JULY WEATHER HISTORY FOR 21ST - 31ST
http://www.examiner.com/weather-in-wilmington/charlie-wilson
Charlie Wilson Wilmington Weather ExaminerSubscribeSponsor an Examiner A member of the American Meteorological Society, 
Charlie Wilson has combined his knowledge of Meteorology & Weather History with his Education background in Communications.
 (Ref. Charlie Wilson Weather History) 
----------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 21st: 1911 The temperature at Painter, WY dipped to 10°to equal the record low for July for the continental U.S. 1930 Millsboro set Delaware’s all-time record high temperature with 110°. 1934 The all-time high temperature record for Ohio was established with a reading of 113° near the town of Gallipolis. The temperature reached 109° at Cincinnati, OH to cap their hottest summer of record. A brutal heat wave peaks during the Dust Bowl summer with a high of 104° at Grand Rapids, MI second only to the 106 and 108 degree readings from July 1936. Temperatures reached the mid and upper 90s even right along the Lake Michigan shore 1942 This is the only occurrence Miami, FL has ever seen 100°. 1944 Finland's wettest day on record occurred as 7.82 inches of rain fell in less than 24 hours at Espoo, Lahnus. 1947 Holt, MO set a world’s record of 12 inches of rain in just 42 minutes. 1975 Six inches of rain fell across Mercer County, New Jersey in just 10 hours causing the worst flooding in 20 years. Assunpink Creek crested 11 feet above flood stage at Hamilton and Trenton, the highest level on 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 1,000 people homeless and caused an estimated $25 million dollars damage. 1979 Parts of Lancaster County into the west central Chester County, Pennsylvania region was hit with torrential rain during the morning, with most of the rain falling in about 5 hours. In Chester County, Newlinville received 8.11 inches and Valley Township 7.56 inches. 1983 The all-time record low temperature for the world was recorded at Vostok, Antarctica (elev. 11,200 feet) when the mercury plummeted to -128.6°. Though unconfirmed, readings could have been as low as -132° in their winter of 1997. An F2 tornado destroyed 2 trailer homes near Hartly, DE, during the early evening, killing two people and injuring 9 others. An F3 tornado hit Stafford's Manahawkin section, in Long Beach Township, NJ. It crossed Barnegat Bay and destroyed a bayside home, and damaged others. 1986 A tremendous heat wave continued across the South. This was the 15th day in a row with 100° plus degree readings at Columbia, SC. Macon, GA topped out at 106° to set a record. It was also the 10th consecutive day with 100° degree plus heat at Macon. 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 $4 million dollars damage, and high winds which toppled a couple of 80 foot towers cutting off power to the town of Blanchard. During the afternoon, an unusually severe thunderstorm moved northeast through northwest Wyoming and spawned the highest elevation F4 tornado ever documented. The tornado touched down in the Teton Wilderness Area, and created a massive blow down of trees as it travel north northeast. The distance traveled was 24.3 miles and ended along the Yellowstone River in the southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park. The path averaged 1.5 miles in width, reaching a maximum width of 2.5 miles. A rare cold air mass invaded southern California. Palomar Mountain dropped to 39°, their coldest July reading on record. Many locations set record low maximums as temperatures didn’t get out of the 70’s during the afternoon. One exception was Palm Springs as they set a record low maximum of 95°. The highest elevation F4 tornado ever observed cut a 24 mile path through the Teton Wilderness. At one point, the damage path was 2 miles wide. 15,000 acres of trees were blown down. Many of the trees were mature 80-100 foot pine trees. 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°to an afternoon high of 95°. Fallon, NV reported an all-time record high of 108°, and Death Valley, CA reported their sixth straight day of 120 degree heat. 1989 Afternoon thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 92 mph at Jacksonville, damaging 13 light planes at Herlong Field. Several cities in Texas reported record low temperatures for the date. Corpus Christi, TX equaled their record low for the date with a reading of 71°, and then tied their record high for the date that afternoon with a reading of 97°. 1991 100 degree readings are not common in Rhode Island, but the mercury topped out at 102° at Providence on this day, the second day in a row that the thermometer reached the century mark. It was also 101° at Windsor Locks, CT. Boston, MA recorded their warmest overnight low ever of 81°. 1993 The Mississippi River crested at 46.9 feet at St. Louis MO, easily breaking the old record of 43.2 feet established in the 1973 flood. The 11 mile long, 52 foot high flood wall kept water out of the city center. In spite of all the damage the flood did, it is estimated that without all of the flood-control measures in place today, the price tag from the flood would have easily doubled its astronomical $20 billion total. The record crest would be topped again on August 1st. The heavy rainfall that occurred earlier in the month set the stage for what became the flood of the century in Iowa. The city of Des Moines was very hard hit. At the peak of the flooding, nearly 35,000 households were without electricity and 50,000 were without power. Water service was out for 250,000 people, which is the largest water outage in United States history. Losses to the businesses in Des Moines were estimated at $800 million dollars, from physical damage to the buildings and lost business. Other damage in Des Moines included $30 million dollars to homes, $75 million dollars to the levee system and $20 million dollars to the water treatment plant. Damage to West Des Moines was also well over $30 million dollars. Crop damage was extensive as 6.5 million acres of cropland were damaged by the flood. In addition, Interstates 80 and 35 were closed for a time due to flooding on the Raccoon, Des Moines and Skunk Rivers. Heavy rains in and around west central and central Kansas caused the Walnut Creek to flood through Rush county. Flooding began during the morning hours. Most homes in Alexander had flooded basements. Water covered highway 96 between Alexander and Nekoma. Highway 183 south of Rush Center was covered by 20 inches of water and was closed to most traffic. Several families were evacuated as three feet of water covered most streets in Timken. The Timken post office, mid state coop, Timken seed company, and six residential blocks were flooded. The Big Timber Creek went out of its banks south of Liebenthal and flooded highway 183. A highway construction project at the Big Timber Creek was completely under water. Flood conditions ended by 10 am on the 24th. Heavy rains across west-central and central Kansas from July 18th to July 24th caused flooding along the Pawnee River from Burdett to Larned. 1997 Extreme flooding occurred over Baldwin County, Alabama as the remnants of Hurricane Danny drifted slowly northeastward after dumping 30 inches of rain over coastal Alabama. The worst flooding occurred around the Fish River where 500 homes were damaged. Okanagan, British Columbia Canada reported a hailstorm that caused $100 million dollars damage as it ripped through the orchards of the Okanagan Valley. Nearly 40% of the fruit crop was deemed unsuitable for fresh market. Winds gusted to 62 mph, which capsized boats in the interior lakes and cause power outages and traffic accidents. 1998 Dallas, TX saw its 16th consecutive day above 100°. 1999 The Cedar River in Charles City, IA reached its all-time crest of an estimated 22.8 feet. Approximately 100 homes had flood damage in Charles City. Elsewhere across Chickasaw and Floyd counties, nearly every creek, stream and river was at bankfull and flooding. Many roads were impassible. Almost 12 ionches of rain fell in a 48 hours period over these counties. Rainfall totals that day: New Hampton, IA: 7.10 inches (wettest day on record), Charles City, IA: 6.65 inches, West Union, IA: 4 inches, Richland Center, WI: 3.73 inches, Waucoma, IA: 3.7 inches, Spillville, IA: 3.15 inches and Necedah, WI with 3.12. 2001 Thunderstorms formed along a lake breeze in northeast Illinois during the late afternoon and evening. Some damage occurred across Will and Cook Counties, but the main damage was from torrential rainfall. The heaviest rain fell across southwest Cook County, extreme northeast Will County, and central DuPage County. Water burst through a basement foundation in Tinley Park, filling the basement and topping out at 6 feet 11 inches deep. Several homes in Orland Park and Tinley Park had 2 to 4 feet of water in basements. Streets were also flooded in these areas. Some rainfall totals from the event include 3.08 inches in Olympia Fields, 2.79 inches in Park Forest, 2.30 inches in Winfield, and 2.03 inches in Glenwood. There were no reports of injuries. 