WEATHER HISTORY FOR 11TH - 20TH
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) 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 11: 1841 A big April snowstorm in the northeast dropped 12 inches at New York City, 24 inches in parts of New Jersey and 18 inches in parts of Massachusetts. 1896 Destructive thunderstorms swept across central Texas producing two killer tornadoes, both at night. A 12-year old boy died in one of five homes destroyed at the south edge of Colorado City in Mitchell County. At least one woman was killed in her rural home southwest of Cottonwood in Callahan County. 1922 Escondido, CA dropped to 30° setting a record for their coldest April temperature. 1941 It snowed 3 inches at Victorville, CA; their greatest daily snowfall for April and the latest measurable snowfall for the season. 1952 A magnitude 3.8 earthquake shook parts of central Oklahoma on the evening of April 11, 1952. This tremor, centered in southeastern Canadian County, might be considered an aftershock to the magnitude 5.0 quake that shook the same area two days earlier, the 9th. According to the Oklahoma Geological Survey, the magnitude 5 quake is the strongest Oklahoma earthquake on record. Two additional, 3.8 aftershocks, would hit the same area four days later, on the night of April 15th. 1953 Santa Ana, CA dropped to 31°; their lowest temperature recorded in April. 1965 The Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak wrecked havoc across six states from Wisconsin and in a 450-mile swath west-to-east from Clinton County, Iowa, to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and a 200-mile swath north-to-south from Kent County, Michigan, to Montgomery County, Indiana.Officially, an estimated 51 tornadoes (very possibly more) killed as many as 271 people with over 3,100 others injured. 11 tornadoes swept across 20 Indiana counties killing up to 137 people. 72 people died in Culver, IN alone. Dunlap, INwas devastated as a pair of massive tornadoes smashed through a mobile home park and a nearby subdivision. This is Indiana’s worst tornado outbreak on record. Tornadoes occurred well after midnight. The volatile weather system began spawning thunderstorms across Iowa and western Illinois shortly before noon. The rapid change in the mid-morning prompted the Severe Local Storms Center (SELS) in Kansas City, MO to issue a Severe Weather Forecast for an area extending from northeastern Missouri to north central Indiana at 1045 CST. Further organization of the low pressure system and its movement rapidly northeast along with other indicator factors gave SELS forecasters concern that the danger zone was likely to be further north and northeast than first anticipated. A new Severe Weather Forecast, calling for severe thunderstorms, high winds, damaging hail and possible tornadoes are likely, was issued at 1pm CST. Note that in the 1960s, these forecasts were issued to the local Weather Bureau offices who then warned the public as needed. Also, this was the highest severity level forecast that could be issued by SELS. A tornado warning could not be issued until a tornado had been positively identified by either human sighting or identified on radar. Although no F5’s were officially reported, at least 22 were rated as F3 or F4. The outbreak lasted 11 hours and is among the most intense outbreaks in terms of number, strength, width, path, and length of tornadoes ever recorded. This is the third deadliest day for tornadoes on record, behind the Super Outbreak of 4/3/1974, and the outbreak that included the Tri-State Tornado of 3/18/1925. Damage totaled more than $238 million 1965 dollars. Indiana sustained property damage estimated at $145 million dollars, while Michigan reported $51 million dollars and Ohio at $42.5 million dollars. Dr. Ted Fujita discovered suction vortices during the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak. It had been believed the reason why tornadoes could hit one house and leave another across the street completely unscathed was because the whole tornado would "jump" from one house to another. However, the actual reason is because most of the destruction is caused by suction vortices: small, intense mini-tornadoes within the main tornado. The outbreak did leave positive legacy, however, as the government's role in warning the public was transformed. Some things that came out of the disaster: spotter programs, NOAA Weather Radio, and increased public awareness programs. 1978 High winds battered nearly the entire state of South Dakota. The high winds, accompanying a rapidly moving cold front, produced gusts of 75 mph at Phillip, 69 mph at Rapid City, and 62 mph at Sioux Falls. Other areas generally had gusts of 45 to 65 mph. The strong winds knocked down trees and power causing pockets of power outages across South Dakota. 1984 On this date through the 14th, an Ice storm at St. John’s, Newfoundland Canada produced accumulations up to 6 inches thick on power lines. Power outages left 200,000 residents of Avalon Peninsula in the dark and cold. 1987 Ten days of flooding in the northeastern U.S. finally came to an end. Damage from flooding due to rain and snow melt ran into the billions of dollars. The collapse of the New York State Thruway Bridge over Schoharie Creek claimed ten lives. 1988 Many cities in the western U.S., nine in California, reported new record high temperatures for the date. Afternoon highs of 95°at Sacramento, CA and 96° at Bakersfield, CA were the warmest of record for so early in the season. 1989 Many cities in the south central and eastern U.S. reported new record low temperatures for the date. Lows of 25° at Conway, AR, 29° at Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, and 22° at Ozark, AR, were April records. Lows of 26° at Hot Springs, AR and 31° at Shreveport, LA equaled April records. 1990 While showers produced heavy rain over much of the northeastern U.S., heavy snow blanketed northern Maine, with 13 inches reported at Telos Lake. Strong southwesterly winds accompanying the rain and snow gusted to 68 mph at the Blue Hill Observatory outside of Boston, MA. Rainfall totals of 1.04 inch at Pittsburgh, PA and 1.52 inches at Buffalo, NY were records for the date. 1991 A strong Pacific storm dumped heavy snow across the northern Colorado Rockies. Accumulations of 6 to 15 inches fell at lower elevations in and around Denver and up to almost two feet in the foothills west of town. Specific snowfall accumulations included: 21 inches at Idaho Springs, 19 inches at Aspen Springs, 15 inches at Arvada, 14 inches at Rollinsville, 10 inches at Boulder, 8 inches at Aurora and 7.3 inches at Stapleton Airport. 1997 In North Dakota, the Red River was more than 20 feet above flood stage, its highest level in 150 years. The flooding was caused by rain and snow that began the previous month. The Mississippi River reached its third highest flood on record, affecting several homes and businesses. High water also forced the closure of some highways. On this date, the Mississippi River crested at Lake City, MN: 19 feet and Wabasha, MN: 16.5 feet. Major snowfall across the Midwest dumped up to two feet of snow on Southern Iowa and 13 inches at Galesburg, IL. The snow forced postponement of several minor league baseball games across the area, as well as cancellation of the Chicago Cubs game. 2001 An intense spring blizzard dumped heavy snow and freezing rain as it moved out of the Rockies to the northeastern Plains of Colorado. High winds and heavy snow buffeted parts of the Front Range. Up to 18 inches of snow caused drifts as high as 10 feet. Denver International Airport closed for the first time in its six year history. 220,000 people were without power in the worst outage in Xcel Energy history. The storm resulted in one of the worst windstorms in Kansas history. 2004 Record heat settled over southern British Columbia in Canada over Easter weekend with Victoria shattering long-term record highs. The 76° in downtown broke a century old record for the day while at the airport; the high of 74° broke a 50-year record. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 12: 1815 Massive eruption of Mount Tambora blew 100 cubic miles of ash skyward. The eruption disrupted the global weather for several years, particularly noteworthy: the year without a summer of 1816 in North America and Europe. 1894 Another major coastal storm struck New England. 14 inches of snow fell at Waterbury, CT and 9 inches at Providence, RI. 1918 Two inches of snow fell at Washington, D.C., the heaviest latest snowfall in the city's history. 1927 A tornado wiped out the town of Rock Springs, TX killing 72 persons and causing $1.2 million dollars damage. The tornado, more than one mile in width, destroyed 235 of the towns 247 buildings, leaving no trace of lumber or contents in many cases. Many survivors were bruised by large hail which fell after the passage of the tornado. 