August

Weather Events: Canada | United States | World

Quote of the Month

Significant Weather Events

Canada

1 August 1969, Montreal, Quebec: Severe hailstorm pummels Montreal. Hailstones measure from 1.25 cm to 1.8 cm (0.5 to 0.75 inches) in diameter.

1 August 2003, Barierre, British Columbia: High winds and temperatures in the 35-40 °C (95-104 °F) range transform a carelessly tossed cigarette into a fire storm in a few hours, forcing 3,500 residents ro flee the rampaging fire. The southern half of the province has been without rain for six weeks. In early August, more than 500 fires burned in the province.

1 August 2007, Newfoundland: Tropical Storm Chantal drops record rains across southeastern Newfoundland, up to 150 millimetres of rain in places on the eastern third of the Island. The storm damage will likely cost millions of dollars in damages as towns are flooded and dozens of roads are washed out.

2 August 1979, Montreal, Quebec: A powerful windstorm sends gusts up to 100km/h (62 mph) across Montreal's West Island. The strong winds overturn boats and damage cars and homes; power disrupted for thousands of homes.

2 August 2006, Southern Ontario: A severe storm system sweeping across Southern Ontario spawns eight separate tornadoes, the most tornadoes from a single storm system to strike the province since 1985. Two of the tornadoes, which hit near Combermere amd east of Bancroft, are categorized as F2.

3 August 1914, Calgary, Alberta: Temperature reaches an all-time August high for the city at 35.6 °C (96 °F).

4 August 2003, Charlevoix at Baie-St. Paul, Quebec: Thunderstorm storm dumps 167 mm (6.57 inches) of rain, About an hour after the rains started, floodwaters reach to second-floor windows and trigger landslides the next day.

5 August 1981, Kronau, Saskatchewan: Tornado strikes this Prairie community about midday, destroying four steel granaries, a storage shed and a workshop.

5 August 2006, Gull Lake, Manitoba: The worst tornado to hit the province in 70 years cuts a path through Manitoba's cottage country. It destroys a resort area, snaps trees, and damages boats and homes in Gull Lake. One woman dies and about 10 others are injured. The death is the first death from a tornado in Canada since July 2000.

6 August 1879, Buctouche, New Brunswick: The most easterly tornado occurrence of this magnitude in North America strikes Buctouche. Within the storm's 14 km (8.8 mile) swath, seven die and ten are injured.

7 August 1844, Galt, Ontario: Tornado uproots trees, tears the roof of several barns and kills a Mrs McIntyre, Canada's first reported tornado fatality.

7 August 1949, Winnipeg, Manitoba: The hottest day on record for the city: 40.6 °C (105 °F).

7 August 2003, Mississauga, Ontario: Torrential rain from a line of severe evening thunderstorms pushes flash-flooding through this Ontario city. Floodwaters are a metre-deep (3.9 feet) in some places.

7 August 1983, Thunder Bay, Ontario: Temperature reaches an all-time record high of 40.3 °C (104 °F).

8 August 2001, Toronto, Ontario: Toronto Pearson Airport reachs its second hottest day ever when temperature soars to 37.9 °C (99.3 °F).

9 August 1960, Vancouver, British Columbia: Vancouver International Airport's hottest day on record as the mercury hits 33.3°C (91.4 °F)

10 August 1967, Prince Rupert, British Columbia: Prince Rupert's records its wettest August day of record as 87.6 mm (3.45 inches) falls.

11 August 1914, Northwest River, Labrador: Temperature soars to an all-time Labrador record high of 41.7 °C (107 °F).

12 August 2001, Osoyoos, British Columbia: Temperature rockets to an all-time August record high for BC: 41.7 °C (107 °F).

13 August 1989, Estevan, Saskatechewan: A tornado destroys the home and stable on a farm east of Estevan. Reportedly, a 3-month-old baby was tossed 100m (328 ft). After several hours of searching the baby was found unharmed.

14 August 1989, New Brunswick: Three tornados touch down across New Brunswick. In Carlisle, one tornado uproots trees and demolishes a barn but spares 22 of 24 glass storm windows stored inside.

