|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Snow, gales and severe cold hit the Midwest. It was the most bitter cold New Year's day of record with afternoon highs of 16 below zero at Chicago IL and 25 below at Minneapolis MN. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1934 |
92 yrs ago |
|
Heavy rain which began on December 30th led to flooding in the Los Angeles Basin area of California. Flooding claimed the lives of at least 45 persons. Walls of water and debris up to ten feet high were noted in some canyon areas. Rainfall totals ranged up to 16.29 inches at Azusa, with 8.26 inches reported in Downtown Los Angeles. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1949 |
77 yrs ago |
|
A six day blizzard began over the Northern Rockies and the Great Plains. The storm produced the most adverse weather conditions in the history of the west. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1979 |
47 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Maybell CO plunged to 60 degrees below zero to tie the state record set back in 1951 at Taylor Park. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1987 |
39 yrs ago |
|
A winter storm brought rain and snow and high winds to the Southern and Middle Atlantic Coast Region. The storm, which occurred in a period of unusually high astronomical tides, produced a tide of 9.4 feet at Myrtle Beach SC (their highest since Hurricane Hazel in 1954)
|
|
1988 |
38 yrs ago |
|
Arctic cold gripped the north central U.S. The morning low of 31 degrees below zero at Alamosa CO was a record for the date. Squalls in the Great Lakes Region produced 17 inches of snow at Elmira NY. (National Weather Summary)
|
|
1989 |
37 yrs ago |
|
Those who woke up New Year's morning unable to see much farther than the end of their nose had a good excuse, at least in the central U.S., as dense fog prevailed from Texas to Wisconsin. (National Weather Summary)
|
|
1990 |
36 yrs ago |
|
The new year and decade began on a rather peaceful note. Snow was primarily confined to the Great Lakes Region, the Upper Ohio Valley, and the Sierra Nevada Range of California. Subzero temperature readings were confined to Minnesota and North Dakota. (National Weather Summary)
|
|
1994 |
32 yrs ago |
|
Strong winds along the eastern slopes of the Central Rockies gusted to 70 mph at Arlington WY, and gusted to 80 mph near Estes Park CO. Heavy snow in the northeast mountains of Oregon produced 14 inches at Tollgate. A series of storms the first three days of the year produced 20 inches of snow at Lowman, in the west central mountains of Idaho. (National Weather Summary)
|
|
1997 |
29 yrs ago |
|
Heavy precipitation fell from December 26, 1996 to January 3, 1997 in much of the west. In the California Sierra Nevadas the Truckee River reached its highest level on record. Lake Tahoe reached its highest level since 1917. Sacramento was spared the worst of the flooding by a system of levees, although many nearby towns were not so fortunate. Numerous levee breaches and breaks occurred across the state. Approximately 16,000 residences were damaged or destroyed. State officials estimated at least $1.6 billion in damages to private and public property.
|
|
1999 |
27 yrs ago |
|
A major blizzard struck portions of the Midwest on January 1-3, 1999. The storm produced 22 inches of snow in Chicago and was rated by the NWS as the second worst blizzard of the 20th century, ranking behind the blizzard in January 1967. Estimates of losses and recovery costs are between $0.3 and $0.4 billion with 73 dead as a result of the blizzard. (NCDC)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An overnight freeze enabled George Washington and his troops to flank the British at Trenton, cross their lines at Princeton, and seek security in the hills of northern New Jersey. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Sacramento, CA, received 3.5 inches of snow, an all-time record for that location. The heaviest snow in recent history was two inches on February 5th in 1976. (4th-5th)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
It was a record cold morning in the eastern U.S. The mercury at the Yale Campus in New Haven CT plunged to 23 degrees below zero, and reached 40 below in the Berkshire Hills of Connecticut. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Seattle, WA, was in the midst of their worst snowstorm of record. Hundreds of barns were destroyed, and transportation was brought to a standstill, as the storm left the city buried under four feet of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature dipped to one degree below zero at Atlanta, GA. It marked the final day of a severe arctic outbreak in the South and Midwest. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A blizzard raged across the Great Plains. Many pioneers, unprepared for the cold and snow, perished in southwest Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Cheyenne, WY, dipped to an all-time record cold reading of -38 degrees. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Severe cold gripped much of the western U.S. At Portland OR the Columbia River was frozen for two weeks, and in southern California temperatures dipped below freezing in some of the citrus growing areas. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Savannah, GA, received a foot and a half of snow, and ten inches blanketed Charleston SC. It was the heaviest snowfall of record for the immediate Coastal Plain of the southeastern U.S. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A sharp cold front swept southward from the Dakotas to Texas in just 24 hours spawning a severe blizzard over the Great Plains. More than 200 pioneers perished in the storm. Subzero temperatures and mountainous snow drifts killed tens of thousands of cattle. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great blizzard struck the state of Kansas without warning. The storm claimed 50 to 100 lives, and eighty percent of the cattle in the state. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury plunged to 65 degrees below zero at Fort Keough, located near Miles City MT. The reading stood as a record for the continental U.S. for sixty-six years. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The greatest snowstorm of record for Cincinnati OH commenced, and a day later twenty inches of snow covered the ground. That total has remained far above the modern day record for Cincinnati of eleven inches of snow in one storm. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Southern California's greatest snow occurred on this date. Fifteen inches blanketed San Bernardino, and even San Diego reported a trace of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Between January 15th and February 24th a total of 1378 railroad cars were drawn by horses across the frozen Susquehanna River to engines waiting at Havre De Grace, MD. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great snowstorm raged from Georgia to Maine. Snowfall totals greater than 30 inches were reported from Pennsylvania across southern New England. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A luminous snowstorm occurred in Vermont and New Hampshire. Saint Elmo's fire appeared as static discharges on roof peaks, fence posts, and the hats and fingers of people. Thunderstorms prevailed over central New England. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury dipped to 17 degrees below zero at Millsboro, DE, to establish a state record. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great cold storm swept across the Atlantic Seaboard. Snowfall totals of 12 inches were common, whole gales caused shipwrecks and damage property on islands, and temperatures near zero prevailed from Virginia northward. Great drifts of snow blocked transportation. Richmond VA was cut off from Washington DC for a week. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The famous ""cold day"" in New England. Gale force winds wrecked homes, and accompanied a sudden overnight drop in temperature of 50 degrees. Tradgedy struck Sanbornton NH where three chidren froze to death. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"A severe coastal storm dropped heavy rain on the Fredericksburg area of Virginia. It disrupted a Union Army offensive in an ill famed ""mud march."" (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The coldest day of the coldest month of record in the northeastern U.S. A British Army thermometer in New York City registered a reading of 16 degrees below zero. During that infamous hard winter the harbor was frozen solid for five weeks, and the port was cut off from sea supply. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Hudson River was frozen solid during the midst of the coldest winter in forty-one years. Thousands of persons crossed the ice from New York City to New Jersey, and refreshment taverns were set up in the middle of the river to warm pedestrians. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