1933 A vigorous cold front approached northern Colorado which presented an awe-inspiring spectacle as brilliant white wind-torn cumulus clouds were sandwiched by a brownish-tan dust cloud at the surface and dark blue cumulus clouds above. The dust cloud storm enveloped the Denver area with wind gusts over 40 mph which resulted in blowing dust and rapidly falling temperatures and rising pressure. Light snow began and continued through midday the next day producing several inches. Behind the front, Denver had record low temperatures of 17° and 15° on the 13th and 14th respectively. The high temperature of 27° on the 13th was a record low maximum for the date. 1934 A wind speed of 231 mph was observed 6,288 feet above sea level at Mount Washington, NH. The highest five-minute average wind speed was also recorded at Mount Washington this same day, an unbelievable 186 mph. The 231 mph was the highest wind speed measured on Earth until 4/10/1996 (officially recognized 1/31/10) when a wind speed from Cyclone Olivia of 253 mph was recorded on Barrow Island off the northwest coast of Australia. The 316 mph wind speed recorded at Moore, OK on 5/3/1999 logged during an F5 tornado was not recorded at ground level as the others were (100 feet). 1941 Parts of the Midwest got an early glimpse of summer as temperatures soared in the 80s. Rockford, IL tied a daily record of 84. Temperatures of 80°or above were also experienced in Rockford on the 28th through the 30th which led to this month being the seventh warmest April on record. 1943 Two-thirds of the town of Hackleburg, AL was destroyed by an F4 tornado that ripped through the town at 1:30 a.m. Residents reported being awakened by an "unscheduled freight train." 1945 A series of major tornadoes raked Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Antlers, OK was nearly obliterated by a massive F5 tornado that zigzagged from southwest to northeast across the town. 69 people died in the twister. Another tornado killed 8 people in Oklahoma City, OK. The disaster was overshadowed by the loss of President Franklin Roosevelt, who died suddenly at his vacation home at Warm Springs, GA. 1951 Toronto, Ontario Canada’s Pearson International Airport reported 1.64 inches of rain; the wettest April day on record. 1953 Santa Ana, CA dropped to 32°; the latest freezing temperature on record for the year. 1969 An avalanche at the Alyeska Ski Resort in Alaska moved at an unusually slow speed of 2 mph. A controlled avalanche set off by the ski patrol encountered an area of heavy, wet snow. Slowed by the wet snow, the avalanche rose to a height of three stories. Most avalanches move very quickly, some as fast as 100 mph. 1970 A strong spring storm affected the northern and western two-thirds of South Dakota. Heavy snow fell throughout the morning hours dumping over a foot of snow over a large area of the state. Winds whipped the snow into 2 to 4 foot drifts across much of northern South Dakota. The Aberdeen area was the hardest hit with around 17 inches reported. While southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, and northwest Iowa did not feel the effects of the storm, east central South Dakota was not as fortunate. Freezing drizzle and freezing rain resulted in heavy icing in east central South Dakota causing extensive damage. The ice storm caused power outages to 20 to 80% of the rural electric service in the area. 1972 The temperature climbed to 100° at Oklahoma City, OK. That is the earliest date in the year that a temperature of at least 100° has ever occurred in the city. The 100° high also set a record as the warmest temperature ever observed in April for Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, Wichita Falls, TX also set an April high temperature that day, with a reading of 102°. 1987 A cold front crossing the central U.S. produced heavy snow in the Central Rockies, and severe thunderstorms over Kansas and Oklahoma. Snowfall totals ranged up to 16 inches at Red Mountain Pass, CO. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 87 mph at Ponca City, OK. Winds associated with the cold front itself gusted to 69 mph at Tucumcari, NM. 1988 Snow blanketed the Southern Appalachians. Totals in North Carolina ranged up to 17 inches at Mitchell. Winds at Flat Top Mountain gusted to 80 mph. 1989 Many cities in the south-central and eastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Elkins, WV with a low of 15°, and Baton Rouge LA with a reading of 37°. 1990 Arctic air invaded the central U.S. Lincoln NE reported a record low of 17°. Thunderstorms developing along the arctic cold front produced heavy snow in north central Kansas, wind gusts to 61 mph at Midland, TX, and wind gusts to 69 mph at Rawlins, WY. Warm weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. Las Vegas NV reported a record high of 91°. 1991 Due to heavy rains, US highways 54 and 281 were closed and parts of Pratt, KS were evacuated. Lemon Park suffered heavy damage, with railroad tracks and cars washed away. Pratt received 6.25 inches of rain. Shreveport, LA was deluged with 10.46 inches of rain. 1997 The Mississippi River reached its third highest flood on record at that time, affecting several homes and businesses. High water also forced the closure of some highways. On this date, the Mississippi River crested at 18.3 ft in Winona, MN. 2002 0.67 inches of rain fell from a thunderstorm in Kuwait City, Kuwait in less than 24 hours. Their average April rainfall is 0.51 inches. The Iranian town of Omidiyeh recorded 2.36 inches of rain in 12 hours, three times the April average 0.79 inches. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ April 13: 1857 Parts of Alabama received a surprise 4-inch snowfall in a late season storm. 1875 New York City, NY picked up ten inches of snow during a spring storm. 1877 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 ¾ of a mile. The second storm produced hurricane force winds along the coast of North Carolina causing more beach erosion and land transformation. 1883 An unusual snow was recorded in Sacramento and Cape Medicino, CA 1955 Axis, AL recorded 20.33 inches of rain to set the 24-hour rainfall record for Alabama. 1956 Strong storm winds; officially a tornado hit Chula Vista, CA. Roof damage was done to 60 homes and extensively to a school. Two were injured by flying glass. Trees were uprooted, TV antennas were toppled and more than 300 windows were shattered. Ten fish were sucked out of San Diego Bay and deposited on the ground. At higher elevations, the storm brought one foot of snow to Mt. Laguna, at least six inches at Palomar Mountain, and 1.5 inches at Julian. 1967 A two-day period of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain across Oklahoma ended on this date. This allowed residents along Okmulgee Creek to return home after 4 to 8 inches of rain in east central Oklahoma, forced the creek out of its banks. From the night of the 11th, through the morning of the 13th, tornadoes struck Geary and Walters, as well as in rural areas east of Ponca City, and over McCurtain County. Damage was minor, and only one injury was reported. Thunderstorm winds caused additional damage in a swath from Elk City and Sayre, northeast to Fairview, Helena, and Enid. Unlike many southern Plains severe weather outbreaks, no hail was reported with any of these storms. All of the damage was due to winds or flooding. 1968 On this date through the 14th, a windstorm struck parts of the Colorado Rockies. Sustained winds of 50 mph with a gust to 102 mph were recorded at the National Center for Atmospheric Research while winds peaked to 73 mph at Boulder, CO. The winds damaged a building under construction and some homes in south Boulder. 1977 The east coast was under an April heat wave that saw record high temperatures set; including Washington, D.C. with 90°. 1986 A major spring storm quickly intensified bringing blizzard conditions to nearly all of South Dakota as well as portions of northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota.Up to 18 inches of snow was reported in parts of the Dakotas, and in South Dakota, winds gusting to 90 mph whipped the snow into drifts 15 feet high closing much of Interstate 90. The storm also took down over 100 power poles in the west and resulted in the loss of livestock in central SD. Livestock losses of up to 35% in some herds was reported with a price tag of several million dollars. Many people in central South Dakota thought it was the worst blizzard that they had ever experienced. Further south, strong winds howled across northern Colorado. Winds gusted to 60 mph across the Denver metro area. Boulder reported a peak gust to 79 mph. Power outages and some structural damage resulted. 1987 Thunderstorms in northern Texas produced wind gusts to 98 mph at the Killeen Airport causing a million dollars property damage. Two airplanes were totally destroyed by the high winds, and ten others were damaged. 