15 August 1971, Nova Scotia: Hurricane Beth soaks Nova Scotia with up to 300 mm (12 inches) of rain. The deluge causes considerable crop damage and swamps highways and bridges, temporarily isolating communities on the eastern mainland of Nova Scotia.

16 August 1888, St. Zotique-Valleyfield, Quebec: A tornado kills 9 and injures another 14.

17 August 1999, Southern Manitoba: A tornado brushes Domain, Manitoba damaging rooftops and knocking down trees. The same storm system drops hail the size of quarters on Winnipeg and 5-cm (2 inch) hail on Sanford and Starbuck.

18 August 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba: A wild weather day in Winnipeg. Powerful thunderstorms bring strong winds, gusting to 80 km/h (50 mph), to region knocking out power. Downtown region sees snow pellets.

18-19 August 1935, Maritime Provinces: Temperature soars to record highs in each of the Maritime Provinces. Prince Edward Island: Charlottetown, 36.7 °C (98 °F); Nova Scotia: Collegeville, 38.3 °C (101 °F); and New Brunswick: Rexton 39.4 °C (103 °F).

19 August 1960, Mould Bay, Northwest Territories: Heaviest recorded 24-hour precipitation accumulation to date for Arctic drenches Mould Bay with 4.78 cm (1.88 inches) of rain.

19 August 1968, Lambeth, Ontario: Severe hailstorm deposits ice up to 17.5 cm (6.9 in) deep on streets and causes extensive local crop damage.

19 August 2005, Southern Ontario: A line of severe thunderstorms runs eastward across southern Ontario from Kitchener to Oshawa, including the northern half of Toronto. The storm leaves in its wake severe damage that, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, is the highest insured loss in the province's history, exceeding $500 million; more than two and a half times Ontario's losses during the infamous ice storm of 1998 and the second largest loss event in Canadian history.

19 August 2005, Fergus, Ontario: Severe thunderstorms spawn at least two F-2 tornadoes north of the town of Fergus and surrounding areas. Cars are overturned, homes and farm buildings damaged and trees downed, but no injuries are reported.

19 August 2005, Toronto, Ontario: An intense thunderstorm strikes the Toronto region bringing torrential rains, quarter- to golf-ball sized hail, and flash flooding. At Environment Canada's Downsview offices, 130 mm (5.1 inches) of rain fell; 100 mm (4 inches) in less than an hour. The tempest also dumps 103 mm (4.06 inches) of rain in one hour across a swath of North York and surrounding area, causing flash flooding.

19 August 2007, Prince Edward Island: Dozens of waterspouts dance across PEI waters. Two waterspouts are reported in Westmoreland at 5:35 pm and two more in Argyle Shore about the same time.

20 August 1970, Sudbury, Ontario: A tornado strikes the Sudbury area leaving six dead and 200 injured. Damage is estimated at over $10 million.

21 August 1992, Edmonton, Alberta: The earliest recorded snowfall in Edmonton since record keeping began in 1884.

22 August 1711, St. Lawrence River, Quebec: British Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker's assault on Quebec is thwarted by dense river fog and high winds on the St. Lawrence River. Collisions in the fog wreck 8 of 15 warships and drown 884 men.

22 August 1968, St Paul, Alberta: Violent thunderstorm deposits 1.27 cm (0.5 inch) hailstones up to 15 cm (6 in) deep on St Paul roads.

22 August 1976, Botwood, Newfoundland: Temperature soars to record high for Newfoundland: 36.7 °C (98.1 °F).

22 August 2003, Kelowna, British Columbia: The Okanagan Mountain fire reaches its destructive peak, destroying 250 homes. Nearly 40,000 residents have been evacuated or are on evacuation alert. The Okanagan Mountain Park Fire is estimated to be 17,000 hectares and continues to grow.

23 August 2005, Maidstone, Saskatchewan: Over 120 mm (4.7 inches) of rain fall in Maidstone.

24 August 1938, Thunder Bay, Ontario: A long-lived tornado roars across the landscape near Thunder Bay. Over its 160 km (100 mile) path south and west of the Lakehead, the storm levels farm buildings, uproots trees and kills livestock in ten townships.

25 August 1927, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland: The August Gale, a hurricane, rages across the East Coast, crossing the Cabot Strait during the early morning hours. Hundreds of small boats in Newfoundland ports are among the storm's victims.