2003 Cheyenne, WY recorded its last of 10 consecutive days with a high temperature of at least 90°, their longest such streak on record. 2004 Extreme heat settled across British Columbia breaking 63 maximum temperature records from Vancouver Island to Fort St. John through the 23rd. Lytton hit 108° on the 23rd for the provincial hot spot. 2006 An unusual heat wave in western Washington broke five maximum temperature records: Vancouver at 104°; Olympia at 100°; Seattle at 97° and Hoquiam at 90°. In California, San Francisco International Airport's high of 83° broke a 52-year-old record of 80°. Widespread damaging winds, estimated around 90 mph, raked most of Jefferson County in south central Illinois. The city of Mt. Vernon was especially hard hit, where about 14% of all homes received at least minor damage. Several thousand trees were blown down, landing on cars, power lines, roads, and houses. In Mt. Vernon, damage assessments indicated 1,107 homes were affected by some type of damage. 491 homes received minor damage such as roofs blown off, 152 received major damage, and 18 were destroyed. The remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl soaked southern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Canada. Fredericton, New Brunswick reported close to 2.5 inches of rain. Strong wind gusts exceed 60 mph on the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia. 2008 On this date through the 22nd, Tropical Storm Cristobal drenched Nova Scotia, dumping an entire month's worth of rain on some areas in less than 24 hours. Baccaro Point in southwestern Nova Scotia received the most rain in the province, with 6.5 inches. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 22nd: 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. 1920 A powerful tornado destroyed farm property near Alameda, Saskatchewan Canada. The winds reportedly stripped the hair off 16 horses and tossed a 1,984 lb stallion about 1,000 yards. 1926 Troy recorded New York's hottest temperature ever as the mercury soared to 108°. It was also 105° at Waterbury to establish the state record high for Connecticut at that time. This record was broken on 7/15/1995. 1956 Las Vegas, NV was plagued by power outages, flooded streets, skidding autos and screaming sirens as thunderstorms hit the city and surrounding areas. The heavy downpour covered the entire Las Vegas Valley. Power outages hit various sections of the city as lines were blown down by strong winds. Las Vegas residents became alarmed when air raid sirens atop the County Courthouse began blaring away at the height of the storm. The siren was touched off by a short circuit in the alarm system caused by the rain. 1959 Two one-hundredths of an inch of rain was recorded ending a streak of 150 days with no measurable precipitation at Las Vegas, NV. 1972 Minnesota registered their record maximum 24 hour precipitation as 10.84 inches of rain fell at Fort Ripley. 1982 Laramie, WY equaled their record warmest temperature on record with 94° (8/5/1979 and 6/23/1954). 1986 Hurricane Estelle passed 120 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands creating surf up to 20 feet high. 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. 1987 BarrowAK received 1.38 inches of rain in 24 hours ending on this date, an all-time record for that location. Their average annual precipitation 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. 1988 Several cities in the south central U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Pueblo, CO with a reading of 48°. Thunderstorms over the Atlantic Coast Region drenched Wilmington, NC with 6.49 inches of rain in about 8 hours. Dust devils are not a unique phenomenon, but usually they stay extremely small. This was not the case in Dickinson County, Iowa where a very strong dust devil developed on the edge of LakeOkoboji. It picked up whole sections of several docks and swept away all of the loose dirt in the area. Winds were estimated in excess of 60 mph. 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 19 mobile homes. 2006 A major heat wave with humidity, in some ways unprecedented, hit Southern California. It was 121° in Palm Springs, 120° at Indio and Thermal, 114° at Ontario and 113° at El Cajon. It was 112° at Escondido and 109° in La Mesa; both were record highs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 23rd: On a year-round basis, the lightning strike capital of the United States is found around Tampa Bay, FL. But on any given day the lightning "hot spot" could be almost anywhere east of the Sierras. Some Midwestern thunderstorms can unleash 50,000 or more strikes during a lifetime of only several hours. 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. 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. 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. 1975 Severe thunderstorms affected parts of northern and central Illinois. In Peoria, winds gusting to 85 mph knocked over trees. Two tornadoes affected Fulton County. The first passed through mainly rural areas. The second tornado caused major damage in Canton, where 127 businesses and 100 homes were destroyed. 300 other homes and 100 trailers were damaged; total damages were around $20 million dollars. Two people were killed as the tornado moved through a mobile home park. Power lines were downed during the storm; some areas were without power until the 28th. 1979 Intense thunderstorms dumped copious amounts of rainfall over the western parts of Oklahoma. Rainfall amounts were quite impressive, including reports of up to 7 inches just north of Arapaho, in Custer County. Four inches of rain fell in just one hour east of Arapaho and two inches of rain fell in only 30 minutes in Clinton. Many creeks and rivers were quickly forced out of their banks by the heavy rainfall. Floods covered the Arapaho-Weatherford Road with as much as 4 feet of water. More than 5 inches of rain fell in the Taloga area of Dewey County, causing Highway 183 to be inundated by one to two feet of flood water. 1985 Tropical Storm Bob moved across south Florida from Ft. Myers to just north of Palm Beach. The storm then turned north and moved northeast of Florida. The storm did minor damage to roofs and downed some trees, mainly on Florida’s west coast. Rainfall amounts ranged up to 13 inches at Naples. Tides 3 to 5 feet above normal isolated Sanibel Island and Marco Island and flooded streets in Naples and Everglades City. Several beaches suffered erosion from Port Charlotte to Marco Island. 1987 Thunderstorms produced a record 10 inches of rain in 6.5 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 $5 million dollars damage. Baseball size hail was reported at Olivia, MN. 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 6.50 inches the previous day. 1989 Morning thunderstorms in the central U.S. drenched central Oklahoma with up to 6 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 damaging 38 mobile homes, 7 condominiums, 20 apartments,11 commercial buildings, 37 boats, and l5 travel trailerscausing nearly three quarters of a million dollars damage. 1995 At Dodge City, KS thunderstorm winds to 100 mph caused extensive damage to fences. One filling station canopy was downed and it landed on two occupied vehicles but there were no injuries. One roof was taken off a house with debris scattered several hundred yards. A large storage shed was heavily damaged with two motor homes inside receiving extensive damage. Debris was carried one quarter of a mile. 1997 Tornadoes hit South Carolina in wake of dying Hurricane Danny, including one that leveled a duplex apartment and killed one person. A Charlotte, NC, railroad trestle gave way, plunging a CSX locomotive into Little Sugar Creek. Crew members escaped unharmed. 6.88 inches of rain fell in Charlotte, breaking the 24 hour record of 5.91 inches in July 1944. A record 6.14 inches fell between midnight and 2pm Up to 10 inches fell in other parts of south-central North Carolina. 2003 A large 594 decameter heat ridge dominated from the Rockies to the West Coast bringing record heat. Boise, ID hit 107° setting a new record is set for the number of consecutive days with temperatures above 100° at nine. Other daily record highs included: Billings, MT: 107°, Winnemucca, NV: 107°, Helena, MT: 104°, Salt Lake City, UT: 104°, Great Falls, MT: 103°, Missoula, MT: 103°, Burns, OR: 103°, Kalispell, MT: 101° and Lander, WY: 100°. 2004 A large upper level ridge brought record heat to parts of the west and western Canada. Victoria, British ColumbiaCanadahit 96° at the Gonzales Heights Observatory, the hottest day in the 100-year record at that location. Other daily record highs included: Portland, OR: 103°, Olympia, WA: 99°, Astoria, OR: 96° and Quillayute, WA: 93°. 