1988 Low pressure off the Atlantic coast produced high winds across North Carolina, with gusts to 78 mph reported at the town of Waves on the Outer Banks. The high winds combined with high tides to cause coastal flooding and erosion. About 275 feet of land was eroded from the northern tip of Pea Island. 1989 Thunderstorms in central Florida produced golf ball size hail and a tornado near Lakeland, FL. Fair and mild weather prevailed across most of the rest of the nation. 1990 Thunderstorms developing along a cold front produced severe weather in central Oklahoma and north central Texas. Thunderstorms in Oklahoma produced up to 6 inches of golf ball size hail along I-40 near El Reno, and produced wind gusts to 75 mph at Okarche. Thunderstorms over north central Texas produced softball size hail northwest of Rotan, and high winds which injured two persons southeast of Itasca. 1991 Snow totals from a spring storm in the northern Rockies beginning on the 10th concluding on this date included Mystic Lake: 60 inches, Red Lodge: 53 inches, Burgess Junction: 48 inches, Sheridan: 26 inches, Pryor: 24 inches, Billings: 23 inches, Joliet: 18 inches, Columbus: 16 inches and Livingston/Broadus: 10 inches. 1996 A potent spring storm struck parts of the central Rockies. Cold temperatures, heavy snow and winds 25 to 50 mph created blizzard conditions. The strong winds whipped the snow in drifts 3 to 4 feet. Downed power lines, traffic accidents and road closures resulted. Strasburg, CO reported 15 inches. Across the northern Plains, the worst of the weather occurred in the Sioux City, IA area, where 1 to 3 inches of snow and howling winds up to 60 miles an hour brought low visibilities and near blizzard conditions. The strong winds caused the roof of one business to be torn off the building. 1999 A two mile wide area of wind-driven hail pounded residences and farm equipment for about a 5 mile stretch at least as far as State Highway 158 in west Texas near Midland/Odessa. Hail grew up to about golf ball size and winds peaked at approximately 80 mph. The wind-driven hail roke windows in houses and blasted paint off the wooden siding. The strong winds took roofs off several mobile homes and at least one single-family house. Utility crews stated that a total of 27 poles were downed by the winds. The American Red Cross determined that 324 units were affected with 18 mobile homes and 4 houses destroyed. About 50-60 families were at least temporarily displaced. 2000 N’Guigmi, Niger recorded a temperature of 110° shortly after 12pm local time. 2001 The dust cloud from a huge dust storm over southern and central Mongolia earlier in the month from the 3rd through the 6th, settled across parts of the Colorado Rockies on this date through the 17th. The cloud created widespread haze; giving the sky a milkfish cast due to the scattering of incoming solar radiation. 2003 A record warm day in southern Manitoba, Canada saw several daily temperature records set. Gretna boasted the hotspot reaching 81° and the town of Sprague just behind at 80°. 2004 A late-season storm surprised Western Kentucky and Tennessee with snow causing six traffic fatalities. In Jackson, TN, it is the latest measurable snowfall on record. 2006 An F2 tornado, one of a dozen across parts of Iowa on this day, tore through Iowa City, IA including the University of Iowa campus. The storm severely damaged many buildings including a sorority and local church during a pre-Easter service. However, though preliminary damage estimates exceed $12 million dollars, no one was killed in the city. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 14: 1851 "The Lighthouse Storm" of 1851 struck New England on this date. Heavy gales and high seas pounded the coasts of New Hampshire and eastern Massachusetts. The storm arrived at the time of a full moon and high tide producing unusually high storm tides. The storm was so named because it destroyed the lighthouse at Cohasset, MA. Two assistant lighthouse keepers were killed there when the structure was swept away by the storm tide. 1854 A major coastal storm dumped rain, sleet and snow across the East. 24 inches of snow fell in parts of northwestern New Jersey. Many ships were lost, including a passenger ship that broke up, killing 340 people. 1873 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 the gradual increase of the storm. 80% of livestock died. 1886 A massive tornado carved a 20 to 25-mile path through Stearns and Benton Counties in Minnesota. 24 people were killed at St. Cloud, MN. 37 people were killed at Sauk Rapids, MN. The bottom of the Mississippi River was said to have been seen during the tornado's crossing. 11 people were killed at a wedding party near the town of Rice. 1907 This was the second day of the month when temperatures did not climb above the freezing mark at Rockford, IL. The high temperature of 32° on the 13th and this date set a record for the lowest maximum temperature. April 1907 remains the coldest April on record. 1912 On her maiden voyage, the RMS Titanic rammed into an iceberg just before midnight. The "unsinkable ship" sank two hours and forty minutes later into the icy water of the Atlantic Ocean near Newfoundland, Canada. Tragically, 1,517 passengers including the crew were lost. A nearby ship, the Carpathia, rushed to the Titanic and was able to save 706 people. 1921 The greatest 24-hour snow accumulation in U.S. history occurred at Silver Lake, CO as 75.8 inches fell on April 14th through the 15th. 1922 The Mississippi River reached a record height of 21.3 feet at New Orleans, LA, and the river was still rising, with the crest still a week away. Understandably, the City of New Orleans was nervous as reports of levees failing upriver reached the city. A crevasse below New Orleans would relieve the pressure on the city's strained levees on the 27th, sparing the city a major disaster. 1933 35 inches of snow fell in Franklin, NH in 24-hours to set the state record. 1935 The most notorious dust storm of the dust bowl era struck the Plains. Known as "The Black Blizzard," it was the first of many dust storms that would affect the nation's breadbasket. Dust clouds would be clearly visible as far away as the shipping lanes of the North Atlantic Ocean. Politicians in Washington could not ignore the plight of the citizenry of the Plains, as huge, black clouds of dust hovered over the Nation's capitol. Gentle rains would return in the fall of 1938, putting an end to the Dust Bowl era. 1953 Opening Day at Fenway Park in Boston, MA was postponed by 2 inches of snow. Oklahoma City recorded 0.8 inches; their latest measurable snow. 1966 Normally snow-free Victoria, British Columbia Canada received 3 inches of wet snow. 1985 The earliest triple digit temperature of the year occurred at Edwards Air Force Base, CA with 100°. 1986 Strong winds rolled a 12,000 gallon fuel tank several miles at Tyron, NE as a big spring blizzard buffeted parts of the Dakotas and Nebraska. One of the heaviest hailstones ever recorded: 2.25 pounds fell in the Gopalgani district of Bangladesh. 1987 A storm system moving slowly northeastward across the Mid-Mississippi Valley produced severe thunderstorms which spawned 3 tornadoes around Ottumwa, IA, and produced up to 4 inches of rain in southeastern Nebraska, flooding rivers and streams. 1988 A weather disturbance off the southern coast of California brought parts of southern California their first rain in six weeks. Rain-slickened roads resulted in numerous accidents, including a 10-car pile-up at Riverside. 1989 Late afternoon thunderstorms in northern Florida soaked the town of Golden Gate with 4.37 inches of rain in about two hours, resulting in local flooding. An unofficial report of over 11 inches was reported east of Naples fell in just two hours and 15 minutes. 1990 Thunderstorms developing along a cold front produced severe weather in southeastern Texas during the mid morning hours. Thunderstorms produced dime size hail at Galveston, and wind gusts to 59 mph at Port Arthur. Afternoon thunderstorms over southeast Louisiana spawned tornadoes south of Bogalusa and at Rio. 1996 An intense tornado touched down in the Ozark Mountains of Stone County, AR near Allison. It devastated a popular fishing campground, killing five vacationers. All deaths were in recreational vehicles along the banks of the White River. Just six minutes later, another tornado touched down in neighboring Izard County, destroying 11 homes and killing two people in two separate homes near Sylamore. Seven people were killed and 30 injured in the Arkansas tornadoes. In western Kansas 10 inches of snow was reported in the Scott Lake State Park area bringing down some trees. Six to eight inches was reported in Healy, Manning and Scott City. 1999 On this date through the 15th, a spring storm dumped heavy snow over portions of the Colorado Rockies. Nearly two feet of snow fell in the foothills with 18 inches reported over the western and southern suburbs of Denver. The heavy snow alleviated drought conditions and associated high fire danger that prevailed during much of the winter season. Snowfall totals included: 22 inches at Coal Creek Canyon, 20 inches at Wondervu, 19 inches at Genesee, 17 inches near Evergreen, Nederland, Idaho Springs, and Tiny Town, 14 inches at Georgetown, 13 inches at Morrison, 10 inches at Sedalia, 9 inches in south Boulder, 8 inches at Highlands Ranch & Wheat Ridge and 7 inches at Littleton & Parker. A severe thunderstorm lashed Sydney, Australia for 5 hours, pelting the eastern portions of Sydney with hail as large as 3.5 inches in diameter. Damage was estimated at $650 million dollars. 