26 August 1948, Niagara Falls, Ontario: A good day to be in a shower...or near the Falls as Niagara Falls records its hottest day on record: 38.3°C (100.9 °F).

27 August 1973, Cedoux, Saskatechewan: The largest documented Canadian hailstone falls here. Stone weighs 250 g (0.55 lb) and measures 114 mm (4.5 inches) across.

28 August 1966, Porcupine Mountain, Manitoba: 96 mm (3.78 in) of rain fall in 1-hour.

29 August 1583, Sable Island, Nova Scotia: The Delight is wrecked on the island during heavy gale, blinding rain and thick fog. Canada's first recorded marine disaster, takes 85 lives.

29 August 1876, St John's, Newfoundland: A torrential downpour inundates St John's with 173.2 mm (6.8 inches) of rainfall, the greatest single daily accumulation ever recorded in the province.

30 August 1947, Gooderham, Ontario: Tornado winds blow a Gooderham family from their wrecked home, 100 m (101 yards) and into a tree, stripping their clothing.

31 August 1885, Calgary, Alberta: Record 71-day dry period begins.

31 August 2003, Victoria, British Columbia: With a mere 19.5 mm (0.77 inches) of precipitation at the airports and 8.2 mm (0.32 inches) at Gonzales Heights during June, July and August, Victoria experiences its driest summer of record.

31 August 2005, Quebec: Rains from the former Hurricane Katrina set several August daily rainfall records in Quebec: 73.8 mm (2.91 inches) at Montreal's P.E. Trudeau Airport and 73.9 mm (2.91 inches) at Quebec City.

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United States

1 August 1954, Mount Rainier, Washington: Mount Rainier snow cover at the 5500-foot (1680-m) level remains at 16 inches (41 cm) from previous winter's snowfall.

2 August 1964, Muskegon, Michigan: Muskegon records its hottest day ever with a reading of 99 °F (37 °C).

2 August 2001, Chicago, Illinois: Flash flooding caused by 2-4 inches (50-100 mm) of rain falling in just several hours shuts down major thoroughfares at the height of morning rush hour, flooding dozens of underpasses. Manhole covers are seen floating off in some places.

3 August 1970, Coastal Texas: Hurricane Celia strikes the coast of Texas with reported wind gusts to 161 mph (258 km/h) at Corpus Christi and estimated wind gusts of 180 mph (289 km/h) at Arkansas Pass.

4 August 1882, Across the US: A vivid aurora is observed from Oregon to Maine, reaching down the East Coast as far as Mayport, Florida, and inland to Wellington, Kansas. Observers at Louisville, Kentucky note "merry dancers" across the sky, and observers at Saint Vincent, Minnesota call it probably the most brilliant ever seen at that location.

4 August 1998, College Station, Texas: The last of a string of 30 consecutive days with temperatures greater than 100°F (37.8°C). 49 such days will be recorded in the blistering Summer of '98.

4 August 2006, Washington DC: The temperature at Ronald Reagan National Airport reaches 101°F (38.3°C), the hottest ever for that day in the nation's capitol.

5 August 1961, Ice Harbor Dam, Washington: Washington State's hottest day on record as temperatures soars to 118°F (47.8°C).

6 August 1918, Atlantic Coast States: Heat wave begins over the Atlantic Coast States, from the Carolinas to southern New England. The temperature soars to an all-time record high of 106 °F (41.1 °C) at Washington DC, and Cumberland and Keedysville hit 109 °F (42.8 °C) to establish Maryland state record .

6 August 2003, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas: Temperatures soar to 109°F (42.8°C) at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, surpassing the old record set in 1952.

7 August 1984, El Paso, Texas: El Paso receives 5.21 inches (132.3 mm) of rain in forty-five minutes, four inches more than the August normal. The storm which left downtown El Paso under five feet (150 cm) of water.

7 August 1990, Nome, Alaska: Nome records its ninth thunderstorm of the year, more than the city had observed in the previous twenty years combined.

8 August 1882, Lake Michigan: August snow storm covers ship decks with snow and slush 6 inches (15 cm) deep. Snow showers are observed at various points on shore.