2006 This was the peak of an intense July heat wave that affected much of California thanks to an intense upper level heat ridge. Fresno set a daily record with 113°. This was the hottest reading since 7/27/1933. An all-time record high minimum was set with 90°. In Lemoore, 10,000 customers lost power for up to four hours. In all, 46 deaths were reported with 18 injuries. Stockton, CA & Yakima, WA set their July high temperature records with 115° & 109° respectively. Eugene, OR tied their July record with 105°. Other daily record highs included: Phoenix, AZ: 114°, Redding, CA: 114°, Sacramento, CA: 111°, Lewiston, ID: 109°, Medford, OR: 107°, Spokane, WA: 102°, Casper, WY: 100°, Los Angeles (Civic Center), CA: 97°, Santa Maria, CA: 90° and Los Angeles, (LAX), CA: 88°. 2008 A waterspout formed at about 4pm just off Rumstick Point near Barrington, RI then moved inland as a tornado in Warren before moving into the Ocean Grove section of Swansea, MA. The tornado's path was estimated at 4.2 miles long and 40 yards wide. No injuries were reported, but damage to trees, power lines and houses was reported. 2009 The temperature soared to 118° in the Algerian community of Relizane. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 24th: 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. 1930 A tornado cut a 50 mile long swath of damage through the Treviso-Udine area of northeastern Italy killing 23 people. 1931 Searing heat prevailed in the San Joaquin Valley in California. Many locations saw highs of 110°or better from the 21st through the 26th. Highs on this date reached 114°at Bakersfield, 113°at Hanford, 112°at Madera and 111°Wasco. 1934 A terrible heat wave settled over much of the Midwest. South Bend, IN and Chicago, IL set their all-time high temperature records of 109°and 105°respectively. Lansing, MI equaled their all-time high temperature of 102°. Grand Rapids hits 103°, part of a string of five out of six days at or above 100°. 1936 All-time record high temperatures were established for Kansas with 121° at Alton and Nebraska with 118° at Minden. 1942 The temperature at Las Vegas, NV hit 117°to set an all-time record for that location. 1947 One of the most powerful strokes of lightning ever measured yielded 345,000 amps of electricity at Pittsburgh, PA. 1979 Claudette, a slow moving 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. 1987 Many cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. The high of 91° at Beckley, WV was their hottest reading in 25 years of records, and marked their 3rd straight day of record 90 degree heat. Other record highs included: Baltimore, MD: 97°, Dulles Airport, VA: 97°, Milton, MA: 96°, Hartford, CT: 96°, Washington, D.C.: 96°, Portland, ME: 95°, Burlington, VT: 95°, Philadelphia, PA: 95°, Wilmington, DE: 95°, Providence, RI: 94°, Atlantic City, NY: 93°and Bridgeport, CT: 92°. Bakersfield, CA dipped to 60°, marking their 8th straight morning of record cool weather. 1989 Afternoon thunderstorms produced flash flooding in parts of New Mexico. Albuquerque was deluged with 1.50 inches of rain in 40 minutes. Evening thunderstorms soaked White Pine, PA with two inches of rain in one hour. 1993 A severe thunderstorm struck southern Hyde County, including the city of Highmore, with winds in excess of 60 mph and heavy rains of 2 to 4 inches. Near Stephan, an estimated 4 inches of rain fell in 20 minutes causing flood damage around a bridge. 3 to 9 inches of rain caused widespread flash flooding and flood damage to Day, Roberts, and southeastern Marshall Counties. Especially hard hit was an area from Webster, northeastward through the Pickerell and Buffalo Lakes area, to Sisseton. A state of emergency was declared in Sisseton. The heavy rains overwhelmed a small creek that flows through Sisseton, swelling it to three blocks wide and up to 5 feet deep. The rushing water carried lumber, railroad ties, propane tanks, and several vehicles. Flood damage occurred to 70% of all buildings in Sisseton, including 100 homes. Roads and bridge damage was also extensive in Roberts, Day, and Marshall Counties with about 50 roads and bridges in Day County damaged by the flooding. Areas lakes, including Pickerell, Blue Dog, Enemy Swim, and Buffalo lakes rose over two feet, inundating areas around lake homes and submerging docks. Some estimated storm total rainfall amounts included: 4.60 inches at Webster; 3.91 at Waubay; 3.90 at Britton; and 3.60 inches near Ashton. During the late afternoon and evening hours thunderstorms exploded over southeast Nebraska. The atmosphere was extremely moist and unstable and copious amounts of rainfall occurred over parts of Nebraska. The line of thunderstorms then advanced into Iowa at nearly 60 mph. An amazing two inches of rain fell in 30 minutes at Council Bluffs. Winds of 70 mph or greater were widespread across western Iowa. 75 mph winds also struck southeast of Treynor. Structural damage was reported. 1995 Severe thunderstorms slashed through west and south Oklahoma City, OK just after midnight, leaving 175,000 people without power. Cleanup from downed trees took several weeks. Will Rogers Airport reported a wind gust of 97 mph. Madrid, Spain's hottest day on record occurred as the high peaked at 108°. 1996 Tropical storm Cesar formed near the north coast of Venezuela, becoming the first July storm to ever develop here. Cesar reached hurricane intensity on July 28th before hitting Nicaragua. Cesar crossed Central America and was renamed Douglas in the eastern Pacific. It regained hurricane force the next day, continuing westward into early August. A wet microburst centered over eastern Presidio, TX caused extensive damage over portions of the city. The winds destroyed 7 mobile homes and damaged up to 50 homes, businesses, and a school. Wind estimates put the speeds at up to 100 mph in the worst damage. Eight families were left homeless after the storm. Power was out for about 5.5 hours in parts of the city. On this date through the 26th, surf 7 to 10 feet high with sets to 12 feet was generated by an intense south Pacific winter storm south of Tahiti. More than 500 rescues were made at southern California beaches. 1998 A severe thunderstorm formed near Sloan and moved north into the Las Vegas Valley in Nevada. Lightning from the storm struck five rescue personnel as they rendered aid to occupants of an overturned truck along Interstate 15 near Sloan. As the storm moved north, outflow winds estimated at 65-70 mph were observed by a NWS meteorologist near Lake Mead Drive and Interstate 15. Before dissipating, the thunderstorm produced another lightning strike which set fire to an apartment building in Henderson. 2002 Sydney, Australia's second longest dry spell on record came to an end. This dry spell lasting 34 days started on June 20. Normally 5.11 inches of rain falls in June and 3.90 inches in July. 2005 Excessive heat and humidity occurred across the Midwest during the second part of July. Daytime temperatures ranged from the mid 90s to around 105°, with heat index values of 105°to 115°. On this date, Peoria, IL reported their first 100 degree day in 10 years with a high of 104°, which was its warmest reading since a 105° temperature in July 1988. The dry conditions across the region helped to temper the stifling humidity that normally occurs across this area during the summer. 2007 Coronach, Saskatchewan Canada’s afternoon temperature soared to 107° and an automated weather station at Rockglen, Saskatchewan hit an unofficial high of 115°. Had that reading been official, it would have exceeded Canada’s highest temperature ever. Miles City, MT hit 110° for the second consecutive day. This was not only a daily record high but their second highest temperature ever recorded. The low of 79° set an all-time record high minimum. 2008 A tornado fluctuated between the category EF1 and the more destructive EF2 struck Northwood and Pittsfield in central New Hampshire as well as 9 other towns. It first touched down in Deerfield, then travels through Northwood, Epsom, Pittsfield, Barnstead and Alton. From there, it raged through New Durham, Wolfeboro, Freedom, Ossipee and Effingham. The storm destroyed several homes, damaged dozens of others and killed at least one person. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 25th: In the desert southwest, the average high temperature at Yuma, AZ in July reaches to nearly 108° and Death Valley California's average high temperature in July is an unbearable 116°. How do these average July high temperatures stack up to a couple of other warm locations around the world? Cairo Egypt's average high temperature in July is just 91°and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia averages about 109°. By the way, Cairo Egypt averages a paltry 1.1 inches of rain per year. 1609 The Jamestown expedition nearly came to an untimely end as the fleet of ships encountered a tropical storm while sailing northwest through the Bahamas. One of the nine ships sunk and the rest of the fleet scattered as far north as Bermuda. 1891 The mercury hit 109° at Los Angeles, CA marking the peak of a torrid heat wave. This city also saw readings of 103° on the 24th and 100° on the 25th. 1933 Japan's hottest temperature on record occurred as the city of Yamagata hit 105°. 