2003 Severe thunderstorms dropped hail the size of eggs in the Guangdong Province in China causing damage to homes and crops. The storms caused one death and 24 injuries. In the city of Nanxiong, 4.7 inches of rain fall, producing severe flooding. Thunderstorms produced torrential rains and flash flooding in northern Oman on the Arabian Peninsula leaving 14 people dead. In Nizwa, southwest of the capital city of Muscat, 2.6 inches of rain fell, more than double the normal April rainfall. 2004 Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes struck northern Bangladesh, uprooting trees, flattening villages and killing at least 49 people. The worst-affected areas included Netrokona where nearly 2,000 people were injured. 2006 A Good Friday snowstorm dumped 6.5 inches on Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory Canada. Most unusual was the water content of the snow. Snow in Whitehorse usually is light, dry, and fluffy, and 6.5 inches typically yields less than 0.24 inches of water. This snowfall has a water equivalent of 0.62 inches. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 15: 1854 The Great Pacques Storm raged for four days in New Jersey. 24 inches of snow fell in the hills with 6 inches on the 15th and 17th at New York City. 18 vessels were wrecked on the Jersey shore. 1896 An early season F3 tornado wiped out a half dozen farms during the overnight hours near Faulkton, SD. Two children died in one farmhouse. 1921 Silver Lake, CO, near Boulder, (elev. 10,220) set several US snow records. 75.8 inches fell in 24 hours, 87 inches in 27 ½ hours and 95 inches storm total in 32 ½ hours. A complex of tornadoes of up to F4 in intensity tracked 112 miles through Marion and Cass counties in Texas and Miller, Hempstead, and Pike counties in Arkansas. 59 people were killed, 300 were injured, and damage was set at $2 million dollars. 1927 Greenville, MS received 8.22 inches of rain in 24hours, just one of countless reports of incredible rainfall all along the Mississippi River during the winter and spring. Worried civic leaders met in Greenville to determine whether the levees around the town would hold. Downriver, New Orleans, LA set their 24-hour rainfall record as 14.01 inches fell. It was also a state record. 1949 A hailstone 5 inches by 5 ½ inches in size, and weighing 4 pounds, was measured at Troy, NY. 1956 An F4 tornado passed along the western and northern fringes of Birmingham, AL during the afternoon. The twister killed 25 people along its 20 mile path. Most of the deaths occurred in the Stacey Hollow and McDonalds Chapel communities. 1958 An F3 tornado 300 yards wide tracked 5 miles near Frostproof, FL. A 2,500 gallon water tank was found one mile from its original position (it is not known how much water was in the tank at the time). Another F3 tornado did $5 million dollars in damage in Fort Pierce, FL with 50 people injured, mostly from flying glass. 1976 Strong southerly winds brought unusually warm temperatures into the upper Midwest. Chicago, IL set record high minimum temperatures for three consecutive days. On this date, the low only fell to 67°; while 69° and 68° were reported the next two nights. Rockford, IL also set record high minimums on three consecutive nights. On this date, the low only fell to 61°. The next two nights saw low temperatures only fall to 60° and 63°. 1983 The morning low temperature in Wichita Falls, TX, was a chilly 32°. This is the latest spring freeze ever recorded there. 1984 A coastal storm dumped very heavy snow over northern New England. Caribou, ME received 28.6 inches of snow, by far their greatest 24-hour snowfall on record. 36 inches of snow fell at Telos Lake, ME. Some sections of Vermont recorded 30 inches and up to 26 inches fell in portions of New Hampshire. An intense wind storm at Terrace, British Columbia Canada capsized fishing vessels and sailboats, damaged power lines and buildings and fanned forest fires. Wind gusts as high as 75 mph was reported with several million dollars in damage. 1987 Thunderstorms developing along a cold front produced severe weather in the Southern Atlantic Coast Region. A tornado killed one person and injured 7 others near Mount Dora, FL. Drifts of hail up to two feet deep were reported in Davidson and Rowan counties in North Carolina. Myrtle Beach, SC was deluged with 7 inches of rain in three hours. 1988 Death Valley, CA was soaked with 1.53 inches of rain in 24 hours while snow fell in the mountains of southern California. 1989 Showers and thunderstorms soaked the eastern U.S. with heavy rain, pushing the rainfall total for the month at Cape Hatteras, NC past their previous April record of 7.10 inches. 1990 Thunderstorms developing along a stationary front produced severe weather from west central Texas to west central Arkansas during the late afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms spawned a tornado which caused more than half a million dollars damage at Fort Stockton, TX, produced wind gusts to 65 mph at Dennison, TX, produced baseball size hail at Silo, OK and near Capps Corner, TX, and drenched parts of southeastern Oklahoma with up to 4 inches of rain in two hours. 1991 Bossier City, LA recorded 22.6 inches of rain in three days. 1993 Washington, D.C.had a high temperature of 79°. This was the first 70°+ day of the year which was the latest ever recorded. 1998 Cairo, Egypt recorded a high temperature of 108°. 2000 Theilman, MN had a high temperature of 82° and a low temperature of 20°. This 62 degree diurnal temperature change is the greatest ever recorded there. 2002 The crew of a U.S. Coast Guard plane diverted from their Ice Patrol mission to drop bouquets into the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland. The flowers were a memorial to the 90th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the worst maritime disaster in history. The International Ice Patrol was founded as a result of the Titanic's deadly encounter with an iceberg. Unseasonably warm weather resulted in two records being broken at Denver, CO. A record high temperature of 84° was recorded followed by a record high minimum of 57°. A day after registering a high of 101°, Cairo, Egypt reached 104°, the warmest day here since May and June 2001. However, this high wasn't a record breaker; temperatures have been known to reach 108° in Cairo in April, as they in fact did on 4/15/1998. An Air China 767 crashed into a mountainside in rain and fog on approach to the Kimhae Airport in Pusan, South Korea. Only 39 of the 167 people on board the plane survived. 2003 Blowing dust driven by powerful winds as high as 50 mph with gusts to 130 mph swept across southern New Mexico. The dust storm prompted road closures and caused a 10-car pileup that killed twp people. 2004 Deer Lake, Newfoundland Canada was Canada's hot spot for the day as the thermometer soared to 67°, a local record for the date. 2008 Typhoon Neoguri formed over the South China Sea and rapidly intensifying to attain typhoon strength by the 16th, reaching its peak intensity on the 18th with maximum sustained winds near 110 mph. More than 120,000 people were evacuated from Hainan when heavy rains caused flash floods across low-lying areas. Three fatalities were attributed to the storm, though 40 fishermen were reported missing. The typhoon was the seasons earliest and perhaps the strongest to strike China since 1949. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 16: 1849 Charleston, SC recorded their latest freeze ever with temperature of 32° while 6 inches of snow fell at Wilmington, NC. Snow fell as far south as Milledgeville, GA. A damaging hard freeze occurred from Texas to Georgia devastating the cotton crop. 1851 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. 1880 A tornado near Marshall, MO carried the heavy timbers of an entire home a distance of 12 miles. 