At 7 PM a display of the Northern Lights danced above Burlington, VT. Its light was equal to the full moon. Snow and other objects reflecting the light were deeply tinged with a blood red hue. Blue, yellow and white streamers were also noted. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The ""Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm"" occurred. George Washington reported three feet of snow at Mount Vernon, and Thomas Jefferson recorded about three feet at Monticello. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
On the coldest morning of a severe winter the mercury dipped to 16 degrees below zero at New York City, and reached 20 degrees below zero at Hartford CT. New York Harbor was frozen for five weeks, allowing a heavy cannon to be taken across the ice to fortify the British on Staten Island. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Thunder and lightning accompanied sleet and snow at Saint Louis MO during the evening hours, even though the temperature was just 13 degrees above zero. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
San Francisco experienced its greatest snowstorm of record. Nearly four inches was reported in downtown San Francisco, and the western hills of the city received seven inches. Excited crowds went on a snowball throwing rampage. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"It was the famous ""Cold Friday"" in the Midwest and South. The temperature did not rise above zero in Ohio and Kentucky. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Gouverneur, NY, bottomed out at -40 degrees, a drop of 70 degrees in one day. Two days later the mercury hit 55 degrees. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Hanover, NH, plunged from 37 degrees at 1 PM on the 7th to 32 degrees below zero at 7 AM on the 8th, and West Cummington MA plummeted 80 degrees to -32 degrees. Boston MA plunged from 46 degrees to -14 degrees, and on the 11th was back up to 60 degrees. (7th-8th)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe cold wave gripped the southeastern U.S. The mercury dipped to 8 above at Jacksonville FL, and to zero at Savannah GA. Orange trees were killed to the roots. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Monterey plunged to 29 degrees below zero, establishing record for the state of Virginia. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"Perhaps the greatest of all arctic outbreaks commenced on this date. The temperature plunged to 61 degrees below zero in Montana. At the same time a ""Great Eastern Blizzard"" left a blanket of snow from Georgia to New Hampshire. The state of Virginia took the brunt of the storm, with snowfall totals averaging 30 to 40 inches. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Texas and the eastern plains experienced their coldest morning of modern record. The mercury dipped to 8 degrees below zero at Fort Worth TX, and to 22 degrees below zero at Kansas City MO. The temperature at Camp Clarke NE plunged to 47 degrees below zero to establish a record for the state. In the eastern U.S., Washington D.C. hit 15 degrees below zero, while Charleston SC received a record four inches of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"Ice floes blocked the Mississippi River at New Orleans, then passed into the Gulf of Mexico. The only other time this occurred was during the ""Great Arctic Outbreak"" of 1899. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The ""Friday the 13th"" avalanche at Alva, UT, killed sixteen persons, and left thirteen others buried for twelve hours before being rescued. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
It was the coldest morning of record along the Gulf Coast. The temperature dipped to 7 above zero at New Orleans LA and Pensacola FL, and plunged to -1 degree at Mobile AL. The mercury dipped to -2 degrees at Tallahassee, the coldest reading of record for the state of Florida. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great blizzard struck the eastern U.S. Washington D.C. received 20.5 inches of snow to bring their total snow depth to nearly three feet. The storm produced 36 inches of snow at Cape May NJ. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A big Gulf snowstorm produced six inches at Brownsville TX and Mobile AL, 15 inches at Galveston TX, and 24 inches of snow at Rayne LA in 24 hours. Snow fell at the very mouth of the Mississippi River. Houston TX received 22 inches of snow, and nine inches blanketed New Orleans LA. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Washington D.C. received 1.26 inches of rain in six hours atop a snow cover more than 30 inches deep making it the soggiest day of record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
While much of the central and eastern U.S. was recovering from the most severe cold wave of modern history, the temperature at San Francisco soared to 80 degrees to establish a record for month of February. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Severe thunderstorms spawned sixty tornadoes in the southeastern U.S., killing more than 420 persons and causing three million dollars damage. Georgia and the Carolinas hardest were hit in the tornado outbreak. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado struck Mount Vernon IL. The tornado killed sixteen persons along its 62 mile path. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Potomac River was opened after being closed by ice for a period of two months. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Eastern Wisconsin experienced their biggest snowstorm of record. Racine received thirty inches, and drifts around Milwaukee measured fifteen feet high. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The memorable ""Cold Sabbath"" in New England history. Many persons froze extremities while going to church. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great snowstorm raged along the New England coast producing 48 inches of snow north of Boston. Three large ships from Salem were wrecked along Cape Cod. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Susquehanna River ice bridge at Havre de Grace, MD, commenced to break up after forty days of use. A total of 1738 loaded freight cars were hauled along rails laid on the ice. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
What was perhaps the greatest snow in New England history commenced on this date. During a ten day period a series of four snowstorms dumped three feet of snow upon Boston, and the city was snowbound for two weeks. Up to six feet of snow was reported farther to the north, and drifts covered many one story homes. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A massive storm spread record snows from Kansas to New York State. Snowfall totals rangeD up to 17.5 inches at Springfield IL and 43 inches at Rochester NY, with up to 60 inches in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The heaviest snow of the ""Winter of the Deep Snow"" in New England came to an end. Coastal Salem was left with more than thirty inches of snow on the ground. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great storm hit Virginia and the Carolinas. The storm caused half a million dollars damage, and in North Carolina drowned fifty families and a thousand cattle on Notts Island. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A cold wave hit the East coast sending the mercury plunging to 8 degrees below zero at Boston. It was the most severe March cold wave in modern history. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A chinook wind blowing down the slopes of the Rockies through Havre MT raised the temperature 31 degrees in just three minutes. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Great Snow, a composite of four winter storms to hit the eastern U.S. in nine days, finally came to an end. Snow depths averaged 60 inches following the storm. Up to four feet of snow fell around Boston MA, and snow drifts 25 feet high were reported around Dorchester MA. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