1936 Lincoln, NE set an all-time record high temperature with 115°. The overnight low only dropped to 91°. Omaha, NE set their all-time record high of 114°. 1952 The State of Alabama was in the midst of a critical heat wave and drought. During an 8-day stretch, the "coolest" high temperature in Birmingham was 99°. The heat peaked on this date at 106°. This was just one degree short of the highest temperature ever recorded at Birmingham. During that heat wave and drought, some wells in Alabama went dry for the very first time. 1956 The Andrea Doria sank in dense fog near Nantucket Lightship, MA. The ship was rammed by the Swedish-American liner, Stockholm, 45 miles off the coast of Massachusetts. 52 people were killed. 1979 Tropical Storm Claudette produced phenomenal rainfall totals in southeast Texas. 43 inches fell in 24 hours around Alvin; setting a U.S. record. Freeport reported a total of 30 inches. Total damage from flooding was over $400 million dollars. 1984 Severe thunderstorms moved from Corson County in north central South Dakota to Tripp County in the south central part of the state. The hardest hit area was the state capital of Pierre. Winds gusting to 83 mph demolished 13 planes and several hangers at the Pierre airport. In town, a home and three businesses lost their roofs and a trailer was destroyed. The thunderstorm also produced very heavy rains as 4 inches of rain fell in 30 minutes flooding streets across town. Winds in excess of 70 mph caused crop and property damage in many areas across central South Dakota. 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 thunderstorms produced up to 10 inches of rain north of Huron. The 4.98 inches that Huron received was highest 24-hour amount ever recorded in the month of July. 60 mph winds also battered the city causing damage to several buildings. 1987 Many cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Beckley, WV equaled their all-time record high of 91°, established just the previous day. It marked their 4th day in a row of 90° heat, after hitting 90°just twice in the previous 25 years of records. The water temperature of Lake Erie at Buffalo, NY reached 79°, the warmest reading in 52 years of records breaking the previous record of 78 set on 8/12, 13 & 14/1949. 1988 Thunderstorms produced severe weather from central Kansas to western Kentucky and southern Illinois during the day. Thunderstorms produced tennis ball size hail at Union, MO, and winds gusts to 65 mph at Sedalia, MO. Several cities in Washington and Oregon reported record high temperatures for the date. Medford, OR hit 107°. A winter storm with a central pressure of 28.35 inHg brought heavy rains to Tasmania, Australia. The Branxholm dam threatened to collapse. Coastal areas were flooded by high tides and storm surge. 1989 Early afternoon thunderstorms over west central Missouri drenched the town of Ferguson with 4 inches of rain. Early evening thunderstorms in Pennsylvania produced more than 2 inches of rain north of Avella in one hour. 1990 Intense, slow-moving thunderstorms, dumped up to 11 inches of rain in just 6 hours at Lawton, OK. The flash flooding closed many roads, and 50 to 60 motorists had to be rescued when they became stranded in the high water. 1992 Grapefruit sized hail knocked windshields out of several cars about 9.5 miles northeast of Scott City, KS. 1993 LakeKampeska, near Watertown, SD reached near record level at 37 inches over full mark due to runoff from heavy rains in previous days. Dozens of homes and two businesses were flooded out. About 100,000 sandbags were distributed to help prevent more flood damage to lakeside property owners. 1994 Hurricane Gilma, like Emilia a week earlier, reached Category 5 strength in the Eastern Pacific Basin. Amazing considering up to that time, only four other category 5 storms were observed dating back to 1949. 1998 Thunderous rains unleashed dangerous flash flooding from northeast Kansas through central Missouri during the overnight hours. Kansas City was especially hard hit with the suburb of Independence reporting 6.5 inches of rain, most of it falling in a matter of a few hours. Thunderstorms produced 2 to 3 inches of rain over parts of Banner and Cheyenne counties of the Nebraska panhandle, with local amounts around 4.5 inches. This produced flash flooding which closed some county roads, and put 6 to 18 inches of water on some streets in Sidney, NE. 2000 An F4 tornado at Granite Falls, MN caused one fatality and $20 million dollars in damage. 2003 Lightning struck a home during an overnight thunderstorm southwest of Oslo, Norway. The charge moved into the bedroom and through an iron bed, as a Norwegian couple was sleeping on it. The couple was unharmed, but the lightning strike burned out all of the electric sockets. 2004 It was an unseasonably cool summer day across Oklahoma and western north Texas, as temperatures averaged 15 to 20 degrees below average. Record low maximum temperatures were set at Oklahoma City, OK and Wichita Falls, TX as temperatures only warmed up to 75° and 73° respectively. 2005 Residents of Sand Point, AK population: 908 looked across Popof Strait to nearby Unga Island and saw a very rare tornado touch its uninhabited mountains. Sand Point is on Popof Island, one of a dozen or so Shumagin Islands at the start of the Aleutian Chain, 570 miles southwest of Anchorage near the tip of the Alaska Peninsula. 2006 It was the hottest day during the current heat wave in central California. Some record highs included: Delano: 116°, Three Rivers: 116°, Wasco: 114°, China Lake Naval Air Station: 113°, Fresno: 113°, Bakersfield: 112°, Inyokern: 112°, Friant Dam: 112°, Bass Lake: 107°, Yosemite Valley: 104° and Giant Forest: 84°. 2007 On the southern tip of James Bay in Ontario Canada, the town of Moosonee had an afternoon temperature of 95°. At Argos, Lamia, Serres and Eleusis, near Athens, Greece the temperature soared to 113°. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 26th: July 26th is Hurricane Supplication Day on the island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Residents pray for protection from the monstrous storms on this date. 1819 Twin cloudbursts of 15 inches of torrential rain struck almost simultaneously at Catskill, NY and Westfield, MA. Flash flooding resulted in enormous erosion. 1874 A 30 minute cloud burst over Pittsburgh, PA caused flash flooding which killed more than 133 people. 1875 A windstorm, possibly a tornado, ripped through Erie, PA killing 134 people and causing $500,000 dollars damage. 1890 A powerful F3 tornado raked Lawrence, MA at 9:10am over its 11 mile trek, killing eight people and injuring 63 others. The storm destroyed 35 homes and damaged 60 others. Storms of this strength and occurring at this early hour are very rare in New England. 1897 Jewell, MD received 14.75 inches of rain; a 24-hour rainfall record for Maryland. 1921 On the summit of Mt. Wellenkuppe, in Switzerland, the temperature reached 100 degrees by 10 am. The summit has an elevation of 12,830 feet and was covered in snow. 1943 Tishomingo, OKbaked in the heat as the mercury soared to 121°. This temperature went down in the record books as the hottest temperature for the state of Oklahoma. 1957 One of the wettest 24 hour periods on record in Japan ended on this date as 43.70 inches fell at Saigo in the Nagasaki prefecture in the northwestern part of the southern Japanese island Kyushu. This area is prone to very heavy rain, and during the 24 hour period several stations registered more than 30 inches. 1970 Sydney, Australia's second longest dry spell on record came to an end. This dry spell lasted 34 days starting on June 23. Normally 5.11 inches of rain falls in June and 3.90 inches in July. 1977 Canadian high pressure brought record cold temperatures to parts of the Great Lakes region. Record lows included: Madison, WI: 46°, Muskegon, MI: 46°, Green Bay, WI: 47°, Flint, MI: 48, Toledo, OH: 50°, Detroit, MI: 50° and Springfield, IL: 52°. 1979 The record maximum 24 hour precipitation record for the United States and Texas was set as 43.00 inches of rain fell at Alvin courtesy of Tropical Storm Claudette. 1986 Strong thunderstorms hit north central South Dakota. One of these storms was a very efficient rain producer as it dumped 2.25 inches of rain in 10 minutes near McLaughlin. Strong thunderstorm winds did damage near Mitchell on that same day. The strong winds destroyed a barn, a roof, and windmill in the Mitchell area. 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° at Beckley, WV was their 6th in a row. 1988 Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in the Mid-Atlantic Coast Region, and in the south central U.S. Several cities in the northwestern and north central and northwestern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date including Salem, OR with 103°. 