1927 The Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927 continued to rage. Tremendous rains all over the Mississippi River Valley during the preceding autumn and winter sent floodwaters raging southward over a wide area. On this date, the government levee at Dorena, MO collapsed. The surge of floodwater continued pushing downriver toward the Mississippi Delta, bursting more levees as it went. 1933 Franklin Falls, NH was buried under 35 inches of snow. 1944 An F4 tornado tracked 40 miles through Franklin, Hart, and Elbert Counties in Georgia and through Anderson and Abbeville Counties in South Carolina. 25 people were killed and 120 injured. Damage totaled $1 million dollars. 1949 Camden Square, London England recorded the United Kingdom's warmest April day on record as the temperature rose to 85°. 1958 A tornado ripped through Watrous, Saskatchewan Canada. A large barn was destroyed trapping 100 pigs within and others scattered by the winds. Five were discovered more than three miles from the barn. 1960 A wind storm struck the Colorado Rockies. Boulder, CO reported wind gusts up to 80 mph. A wind gust of 70 mph was measured at the Stapleton International Airport at Denver CO. The high winds damaged buildings, power & telephone lines and signs. Five people were injured in Denver. 1961 A spring snowstorm moved across northern Illinois with snow falling for three consecutive days. On this date, 5 inches was reported in Chicago with winds gusting to 45 mph that caused drifts up to 10 feet. 5 to 6 inches of snow fell across parts of central and northeast Illinois, with drifts up to 6 feet. Thousands of cars were stranded; the occupants were forced to take shelter overnight in nearby homes, gymnasiums, armories, and roller rinks. At least six deaths were reported. 1965 The flood crest at St. Paul, MN exceeded the previous record by four feet. Record crests occurred downriver all the way to Hannibal, MO. Damage totaled $100 million dollars, but only 12 lives were lost due to timely warnings. 1975 A single storm brought 119 inches of snow to Crater Lake, OR, establishing a state record. 1976 A week long heat wave baked the mid Atlantic and northeast. Washington sweltered under temperatures as warm as the mid 90s from the 16th through the 21st. A deepening low pressure system moved northward out of Nebraska and across western South Dakota. The storm produced extremely strong winds across eastern South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, and northwest half of Iowa. Winds of 60 to 80 mph were reported across the area with gusts over 90 mph in southwest Minnesota. Some recorded wind speeds included 62 mph at Sioux Falls, 70 mph at Brookings, and 82 mph at Watertown. During this long day of high winds many buildings were damaged and many roofs were blown off. At the Sioux Falls and Huron airports a couple of planes were overturned. Across southwest Minnesota many trees were uprooted and several trucks were blown off of the highway. Across the area many barns, outbuildings, sheds, and older structures were completely demolished. In two separate incidents in northwest Iowa downed power lines set fire to several barns resulting in the loss of property and livestock. 1977 An interesting oddity occurred near Wichita Falls, TX. A weak tornado not only developed from a weak shower, as no lightning or thunder was noticed, but the tornado then proceeded to move toward the west, though most tornadoes move toward the east. The tornado was accompanied by a loud roar as it moved through largely uninhabited areas just west of Wichita Falls. 1987 A slow moving storm system produced heavy rain over North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic Coast States. More than 6 inches of rain drenched parts of Virginia, and flooding in Virginia claimed 3 lives. Floodwaters along the James River inundated parts of Richmond, VA. 1988 A storm in the northeastern U.S. produced a foot of snow at Pittsburg, VT. Severe thunderstorms produced baseball size hail and spawned 5 tornadoes in the Southern Plains Region. 1989 A cold front, ushering sharply colder air into the north central U.S., brought snow to parts of Montana and North Dakota. At midday the temperature at Cutbank, MT was just 22°. 1990 Thunderstorms developing along a stationary front produced large hail and damaging winds across Oklahoma, with 99 reports of large hail and damaging winds during the evening and early nighttime hours. Thunderstorms produced baseball size hail south of Carney, and wind gusts to 100 mph in the Oklahoma City area which swept away many Federal tax returns being transported from a mail cart to a waiting truck about the time of the midnight deadline. Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City reported a record wind gust of 92 mph. 1991 Two inches of rain fell in just 45 minutes during a thunderstorm at Winston-Salem, NC. 1992 Pueblo, CO picked up 1.25 inches of rain in just 10 minutes. 1996 An F0 tornado touched down 9 miles west of Fresno, CA. Small hail also fell causing $600,000 in crop damage, mainly to grapes. In the city of Fresno, heavy rain fell stranding motorists. One report had as much as 0.73 inches of rain falling in just 25 minutes. 1998 A tornado moved through Nashville, TN resulting in 1 death, 60 injuries and extensive damage. 2002 High temperature records were shattered in many cities across the East and Midwest as spring turned into summer over much of the United States. This followed on the heels of many records that fell the day before across the Plains and Midwest. The abnormal heat was the result of a jet stream pushed way to the north. In stark contrast, the West had temperatures below normal with snow falling in some of the mountainous regions. Cooke City, MT reported 10 inches while 9 inches fell at Roundup, MT and 8 inches at Billings, MT. 2007 An intense nor'easter raging along the New England Coast caused the barometric pressure reading at Albany, NY to fall to 28.84 inHg, the lowest barometric pressure reading ever recorded in April for that location. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 17: 1821 The Massachusetts’ legislature could not open due to 18 inches of snow. 1920 Snow fell across Denver, CO continuously for 57 hours; from early morning on the 17th until midday on the 19th. The heavy wet snow totaled 18.2 inches with the greatest accumulation on the ground of a foot. At times winds gusted to near 50 mph creating near blizzard conditions. The strong winds created high drifts halting auto and rail traffic. Many people were stranded. No lives were lost in Denver but several people perished in surrounding districts. Temperatures didn’t make it out of the 20s. 1922 A group of six tornadoes caused death and destruction along parts of a 210 mile path from north of Ogden, IL to Allen County, Ohio, killing 16 people. A group of six tornadoes caused death and destruction along parts of a 210 mile path from north of Ogden, IL to Allen County, Ohio, killing 16 people. In Illinois, aviolent tornado touched down a few miles north of Ogden, in eastern Champaign County, then moved eastward through Vermilion County. Two people were killed north of Ogden. Another tornado touched down in southeast Effingham County and moved across Jasper and Clark Counties. One person was killed by this tornado, with 25 injured. In Indiana, atornado traveled from Warren to Delaware County killing 11 people. Another tornado of F4 strength went through Delaware and northern Madison counties killing three before dissipating in southwest Blackford County. It picked up a postcard near Orestes, IN and dropped it 124 miles away near Mt. Cory, OH with only a torn corner. 1942 West Palm Beach, FL was soaked by 8.35 inches of rain in just two hours. 1948 A torrential downpour of 1.34 inches of rain fell in just 10 minutes at Tauranga, New Zealand; a record for the country. 1953 One of the few severe hailstorms accompanied by snow, sleet, ice, and rain, pelted parts of Kay, Osage, Creek, Tulsa, Washington, and Rogers Counties in northeastern Oklahoma late in the day. Nearly 10,000 insurance claims were filed. 1963 A violent tornado, close to F5 strength at times, moved across Kankakee County before continuing into northwest Indiana, dissipating just west of Medaryville. The worst damage was in Bourbonnais, Bradley, Exline, and in populated areas north of Kankakee. Several houses completely disappeared. A much smaller tornado moved from the east edge of Roanoke, IN to two miles southwest of Baer Field (Fort Wayne International Airport). 21 buildings were destroyed. 50 injuries were reported in Illinois, with one fatality and 20 were injured in Indiana. Another twister killed an elderly man in his mobile home four miles north of Coldwater, MI. 1965 On this date through the 30th, the Mississippi River reached a flood crest at Saint Paul, MN, four feet higher than any previous mark. During the next two weeks record levels were reached along the Mississippi between Saint Paul and Hannibal, MO. Flooding caused more than $100 million dollars damage, but timely warnings kept the death toll down to just 12 people. 