On Fishers Island in Long Island Sound, 1200 sheep were discovered to have been buried under a snow drift for four weeks. When finally uncovered, one hundred sheep were still alive. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A blizzard paralyzed southeastern New York State and western New England. The storm produced 58 inches of snow at Saratoga NY, and 50 inches at Middletown CT. The blizzard was followed by record cold temperatures, and the cold and snow claimed 400 lives. New York City received 20.9 inches of snow, Albany NY reported 46.7 inches. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The term blizzard was first applied to a storm which produced heavy snow and high winds in Minnesota and Iowa. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A winter storm in southwestern and central Tennessee produced 26 inches of snow at Riddleton, and 18.5 inches at Memphis. It was the deepest snow of record for those areas. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A second great snowstorm hit the northeastern U.S. The storm produced snow from Maine all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Natchez MS received three inches of snow, and up to 15 inches buried eastern Tennessee. Coastal Maine received 204 inches of snow that winter. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An outbreak of tornadoes occurred in the Ohio Valley. One of the tornadoes struck Louisville KY killing 78 persons and causing four million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Atlanta, GA, was drenched with a record 7.36 inches of rain in 24 hours. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great Northeast storm with hurricane force winds raged from Pennsylvania to Maine. The storm was most severe over New Jersey with high tides, uprooted trees, and heavy snow inland. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A storm which buried Ruby, CO, under 141 inches of snow came to an end. Ruby was an old abandoned mining town on the Elk Mountain Range in the Crested Butte area. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Saint Louis, MO, received 20 inches of snow in 24 hours. It was the worst snowstorm of record for the St Louis. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A large tornado crossed six Georgia counties killing at least eleven persons near Augusta. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A late season freeze brought snow to every state in the Union. Even as far south as Houston TX the mercury plunged to 21 degrees. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Oregon Inlet, NC, was widened three quarters of a mile by a nor'easter. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A heavy late season snow blanketed parts of the northeastern U.S. Heavier snowfall totals included 31.5 inches at Salem Corners PA, 30 inches at LeRoy NY, 26 inches at York PA, 14 inches at Waterbury CT, and 9 inches at Providence RI. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second coastal storm in just three days hit Virginia and the Carolinas. The first storm flattened the sand dunes at Hatteras, and widened the Oregon inlet three quarters of a mile. The second storm produced hurricane force winds along the coast of North Carolina causing more beach erosion and land transformation. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A famous Easter blizzard raged across Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. Gale force winds blew the wet snow into massive drifts, however there were few deaths due to the sparse population and due to the gradual increase of the storm. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A devastating tornado, 800 yards in width at times, cut a twenty mile path through Saint Cloud MN killing 74 persons. The bottom of the Mississippi River was said to have been seen during the tornado's crossing. Eleven persons were killed at a wedding party near the town of Rice. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The famous ""Lighthouse Storm"" raged near Boston Harbor. Whole gales and gigantic waves destroyed Minot Light with its two keepers still inside. The storm resulted in great shipping losses and coastal erosion. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado near Marshall, MO, carried the heavy timbers of an entire home a distance of twelve miles. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
More than two dozen tornadoes were reported from Kansas and Arkansas to Wisconsin and Michigan. More than 100 persons were killed, including 65 persons at Marshfield MO. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The first engagement of the Revolutionary War took place under clear crisp weather at Lexington-Concord. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A spring storm produced unusally heavy snow in northeast Ohio. Warren received 35.5 inches in thirty-six hours, and 28 inches fell at Green Hill. Akron OH established April records of 15.6 inches in 24 hours, and 26.6 inches for the month. Pittsburgh PA established April records of 12.7 inches in 24 hours, and 13.5 inches for the month. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An outbreak of tornadoes from Louisiana to Kansas claimed the lives to 200 persons. One of the tornadoes destroyed the town of Beauregard MS. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The city of Denver, CO, was in the midst of a storm which produced 23 inches of snow in 24 hours, and at Idaho Springs CO produced 32 inches of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"Two women and one son lived to tell the story of being picked up by a tornado and carried more than a fourth of a mile, flying far above the church steeples, before being gently set down again. The young boy and one of the ladies said they had the pleasure of flying alongside a horse. The horse ""kicked and struggled"" as it flew high above, and was set down unharmed about a mile away. (The Weather Channel)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
New York City received three inches of snow, the latest measurable snow of record for that location. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Volcano Springs CA hit 118 degrees to establish a U.S. record for the month of April. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Killer frosts were reported in the Deep South. The frost was quite severe around Huntsville AL, and highlighted a backward spring in the South that year. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado struck Kirksville, MO, killing 34 persons and destroying 300 buildings. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"A tornado, following the same track as the famous ""Tri-state Tornado"" of 1925, struck the town of New Harmony IND. Just sixteen persons were killed by the twister, due to the sparse settlement. The ""Tri-state Tornado"" killed 695 persons. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Connecticut River reached a level of nearly twenty-nine feet at Hartford (the highest level of record up until that time)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A storm buried Havre, MT, under 24.8 inches of snow, an all-time record for that location. The water equivalent of 2.48 inches was a record 24 hour total for the month of May. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A storm produced snow from Philadelphia to Maine. A foot of snow fell near Keene NH, and in Massachusetts, nine inches fell at Waltham, located near Boston. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A powerful tornado wrecked many boats at the Natchez Landing in Mississippi, then plowed through the city on the bluff. The tornado killed 317 persons, and caused a million dollars damage. The force of the storm caused houses to burst open. The tornado was the most deadly and destructive in early American history. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A deadly hailstorm in South Carolina hit the town of Winnsborough. The hailstones, measuring as much as nine inches in circumference, killed several persons, and a great number of sheep, lambs and birds. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A freak spring storm produced heavy snow from southern Indiana to New England. The storm made sleighing possible in Massachusetts, but also ruined shade trees in Philadelphia. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury plunged to 10 degrees below zero at Climax, CO. It was the lowest reading of record for the U.S. during the month of May. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe thunderstorm, with some hailstones up to 9.5 inches in circumference, pounded a four mile wide path across Kansas City MO. South-facing windows were broken in nearly every house in central and eastern parts of the city, and several persons were injured. An even larger hailstone was thought to have been found, but it turned out to be a chunk of ice tossed out the window of a building by a prankster. (The Kansas City Weather Almanac)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Northern Atlantic Coast States were in the midst of their greatest May snowstorm of record. The hills around Newbury, VT, were covered with two to three feet of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Mill Creek disaster occurred west of Northhampton MA. Dam slippage resulted in a flash flood which claimed 143 lives, and caused a million dollars property damage. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A three day flood in the Black Hills of western South Dakota resulted in a million dollars damage at Rapid City. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado (said to have crossed all of the state of Ohio) smashed into the log cabin settlement of Burlington, northeast of Columbus. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The infamous ""dark day"" in New England tradition. At noon it was nearly as dark as night. Chickens went to roost, and many persons were fearful of divine wrath. The phenomena was caused by forest fires to the west of New England. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A record late snow of two to eight inches whitened parts of central and eastern Kentucky. Lexington KY received six inches of snow. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A swarm of tornadoes occurred in the Ohio Valley. Tornadoes struck the cities of Louisville, KY, Cincinnati, OH, Chillicothe, OH, and Marietta, OH, causing a million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Norwalk, OH, dipped to 19 degrees to set a state record for the month of May. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury soared to 124 degrees at Salton, CA, to establish a U.S. record for May. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Denver CO was drenched with 6.53 inches of rain in 24 hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An unusual late season snow blanketed eastern Iowa, with four to six inches reported around Washington. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Six inches of snow blanketed Kentucky. Just four days earlier as much as ten inches of snow had fallen across Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. Six days earlier a violent storm had wrecked nine ships on Lake Michigan. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A famous Virginia flood occurred as heavy rains in the mountains brought all rivers in the state to record high levels. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A massive tornado struck Saint Louis, MO, killing 306 persons and causing thirteen million dollars damage. The tornado path was short, but cut across a densely populated area. It touched down six miles west of Eads Bridge in Saint Louis and widened to a mile as it crossed into East Saint Louis. The tornado was the most destructive of record in the U.S. up until that time. It pierced a five-eighths inch thick iron sheet with a two by four inch pine plank. A brilliant display of lightning accompanied the storm. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"A ""terrific"" two day long sandstorm (sand) blasted Yuma, AZ. (28th-29th)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A major outbreak of severe weather occurred in Kansas and western Missouri. In Kansas, tornadoes killed eighteen persons at Delphos, and thirty persons at Irving. Two tornadoes struck the town of Irving within a few minutes time virtually wiping the small Kansas community off the map. The second tornado was perhaps two miles wide, and exhibited multiple vortices. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Johnstown disaster occurred, the worst flood tragedy in U.S. history. Heavy rains collapsed the South Fork Dam sending a thirty foot wall of water rushing down the already flooded Conemaugh Valley. The wall of water, traveling as fast as twenty-two feet per second, swept away all structures, objects and people. 2100 persons perished in the flood. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Apple trees at New Haven CT did not blossom until the first of June, the latest such occurrence during the period beginning in 1794. Snow whitened the ground in Cleveland OH and Rochester NY. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great flood on the Potomac River in Washington D.C. took out a span of Long Bridge, and flooded streets near the river. The flood stage reached was not again equalled until 1936. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hurricane struck Long Island NY leveling trees and causing damage to ships. The early season hurricane, which originated around Cuba, caused major damage along the Atlantic coast from Charleston SC to New York City. Many were lost at sea. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Iowa's Commanche Tornado , with wind speeds estimated in excess of 300 mph, was unquestionably one of the worst experienced by early settlers, with nearly a million dollars damage. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Frost was reported from Iowa to New England. The temperature dipped to 25 degrees in New York State, and up to two inches of snow blanketed Ohio. The cold and snow damaged the wheat crop. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature reached 92 degrees at Salem MA during an early heat wave, but then plunged 49 degrees in 24 hours to commence the famous year without a summer . (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
One of the greatest floods in U.S. history occurred as the Williamette River overflowed to inundate half of the business district of Portland OR. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A famous June snow occurred in the northeastern U.S. Danville VT reported drifts of snow and sleet twenty inches deep. The Highlands were white all day, and flurries were observed as far south as Boston MA. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
It is believed that this was the day Benjamin Franklin narrowly missed electrocution while flying a kite during a thunderstorm to determine if lightning is related to electricity. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A late season snowstorm struck New England. Snow fell during the morning and early afternoon, accumulating to a depth of ten to twelve inches at Irasburg VT. Berlin NH was blanketed with eleven inches of snow during the day. Snow whitened the higher peaks of the Appalachians as far south as Maryland. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Los Angeles, CA, reached 112 degrees during a heatwave. It would have been the all-time record for Los Angeles but official records did not begin until twenty days later. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Severe thunderstorms spawned more than half a dozen tornadoes in the Lower Missouri Valley. Five of the tornadoes touched down near Saint Joseph MO. In south central Kansas a tornado nearly wiped out the town of Floral. Hail and high winds struck Iowa and southern Minnesota. In Minnesota, Blue Earth City reported five inches of rain in one hour. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Forest fires in northern Wisconsin and northeast Minnesota were in the process of destroying millions of dollars of board feet of timber. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A fast was held at Salem MA with prayers for rain, and the Lord gave a speedy answer. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