1989 Morning thunderstorms produced heavy rain in southeastern Texas, with more than three inches reported at the Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Chambers County. Evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in Montana, with wind gusts to 62 mph reported at Helena. Several cities from Maine to Minnesota reported record high temperatures for the date, including Newark, NJ with 99°. 1993 The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1993: Rising water stopped all rail traffic through Kansas City, MO. A tornado moved along a 4 mile track across parts of northwest Scottsbluff, NE. The tornado destroyed a furniture store and about 8 homes, with about $3 million dollars in damage. Pueblo, CO set a record low of 52° and a record high of 101°. 2000 A line of thunderstorms developed in Iowa and pushed southward into northwest Missouri. The early storms produced large hail in the northwest corner of Missouri. Wind gusts in excess of 70 mph and widespread wind damage occurred from the St. Joseph area southward to the Kansas City metro and other locations in west central Missouri. The highway department reported downed trees up to 4 feet in diameter, and a tree blown down onto a car. A 90-foot flagpole was broken. A building under construction in an industrial park sustained over $1 million dollars in damage. 2001 Up to 8 inches of rain fell in about 3 to 4 hours across Copiah County, Mississippi. Many roads were flooded, and several residences and businesses sustained water damage. One culvert under a road was completely washed out by flood waters. Various portions of Rankin County had significant flooding. In Pearl, at least three homes were flooded and water covered a number of roads. Several roads had to be closed. Several cars became nearly submerged by the flood waters. Flooding also caused road closures in the Florence and Flowood areas. Water also covered several roads and came over the top of drainage ditches in portions of Brandon where up to six inches of rain fell in a few hours. 2004 Several record low temperatures were set across the south-central Plains. Gage, OK dropped to 48°, breaking their record low by nine degrees. Ponca City, OK dropped to 56°, breaking a record by 5 degrees, while Hobart, OK dropped to 58°, breaking their record by seven degrees. Wichita Falls, TX broke a record that stood for 80 years, with a low temperature of 63°, and Oklahoma City, OK tied a record standing 93 years, by registering the same temperature of 63°. 2005 Tens of thousands of people were stranded as 37.1 inches of rain fell in one day in suburban Bombay, India. The heaviest rainfall ever recorded in India shut down the financial hub snapped communication lines and closed airports. 2006 The low temperature for the day at Death Valley National Park, CA bottomed out at 104°. The day's high was 116°. Fresno, CA recorded their 5th straight night with a minimum temperature of 80° or better. This is their longest such streak on record. 2009 Since June 12th, San Antonio registered 31 days with temperatures of 100° or higher. Across the Rio Grande Valley, extreme heat in McAllen this month has been staggering with 20 days of record-setting high temperatures. This day made it the 11th day in a row that new record highs were set. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 27th: 1819 The Bay St. Louis Hurricane of 1819 made landfall on the Mississippi Coast very near where Hurricane Camille landed in 1969. The storm caused heavy damage all the way to Mobile, AL. 175 people perished in the storm. 1926 A hurricane made landfall near Jupiter, FL with winds of 90 mph during the morning hours and moved inland, weakened to a tropical storm and reached the Florida/Georgia border west of Jacksonville late on the 28th. The hurricane caused $2.5 million dollars damage in eastern Florida, including the Jacksonville area. 1939 The temperature at Lewiston, ID hit 117°to establish an all-time record high for that location. 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. 1983 Both Germany and Austria suffered their hottest day on record. Temperatures reached 104° at Gärmersdorf bei Amberg, Germany and 104° in Dellach im Drautal, Austria. 1987 Thunderstorms in Minnesota spawned a tornado which moved in a southwesterly direction for a distance of 30 miles across Rice County and Goodhue County. Trees were uprooted and tossed, 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 on record. 1988 Hot weather prevailed across the north central U.S. Record highs included: Williston, ND: 108° and Fargo, ND: 105°. 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. 1989 Thunderstorms produced locally heavy rains in the southwestern U.S. Yuma, AZ experienced their most severe thunderstorm on 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 of dollars. 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. 1990 A total of 1.76 inches of rain fell in 25 minutes during the morning at Redfield, SD followed by a tornado in the afternoon. Marble Rock, IA was drenched with a record July total of 3.50 inches. 1993 Flood crests from the Missouri and Kansas Rivers pushed toward Kansas City, MO at the same time, prompting fears that the crests would arrive simultaneously, pushing water over the city's flood control levees. Fortunately, the crests arrived six hours apart, with water levels just lapping at the tops of the levees. 1995 A heat wave began on this date across the southwest and continued through the 29th. Record highs included: Coachella, CA: 120°, Phoenix, AZ: 118°, San Jacinto, CA: 113°, Tucson, AZ: 113°, Riverside, CA: 112°, Banning, CA: 111°, Moreno Valley, CA: 111°, Sun City, CA: 111° and Yucaipa: 110° and Winslow, AZ: 103°. A male tourist from Ohio drowned in a rip current at Lake Worth Beach, FL. Strong easterly winds associated with the approach of Tropical Storm Erin caused the rip current. 1996 Orlando, FL residents had a record morning low of 71° followed by a record high at 97°. 6.68 inches of rain fell at Oak Grove, AL, west of Birmingham. 1998 Extreme heat reached up into western Canada. The high temperature reached 109° at Osoyoos, British Columbia Canada. Across the western U.S. record highs included: Thermal, CA: 123°, Borrego Springs, CA: 119°, Yuma, AZ: 118°, Yakima, WA: 106°, Medford, OR: 106°, Eugene, OR: 105°, Olympia, WA: 99°, Seattle, WA: 95° and Quillayute, WA: 86°. 2001 A severe thunderstorm produced a 100 mph wind gust 8 miles north of Hardin; MT. Several 5 to 6 foot diameter trees were blown down. 2002 A severe weather outbreak produced tornadoes and downburst wind damage across parts of Lower Michigan. A tornado with top winds around 80 mph touched down about one mile east of Augusta in Kalamazoo County. The tornado passed through Fort Custer in western Calhoun County, about one mile northwest of the Battle Creek airport. The damage path was approximately 800 yards wide and path length was 3 miles long. Extensive tree damage occurred in the Fort Custer area and the roof was blown off a firing range shelter. After the tornado ended, downburst damage continued for several more miles in Calhoun County. A severe thunderstorm struck a campground and mobile home park along Swan Lake in southern Allegan County. Trees were blown down onto mobile homes and small boats were blown out of the lake. Two minor injuries occurred. Top winds with the downburst were estimated at 70 mph. Locally heavy thunderstorms and flash flooding affected parts of Ohio. Among the worst hit places were Dayton and Wilmington with 3.77 inches and 3.72 inches of rain respectively. The high temperature in Pahrump, NV reached 101 degrees marking the 34th consecutive day with high temperatures 100° or higher. This remains the all-time record for Pahrump. Frequent thunderstorms had been affecting Italy and the Balkans for several days. On this date, 4.29 inches of rain fell at Bari on Italy's southern Adriatic coast in 30 hours. Their average for the month is just slightly less than an inch. 2008 On this date through the 28th, torrential rains caused widespread floods and mudslides prompting the evacuation of 50,000 people across parts of western Japan. More than 4 inches of rain fell over a two-hour period in places. Hundreds of homes are reported damaged, and four fatalities resulted. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 28th: 1609 The Sea Venture was crippled by a hurricane as it headed to Jamestown, VA with provisions for the starving colonists. The 150 men, women and children found safe shelter on the Bahama Islands, which the captain named Somers Islands after the ship's captain. Most of the colonists moved into Virginia the next year, but the island still celebrates Somers Day each July 28. 1819 A small but intense hurricane passed over Bay Saint Louis, MS. The hurricane was considered the worst in 50 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 39 crew members. The storm struck the same area that was hit 150 years later by Hurricane Camille. 1921 Temperatures reached 103° in Basel, one of Switzerland's hottest days on record. Meanwhile, at the same time there was a heat wave over France. Highs reached 101° at Toulouse and at Paris. Meanwhile, the Netherlands recorded its hottest July day on record when highs reach 98° in Maastricht. 