1967 On this date through the 20th and the 27th through 29th, a series of blizzards dropped a record 69 inches of snow across southern Alberta Canada. Thousands of cattle perished. 1976 A heat ridge continued off the east coast pumping record heat across much of the east. Some records included: The high temperature was 93° in Washington D.C.; the second highest temperature of a 4-day 90° heat wave. Some daily records included: Richmond, VA: 96°, Roanoke, VA: 91°, Charleston, WV: 89°, Elkins & Huntington, WV: 87°, Beckley, WV: 84°, Cape Hatteras, NC: 82° and Buffalo, NY: 80°. A tornado skipped north-northeast from five miles northeast of Hardtner KS, ending two miles northeast of Sharon. Eight homes were destroyed at the south edge of Sharon. Two people were injured. 1983 Burlington, VT picked up 15.6 inches of snow to set an April record. 1984 A spring storm left snow across much of the central portion of Iowa. The greatest concentration of snow was in an 80-mile wide band from Monona County southeast to Des Moines and Knoxville. Four to six inches were common in this band but the greatest amount of 8 inches occurred in Des Moines. Temperatures hovering near the freezing mark prevented large accumulations on the road. 1987 Many cities in the central U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. Temperatures warmed into the 70s and 80s from the Northern Plains to the Mississippi Valley, with readings in the low 90s reported in the Southern Plains. Tulsa, OK hit 92°. 1988 Heavy snow blanketed northern Arizona. Snowfall totals ranged up to 16 inches at Pinetop, with 10 inches reported at Flagstaff. Afternoon thunderstorms spawned a couple of tornadoes in Idaho. 1989 Arctic cold invaded the north central U.S. Missoula, MT was blanketed with 4 inches of snow, and Glasgow, MT reported a record cold morning low of 14°. 1990 High winds in northern Utah, gusting to 90 mph in Weber County, blew a trampoline through a living room window. Strong winds associated with a cold front crossing the Mid-Atlantic Coast gusted to 75 mph in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia. Very strong thunderstorm winds raked across Oklahoma and north Texas beginning the previous day through this date. The Oklahoma City metro area took the brunt of the storms. Winds of 90 to 100 mph severely damaged roofs of several schools and apartment buildings. At the Oklahoma City Post Office, many Federal Income Tax returns, which were waiting to be loaded into a transport truck, were swept away by the winds. Unseasonably cold weather prevailed in the north central U.S. Valentine, NE was the cold spot in the nation with a record low of 10°. 1994 Record cold occurred in Alaska. Umiat dropped to -39° and the -32° at Prudhoe Bay are the coldest ever for so late in the year. Fairbanks drooped to 2°; their coldest so late since 1972. 2002 Perth, Western Australia recorded its wettest April day on record, dating back to 1879 as 2.74 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. This exceeded their average April rainfall of 1.81 inches. The heat wave continued across the east as high pressure off the Carolina blocked a frontal boundary across the Plains. Records for the date included: Newark, NJ: 97°, NYC Central Park: 96°, Hartford, CT: 95°, Philadelphia, PA: 95°, Reagan National Airport, DC: 95 (Tied monthly high), Lynchburg, VA: 94°, Atlantic City, NJ: 94, Islip, NY: 94°, Concord, NH: 94°, Norfolk, VA: 93°, Dulles Airport, VA: 93° (April Record), Baltimore (BWI), MD: 93°, Providence, RI: 93°, Boston, MA: 93°, Salisbury, MD: 92°, Wallops Island, VA: 91°, Harrisburg, VA: 91°, Williamsport, PA: 91°, Albany, NY: 91°, Worcester, MA: 90°, Burlington, VT: 90°, Syracuse, NY: 89°, Bridgeport, CT: 89°, Binghamton, NY: 86° and Portland, ME: 80°. 2003 2.01 inches of rain fell at Seeb Airport, Muscat in Oman in just 12 hours. This far exceeded their average April rainfall of 0.71 inches. 2004 On this date, measurable rain fell at San Diego, CA for the last time until October 17th, a streak of 182 consecutive days with no measurable rain, the longest streak on record. 2006 A severe sandstorm, the eighth and reportedly the worst so far in the year to hit Beijing, China traveled from the China/Mongolia border to the Chinese capital. 2008 The afternoon high at Navajo, NM only reached 45° which tied a low high temperature record for the date. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 18: 1880 More than two dozen tornadoes touched down from Arkansas and Kansas to Michigan and Wisconsin. A massive F4 tornado devastated the town of Marshfield, MO, killing 65 people. The town of Barnettsville, MO was abandoned after a mile wide tornado destroyed the hamlet. Debris on the tracks caused a Missouri Pacific passenger train to derail. A tornado causing F4 damage killed 18 people and injured 90 in Moniteau, Cole and Calloway counties in Missouri. Overall, 100 people perished in the outbreak. 1896 New York City reported their earliest 90° reading on record. 1906 The city of San Francisco was nearly destroyed by the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. The earthquake measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. A five square mile area, almost two-thirds of the young city, was destroyed. The fires, fanned by an unusual easterly wind, lasted for three days. 315 people died in the earthquake and fire with another 350 missing and presumed dead. 1944 Californiaexperienced its worst hailstorm of record. Damage totaled to $2 million dollars as two consecutive storms devastated the Sacramento Valley destroying the fruit crop. 1957 A large dust devil at Dracut, MA was powerful enough to lift small children into the air. The dust devil was accompanied by a loud whistling noise. 1958 The Cherry blossoms at Washington, D.C. peaked on this date; the latest in their history. 1959 A severe thunderstorm moved southeast across the Chattanooga, OK area, dumping four inches of rain in just 30 minutes, along with hail up to an inch in diameter, that piled up over a foot deep in places. Hail up to 1½ inches in diameter also caused roof damage across south Oklahoma City. 1966 A major blizzard ravaged the northern Plains. Up to two feet of snow was reported in parts of South Dakota and 20 inches fell at Lander, WY. Sub-freezing temperatures caused thousands of dollars damage to fruit trees across Denver, CO. From this date through the 20th, low temperatures each morning were in the teens and failed to reach above freezing on the 19th. The low temperature of 13° on the 20th set a new record low for the date. Stapleton International Airport in Denver picked up 5.7 inches of snow during this period. 1970 It had been a devastating night for tornadoes in the Texas Panhandle. At the U.S. Weather Bureau office in Lubbock, TX it had been a busy night with countless tornado warnings issued. Around midnight, the all clear was sounded. During the predawn hours, another group of tornadoes swarmed across the Panhandle. 13 people died at Sherwood Shores as the twister struck without warning. Rapid City, SD, received a record 22 inches of snow in 24 hours. The airport at Rapid City picked up 15.6 inches of snow; the second snowiest 24-hour period on record. A wind gust recorded on Mt. John, on New Zealand's South Island reached 150 mph. 1976 An early season heat wave continued across the Mid-Atlantic and northeast. Washington, DC soared to 95°; tying for their hottest ever in the month of April. Philadelphia, PA hit 94° setting an April record. Other record highs set included: NYC, Central Park: 96°, Richmond, VA: 95°, Hartford, CT: 95°, Boston, MA: 94°, Allentown, PA: 93°, Avoca, PA: 92°, Williamsport, PA: 92°, Concord, NH: 92°, Roanoke, VA: 91°, Burlington, VT: 91°, Greensboro, NC: 90°, Charleston, WV: 90°, Dulles Airport, VA: 90°, Albany, NY: 90°, Elkins, WV: 88°, Worcester, MA: 88°, Beckley, WV: 86°, Providence, RI: 86°, Binghamton, NY: 85°, Rochester, NY: 85° and Syracuse, NY: 85°. 1981 A cluster of thunderstorms developed over South Central South Dakota which brought extremely efficient rain producers as 4½ inches fell in one hour along with pea to marble size hail. Flash flooding resulted washing away fences and sheds across Bennett, Todd, and Mellette counties. The rain water swept the hail into drifts with some areas reporting 10 to 12 foot hail drifts in ravines. 1983 Four inches of snow fell in parts of southeastern Virginia, the heaviest snows on record for so late in the season. Chuping, Malaysiatied their country’s hottest day on record when the temperature reached to 101°. 1987 Many cities in the central U.S. reported record high temperatures for the date, including International Falls, MN with a reading of 88°, and Bismarck, ND with a high of 92°. A sharp cold front produced high winds in the western U.S. Winds in Utah gusted to 99 mph at the Park City Angle Station, and capsized a boat on Utah Lake drowning four people. 