McKinney ND received 7.7 inches of rain in 24 hours, a state record. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Fort Mojave, CA, soared to 127 degrees, the hottest reading of record for June for the U.S. The low that day was 97 degrees. Morning lows of 100 degrees were reported on the 12th, 14th and 16th of the month. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A total eclipse of the sun was viewed from southern California to Massachusetts. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Hot Santa Ana winds in southern California roasted fruit on one side at Santa Barbara. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado traveled more than 200 miles across the state of Iowa killing 130 persons. The tornado touched down about ninety miles west of Grinnell, and struck the town and college around sunset, killing sixty persons, and causing more than half a million dollars damage. Traveling at nearly 60 mph, the tornado hit Mount Pleasant about 11 PM causing another half a million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe coastal storm (or possible hurricane) struck the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia. Eastport ME reported wind gusts to 57 mph. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado tore through the center of New Brunswick NJ killing five persons and scattering debris as far as Manhattan Island. The tornado provided the first opportunity for scientists to study firsthand the track of such a storm. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A major tornado ripped through southwestern Connecticut, passing through Stratford, Milford, and New Haven, and then into Long Island Sound. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
On the first day of summer the temperature at Dodge City, KS, soared to 106 degrees during the midst of a blistering heat wave. The heat wave initiated a severe three year drought in the Central Plains Region. Ironically, at about the same time, heavy rains in the Mississippi Valley were causing the river to swell to its highest level of record at New Orleans, LA. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The cold weather of early June finally gave way to several days of 90 degree heat in Massachusetts, including a reading of 99 degrees at Salem. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A general fast was called on account of drought in Massachusetts. It was the year of the famous dry spring in which fields and villages burned. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Residents of New York suffered through a record heat wave. Daily average temperatures were above 80 degrees for fourteen straight days. The heat wave was a sharp contrast to the severe blizzard in March of that year, which buried the city under nearly two feet of snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
There was a rain of fish from the sky at Tiller's Ferry. Hundreds of fish were swimming between cotton rows after a heavy shower. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Battle of Monmouth in central New Jersey was fought in sweltering heat. The temperature was 96 degrees in the shade, and there were more casualties from the heat than from bullets. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Orogrande UT soared to 116 degrees to establish a record for the state. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second destructive hurricane in nine days hit the Apalachicola-Tallahassee area. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An alligator reportedly fell from the sky onto Anson Street in Charleston, SC, during a thunderstorm. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A spectacular three day fire began when a bolt of lightning struck a refinery in Bayonne NJ. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Frost was reported in low places throughout New England. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hot blast of air in the middle of a sweltering summer pushed the mercury up to 115 degrees at Fort Scott and Lawrence, KS. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Ice formed on the streets of Cheyenne, WY, during a rare summer freeze. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Heavy snow reached almost to the base of Mt. Washington, NH, and the peaks of the Green Mountains were whitened. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hurricane from the Gulf of Mexico crossed Florida causing great damage from Cedar Keys to Jacksonville. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury hit 109 degrees at Los Angeles, CA, marking the peak of a torrid heat wave. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Twin cloudbursts of fifteen inches struck almost simultaneously at Catskill, NY, and Westfield, MA. Flash flooding resulted in enormous erosion. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
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)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado hit Philadelphia and Camden along its eight mile path. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A vivid aurora was visible from Oregon to Maine, down the east coast as far as Mayport FL, and inland as far as Wellington KS. Observers at Louisville KY noted merry dancers across the sky, and observers at Saint Vincent, MN, noted it was probably the most brilliant ever seen at that location. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A spectacular cloudburst near Philadelphia turned the small creeks and streams entering the Delaware River into raging torrents. As much as sixteen inches of rain fell in just three hours. Flooding destroyed thirty-two county bridges, and caused nineteen deaths. It is believed that several small tornadoes accompanied the torrential rains, one of which upset and sank more than thirty barges on the Schuylkill River. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Thunderstorms left four inches of hail covering the ground in Adair County and Union County in Iowa. The hail drifted into six foot mounds, and in some places remained on the ground for twenty- six days. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Denver, CO, soars to an all-time record high of 105 degrees. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A cloudburst and flash flood occurred at Central Springs, CO, and Idaho Springs, CO. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An August snowstorm was reported by a ship on Lake Michigan. A thick cloud reportedly burst on the decks covering them with snow and slush six inches deep. Snow showers were observed at shore points that day. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second most deadly tornado in New England history struck Wallingford CT killing 34 persons, injuring 100 others, and completely destroying thirty homes. The tornado started as a waterspout over a dam on the Quinnipiac River. It was 400 to 600 feet wide, and had a short path length of two miles. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Isle Derniere (Last Island) disaster occurred off the coast of Louisiana. A storm tide drowned 140 vacationers as a five foot wave swept over Low Island during a hurricane. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Sandusky OH noted a four minute snow squall during the morning, frost was reported in the suburbs of Chicago, and a killing frost was reported at Cresco IA. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Pendleton OR climbed all the way to 119 degrees at set a state record. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A Rhode Island hurricane prevented an impending British-French sea battle, and caused extensive damage over southeast New England. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A blue sun was widely observed in the southern states. The phenomena was believed to have pre-staged Nat Turner's slave uprising. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Tornadoes were reported in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Wethersfield CT was hard hit by the tornado outbreak. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Battle of Bennington, delayed a day by rain, was fought. The rain delayed British reinforcements, and allowed the Vermont Militia to arrive in time, enabling the Americans to win a victory by defeating two enemy forces, one at a time. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A small but powerful hurricane inflicted great havoc upon forests along a narrow track from New Jersey to Maine. A similar storm track today would cause extreme disaster in the now populated area. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The town of Indianola, TX, was completely destroyed by a hurricane, and never rebuilt. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado hit Rochester, MN, killing 31 persons and wrecking 1351 dwellings. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado swarm occurred in Maryland and Delaware. Many waterspouts were seen over Chesapeake Bay. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The growing season for corn was cut short as damaging frosts were reported from North Carolina to interior New England. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe hurricane struck South Carolina causing 1.3 million dollars damage at Charleston. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Krakatoa Volcano exploded in the East Indies. The explosion was heard more than 2500 miles away, and every barograph around the world recorded the passage of the air wave, up to seven times. Giant waves, 125 feet high and traveling 300 mph, devastated everything in their path, hurling ashore coral blocks weighing up to 900 tons, and killing more than 36,000 persons. Volcanic ash was carried around the globe in thirteen days producing blue and green suns in the tropics, and then vivid red sunsets in higher latitudes. The temperature of the earth was lowered one degree for the next two years, finally recovering to normal by 1888. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The first of three great hurricanes that year struck South Carolina drowning more than 1000 persons in a tidal surge at Charleston. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Torrents of rain accompanied by a furious wind upset the rain gage at Fort Mohave AZ. However, water in a wash tub set out on the mesa, clear of everything, measured eight inches after the 45 minute storm. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
General Washington took advantage of a heavy fog to evacuate Long Island after a defeat. Adverse winds kept the British fleet from intervening. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hurricane moved from Cape Hatteras NC to offshore New England. An unusual feature of the hurricane was the snow it helped produce, which whitened the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Considerable snow was also reported at Salem NY. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A forest fire driven by high winds burned down the town of Hinkley, MN, killing 418 persons. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Hailstone drifts six feet deep were reported in Washington County, IA. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hurricane made landfall at Long Island, near Kennedy Airport, then moved through western Connecticut. The hurricane produced a record tide at New York City. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Forest fires in Michigan and Ontario resulted in 'Yellow Day' in the northeastern U.S. Twenty villages in Michigan burned, and a total of 500 persons were killed. Fires caused 2.3 million dollars in losses near Lake Huron. Candles were needed at the noon hour. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature soared to 101 degrees at New York City, 102 degrees at Boston MA, and 104 degrees at Washington D.C. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Much of the Middle and Northern Atlantic Coast Region experienced freezing temperatures. Killer frosts resulted in a million dollars damage to crops in Maine. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The greatest weather disaster in U.S. records occurred when a hurricane struck Galveston TX. A tide fifteen feet high washed over the island demolishing or carrying away buildings, and drowning more than 6000 persons. The hurricane destroyed more than 3600 houses, and total damage was more than thirty million dollars. Winds to 120 mph, and a twenty foot storm surge accompanied the hurricane. Following the storm, the surf was three hundred feet inland from the former water line. The hurricane claimed another 1200 lives outside of the Galveston area. (8th-9th)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Hot and dry winds caused tree foliage in eastern Kansas to wither and crumble. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great hurricane produced a tide along the South Carolina coast which nearly inundated downtown Charleston. However, just before the tide reached the city, a shift in the wind caused the water level to drop five feet in ten minutes. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Iowa's earliest measurable snow of record fell over western sections of the state. Four to six inches was reported between Stuart and Avoca. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tornado traveled 275 miles across Lake Ontario, New York and Lake Champlain. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A heavy chicken house, sixteen by sixteen feet in area, was picked up by a tornado and wedged between two trees. The hens were found the next day sitting on their eggs in the chicken house, with no windows broken, as though nothing had happened. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe hailstorm struck Strawberry, AZ. Fives days after the storm hail still lay in drifts 12 to 18 inches deep. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
One of the greatest hurricanes to strike New England made landfall at Long Island and crossed Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It was the worst tempest in nearly two hundred years, equal to the hurricane which struck in 1938, and one of a series of severe summer and autumn storms to affect shipping lanes that year. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A black frost over most of New England kills unripened corn in the north resulting in a year of famine. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The first of three early season snows brought four inches of snow to Hamilton, NY, and two inches to Ashby MA. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Albuquerque, NM, was soaked with 2.25 inches of rain, enough to establish a 24 hour record for that city. (The Weather Channel)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second severe hurricane in two weeks hit the Carolinas. The Onslow County Courthouse was destroyed along with all its records, and Beacon Island disappeared. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second great hurricane of the 1893 season hit the Mississippi Delta Region drowning more than 1000 persons. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An early season windstorm over Oregon and northern California blew down thousands of trees and caused great crop damage in the Sacramento Valley. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An October gale, the worst of record for Nantucket, MA, caught the Cap Cod fishing fleet at sea. Forty ships were driven ashore on Cape Cod, and 57 men perished from the town of Truro alone. Heavy snow fell inland, with 18 inches near Middletown, CT. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Battle of Germantown was fought in a morning fog that grew more dense with the smoke of battle, causing great confusion. Americans firing at each other contributed to the loss of the battle. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great storm struck New England. The storm reportedly was predicted twelve months in advance by a British officer named Saxby. Heavy rains and high floods plagued all of New England, with strong winds and high tides over New Hampshire and Maine. Canton CT was deluged with 12.35 inches of rain. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The journal of John Winthrop recorded that a mighty tempest struck eastern New England. This second severe hurricane in three years blew down many trees in mile long tracks. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The famous ""Pumpkin Flood"" occurred on the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. Harrisburg PA reported a river stage of twenty-two feet. The heavy rains culminated a wet season. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A second early season snowstorm produced eleven inches at Wilkes Barre PA and 26 inches at Auburn NY. All the mountains in the northeastern U.S. were whitened with snow. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"Prolonged drought and dessicating winds led to the great Chicago fire, the Peshtigo horror, and the Michigan fire holocaust. Fire destroyed more than seventeen thousand buildings killing more than 200 persons in the city of Chicago, while a fire consumed the town of Peshtigo WI killing more than 1100 persons. In Wisconsin, a million acres of land were burned, and in Michigan, 2.5 million acres were burned killing 200 persons. ""Tornadoes of fire"" generated by intense heat caused houses to explode in fire, and burned to death scores of persons seeking refuge in open fields. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A deluge at Galveston, TX, produced nearly twelve inches of rain in about a six hour period. The rains came precisely thirteen months after the day of the famous Galveston hurricane disaster. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A famous snow hurricane occurred. The unusual coastal storm caused northerly gales from Maine to New Jersey. Heavy snow fell across New England, with three feet reported at the crest of the Green Mountains. A foot of snow was reported in the Berkshires of southern New England, at Goshen CT. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A third early season storm produced heavy snow in the northeastern U.S. Bridgewater NY received 18 inches, a foot of snow fell at Madison NY, and for the third time all the mountains of the northeastern U.S. were whitened. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great hurricane tracked across Cuba, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The hurricane inflicted major damage along its entire path, which was similar to the path of Hurricane Hazel 108 years later. The hurricane caused great damage at Key West FL, and at Philadelphia PA it was the most destructive storm in thirty years. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A violent early season blizzard raked Minnesota and the Dakotas. Winds gusted to 70 mph at Yankton SD, and snow drifts 10 to 15 feet high were reported in northwest Iowa and southeast South Dakota. Saint Paul MN reported a barometric pressure of 28.65 inches on the 16th. Railroads were blocked by drifts of snow which remained throughout the severe winter to follow. Gales did extensive damage to ship on the Great Lakes. (15th-16th)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"General Cornwallis attempted to escape encirclement by crossing York River, ""but a violent storm arose"" dispersing his boats causing him to ask for an armistice. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
"The famous ""Lower Great Lakes Storm"" occurred. Southwesterly winds were at hurricane force for five hours, driving lake waters into downtown Buffalo NY. The storm drowned 200 persons. (David Ludlum)"
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An exceedingly great storm struck eastern New England causing extensive coastal damage from Massachusetts to Maine, and the highest tide in 47 years. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A hurricane struck southeastern New England. It was the most violent in thirty years. Thousands of trees blocked roads in Massachsuetts and Rhode Island. (David Ludlum)
|
|
1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Indian Summer was routed by cold and snow that brought sleighing from the Poconos to Vermont. A foot of snow blanketed Haverhill NH and Newberry VT, and 18 to 24 inches were reported in some of the higher elevations. Snow stayed on the ground until the next spring. (22nd-23rd)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A four day rain swelled the Merrimack River in New Hampshire and Massachusetts to the greatest height of record causing extensive damage to bridges and mills. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A hurricane produced widespread damage across North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. At Philadelphia PA, the hurricane was the worst of record. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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New York City had their earliest substantial snow of record as four inches blanketed the city. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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"A ""very remarkable storm of snow with high winds"" produced 22 inches at Rutland in central Massachusetts. (David Ludlum)"
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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"Eighty-seven pioneers were trapped by early snows in the Sierra Nevada Mountains that piled five feet deep, with 30 to 40 foot drifts. Just 47 persons survived the ""Donner Pass Tragedy"". (The Weather Channel)"
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A hurricane near Cape Hatteras, NC, battered a Union fleet of ships attacking Carolina ports, and produced high tides and high winds in New York State and New England. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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The temperature at Los Angeles, CA, reached 96 degrees, a November record for 76 years. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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The famous Election Day snowstorm occurred in Connecticut. As much as a foot of wet snow fell, and the snow and high winds caused great damage to wires and trees. Winds gusted to 60 mph at Block Island RI. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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The first storm warning was issued by the U.S. Signal Corps Weather Service. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A record lake-effect snowstorm at Watertown, NY, produced 45 inches in 24 hours. The storm total was 49 inches. (14th-15th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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Southwest winds of hurricane force swept the Berkshire and Green Mountains of New England causing extensive forest and structural damage. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A severe storm raged from Georgia to Nova Scotia causing great losses to fishing fleets along the coast. In Maine, the barometric pressure reached 28.49 inches at Portland. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A second great windstorm in three days struck Vermont and New York blowing railroad trains off their tracks. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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An unusual tornado outbreak in the Lower Mississippi Valley resulted in 73 deaths and extensive damage across Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A four day storm was in progress in the northeastern U.S. The storm dropped a foot of snow on New York City and New Haven, and as much as three feet in Maine and New Hampshire. The snowstorm ushered in a long and severe winter, in some places the ground remained covered with snow until the following May. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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An observer at Boston, MA, recorded a great tempest of wind and rain from the southeast all night, as fierce as a hurricane, and thereupon followed the highest tide which we have seen since our arrival here . (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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Southwesterly winds of hurricane force sank ships and unroofed buildings at Philadelphia and New York City. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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The battle above the clouds was fought on Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga. Pre-frontal clouds obscured the upper battle- field aiding a Union victory. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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A late season hurricane brushed the East Coast with heavy rain and gale force winds. The hurricane passed inside Nantucket and over Cape Cod, then crossed Nova Scotia. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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Snow and high winds hit the Northern Plains and the Upper Mississippi Valley, with a Thanksgiving Day blizzard across North Dakota. The storm was followed by a severe cold wave in the Upper Midwest. The temperature at Pokegama Dam MI plunged to 45 degrees below zero. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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Fire engines were called out in New York City and New Haven, CT, as a result of the afterglow of the sunset due to vivid red ash from the Krakatoa Volcano explosion in August. (The Weather Channel)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Portland storm raged across New England producing gale force winds along the coast and heavy snow inland. A foot of snow blanketed Boston MA, and 27 inches fell at New London CT. Winds at Boston gusted to 72 mph, and wind gusts to 98 mph were estimated at Block Island RI. A passenger ship, the S. S. Portland, sank off Cape Cod with the loss of all 191 persons aboard, and Boston Harbor was filled with wrecked ships. The storm wrecked 56 vessels resulting in a total of 456 casualties. (26th- 28th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The mercury plunged to 51 degrees below zero at Havre, MT. It marked the culmination of a two week long cold wave caused by a stagnate high pressure area similar to those over Siberia during the winter. During the month of November temperatures across Montana and the Dakotas averaged 15 to 25 degrees below normal. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe early season cold wave set November records in the northeastern U.S. The temperature dipped to 5 above zero at New York City, 2 below at Boston MA, and 13 below at Eastport ME. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The coldest December of record in the northeastern U.S. commenced. Temperatures in New York City averaged 22 degrees, with just four days above freezing, and at Burlington VT the temperature never did get above freezing. The Erie Canal was closed the first day of December, and remained closed the entire month. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Kipp, MT, rose 30 degrees in just seven minutes, and 80 degrees in a matter of a few hours. A thirty-inch snow cover was melted in half a day. (The Weather Channel)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An early season snow and ice storm struck the southeastern U.S. It produced 11 inches of snow at Charlotte NC, and six inches at Atlanta GA. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe blizzard began to rage across Iowa and Kansas. It produced as much as 16 inches of snow in Iowa. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The first of two great early December storms began. The storm produced 18 inches of snow at Morristown NJ, and twenty inches of snow at New Haven CT. It also resulted in high tides at Nantucket which did great damage. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A big snowstorm in the southeastern U.S. produced 11 inches at Montgomery AL, 18.5 inches at Rome GA, and 22.5 inches at Knoxville TN. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A great snowstorm hit the southern Appalachain Mountains. The three day storm produced 25 inches at Rome GA, 33 inches at Asheville NC, and 42 inches in the mountains. Montgomery AL received a record eleven inches of snow. Columbia SC received one to two inches of sleet. (4th-6th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
In early December two weeks of mild and rainy weather culminated in the worst flood in fifty years in the Lower Connecticut River Valley. The Merrimack River swelled to its highest level, and in Maine the raging waters swept away mills, carried off bridges, and ruined highways. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A tremendous ice fall occurred at Gay Hill, TX. Ice averaged four to six inches in diameter. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A second great snowstorm in just five days brought another 15 inches of snow to Morristown NJ, on top of the eight inches which fell on the 7th and 8th, and the 18 inches which fell on the 4th and 5th. The total snowfall for the week was thus 41 inches. New Haven CT received 17 inches of new snow in the storm. Up to four four feet of snow covered the ground in eastern Massachusetts following the storms. (9th-10th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe ice storm hit Boston, MA, causing much damage to orchards. (The Weather Channel)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Portland, OR, was drenched with 7.66 inches of rain, a record 24 hour total for that location. (12th-13th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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The first of triple storms hit Massachusetts Bay. The storm produced whole gales, and more than 20 inches of snow in interior New England. There was great loss of life at Gloucester MA. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
New England experienced one of their coldest days of record. At noon on that bitterly cold Wednesday the mercury stood at four degrees below at Boston, 15 degrees below at Norfolk CT, and 17 degrees below at Hanover NH. The temperature at Boston was 12 degrees below zero by sunset. Gale force winds accompanied the severe cold, and that night a great New York City fire destroyed much of the financial district. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A three week blockade of snow began at Portland, OR. A record December total of 34 inches was received. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The Continental Army moved into encampment at Valley Forge amidst stormy winds and piercing cold. A relatively moderate winter followed. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A famous cold wave occurred in central Illinois. A cold front with 70 mph winds swept through at Noon dropping the temperature from 40 degrees to near zero in a matter of minutes. Many settlers froze to death. Folklore told of chickens frozen in their tracks and men frozen to saddles. Ice in streams reportedly froze to six inches in a few hours. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Portland, OR, was buried under a record 27.5 inches of snow. (21st-24th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The second of triple December storms hit the northeastern U.S. The storm produced 25 inches of snow at Gettysburg, PA, and gales in New England, but only produced light snow along the coast. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A cold storm hit Long Island sound with a foot of snow, gale force winds, and temperatures near zero. During the storm many ships were wrecked, and in some cases entire crews perished. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
Extreme cold gripped the Upper Midwest on Christmas Eve. Downtown Chicago reported an all-time record low of 23 degrees below zero, which stood until January 1982, and Minneapolis MN reached 38 below. The afternoon high at Minneapolis was 17 degrees below zero. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
George Washington crossed the ice clogged Delaware River. He marched on Trenton in the midst of snow and sleet thus surprising and capturing many of the British garrison. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A post Christmas storm in New York and Vermont produced record storm totals of 30 inches at Burlington, VT, and 39 inches at Montpelier VT. A public emergency was declared in Vermont. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
An Atlantic coast storm produced a record 18.6 inches of snow at Norfolk, VA, including 17.7 inches in 24 hours. The storm also produced 9.5 inches of snow at Raleigh NC, and brought snow to northern Florida for the first time in 35 years. (26th- 28th)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The third storm in two weeks hit the northeastern U.S. It brought two more feet of snow to Hartford, CT, and Worcester, MA. Whole gales swept the coast causing many wrecks. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Dayville, OR, hit 81 degrees to establish a state record for December. (The Weather Channel)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A very heavy snowstorm ushered in the "winter of the deep snow." The storm produced 30 inches of snow at Peoria IL and 36 inches at Kansas City MO. Cold and snow continued until the middle of February causing great suffering among pioneers. (David Ludlum)"
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
A severe freeze hit Florida destroying fruit and causing considerable damage to trees. (David Ludlum)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
|
The temperature at Charlotte, NC, plunged to an all-time record cold reading of 5 degrees below zero, a record which was equalled on the 21st of January in 1985. (The Weather Channel)
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1970 |
56 yrs ago |
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