1930 The temperature at Greensburg, KY soared to 114° to set a state record. Bowling Green set their all-time record high with 113°. Bloomington, IN hit 109°. 1934 The temperature at Grofino, ID climbed to 118° to establish a record for Idaho. 1935 Sheridan, WY recorded their all-time record high minimum temperature of 77°. The afternoon high of 106° was their second hottest temperature ever. 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°, with hail was three to four inches deep and drifts close to four feet high. 1958 Moisture from a west-northwest moving tropical storm which dissipated west of central Baja California generated up to two inches of rain across the deserts and mountains of the southwest beginning of this date ending on the 29th. This occurred during the El Nino of 1957-58. 1976 A severe thunderstorm produced a tornado causing F3 damage in Madison County in Illinois. The twister destroyed 11 homes, two churches, and a school in the western part of New Douglas and was responsible for 3 deaths and 30 injuries. 1986 Severe thunderstorms moving out of South Dakota across Iowa produce high winds which derailed 18 piggyback trailer cars of a westbound freight train near Boone, IA. 16 of the cars fell 187 feet into the Des Moines River. A particularly ferocious storm produced a large tornado which crossed into Iowa just 5 miles south of Sioux City. The tornado packing winds estimated between 207 and 260 miles an hour tore into a coal-burning power plant and caused between $25 and $50 million dollars in damage. The tornado continued across farmland before damaging a convenience store and demolishing a motel in Sloan. 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. 1988 Thunderstorms drenched Wilmington, NC with 3.33 inches of rain, bringing their monthly total 14.46 inches. Several cities in Michigan and Minnesota reported record high temperatures for the date. Marquette, MI hit 99°, and the record high of 94° at Flint, MI was their 10th of the month. 1989 Early evening thunderstorms over Florida produced wind gusts to 68 mph at Fort Myers, and evening thunderstorms in South Dakota produced nearly 2 inches of rain in 20 minutes at Pierpoint. 1993 In a macabre incident, hundreds of burial vaults and caskets were dislodged by flood waters at Hardin, MO during the Great Flood of 1993. 1995 A heat wave prevailed across the southwestern U.S. Yuma, AZ reached its all-time high temperature reading with 124°. Palm Springs, CA hit 123° on this date and the 29th tying their all-time record high (7/10/1979 & 8/1/1993). It was 121° at Borrego Springs, CA, their highest temperature on record for July and their second highest temperature ever. Other record highs included: Riverside, CA: 107°, Idyllwild, CA: 95° and Big Bear Lake, CA: 90°. 1997 8 to 10 inches of rain fell across the Spring Creek basin near Fort Collins, CO during the evening hours. The water pooled behind a railroad track bed that acted as a dam, building the water level to a height of 20 feet. When the water began rushing over the top of the track bed, it quickly eroded the earthen embankment, and a wall of water 10 feet to 20 feet high rushed through two trailer parks in the city. 120 mobile homes and 19 houses were destroyed. Damage totaled $200 million dollars. The disaster hit just days before the 21st anniversary of the Big Thompson River flood, which killed 145 people about 20 miles southwest of Fort Collins. 1999 Severe thunderstorms unleashed damaging winds and torrential rain from Mohave Valley to near Oatman, NV. Flood waters blocked roads and produced winds which damaged 45 residential properties and tore the roof completely off a duplex. Several carports and numerous trees and power lines were blown down. In what was described by local residents as the worst flooding in 14 years, severe thunderstorms pounded Needles, CA with damaging winds and torrential rain. Rainfall estimates between 2 and 3 inches in less than one hour inundated and damaged part of a highway and made many local roads impassable. The strong wind gusts destroyed some car ports and downed numerous trees and power lines, further blocking traffic. No injuries were reported. 2000 16 people were injured when Pam Am flight 165, a Boeing 727 traveling from Orlando, FL to Pittsburgh, PA encountered severe clear air turbulence. 2001 Three young girls wading in knee deep water in the inlet between Rockaway and Atlantic Beach in Queens were swept away and drowned as dangerous rip currents funneled through the inlet. 2004 Heavy rain produced flash flooding across western north Texas and south-central Oklahoma. Up to 8 inches of rain fell across Archer and Knox counties, with nearly 5 inches across Wichita and Clay counties. Runoff caused several rivers to spill their banks, including the South Wichita River, which eventually crested nearly 5 feet above flood stage near Benjamin, the 3rd highest crest on record for that site. Ardmore, OK received nearly 5 inches as well, along with flash flooding at the Chickasaw National Recreation Center. 2007 On this date through the 29th, persistent rainfall of 6.5 inches over two days flooded the western Bama region in Burkina Faso, Western Africa. The rains were considered the worst in 16 years destroying hundreds of homes and affected thousands of people. 2009 Victoria, British Columbia Canada smashed their daily record high temperature with 91.2°, exceeding the previous record of 84.9°. Meanwhile on central Vancouver Island, Port Alberni sweltered at 102.7°. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 29th: 1898 The temperature at Prineville, OR soared to 119° to establish a state record, which was tied on the 10th of August at Pendleton. 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 11 inches of rain fell prior to the flood. 1916 Temperatures soared to record highs as a ten day heat wave reached its peak. The 102° at Lansing, MI tied the record for the hottest day ever there. Grand Rapids hit 103°as part of a record string of four consecutive days of 100 degrees or higher. Even the Lake Michigan shore was baking, with Muskegon hitting 95°. Lightning ignited a forest fire that burned down the towns of Cochrane and Matheson, Ontario, Canada killing 233 people. 1930 Mississippi's record high temperature of 115° was set at Holly Springs. Jackson, MS set their all-time record high with 107°. 1960 Severe thunderstorms brought damaging winds, possibly as high as 100 mph to central Oklahoma. Two airports in Oklahoma City suffered significant damage. Eight planes and several hangars were damaged at Wiley Post Airfield, while two planes and additional hangars were damaged at Will Rogers World Airport. The winds caused seven injuries in the area, including two youths who were injured by flying debris. The storm also caused extensive damage to trees, roofs, and power lines. 1971 An unseasonably chilly air mass invaded the upper Plains and Rockies. Sheridan, WY dropped to 35°, their record lowest July temperature. Other record lows included: Rapid City, SD: 41°, Huron, SD: 42°, Valentine, NE: 42°, Billings, MT: 43°, Cheyenne, WY: 43°, Casper, WY: 44°, Glasgow, MT: 45°, Great Falls, MT: 45°, Denver, CO: 47°, North Platte, NE: 49° and Omaha, NE: 50°. 1980 Early morning thunderstorms dropped 3.53 inches of rain at Philadelphia, PA, with most between 3am and 6am, setting a daily record and resulting in considerable roadway flooding. 1981 50 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. 1986 Lightning struck and injured a man while he was installing drywall in his home at Berne, NY. This was the 4th time he had been hit by lightning since 1977. Intense thunderstorms over Rhode Island dumped 5.58 inches of rain and hail over a half inch in diameter at the airport in Providence. 6.26 inches of rain fell at Point Judith while Narragansett recorded 6.03 inches of rain and hail accumulated to a depth of close to 4 inches. 1987 Thunderstorms produced severe weather from Minnesota to Indiana. 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. In Chicago Heights, IL, spectators at a basketball game were exiting the field through gates in a metal fence when lightning struck a tree and then jumped to the fence. 30 people were injured, two seriously. Some of the people were thrown 4 to 5 feet in the air. 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°. Barnet, VT reported a morning low of 33°, with frost reported on vegetation. Other record lows included: Burlington, VT: 45°, Portland, ME: 47°, Albany, NY: 47°, Syracuse, NY: 49° and Binghamton, NY: 50°. 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 13th straight days of 100 degree heat. 1989 Morning thunderstorms in the Upper Midwest produced more than 5 inches of rain west of Virgil, SD. Afternoon and evening thunderstorms deluged the foothills and adjacent plains of Colorado with heavy rain. Rainfall totaling 6 to 7.5 inches fell in 8 hours north of Greeley. Hail and heavy rain caused several million dollars damage in Weld County. 