8 August 1924, Hancock, Minnesota: A lightning bolt during a dry thunderstorm kills 47 cattle at a local farm. The livestock had crowded together under the branches of a large spreading willow tree when the bolt struck the tree. Bodily contact seems to have provided the means of conveying the charge among the animals.

8 August 1983, Big Horn Basin, Wyoming: The temperature at Big Horn Basin WY soars to 115°F (46.1°C) to establish a state record.

8 August 2007, New York, New York: A tornado bounces across Staten Island and Brooklyn ripping off roofs and damaging dozens of buildings. The twister hop-scotches through Brooklyn's Bay Ridge and Sunset Park neighborhoods at around 6:30 am. Meteorologists classify it as an EF-2 tornado.

9 August 1878, Wallingford, Connecticut: Second deadliest tornado in New England history ravages Wallingford killing 34 persons, injuring 100 and completely destroying 30 homes.

10 August 1856, Isle Derniere, Louisiana: Storm surge drowns 140 vacationers as a 5-foot (1.5 metre) wave sweeps over Low Island off the coast of Louisiana during a hurricane. Incident is known as the "Isle Derniere (Last Island) Disaster."

10 August 1882, Sandusky, Ohio: Sandusky residents experience a four-minute snow squall during the morning.

10 August 1936, Ozark, Arkansas: Arkansas registers its hottest temperature ever: 120°F (48.9°C).

10 August 1936, Plain Dealing, Louisiana: On the same day, the highest temperature ever recorded in Louisiana occurs: 114°F (45.6°C).

11 August 1993, Ashley National Forest, Utah: A tornado strikes in the Uinta Mountains,, 20 miles northeast of Roosevelt, Utah. It demolishs 1,000 acres of trees in the Ashley National Forest at 10,800 feet (3294 m) above sea level.

11 August 2004, Wisconsin: A cold air mass descends over Wisconsin. Ten cities report maximum temperatures that are among the coldest ever for the month. Three break old records, two tie records and five record second lowest maximum temperature. High temperatures range from 52°F (11 °C) in the north to 59°F (15 °C) in southern part of the state.

11 August 2007, Dutch Harbor/Unalaska AP, Alaska: Dutch Harbor sets its all-time high temperature with a reading of 81°F (27.2 °C).

12 August 1752, Portland, Maine: “It blew down houses and barns, trees, corn and everything in its way. Such a hurricane as was never the like in these parts of the world” — Rev. Thomas Smith

12 August 1933, Death Valley, California: The temperature at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley soars to 127°F (52.8°C) to establish the US record for the month of August. .

12 August 1936, Seymour, Texas: Texas' hottest temperature ever: 120°F (48.9°C).

12 August 1778, Rhode Island and southeast New England: A hurricane prevents an impending British-French sea battle and causes extensive damage over southeast New England.

12 August 2005, Wright, Wyoming: A tornado strikes this coal-mining community, killing two and destroying 91 homes and damaging about 30 more in around the town.

13 August 1991, Stockton, California: First rainfall is recorded on this date since weather records began in 1906, when 0.05 inch (1.3 mm) of rain falls.

14 August 1936, Kansas and Missouri: Heat in the midst of the Dust Bowl. Temperatures across much of eastern Kansas soars above 110 °F (43 °C). Kansas City, Missouri hit an all-time record high of 113 °F (45 °C). It is one of sixteen consecutive days of 100 degree F (38 °C) heat for Kansas City. During that summer temperatures of 100 °F or more are recorded on a record 53 days.

14 August 2002, San Angelo, Texas: A heatburst descending at 0105 AM jumps the temperature from 75°F (23.9 °C) to 94°F (34.4 °C) in half an hour. The event ends by 0130 AM when the temperature falls back to 73°F (22.8 °C).

14-17 August 2003, Bismarck, North Dakota: Residents wilt under a record string of four consecutive days with temperatures greater than 100°F (37.8°C).

15 August 1946, St Louis, Missouri: St Louis is deluged with a record 8.78 inches (233 mm) of rain in 24 hours.

15 August 2004, Death Valley National Park, California: A fierce storm triggered flooding in the Mojave Desert that killed at least two people and forced the closure of Death Valley National Park.