1988 Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in the southeastern U.S. A strong F2 tornado severely damaged 17 mobile homes near Bainbridge, GA injuring 3 people. 1989 Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. A thunderstorm in Pecos County of southwest Texas produced wind gusts to 90 mph at Imperial. 1990 Heavy snow blanketed the west central valleys and southwest mountains of Colorado with up to 18 inches of snow. Several cities from the Mid Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic Coast reported record low temperatures for the date, including Fort Wayne, IN with a reading of 23°. 1992 A spring snowstorm blanketed parts of the Central Rockies. Vail, Co reported 12 inches and 10 inches at Copper Mountain. 1996 A tornado struck Decatur, IL without warning. This was the second consecutive day tornadoes struck this area. 2002 The heat wave continued across the east as high pressure off the Carolina blocked a frontal boundary across the Plains. Records for the date included: Newark, NJ: 93°, Islip, NY: 89°, Wallops Island, VA: 88°, Atlantic City, NJ: 87°, Bridgeport, CT: 85° and Buffalo, NY: 81°. 2005 Periods of heavy wet snow from this date through the 21st totaled 20" at Billings, MT with 2.60" water equivalent over the 4-day period. Red Lodge, MT received 17", Story 14" and Pryor with 12". ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 19: 1881 A 79 day snow blockade ended at Nation City, SD as the first train with supplies arrived. 1901 Watertown, OH picked up 45 inches of snow between the 15th and 21st to set a state record. 1927 Illinois' 10th deadliest tornado outbreak on record took a path across the central part of Illinois, killing 21 people. The first tornado touched down near Hardin, traveling northeast through Carrollton, then skimmed the south side of Springfield. At Carrollton, a teacher was killed as she held the door of the school shut, saving the lives of her students. The second tornado, peaking at F4 intensity, touched down on the southeast side of Springfield, then moved to affect the towns of Riverton, Buffalo Hart, Chestnut, and Cornland. In Buffalo Hart, only three houses were left standing, while the northern half of Cornland was leveled. The tornado track was 65 miles, ending in Ford County. 1941 The temperature at Sodus, NY soared to 95°. The next day, Albany, NY reported a record for April of 93°. 1963 A tornado struck northwestern Assam, India killing 139 people and leaving 3,760 families in 33 villages homeless. 1967 A severe hailstorm struck the Munday and Goree areas of Knox County, Texas. Damage was estimated at $1 million dollars to property, and $500,000 dollars to crops. Hailstones, as large as golf balls, accumulated up to 6 inches deep. Some piles drifted by the rain were 2 to 3 feet deep. These same communities dodged a bullet the next day. A tornado touched down in open country three miles north of Munday early the next afternoon causing no damage. 1970 After three days of very heavy rain from the 17th through this date, areas around Medford, Jefferson, Lamont, and Blackwell, OK were struck by extensive flooding. The town of Jefferson was completely inundated. Only nine homes escaped damage, with a few buildings reporting as much as two feet of water in them. In Blackwell, 40 city blocks and 200 homes were flooded when the Chikaskia River crested at six and one half feet above flood stage. 1971 El Paso, TX picked up 4 inches of snow, their biggest late season snow on record. 1973 Glenrock, WYreceived 41 inches of snow in just 24 hours, and a storm total of 58 inches from the 18th through the 20th, to establish two state records. 1976 The northeastern U.S. was in the midst of an early season heat wave. The Boston Marathon took place in 90 degree heat. Washington, D.C. hit 93°and Providence, RI soared to 98°. 1983 Strong Canadian high pressure moved into the northern Plains and Midwest. Rockford, IL dropped to a low of 16°; setting a daily record and for the coldest April temperature. 1984 On this date through the 21st, a large snowstorm buried most of Colorado under heavy wet snow. Snowfall totals ranged from 10-20 inches across metro Denver and 20 to 40 inches in the adjacent foothills. The snow closed roads and damaged electrical transformers; causing numerous power outages. Nearly 14 inches fell at Stapleton International Airport where the combination of snow and wind closed all but one runway. Both I-70 and I-76 were closed east of Denver. 1985 Severe thunderstorms erupted across central and eastern South Dakota. Numerous reports of high winds were received during the outbreak. One particularly strong storm carved a path of destruction from Pierre to Mobridge. The storm blew over several mobile homes in the Pierre area and knocked boats off of their trailers. The Pierre airport reported a gust of 98 mph. The high winds blew down 10 hangers and destroyed 25 to 30 planes. The strong winds lasted for more than 20 minutes in Pierre resulting in more than a million dollars in damage. The storm continued to the north with wind gusts of 80 to 100 mph knocking down trees and tearing off roofs resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional damages. Regina, Saskatchewan Canada's wettest April day occurred as 1.24 inches fell. 1986 A major storm system produced 10 tornadoes in Texas. One of these tornadoes virtually annihilated the town of Sweetwater. The tornado struck at the unlikely time of 7:17am. One person was killed and 100 were injured. 1987 A powerful cold front produced high winds and blowing dust across Denver, CO and surrounding areas. Visibilities were as little as 100 yards. Top wind gusts included: Brighton: 72 mph, Thornton: 67 mph, and 54 mph at Stapleton International Airport. The high winds flipped a small plane taxiing down a runway injuring two people. The frontal passage caused the temperature to drop from 80°at 3pm to 33°at midnight with just under an inch of snow. Ahead of the cold front, 40 cities in the central U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date as readings soared into the 80s and lower 90s for Easter Sunday. Fort Smith, AR reported a record high of 95°. 1988 Severe thunderstorms over the southeastern U.S. early in the day spawned a strong F3 tornado which destroyed 17 homes and severely damaged 30 others near Madison, FL killing 4 people and injuring 18 others. Advertisement 1989 A dozen cities in the southwestern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 98°at Hanksville, UT equaled their record for April. Tucson, AZ reported their earliest 100 degree reading on record. 1990 Several cities in the northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date as readings dipped into the upper teens and 20s. Elkins, WV reported a record low of 20°. Thunderstorms over the Southern Plains produced golf ball size hail at San Angelo, TX, and up to 4 inches of rain in parts of southwestern Oklahoma. 1992 A case of cold air damming as Pittsburgh, PA hit 82° while across the state at Philadelphia, the temperature only reached 50° due to a chilly east wind off the Atlantic. 1995 Weighing in at just over 33 pounds, the world's heaviest hailstone on record fell on Guangdong Province in China. 1996 From this date through the 21st, there was an almost continuous outbreak of 111 tornadoes from Arkansas, through Illinois, and into southern Canada. Downtown Berea, KY was destroyed and Fort Smith, AR was also heavily damaged. Advance notice of the tornadoes was very good however, as 105 of the 111 tornadoes, and all of the killer tornadoes occurred in areas covered by tornado watches. Further to the north, one of the most memorable tornado outbreaks in Illinois history occurred. During the day, 33 tornadoes were reported as supercells erupted and moved across the state during the afternoon and evening hours. Wind estimates in excess of 170 mph were associated with some of the stronger tornadoes, one of which ripped through nearby Ogden, ILdestroying 68 homes and numerous other businesses and public institutions. One person was killed just east of Ogden, when a semi was overturned on I-74.The Decatur area, which had also been hit by a tornado the night before, sustained about $9 million damage with 27 people injured. Further east, up to $11 million damage occurred in Urbana, where 30 homes were destroyed and 80 more were damaged. Strong tornadoes were also reported in Mason and southwest McLean Counties. 2005 On this date through the 20th,The Ministry of Environment issued their earliest warm-season smog advisory for southern Ontario Canada. Traditionally, the smog season runs from May to September. 