1992 A tornado hit Big Delta, AK. This was the first tornado to touch down in Alaska since 1979. 1996 A woman was killed while attempting to cross a low water bridge over Haw Creek in her vehicle in Morgan County, Missouri after thunderstorms dropped heavy rain causing flash flooding to occur. 1999 Chicago, IL recorded its highest ever dew point temperatures 82° overnight on this date. 2002 A two year old boy picking vegetables with his parents in Blount County, Alabama was struck by lightning. The family called 911 immediately, but put the child in an automobile and started for the hospital. Paramedics caught up with the family and began CPR. An Evac helicopter was called to transport the child to the hospital, but the little boy was dead on arrival. The important thing to remember is that many lightning victims simply stop breathing. Administering CPR immediately will often resuscitate a lightning victim. 2004 A record setting flash flood occurred over part of the Greenville, SC, during the morning hours. Six to eight inches of rain fell just east of Berea, a northwestern suburb, which caused the Reedy River through downtown Greenville to crest 9 feet above flood stage. This was the highest level since 1908. A 112 year-old record was broken for the coolest high temperature in Oklahoma City, OK. The temperature only rose to 73°, which broke the previous record by 3 degrees. 2008 Scattered afternoon storms developed over mainly south and southeastern portions of the Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi region, a few of which became severe and produced some hail and wind damage. One cluster of storms lingered over northern Forrest County, Mississippi and caused flash flooding around Hattiesburg with rainfall rates of 3 to 4 inches per hour. 2009 This was the hottest day ever recorded at Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. At 5pm PT, Environment Canada recorded a record-breaking high of 92.8°, breaking the previous record of 92° set in 1960. Elsewhere in the Province, Port Alberni at 104° briefly competed for the hottest spot in British Columbia before losing out to Bella Coola's 106.2°. Dhaka, Bangladesh experienced their heaviest rainfall for a single July day since 1949 when it receives a reported 11.4 inches. Six people died and many of their 12 million residents were stranded in their homes due to flooding through the city streets. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 30th: 1906 Fresno, CA recorded their 28th 100 degree or higher day for the month setting a record for the most triple digit high temperatures ever in July. This record was tied in July 1931. 1913 Offshore winds negate the cooling effect of Lake Michigan as Muskegon hits 99° for its all-time record high temperature. Temperatures are actually a bit lower inland as Grand Rapids was 96° and Lansing 92°. Bloomington, IN soared to a record high of 108°. 1930 The high temperature reached 100°at San Diego, CA to establish the month’s hottest reading. It is also the only time in July the temperature has reached 100°. 1955 Bakersfield, CAmanaged an afternoon high of only 67°, their lowest maximum temperature on record for July and the low of 45°is the record coldest low minimum for July at that location. This is also the only time the temperature has dropped below 50°in July at Bakersfield. 1965 The temperature at Portland, OR reached 107° to equal their all-time record high. 1970 Hurricane Celia was born in the northwest Caribbean Sea. The hurricane would be one of the worst ever to hit Texas. 1978 Tropical Storm Amelia moved inland on the Texas coast north of Brownsville, TX and moved northward into Texas. The storm would not be known for damage along the coast, but rather for extensive flooding that it caused in the Texas Hill Country and in the Big Bend Area near Abilene, TX. A tornado, at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Canada, the 3rd reported in the previous 16 years, toppled a tower. Skipping across the countryside, it ripped up a transmission tower at Rae-Edzo over 3 miles away. 1979 A 40-minute hailstorm bombed Fort Collins, CO with baseball to softball size hail. 2,000 homes and 2,500 automobiles were damaged, and 25 people were injured, mainly when hit on the head by the huge stones. 1982 4.22 inches of rain fell in Amarillo, TX setting a 24-hour July record. 1987 Afternoon highs of 105°at Aberdeen, SD, 102° at Bismarck, ND, and 102° at Pueblo CO, were records for the date. Pueblo, CO reported just 0.09 inch of rain for the first 30 days of the month. 1988 A dozen cities in the north central and northeastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date. Downtown Baltimore, MD hit 103°, marking a record 8 days of 100° heat for the month, and 10 for the year. The high of 101° at Billings, MT marked a record 17 days of 100° heat for the year. Theilman, MN set their all-time July high temperature record with 103°. Thunderstorms produced severe weather in the northeast, with nearly 50 reports of large hail or damaging winds in Pennsylvania and New York State. A tree fell on a car at Erie, PA injuring 4 people. 1989 Morning thunderstorms over central Missouri deluged Columbia with 5.98 inches of rain causing flash flooding. Daytime thunderstorms in Kentucky drenched Paducah with 1.73 inches of rain in less than 30 minutes. Evening thunderstorms in the north central U.S. produced wind gusts to 78 mph east of Moccasin, MT. 1997 Numerous funnel clouds and waterspouts occurred across the southern Chesapeake Bay as well as over the Atlantic east of Virginia Beach and into northeastern North Carolina. Two waterspouts moved onshore in northern Virginia Beach, while one tracked into Navy Norfolk. No damage was reported. Tropical rains that began the previous evening deluged Hilo, Hawaii. A total of 7.18 inches of rain fell in 30 hours. 1999 An intense heat wave began across the Midwest on the 28th and continued through the 31st. The heat peaked on this date with high temperatures in the Chicago area over 100 with heat indicies between 115°and 120°. Early morning, Chicago set their all-time highest dewpoint reading of 82°at Midway Airport. There were a total of 99 fatalities with the majority in Cook County. The overnight low of 77°at Rockford, IL set a record high minimum. 2005 The temperature hit 101° at Denver, CO setting a new record high for the date. This was also the 7th day of the month with a high temperature of 100 or higher, which set a new record for the most 100 degree days in a month, for a season and in a year. 2008 Heavy rains from the remnants of Hurricane Dolly drench section of Missouri. Total rainfall amounts included 3.05 inches at Lees Summit; 2.78 inches at Kansas City; MO and 1.63 inches at St. Louis, MO. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 31st: 1769 Hail fell 12 inches deep and lasted for 30 hours at Scituate, MA. 1861 Cherrapunji, India set a world monthly rainfall record with a total of 366.14 inches. Cherrapunji also holds the world record rainfall for a 12-month period: 1,041.78 inches from August 1, 1860 to July 31, 1861. 1891 A six day streak with high temperatures at or above 110° finally came to an end at Fresno, CA. This is their longest such streak on record. 1906 Everyday this month at Bakersfield, CA the high temperature was at or above 100°. This is the only month on record where that occurred there. 1931 Fresno, CA reached triple digit highs 28 days during the month. This tied a record for the most 100 degree plus days with July 1906. 1936 A tropical storm moved in from the Bahamas and crossed extreme south Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. The storm strengthened into a hurricane and made landfall near Ft. Walton Beach, FL early on this date. Winds gusted to 125 mph and storm surge reached 6 feet. Four people died. 1949 Lightning struck a baseball field at Baker, FL during a game. The shortstop and third baseman were killed instantly and the second baseman was fatally injured. 50 people out of the crowd of 300 spectators were also injured. The lightning bolt dug a 20 foot long ditch through the infield. 1971 Unusually cold air settled into the southern Plains. Low temperatures were 15 to 20 degrees below normal, ranging from the mid 40s in northeast Oklahoma, the lower 50s in central sections, and near 60 in the southwest. Oklahoma City recorded a low of 53°, their coldest temperature ever observed in July. 1976 A stationary thunderstorm produced more than 10 inches of rain which funneled into the narrow Thompson River Canyon of northeastern Colorado. A wall of water 6 to 8 feet high wreaked a 25 mile path of destruction from Estes Park to Loveland killing 156 people. The flash flood caught campers off guard and caused extensive structural and highway damage. Ten miles of U.S. Highway 34 was totally destroyed as the river was 20 feet higher than normal at times. 