15 August 2004, Yakutat, Alaska: The station reports its all-time maximum temperature: 88 °F (31.1°C).

16 August 2002, Lincoln, Illinois: 4.22 inches (107 mm) of rain fell at Lincoln, breaking the August daily precipitation record.

17 August 1917, Death Valley, California: The day's high temperature registers the 43rd consecutive day with a temperature exceeding 120°F (48.9°C), and the last in the run. The streak began on July 17.

17 August 1969, Mississippi Coast: Hurricane Camille makes landfall with winds of 200 mph (322 km/hr)and storm surge of 24 ft (7.3m) causing 144 deaths and $1.28 billion in damage.

18 August 1925, Southeastern Iowa: A late morning hailstorm strikes southeastern Iowa completely destroying crops and injuring and killing poultry and livestock along a path six to ten miles (9-16 km) wide and 75 miles (120 km) long. The hail damage was estimated at $2.5 million.

19 August 1559, Pensacola, Florida: First recorded hurricane in US history hits Pensacola area driving five Spanish ships ashore in Pensacola Harbor.

19 August 1788, New Jersey through New England: A compact but powerful hurricane devastates forests along a narrow track from New Jersey to Maine.

19 August 2003, Las Vegas, Nevada: A sudden deluge surprises Las Vegas, dumping 3 inches (76 mm) of rain in 90 minutes, severely flooding the city's northwest sector, knocking out power to thousands, and leaving motorists stranded atop their cars.

20 August 1886, Indianola, Texas: A hurricane destroys the town. Indianola is never rebuilt.

21 August 1983, Fayetteville, North Carolina: Temperature soars to 110 ° F (43.3 °C) establishing the state record.

22 August 1988, Astoria and Medford, Oregon: Record maximum temperatures of 88° F (31.1 °C) at Astoria and 104° F (40 °C) at Medford. With these two records, the number of daily record maximums set across the US since 1 June tops the 2000 mark.

22 August 2002, Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque airport reports 8.96 inches (228 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period, setting a new record for the most rain in 24 hours.

23 August 2005, Southern Alaska: An unusually huge summer marine storm strikes the southwest Alaska coast. Its winds gust to more than 50 mph (80 km/h) whipping up 20-ft (6-m) seas before moving inland.

24 August 1984, Southern Alaska: Remnants of Tropical Storm Holly bring heavy rains and snows to parts of southern Alaska. Four-foot (120 cm) snow drifts are reported at Denali National Park.

24 August 1987, New Mexico: Thunderstorms unleash heavy rains across the Southern High Plains Region, with 5.40 inches (137 mm) at Union and 7.25 inches (184 mm) reported west of Anthony .

24 August 1992, South Florida: Hurricane Andrew slams into south Florida, devastating the community of Homestead with 181 mph (290 km/h) winds. Central pressure at landfall of 92.2 kPa is third lowest ever recorded in a hurricane at landfall in the United States.

4-25 August 2007, Chattanooga/Lovell Field AP, Tennessee: Chattanooga's record streak of 22 consecutive days with temperatures 95° F (35 °C) or higher ends.

25 August 1885, Charleston, South Carolina: A major hurricane hits the South Carolina coast causing $1.3 million damage at Charleston.

25-26 August 1635, New England: The Great Colonial Hurricane strikes the New England coast. Rev. Increase Mather writes: "...no storm more dismal than the great hurricane." Many shipwrecks and several near-disasters occur during the storm, one of which would give birth to a favorite New England legend surrounding Thacher's Island.

26 August 1864, Dearborn County, Indiana: Thirty people are injured, several seriously, when a passing tornado derails a Cincinnati-to-Chicago passenger train. Two cars are lifted from the tracks and dropped in a ravine.

26 August 1976, Kiana, Alaska: A weak tornado passes Kiana, the most northerly report of a tornado on recond. Kiana is 545 miles (875 km) northwest of Anchorage.

26 August 1988, Beaver, Utah: Afternoon thunderstorms swamp the town of Beaver with more than an inch (25.4 mm) of rain in twenty minutes.

26-27 August 2003, Southern Michigan to Washington, DC: A derecho associated with a cluster of severe thunderstorms affects parts of Michigan and states eastward to Washington, DC. Strong winds leave hundreds of thousands of customers without electrical power, just weeks after the Great Blackout of 2003.