2006 An intense spring snowstorm swept across the Dakotas, dumping up to 5 feet of snow. The heaviest snow fell in the Black Hills, with 59.4 inches at Lead, SD. Bowman, ND reported 18 inches. The storm closed highways including I-94 in North Dakota, cutting power to thousands and was responsible for at least 4 deaths. Further west, 1 to 3 feet of snow and 50 to 60 mph winds caused drifts up to 10 feet, widespread power outages and livestock losses. 2008 A record snowfall surprised many in southern British Columbia as an overnight storm knocked out power to thousands. Snowfall records are set in Nanaimo, Victoria and Vancouver. Accumulations at Victoria International Airport reached 2.5 inches, more than any April day since 1940. In Nanaimo, 9.5 inches covered the ground at the airport by late morning. This was their first measurable snow on this date since 1947. In Vancouver, the storm was the latest April snowfall on record. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 20: 1880 Sacramento, CA had their heaviest 24 hour rainfall when 7.24 inches fell. 1901 A spring storm produced unusually heavy snow in northeast Ohio. Warren received 35.5 inches in 36 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. 1912 A tornado moved north northeast from 5 miles southeast of Rush Center, KS across the east half of Bison, KS. Farms were wiped out near Rush Center. The loss at Bison was $70,000 dollars as half of the town, about 50 homes, were damaged or destroyed. There were 15 injuries in town. A dozen farms were nearly wiped out. Debris from the farm houses were carried for 8 miles. An elderly man who made light of the storm was killed with his granddaughter on a farm 2 miles southwest of Bison. 1920 An outbreak of tornadoes across Mississippi and northern Alabama killed 219 people. 6 tornadoes of F4 intensity were reported. Aberdeen, MS was hard hit by an F4 tornado that killed 22 people. This same tornado killed 20 in Marion County, Alabama. 9 people in one family died in Winston County, Alabama. The tornadoes were unusual as they struck during the morning hours. 1941 Record heat continued across the east coast into New England. Record high temperatures included: Durham, NH: 95°, Baltimore, MD: 94°, Washington, D.C.: 94°, Albany, NY: 93°, Harrisburg, PA: 92°, Philadelphia, PA: 92°, Concord, NH: 92°, Norfolk, VA: 91°, Roanoke, VA: 91°, Avoca, PA: 91°, Trenton, NJ: 91°, Newark, NJ: 91°, Worcester, MA: 91°, Allentown, PA: 90°, Syracuse, NY: 90°, Hartford, CT, 89°, Providence, RI: 89°, Boston, MA: 89°, Elkins, WV: 88°, Pittsburgh, PA: 86°, Rochester, NY: 86°, Burlington, VT: 86° and Mt. Pocono, PA: 85°. 1952 The tankers Esso Suez and Esso Greensboro crashed in a thick fog off the coast of Morgan City, LA. Only 5 of the Greensboro's crew survived after the ship burst into flame. 1966 Canadian high pressure brought very cold air to the Rockies and northern Plains. Record lows included: Scottsbluff, NE: -3°, Cheyenne, WY dropped to -2°, Casper, WY: -2°, Lander, WY: 1°, Rapid City, SD: 2°, Sheridan, WY: 3°, Valentine, NE: 6°, Fargo, ND: 11°, Williston, ND: 11°, Aberdeen, SD: 11°, Colorado Springs, CO: 13°, Denver, CO: 13°, Huron, SD: 15°, Billings, MT: 17°, Bismarck, ND: 17°, Pueblo, CO: 20° and Dodge City, KS: 25°. 1967 A tornado struck 5 miles north of Cyril, OK. A pickup truck driving along State Highway 8, stalled because of the wind, and then was lifted by the tornado, turned around to face the opposite direction, and set down again, without damage. The driver, who described the funnel as being "full of mud", was uninjured. 1972 Severe thunderstorms struck the western parts of north Texas. Near Bonita in Montague County, flat hailstones, four to five inches in diameter, and one inch thick, did extensive damage to autos, roofs, and windows. 1976 The northeastern U.S. continued with an early season heat wave. Some records highs included: Charleston, WV: 91°, Huntington, WV: 89°, Beckley, WV: 85°and Williamsport, PA: 85°. 1980 Billings, MT reached 90°; tying a record high for April and is the earliest 90 degree reading on record. 1984 A temperature of 106° at Del Rio, TX set a new record high for the month of April. 1987 Many cities in the central and eastern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date. The high of 92°at Memphis, TN was a record for April, and the high of 94°at Little Rock, AR equaled their April record. 1988 A storm in the western U.S. brought heavy rain to parts of California that didn’t end until the 23rd. Mount Wilson was soaked with 4.15 inches of rain in 24 hours. The heavy rain caused some flooding and mudslides in the Los Angeles area, and a chain reaction collision of vehicles along the Pomona Freeway which resulted in 26 injuries. Street flooding occurred in southern San Diego County along with downed trees, power outages, and overflowed sewer lines. Three straight Dodgers baseball games were rained out. Only 12 rainouts had occurred in the previous 26 years. During the early afternoon hours, an F0 tornado moved on a 1,500 foot path through Bear Valley Springs. A small structure was destroyed and others suffered window and minor roof damage. 1989 Hot weather spread from the southwestern U.S. into the Great Plains Region. Many cities reported new record high temperatures for the date. The afternoon high of 104°at Tucson, AZ was an April record, and highs of 87°at Provo UT, 90°at Pueblo CO, and 85°at Salt Lake City UT, equaled April records. Denver, CO set a daily record with 83°. They would also set record highs of 88°on the 22nd and 85°on the 23rd. 1990 A fast moving Pacific storm produced heavy snow in the central mountains and the Upper Arkansas Valley of Colorado, with a foot of snow reported at Leadville. Thunderstorms in the south central U.S. produced wind gusts to 76 mph at Tulsa, OK, and heavy rain which caused flooding of Cat Claw Creek in the Abilene, TX area. Lightning struck the building housing a fish farm in Scott, AR killing 10,000 pounds of fish. Many of the fish died from the heat of the fire. 1991 5.89 inches of rain fell in 24 hours at Norfolk, VA, setting a record for April. 1992 A blizzard beginning on the 18th lasted through this date across the Black Hills of South Dakota. Heavy wet snow and strong winds created blizzard conditions in the northern Black Hills that led to a major power outage. About 2,000 households were without power for over 4 hours in some areas around Lead/Deadwood. Snow amounts of 2 feet were common with 30 inches falling at Lead causing major traffic problems. Northwest winds gusted to over 65 mph at Rapid City, SD and to around 50 mph in the Hills. 9.2 inches of snow at Omaha, NE (8.7 inches at the airport) set several records, including the heaviest April snow. The same storm dumped 2.7 inches of snow at Kansas City, MO for their heaviest snowfall ever so late in the season. Ahead of the storm, an F1 tornado destroyed a 40x50 foot shed and damaged a nearby garage and home two miles south of Hillsboro, WI. 1993 A late season snowstorm struck parts of Nebraska and Iowa. Low pressure developed over the south central United States and tracked into southwest Missouri and finally between Des Moines and Ottumwa. Heavy snow began to fall around noon with the heaviest amounts over eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. 14 inches of snow fell at Hamburg and 12 inches in Sidney. 8 to 15 inches were common over eastern Nebraska and 4 to 8 inches in southwest Iowa. The snow was very wet and heavy causing tree and power line damage. In addition, some livestock losses were reported mostly with young calves. 2000 Severe thunderstorms rolled from west to east across central Illinois throughout the morning. These storms produced tornado touchdowns near Illiopolis and Forsyth, and another tornado tracked from near Oreana to Argenta. This latter tornado lifted the roof off a home 2 miles northeast of Oreana, and part of a roof in Argenta was lifted off. Earlier in the morning, the storms produced winds up to 85 mph in Cass, Tazewell and Menard Counties, causing damage to buildings, trees and power lines. In Tazewell County, a radio tower in Groveland was blown over, causing $500,000 dollars damage, and near Washington, an airport hangar was destroyed, damaging 3 planes. 2004 A strong F3 tornado moved across the town of Utica, near LaSalle-Peru in north central Illinois. This tornado destroyed several homes, a machinery building, and a tavern. The roof of the tavern collapsed, killing eight people inside; many of these people had come into town from nearby mobile homes, seeking sturdier shelter. The tornado dissipated on a steep bluff on the northeast side of town. Another tornado developed shortly afterward, crossing I-80 near Ottawa. Several other tornadoes developed across north central and northeast Illinois, affecting areas around Joliet and Kankakee. 2005 A tornado struck near the city of Yancheng in the eastern province of Jiangsu, China resulting in 7 deaths and at least 60 injuries. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------