in the Northern Atlantic Coast Region during the afternoon and evening hours. Thunderstorms also spawned a rather strong tornado near Westtown NY, and drenched Agawam MA with four inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather from eastern New Mexico to central Nebraska. One hundred soldiers were injured by flying debris and collapsing tents during a thunderstorm near Trinidad CO. Thunderstorms in Colorado produced wind gusts to 77 mph at La Junta. Early morning thunderstorms produced torrential rains over parts of Louisiana, with 7.50 inches at Carencro, and 5.85 inches at Morgan City. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 15TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1916... A dying South Atlantic Coast storm produced torrential rains in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Altapass NC was drenched with more than 22 inches of rain, a 24 hour rainfall record for the state. Flooding resulted in considerable damage, particularly to railroads. (David Ludlum) ...1954... The temperature at Balcony Falls VA soared to 110 degrees to establish a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1983... The Big Thompson Creek in Colorado flooded for the second time in seven years, claiming three lives, and filling the town of Estes Park with eight to ten feet of water. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Unseasonably cool weather spread into the south central and eastern U.S. Fifteen cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Houghton Lake MI with a reading of 37 degrees. The high temperature for the date of 58 degrees at Flint MI was their coolest of record for July. Thunderstorms spawned several tornadoes in Illinois and Indiana, injuring a cow near Donovan IL. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Twenty-six cities east of the Mississippi River reported record high temperatures for the date. Charleston WV established an all-time record high with a reading of 103 degrees, and Chicago IL reported a record fifth day of 100 degree heat for the year. A severe thunderstorm moving across Omaha NE and the Council Bluffs area of west central Iowa spawned three tornadoes which injured 88 persons, and also produced high winds which injured 18 others. Winds at the Omaha Eppley Airport reached 92 mph. Damage from the storm was estimated at 43 million dollars. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Thunderstorms drenched Kansas City MO with 4.16 inches of rain, a record for the date. Two and a half inches of rain deluged the city between Noon and 1 PM. Afternoon thunderstorms in South Carolina deluged Williamstown with six inches of rain in ninety minutes, including four inches in little more than half an hour. (The National Weather Summary)(Storm Data) JULY 16TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1920... A severe hailstorm over parts of Antelope and Boone counties in Nebraska stripped trees of bark and foliage, ruined roofs, and broke nearly every window facing north. (The Weather Channel) ...1946... The temperature at Medford OR soared to an all-time high of 115 degrees to begin a two week heat wave. During that Oregon heat wave the mercury hit 100 degrees at Sexton Summit for the only time in forty years of records. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1975... An early afternoon thunderstorm raked the east side of Tucson AZ with gale force winds, heavy rain, and numerous lightning strikes. A thirteen year old boy was swept through a forty foot long culvert by raging waters before being rescued. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Showers and thundestorms in the southwestern U.S. ended a record string of thirty-nine consecutive days of 100 degree heat at Tucson AZ. A thunderstorm at Bullhead City AZ produced wind gusts to 70 mph reducing the visibility to near zero in blowing dust. Southerly winds gusting to 40 mph pushed temperature readings above 100 degrees in the Northern Plains. Rapid City SD reported a record high of 106 degrees, following a record low of 39 degrees just three days earlier. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thirty-seven cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Highs of 96 degrees at Bluefield WV and 104 degrees at Charleston WV were all-time records, and afternoon highs of 98 degrees at Binghamton NY, 99 degrees at Elkins WV, and 103 degrees at Pittsburgh PA, tied all- time records. Highs of 104 degrees at Baltimore MD and 105 degrees at Parkersburg WV were records for July, and Beckley WV equalled their record for July with a high of 94 degrees. Martinsburg WV was the hot spot in the nation with a reading of 107 degrees. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms raked the northeastern U.S. with large hail and damaging winds. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Showers and thunderstorms developing along a stationary front drenched the Middle Atlantic Coast States with heavy rain, causing flooding in some areas. More than five inches of rain was reported near Madison VA and Ferncliff VA. Hot weather prevailed in Texas. San Angelo reported a record high of 106 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 17TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1934... One of the worst heat waves in the history of the nation commenced. During the last two weeks of the month extreme heat claimed 679 lives in Michigan, including 300 in Detroit alone. (The Weather Channel) ...1941... A prolonged heat wave over Washington State finally came to an end. Lightning from untimely thunderstorms was responsible for 598 forest fires. (David Ludlum) ...1952... Thunderstorms helped the temperatur at Key West FL to dip to 69 degrees, to equal their July record established on the first of July in 1923. (The Weather Channel) ...1957... On a warm and sunny day at Wilmington DE, with a high of 86 degrees, a dust devil suddenly appeared. It tore most the roof off one house, and stripped shingles from a neighboring house. A TV aerial was toppled, and clothes were blown off clothes lines. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Slow moving thunderstorms caused flooding on the Guadalupe River in Texas resulting in tragic loss of life. A bus and van leaving a summer youth camp stalled near the rapidly rising river, just west of the town of Comfort, and a powerful surge of water swept away 43 persons, mostly teenagers. Ten drowned in the floodwaters. Most of the others were rescued from tree tops by helicopter. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... A dozen cities in the eastern U.S., and six others in California, reported record high temperatures for the date. Downtown San Francisco CA, with a high of 103 degrees, obliterated their previous record high of 82 degrees. Philadelphia PA reported a record five straight days of 100 degree heat, and Baltimore MD reported a record eight days of 100 degree weather for the year. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather along the Middle Atlantic Coast, and over southern New England. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Thunderstorms produced severe weather from South Dakota to Lousiana, with 126 reports of large hail and damaging winds during the day and night. Thunderstorms in Nebraska produced hail four inches in diameter in Frontier County, and at North Platte, causing millions of dollars damage to crops in Frontier County. Thunderstorms in Oklahoma produced wind gusts to 90 mph at Peggs. Tahlequah OK was drenched with 5.25 inches of rain. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 18TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1889... A cloudburst in West Virginia along the small creeks in Wirt County, Jackson County and Wood County claimed twenty lives. Rockport WV reported nineteen inches of rain in two hours and ten minutes that Thursday evening. Tygart Creek rose 22 feet in one hour, and villages were swept away on Tygart, Slate, Tucker, and Sandy Creeks. (The Weather Channel) ...1942... A record deluge occurred at Smethport in northern Pennsylvania, with 30.7 inches in just six hours. The downpours and resultant flooding in Pennsylvania were devastating. (David Ludlum) ...1986... One of the most "photo-genic" tornadoes touched down in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis MN during the late afternoon. The very slow moving tornado actually appeared live on the evening news by way of an aerial video taken by the KARE-TV helicopter crew. The tornado, unlike most, was quite the prima donna, staying visible to tens of thousands of persons for thirty minutes. It was moderate in intensity, with winds of 113-157 mph, and caused 650 thousand dollars damage. (Storm Data) ...1987... Cool weather prevailed in the western U.S. Seven cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Alamosa CO with a reading of 38 degrees. The low of 52 degrees at Bakersfield CA was a record for July. Up to eight inches of snow covered the Northern Sierra Nevada Range of California from a storm the previous day. During that storm, winds gusting to 52 mph at Slide Mountain NV produced a wind chill reading of 20 degrees below zero. Susanville CA reached 17 degrees that previous day, Blue Canyon CA dipped to a July record of 36 degrees, and the high of 44 degrees at Klamath Falls OR smashed their previous record for July by ten degrees. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Sweltering heat continued in California, with record highs of 111 degrees at Redding and 112 degrees at Sacramento. Death Valley CA hit 127 degrees. Late afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the Central Plains Region produced baseball size hail at Kimball NE, wind gusts to 79 mph at Colby KS, and six inches of rain near Lexington NE. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Oklahoma, northern Texas and Arkansas during the afternoon, and into the night. Thunderstorms produced baseball size hail at Stamford TX, and wind gusts to 92 mph near Throckmorton TX. Record heat continued in the southwestern U.S. Phoenix AZ reported a record high of 115 degrees, and a 111 degree reading at Midland TX was second only to their all-time record high of 112 degrees established sixteen days earlier. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 19TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1886... A hurricane from the Gulf of Mexico crossed Florida causing great damage from Cedar Keys to Jacksonville. (David Ludlum) ...1960... Cow Creek and Greenland Ranch in Death Valley CA reported morning lows of 102 degrees. The afternoon high at Greenland Ranch was 124 degrees, and the high at Cow Creek that afternoon was 126 degrees. The coolest low for the entire month for both locations was 82 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1974... A severe thunderstorm with winds to 80 mph and up to two inches of rain washed out four to five foot deep sections of roadway in Lake Havasu City AZ. Three persons in a station wagon died as it was carried 3000 feet down a wash by a ten foot wall of water. (The Weather Channel) ...1977... Thunderstorms produced torrential rains over parts of southwestern Pennsylvania. Some places receive more than twelve inches in a seven hour period. The heavy rains cause flash flooding along streams resulting in widespread severe damage. The cloudburst floods Johnstown with up to ten feet of water resulting in 76 deaths, countless injuries, and 424 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Fifteen cities in the western and the southeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Winnemucca NV with a reading of 33 degrees. Flagstaff AZ reported a record low of 34 degrees. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in New York State and New Jersey. High winds and hail two inches in diameter injured two persons and caused considerable damage to crops in the Pine Island area of central New York State. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms in Nebraska produced more than five inches of rain at Red Cloud, including two inches in fifteen minutes. Torrid temperatures continued over California, with record highs of 115 degrees at Red Bluff and 116 degrees at Redding. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Early morning thunderstorms in the Lower Mississippi Valley produced 5.50 inches of rain south of Alexander AR in just ninety minutes, and flash flooding which resulted claimed the life of one woman. Thunderstorms in Indiana produced 4.95 inches of rain in twelve hours east of Muncie. Eight cities in the southwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Las Vegas NV with a reading of 115 degrees, and Phoenix AZ with a high of 116 degrees. The low that night at Phoenix of 93 degrees was the warmest of record for that location. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 20TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1930... The temperature at Washington D.C. soared to an all-time record of 106 degrees. The next day Millsboro reached 110 degrees to set a record for the state of Delaware. July 1930 was one of the hottest and driest summers in the U.S., particularly in the Missouri Valley where severe drought conditions developed. Toward the end of the month state records were set for Kentucky with 114 degrees, and Mississippi with 115 degrees. (David Ludlum) ...1934... The temperature at Keokuk IA soared to 118 degrees to establish a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1953... Twenty-two inches of hail reportedly fell northeast of Dickinson ND. (The Weather Channel) ...1986... The temperature at Charleston SC hit 104 degrees for the second day in a row to tie their all-time record high. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced severe weather across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 87 mph at Mosinee WI, and strong thunderstorm winds capsized twenty-six boats on Grand Traverse Bay drowning two women. Thunderstorms produced nine inches of rain at Shakopee MN, with 7.83 inches reported in six hours at Chaska MN. Thunderstorms in north central Nebraska produced hail as large as golf balls in southwestern Cherry County, which accumulated to a depth of 12 inches. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... The temperature at Redding CA soared to an all-time record high of 118 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms produced much needed rains from New England to southern Texas. Salem IN was deluged with 7.2 inches of rain resulting in flash flooding. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Showers and thunderstorms in the Middle Atlantic Coast Region soaked Wilmington DE with 2.28 inches of rain, pushing their total for the period May through July past the previous record of 22.43 inches. Heavy rain over that three month period virtually wiped out a 16.82 inch deficit which had been building since drought conditions began in 1985. Thunderstorms in central Indiana deluged Lebanon with 6.50 inches of rain in twelve hours, and thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 84 mph at Flagler Beach. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 21ST HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1911... The temperature at Painter WY dipped to 10 degrees to equal the record low for July for the continental U.S. (The Weather Channel) ...1934... The temperature reached 109 degrees at Cincinnati OH to cap their hottest summer of record. The state record for Ohio was established that day with a reading of 113 degrees near the town of Gallipolis. (David Ludlum) ...1975... Six inches of rain fell across Mercer County NJ in just ten hours causing the worst flooding in twenty years. Assunpink Creek crested eleven feet above flood stage at Hamilton and Trenton, the highest level of record. Traffic was brought to a standstill, and railway service between New York City and Washington D.C. was cut off for two days. Flooding left 1000 persons homeless, and caused an estimated 25 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced severe weather from Utah to North Dakota, spawning a dozen tornadoes in North Dakota. Thunderstorms in North Dakota also produced baseball size hail at Clifford which caused four million dollars damage, and high winds which toppled a couple of eighty foot towers cutting off power to the town of Blanchard. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... While cool air invaded the central U.S., unseasonably hot weather continued over the western states. The temperature at Spring Valley NV soared from a morning low of 35 degrees to an afternoon high of 95 degrees. Fallon NV reported an all-time record high of 108 degrees, and Death Valley CA reported their sixth straight day of 120 degree heat. (The Weather Channel) (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Afternoon thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 92 mph at Jacksonville, damaging thirteen light planes at Herlong Field. Five cities in Texas reported record low temperatures for the date. Corpus Christi TX equalled their record low for the date with a reading of 71 degrees, and then tied their record high for the date that afternoon with a reading of 97 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 22ND HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1918... A single bolt of lightning struck 504 sheep dead in their tracks at the Wasatch National Forest in Utah. Sheep often herd together in storms, and as a result the shock from the lightning bolt was passed from one animal to another. (David Ludlum) ...1986... Hurricane Estelle passed 120 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands creating a ten to twenty foot surf. The large swells resulted from a combination of high tides, a full moon, and 50 mph winds. The hurricane also deluged Oahu Island with as much as 6.86 inches of rain on the 24th and 25th of the month. (Storm Data) ...1987... Barrow AK receives 1.38 inches in 24 hours on the 21st and 22nd, an all-time record for that location. The average annual precipitation for Barrow is just 4.75 inches. Thunderstorms in Montana produced 4 to 6 inches of rain in Glacier County causing extensive flooding along Divide Creek. Missoula MT received 1.71 inches of rain in 24 hours, a record for the month of July. (The National Weather Summary) (The Weather Channel) ...1988... Six cities in the south central U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Pueblo CO with a reading of 48 degrees. Thunderstorms over the Atlantic Coast Region drenched Wilmington NC with 6.49 inches of rain in about eight hours. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Showers and thunderstorms prevailed across the southeastern third of the country. Afternoon thunderstorms in Florida produced wind gusts to 86 mph at Zephyrhills, and gusts to 92 mph at Carrollwood and Lutz. Thunderstorm winds gusting to 69 mph at Crystal Lake damaged nineteen mobile homes. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 23RD HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1788... A weather diary kept by George Washington recorded that the center of a hurricane passed directly over his Mount Vernon home. The hurricane crossed eastern North Carolina and Virginia before moving into the Central Appalachians. Norfolk VA reported houses destroyed, trees uprooted, and crops leveled to the ground. (David Ludlum) ...1898... A two hour thunderstorm deluged Atlanta GA with 4.32 inches of rain. More than a foot of water flooded Union Depot. Many street car motors burned out while trying to run through flooded streets. It grew so dark before the afternoon storm that gas lights were needed. (The Weather Channel) ...1923... Sheridan WY was drenched with 4.41 inches of rain, an all-time 24 hour record for that location. Associated flooding washed out 20 miles of railroad track. (22nd-23rd) (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced a record ten inches of rain in six and a half hours at Minneapolis MN, including 5.26 inches in two hours. Flash flooding claimed two lives and caused 21.3 million dollars damage. Streets in Minneapolis became rushing rivers, parking lots became lakes, and storm sewers spouted like geysers. A tornado hit Maple Grove MN causing five million dollars damage. Baseball size hail was reported at Olivia MN. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Lower Michigan and northern Ohio, over eastern sections of the Dakotas, and over the Central High Plains Region. Showers and thunderstorms soaked Wilmington NC with another two inches of rain, following six and a half inches the previous day. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Morning thunderstorms in the central U.S. drenched central Oklahoma with up to six inches of rain. Afternoon thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 85 mph at Fort Smith AR. Evening thunderstorms over Florida spawned a tornado which touched down three times in south Fort Myers causing nearly three quarters of a million dollars damage. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 24TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1886... Rain fell at Lawrence KS for the first time in four weeks. Rain fell over much of the state of Kansas that day relieving a severe drought which began in May. The very dry weather ruined crops in Kansas. (David Ludlum) ...1942... The temperature at Las Vegas NV hit 117 degrees to set an all- time record for that location. (The Weather Channel) ...1947... One of the most powerful strokes of lightning ever measured yielded 345,000 amperes of electricity in Pittsburgh PA. (The Weather Channel) ...1952... The temperature at Louisville GA soared to 112 degrees to establish a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1980... Claudette, a weak tropical storm, deluged southeastern Texas with torrential rains. The Houston suburb of Alvin received 43 inches, a 24 hour record for the U.S. (David Ludlum) ...1987... Twenty-one cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The high of 91 degrees at Beckley WV was their hottest reading in 25 years of records, and marked their third straight day of record 90 degree heat. Bakersfield CA dipped to 60 degrees, marking their eighth straight morning of record cool weather. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in Oklahoma, and over Nebraska and Wisconsin. Thunderstorms produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Brainerd NE. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Afternoon thunderstorms produced some flash flooding in New Mexico. Albuquerque NM was deluged with an inch and a half of rain in forty minutes. Evening thunderstorms soaked Whie Pine PA with two inches of rain in one hour. Quiet weather prevailed across the rest of the nation, as "Mother Nature" took a brief summer vacation. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 25TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1891... The mercury hit 109 degrees at Los Angeles CA marking the peak of a torrid heat wave. (David Ludlum) ...1956... The Andrea Doria sank in dense fog near Nantucket Lightship MA. The ship was rammed by the Swedish-American liner, Stockholm, forty-five miles off the coast of Massachusetts. Fifty-two persons drowned, or were killed by the impact. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1986... Tremendous hailstones pounded parts of South Dakota damaging crops, buildings and vehicles. Hail piled two feet deep at Black Hawk and northern Rapid City. Hail an inch and a quarter in diameter fell for 85 minutes near Miller and Huron, piling up to depths of two feet. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Sixteen cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Beckley WV equalled their all-time record high of 91 degrees, established just the previous day. It marked their fourth day in a row of 90 degree heat, after hitting 90 degrees just twice in the previous 25 years of records. The water temperature of Lake Erie at Buffalo NY reached 79 degrees, the warmest reading in 52 years of records. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Thunderstorms produced severe weather from central Kansas to western Kentucky and southern Illinois during the day. Thunder- storms produced tennis ball size hail at Union MO, and winds gusts to 65 mph at Sedalia MO. Five cities in Washington and Oregon reported record high temperatures for the date. Medford OR hit 107 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Early afternoon thunderstorms over west central Missouri drenched the town of Ferguson with four inches of rain. Early evening thunderstorms in Pennsylvania produced more than two inches of rain north of Avella in one hour. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 26TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1819... Twin cloudbursts of fifteen inches struck almost simultaneously at Catskill NY and Westfield MA. Flash flooding resulted in enormous erosion. (David Ludlum) ...1943... Tishomingo OK baked in the heat as the mercury soared to 121 degrees, a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1960... The temperature at Salt Lake City UT hit 107 degrees, an all-time record high for that location. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms developing along a cold front produced hail two inches in diameter in McHenry County IL, and wind gusts to 70 mph at Auburn ME. A wind gust of 90 mph was recorded at Blairstown NJ before the anemometer broke. The high winds were associated with a small tornado. The record high of 88 degrees at Beckley WV was their sixth in a row. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in the MIddle Atlantic Coast Region, and in the south central U.S. Eight cities in the northwestern and north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Salem OR hit 103 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Morning thunderstorms produced heavy rain in southeastern Teas, with more than three inches reported at the Widllife Refuge in southwestern Chambers County. Evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in Montana, with wind gusts to 62 mph reported at Helena. Eight cities from Maine to Minnesota reported record high temperatures for the date, including Newark NJ with a reading of 99 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 27TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1926... A hurricane came inland near Daytona Beach FL. The hurricane caused 2.5 million dollars damage in eastern Florida, including the Jacksonville area. (David Ludlum) ...1939... The temperature at Lewiston ID hit 117 degrees to establish an all-time record high for that location. (The Weather Channel) ...1943... On a whim, and flying a single engine AT-6, Lieutenant Ralph O' Hair and Colonel Duckworth were the first to fly into a hurricane. It started regular Air Force flights into hurricanes. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms in Minnesota spawned a tornado which moved in a southwesterly direction for a distance of thirty miles across Rice County and Goodhue County. Trees were uprooted and tossed about like toys, and a horse lifted by the tornado was observed sailing horizontally through the air. Thunderstorms drenched La Crosse WI with 5.26 inches of rain, their second highest 24 hour total of record. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Hot weather prevailed in the north central U.S. Williston ND reported a record high of 108 degrees. Thunderstorms produced severe weather in the eastern U.S., and in southeastern Texas. Richland County SC was soaked with up to 5.5 inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Thunderstorms produced locally heavy rains in the southwestern U.S. Yuma AZ experienced their most severe thunderstorm of record. Strong thunderstorm winds, with unofficial gusts as high as 95 mph, reduced visibilities to near zero in blowing dust and sand. Yuma got nearly as much rain in one hour as is normally received in an entire year. The storm total of 2.55 inches of rain was a record 24 hour total for July. Property damage due to flash flooding and high winds was in the millions. (Storm Data) Thunderstorms produced severe weather from Wisconsin and northern Illinois to New England, with 103 reports of large hail and damaging winds through the day. Thunderstorms in Wisconsin produced hail three inches in diameter near Oshkosh, and wind gusts to 65 mph at Germantown. (The National Weather Summary) JULY 28TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1819... A small but intense hurricane passed over Bay Saint Louis MS. The hurricane was considered the worst in fifty years. Few houses were left standing either at Bay Saint Louis or at Pass Christian, and much of the Mississippi coast was desolate following the storm. A U.S. cutter was lost along with its thirty-nine crew members. The storm struck the same area that was hit 150 years later by Hurricane Camille. (David Ludlum) ...1930... The temperature at Greensburg KY soared to 114 degrees to set a state record. (The Weather Channel) ...1934... The temperature at Grofino ID climbed to 118 degrees to establish a record for Idaho. (The Weather Channel) ...1952... A severe storm with hail up to an inch and a half in diameter broke windows, ruined roofs, and stripped trees of leaves near Benson AZ. The temperature dropped to 37 degrees, as hail was three to four inches deep, with drifts 46 inches high. (The Weather Channel) ...1986... Severe thunderstorms moving out of South Dakota across Iowa produce high winds which derailed eighteen piggyback trailer cars of a westbound freight train near Boone IA. Sixteen of the cars fell 187 feet into the Des Moines River. The thunderstorms also spawned a number of tornadoes, including one which caused twenty-five to fifty million dollars damage at Sloan, near Sioux City IA. (Storm Data) ...1987... Thunderstorms in Nevada produced wind gusts to 70 mph at Searchlight, reducing visibilities to near zero in blowing dust and sand. Thunderstorms in Montana drenched Lonesome Lake with 3.78 inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Thunderstorms drenched Wilmington NC with 3.33 inches of rain, bringing their monthly total 14.46 inches. Seven cities in Michigan and Minnesota reported record high temperatures for the date. Marquette MI hit 99 degrees, and the record high of 94 degrees at Flint MI was their tenth of the month. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Afternoon thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in Massachusetts. Early evening thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 68 mph at Fort Myers, and evening thunder-storms in South Dakota produced nearly two inches of rain in twenty minutes at Pierpoint. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 29TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1898... The temperature at Prineville OR soared to 119 degrees to establish a state record, which was tied on the 10th of August at Pendleton. (The Weather Channel) ...1905... Heavy rain in southwestern Connecticut caused a dam break, and the resulting flood caused a quarter of a million dollars damage at Bridgeport. As much as eleven inches of rain fell prior to the flood. (David Ludlum) ...1981... Fifty cattle, each weighing 800 pounds, were killed by lightning near Vance AL. The lightning struck a tree and then spread along the ground killing the cattle. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Thunderstorms produced severe weather from Minnesota to Indiana and Illinois. A thunderstorm at Janesville WI produced wind gusts to 104 mph which flipped over two airplanes, and blew another plane 300 feet down the runway. The northeastern U.S. experienced some relief from the heat. Nine cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Saint Johnsbury VT with a reading of 42 degrees. Barnet VT reported a morning low of 33 degrees, with frost reported on vegetation. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hail three inches in diameter was reported south of Saint Cloud MN. Hot weather prevailed in the western U.S. Fresno CA reported a record thirteen straight days of 100 degree heat. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Morning thunderstorms in the Upper Midwest produced more than five inches of rain west of Virgil SD. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms deluged the foothills and adjacent plains of Colorado with heavy rain. Rains of six to seven and a half inches fell in eight hours north of Greeley. Hail and heavy rain caused several million dollars damage in Weld County. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) JULY 30TH HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1949... The state record for Connecticut was established when the town of Greenville registered an afternoon high of 102 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1965... The temperature at Portland OR reached 107 degrees to equal their all-time record high. (The Weather Channel) ...1979... A forty-minute hailstorm bombed Fort Collins CO with baseball to softball size hail. Two thousand homes and 2500 automobiles were damaged, and about 25 persons were injured, mainly when hit on the head by the huge stones. A three month old baby died later of injuries. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... Afternoon highs of 105 degrees at Aberdeen SD, 102 degrees at Bismarck ND, and 102 degrees at Pueblo CO, were records for the date. Pueblo CO reported just .09 inch of rain for the first thirty days of the month. (The National Weather Summary) ...1988... A dozen cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Downtown Baltimore MD hit 103 degrees, marking a record eight days of 100 degree heat for the month, and ten for the year. The high of 101 degrees at Billings MT marked a record seventeen days of 100 degree heat for the year. Thunderstorms produced severe weather in the northeast, with nearly fifty reports of large hail or damaging winds in Pennsylvania and New York State. A tree fell on a car at Erie PA injuring four persons. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1989... Morning thunderstorms over central Missouri deluged Columbia with 5.98 inches of rain causing flash flooding. Daytime thunder- storms in Kentucky drenched Paducah with 1.73 inches of rain in less than half an hour. Evening thunderstorms in the north central U.S. produced wind gusts to 78 mph east of Moccasin MT. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) JULY 31ST HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS ...1976... A stationary thunderstorm produced more than ten inches of rain which funneled into the narrow Thompson River Canyon of northeastern Colorado. A wall of water six to eight feet high wreaked a twenty-five mile path of destruction from Estes Park to Loveland killing 156 persons. The flash flood caught campers, and caused extensive structural and highway damage. Ten miles of U.S. Highway 34 were totally destroyed as the river was twenty feet higher than normal at times. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) ...1986... The temperature at Little Rock AR soared to 112 degrees to establish an all-time record high for that location. Morrilton AR hit 115 degrees, and daily highs for the month at that location averaged 102 degrees. (The Weather Channel) ...1987... The deadliest tornado in 75 years struck Edmonton, Alberta, killing 26 persons and injuring 200 others. The twister caused more than 75 million dollars damage along its nineteen mile path, leaving 400 families homeless. At the Evergreen Mobile Home Park, up to 200 of the 720 homes were flattened by the tornado. (The National Severe Storms Forecast Center) Afternoon highs of 106 degrees at Aberdeen SD, and 102 degrees at Ottumwa IA and Rapid City SD, established records for the date. It marked the seventh straight day of 100 degree heat for Rapid City. Baltimore MD reported a record twenty-two days of 90 degree weather in July. Evening thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail at Lemmon SD, and wind gusts to 80 mph at Beulah ND. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) ...1988... Twenty-one cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Sioux City IA with a reading of 107 degrees. The reading of 105 degrees at Minneapolis MN was their hottest since 1936. Pierre SD and Chamberlain SD, with highs of 108 degrees, were just one degree shy of the hot spot in the nation, Palm Springs CA. (The National Weather Summary) ...1989... Overnight thunderstorms soaked eastern Kansas and western Missouri with heavy rain. Four and a half inches of rain was reported at Nevada MO. Evening thunderstorms in Oklahoma produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Covington. Six cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Williston ND with a reading of 105 degrees. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)