27 August 1893, Georgia/South Carolina Coast: The Sea Islands Hurricane makes landfall near Savannah, Georgia and kills an estimated 1,000–2,000 people, mostly from storm surge, along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts and the offshore Sea Islands. Over 30,000 are left homeless

27 August 1964, Miami, Florida: Hurricane Cleo batters South Florida giving the first direct hit for Miami in fourteen years. Wind gusts to 135 mph (217 km/h) cause $125 million damage.

28 August 1998, Fort Mohave, Arizona: Powerful winds upset the rain gage at Fort Mohave during a torrential rain. A wash tub set out on the mesa clear of obstructions, however, accumulates eight inches (203 mm) of rainfall during the 45-minute storm.

29 August 1947, Chicago, Illinois: Heavy thunderstorms cap a hot and humid day as the futureWeather Doctoris born.

29 August 1965, New England: 2.5 inches of snow falls on Mount Washington New Hampshire, a national record for the month of August. Temperatures at Nantucket, Massachusetts dip to 39 °F (3.8 °C) and to 25 °F (-3.8 °C) in parts of Vermont.

29 August 2005, New Orleans, Louisiana: Hurricane Katrina, one of the strongest storms to impact the coast of the United States during the last 100 years, blasts the coastal Louisiana with winds gusting over 100 mph (155 km/hr). The hurricane causes major levee breaks that flood 80% of New Orleans up to 20 feet (6.1 m) deep.

29 August 2005, Gulfport/Biloxi, Mississippi: Coastal Mississippi bears the brunt of Hurricane Katrina's force. Powerful winds and a devastating storm surge of 20-30+ feet (6.1 to 10+ metres) rake the coastline, spreading Gulf of Mexico floodwaters several miles (kilometres) inland. Along the Mississippi (and Alabama) coastlines, thousands of houses and buildings are damaged or destroyed and more than 2.3 million people lost power. The accepted death toll has reached more than 1,300 based on bodies found, but the real death toll is clearly higher.

29 August 2005 (afternoon), Northern Gulf of Mexico: Hurricane Katrina's minimum central pressure is observed at 902 hPa (902 millibars or 26.64 inches Hg), by reconnaissance aircraft, the fifth lowest pressure ever recorded in an Atlantic hurricane. Katrina is also the third most-intense landfalling hurricane in US history based on a minimum landfall pressure of 920 hPa (920 millibars or 27.17 inches Hg).

29 August 2007, Phoenix, Arizona: With its high temperature pegged at 113°F (45 °C) Phoenix AZ sets a new record of 29 days with 110+°F (43.3 °C) temperatures.

30 August 1776, Long Island, New York: General George Washington uses heavy fog to evacuate his troops after a defeat on Long Island.

30 August 2000, Little Rock, Arkansas: The temperature rises to 111 °F (44 °C) at the North Little Rock Airport, setting a new record for the hottest temperature ever observed at the location.

31 August 1889, Los Angeles, California: Los Angeles records 0.61 inches (15 mm) of rain. The amount establishes local August records for both maximum 24-hour rainfall and the most rainfall for the month.

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World

1 August 1861, England: England's first daily weather forecast is issued by Robert Fitzroy, the former captain of HMS Beagle and first director of the British meteorological office.

1 August 1977, Muduocaidang, Inner Mongolia: Wettest 10-hour period 1400 mm (15.78 inches) ever recorded on Earth: 1400 mm (55.1 inches) fall deluges Muduocaidang, Inner Mongolia. Period includes near record one-hour accumulation: 400.8 mm (15.78 inches).

1-3 August 2003, Sudan: Heavy rains produce flooding blamed for at least 20 deaths across the country. Flooding along the Gash River near Kassala is the worst in 70 years.

2 August 1990, Hawarden Bridge, Clwyd, Wales: Wales' hottest day on record; temperatures reach 35.2°C (95.4 °F).

2 August 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa: Johannesburg residents see snow flurries for the first time in at least eight years.

3 August 1879, London, England: A hailstorm devastates Kew Gardens, shattering 3,000 in the Temperate House and 700 panes of glass in the Palm House.