1980 Record heat continued across the middle of the country. Daily record highs included: Columbia, MO: 108°, Tulsa, OK: 108°, Oklahoma City, OK: 107° and Springfield, MO: 104°. Dodge City, KS recorded 22 days of 100° or higher, with 17 of those days in a row with temperatures of 102° or higher. This was the driest July of the 20th century across Oklahoma. The statewide average rainfall was less than a half an inch, with many locations receiving no rain. Along with the dry weather, it was very hot, with several high temperature records broken. An estimated 37 people died across Oklahoma due in part to the extreme heat. Hurricane Allen was born in the Atlantic. 1981 Springfield, ILreported a total of 10.76 inches of rain during the month, establishing a July record. Much of the total was because of two major rainstorms during the month, one of which produced 3 inches of rain, and the other, 4.33 inches. 1983 Oklahoma is typically hot and dry during the summer, but July 1983 was extremely dry. Only a trace of rain fell in Oklahoma City, making it their driest July on record. The driest months ever recorded in Oklahoma City were January 1986 and August 2000, when not even a trace of moisture fell. 1985 Unusually hot and dry summer conditions had fire crews in the South of France on alert. When fires broke out in the Cote d'Azur region, they were fanned by the wind the French call the Mistral. Winds of 50 mph caused the fires to rage out of control for several hours. 5 firefighters were killed. 1986 The temperature at Little Rock, AR soared to 112° to establish an all-time record high for that location. Morrilton, AR hit 115°, and daily highs for the month at that location averaged 102°. Other daily record highs included: Fort Smith, AR: 109°, Wichita Falls, TX: 109°, Waco, TX: 108°, Dallas, TX: 107°, Tupelo, MS: 105°, Macon, GA: 105°, Abilene, TX: 105°, Memphis, TN: 104°, Columbus, GA: 104°, Huntsville, AL: 102°, Meridian, MS: 101° and Mobile, AL: 99°. 1987 The deadliest tornado in 75 years struck Edmonton, Alberta Canada, killing 26 people and injuring 200 others. The twister caused more than $75 million dollars damage along its 19 mile path, leaving 400 families homeless. At the Evergreen Mobile Home Park, up to 200 of the 720 homes were flattened. Afternoon highs of 106°at Aberdeen, SD, and 102°at Ottumwa, IA and Rapid City, SD, established records for the date. It marked the 7th straight day of 100° heat for Rapid City. Baltimore, MD reported a record 22 days of 90° weather during the month. Evening thunderstorms produced golf ball size hail at Lemmon, SD, and wind gusts to 80 mph at Beulah, ND. 1988 Many cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Sioux City, IA with a reading of 107°. Oelwein, IA tied their all-time record high with 103°. The reading of 105° at Minneapolis, MN was their hottest since 1936. Pierre and Chamberlain, SD, with highs of 108°, were just one degree shy of the hot spot in the nation: Palm Springs, CA. The hottest month on record for the Northern Hemisphere was July 1988. Nearly 40% of the contiguous United States experienced severe or extreme drought that summer. Crop losses alone topped $15 billion dollars. An estimated 10,000 Americans died as a result of medical complications from the heat. 1989 Overnight thunderstorms soaked eastern Kansas and western Missouri with heavy rain. 4.50 inches of rain was reported at Nevada, MO. Evening thunderstorms in Oklahoma produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Covington. A few cities in the north central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including Williston, ND with a reading of 105°. 1991 Roswell, NM closed out the month with a total of 6.68 inches of rain to set a new record for the month. July became the wettest month ever with 17.46 inches of rain at Columbia, SC. The old record was 16.72 inches set in August 1949. 1992 Flint, MI ended their coolest July on record, while Columbus, OH, Buffalo, NY and Williamsport, PA experienced their wettest. Columbus had a record 29 cloudy days and 17 days with thunderstorms during the month. Boston, MA not only went the entire month, but the entire year without a temperature of 90° or higher. 1993 The 30.3 inches of rain that fell during the month at Worth County, Missouri was nearly equal to the amount of rainfall that the area would receive in an entire year. Record precipitation that occurred across a good portion of the mid-Mississippi valley during the summer fell as far east as parts of central Illinois. During the month of July, Canton reported 12.66 inches of rain and Peoria reported 10.15 inches, both setting a record for the month. Springfield's 9.46 inches was good enough for the 2nd wettest July on record. This was the wettest July on record in parts of eastern South Dakota and contributed to the wettest three month period in some of those same areas. The prolonged wet spell caused the unprecedented long period of flooding that plagued eastern South Dakota that year. Sioux Fallsairport received 7.86 inches. That ranks July 1993 as the third wettest July on record in Sioux Falls. The high total of July 1993 also contributed to the wettest summer (June, July & August) on record in Sioux Falls with 17.39 inches of rain. Crop growth was very slow, with corn and soybeans two weeks to one month behind their normal growth by the end of July in Iowa. Estimates for the total crop loss in Iowa were in the 35 to 40 percent range. Losses in the corn crop amounted to nearly $1.389 billion, losses in soybeans were around $941 million dollars and oat damage was about $26 million dollars. Measurable rainfall was recorded somewhere in Iowa from June 22nd to July 25th and rain was recorded on 28 of 31 days in July. Five weeks of heavy monsoon rains and flooding killed 2,700 people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal leaving millions homeless. 1,600 of the deaths were reported in Nepal from swollen rivers and streams and landslides triggered by the rains and flooding. 1994 Philadelphia, PA ended the month with 10.42 inches of rain, breaking the monthly record of 10.30 inches set in July 1919. 1995 A 19-year-old male resident drowned in a rip current near the Breakers Hotel at Palm Beach, FL. The rip current was caused by swells from Hurricane Erin. 1996 The month was cool and wet across the east with a persistent trough of low pressure providing lots of clouds and rainfall. Temperatures at New York and Philadelphia never reached 90° during the month, a highly unusual occurrence. It was the first time that that had happened in The Big Apple in over 100 years and the first time at Philly since 1906. A major hailstorm struck Cheyenne, WY with hail reported up to 2.5 inches in diameter. Damage was estimated to be about $3.4 million dollars. 1997 Indianapolis, IN had their driest July in 83 years, and the second driest on record as only 0.55 of an inch of rain fell. The last time less rain fell in any month at the airport was June 1988 with 0.36 of an inch. July is normally the wettest month of the year there. Measurable rain fell on only 5 days during the month. As dry as it was at the airport, other parts of Marion County, Indiana saw nearly-normal rainfall for the month. A 117 day-long streak of rainless days came to an end as 0.14 of an inch of rain fell shortly before midnight at Phoenix, AZ. It had not rained in Phoenix since 0.16 of an inch fell on April 3. This tied for the sixth longest streak without measurable rain since records began in 1896. The longest streak on record is 160 days from December 30, 1971 until June 6, 1972. South Pole, Antarctica recorded theircoldest July ever. The average temperature of -86.8° broke the previous record of -83.6° set in July 1965. 1998 The temperature at Shreveport, LA reached 107°, tying their all-time hottest temperature ever for July set back in 1874. This July was the hottest month on record in Shreveport. July was the hottest month on record in Austin and San Antonio, TX...Dallas hit 107°; the 27th straight day with temperatures at or above 100°. Brownsville, TX went the entire month without any rainfall. College Station endured 27 days in a row with temperatures at or above 100°, an all time record. McAllen, TX received a mere 0.03 of an inch of rain in the four month period from April to July. 2001 Strong thunderstorm winds gusting to near hurricane force channeled under a partially open garage door at a home in North Platte, NE ripping the roof off the garage and master bedroom. Heavy rains poured water into the bedroom, a bathroom and the kitchen. Total damage was estimated at $60,000 dollars. 2003 A month of heat established new record high monthly average temperatures at many locations in the west including: Phoenix, AZ: 97.6°; Grand Junction, CO: 84.1°; Salt Lake City, UT: 83.4°; Sacramento, CA: 81.6° and Cheyenne, WY: 75.1°. The dew point at Las Vegas, NV reached 73°, the highest in memory there. 2004 A strong tornado zigzagged through Durham-Sud, Quebec Canada damaging cars and houses and ripping roofs off several buildings. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------