3 August 1899, North Atlantic Ocean: A tropical depression is born in the tropical Atlantic. Before it finally dissipates a record 33 days later, it will become know as the San Ciriaco Hurricane after a Puerto Rican village the storm devastates. Its life as a hurricane will be 28 days, the record for longest hurricane life it shares with Hurricane Ginger of 1971.

3 August 1990, Cheltenham, England: Highest temperature recorded in the United Kingdom prior to 2003 heatwave: 37.1 °C (98.8 °F).

3 August 2005, Elfashir, Sudan: Rainfall in Elfashir, in North Darfur state measures 133 mm (5.24 inches), a new daily record.

3-4 August 2002, Northern Italy: Hailstones the size of tennis balls crush grapes in parts of northern Italy and ruined many other crops were also ruined, including corn, peaches and the highly prized olives from the Lake Garda region, .

4(?) August 1609, Western Atlantic Ocean: Tempest strikes the region scattering small British convoy headed to Virginia. Two vessels sink; another, the Sea Venture is presumed lost. However, ship makes landfall on Bermuda, shipwrecking the crew. After a ten-month stay to build two small rescue boats, they sail to Jamestown (Virginia) Colony. Incident accounts may have provided William Shakespeare with background material for The Tempest.

4 August 1881, Seville, Spain: Highest temperature ever recorded in the Europe: 50 °C (122 °F).

4 August 1960, Vostok, Antarctica: Vostok station records a record low temperature of -88.3 °C (-127 °F), which remains the coldest recorded global temperature until 1983.

4 August 1666, Guadeloupe: Violent hurricane rakes the island destroying all boats along its coast, including a 17-ship fleet with 2000 troops. The island's batteries, with walls 2 metres (6 feet) thick, are destroyed, and large cannons are washed away.

5 August 2003, Spain: This long, hot summer continues as temperatures peak at 41.1 °C (106 °F) in the southern cities of Seville and Cordoba and 40 °C (104 °F) in Madrid.

6 August 2000, Great Yarmouth, England: In the east England county of Norfolk, a thunderstorm brings a rain of fish to this fishing port. Britain's Meteorological Office reported a shower of dead but still fresh sprats, likely due to a small waterspout moving overland.

7 August 1969, Guantánamo, Cuba: Cuba's hottest day on record: 38.6°C (101.5 °F).

7 August 2004, Skaftafell, Iceland: Iceland's hottest August day on record: 29.1°C (84.4°F).

7 August 2006, Australind, Australia:

8 August 1923, Toulouse, France: Temperature soars to 43.9°C (111°F).

8 August 2005, Baghdad, Iraq: A blinding sandstorm reduces visibility in Baghdad to less than a metre (a few feet) and causes cancelation of a key meeting on the Iraqi constitution. Hundreds are hospitalized with breathing problems.

9 August 2003, Roth, Germany: Germans, too, have experienced record heat heat in the Summer of '03 as the Bavarian city hit nearly 40.5 °C (105 °F), a new national record.

10 August 2003, London, England: Londoners experience their hottest recorded day in the city's history when the temperature hits 37.9 °C (100.22 °F, the first ever in history over 100°F) at Heathrow Airport.

10 August 2003, Gravesend, England: At Gravesend in southern England, a new national heat record is set as the mercury soars to 38.1 °C (100.58 °F). The heat forced rail service officials across Britain to limit train speeds to 95 km/h (60 mph) because of fears the tracks could buckle.

10 August 2005, Southeast Australia: An unusual snowfall covers parts of the Australian States of Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. The snowfall is the first in Melbourne since July 1986, and the heaviest and most widespread snowfall event since July 19-20, 1951.

10-11 August 2006, Zhejiang Province, China: Typhoon Saomai, the most powerful tropical storm to hit China in five decades, battered the southeast Chinese coast with winds up to 217 km/h (135 mph), requiring more than 1.3 million people to be evacuated. The official death toll in China is 436. Saomai is the eighth major storm to strike China in this unusually violent typhoon season.

10-11 August 1831, Barbados: A violent hurricane devastates Barbados. Death toll is estimated to be from 1500 to 2500 people.

11 August 1933, San Luis, Mexico: Shade temperature reaches 58°C (136.4°F), for share of world record with Aziziyah, Lybia.

11 August 2003, Turin, Italy: Turin hits 41.7°C (107°F), the hottest day over the 250 years that temperatures have been recorded.

11 August 2004, Reykjavík, Iceland: Reykjavík reaches 24.8°C (76.6°F), the hottest day ever recorded in the city where record have been kept since the 19th century.

12 August 2002, Crete: 2002 Temperatures soar on Crete's north coast reaching 41.6°C (106.9°F) at Souda Airport and 44.4°C (111.9°F) at Iraklion.

13 August 2003, Paris France: A string of days with temperatures from the 4th to the 12th above 35°C (95°F) ends when the day's high drops to 32°C (90°F). During the long, hot summer which began 25 July and has registered several days above 38°C (100°F), an estimated 14,802 have died from heat-related causes, the French government admits.

14 August 1975, London, England: A localized torrential downpour known as The Hampstead Storm, drops 170.8 mm (6.72 inches) of rain in 155 minutes at Hampstead Heath. One died in the storm. The water floods the Underground and forces sewer covers up.

15 August 1281, Kyushu, Japan: The Divine Wind, the Kamikaze, strikes down Chinese fleet attempting invasion of Japan. Wind likely due to a typhoon crossing the Sea of Japan.

16 August 2004, Southwest England: A storm dumps cm 61 mm (2.4 inches) of rainfall in just hours on southwest England causing flash flooding in the town of Boscastle, a popular summer tourist area with sandy beaches, in northern Cornwall. Local officials report an estimated metre-high (3 ft) wall of water poured through the streets at 65 km/h (40 mph).

16 August 2007, Japan: Japan swelters through its hottest day on record as the mercury hit 40.9°C (105.6°F) in the western city of Tajimi and also the central city of Kumagayathe. The Hachioji region of Tokyo hit 38.7°C (101.6°F), a new record for August. The heat wave reportedly claims at least 13 lives with 886 people taken to hospitals across the nation suffering from heatstroke.

17 August 2002, Alexandroupolis, Greece: A morning to early afternoon rainfall dumps 36 mm (1.4 inches) of rain in just 6 hours: the average August rainfall is 18 mm (0.7 inches).

18 August 1927, 736 km (460 miles) east of Luzon, Phillipines: Pressure in unnamed tropical storm falls to 88.7 kPa (26.18 inches), one of the lowest surface measurements on record.

18 August 1924, Cannington (Somerset) England: Record UK August rainfall of 238.8mm (9.4 inches) deluges Cannington.

19 August 1845, Moneuil, France: Tornado strikes this French town. The noontime storm travels 15 or 30 km (9 to 19 miles) and is estimated to be 100 or 300 m (330 to 1000 ft) wide At least 70, and possibly as many as 200, are killed in the destruction of homes and two large mills.

19 August 1890, France/Switzerland: Strong tornado treks some 60 km (38 miles) of the Jura Mountain region from the French town of Oyonnax to Croy, Switzerland.

20 August 1960, Okinawa: The weakening Supertyphoon Carmen passes over Okinawa. The storm's eye measured 369 km (230 miles) in diameter. The largest eye of a tropical storm ever measured.

21 August 1997, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, China: High winds and torrential rains from one of the worst typhoons to batter China in a decade causes the death of at least 140.

21 August 2003, South Africa: Perhaps the coldest August night ever recorded over South Africa as temperatures fall to as low as -10.4 °C (13.3°F) at Frankfort. At least 19 new mimimum temperature records are set.

21 August 2007, Mexico: Hurricane Dean smashes into Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 5 hurricane, the first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic basin since Andrew in 1992. Dean sports maximum sustained winds of 269 km/hr (167 mph or 145 knots), with gusts of up to 322 km/hr (200 mph or 174 knots), and a central pressure of 906 mb ( the third lowest at landfall since record-keeping begain in 1851) just prior to making landfall. Dean causes at least 20 fatalities across the Caribbean and 10 fatalities in Mexico. Dean destroys agricultural crops across Mexico and severely damages its major cruise ship port. Insured losses are estimated at about $300 million.

22 August 1893, North Atlantic Ocean: On this date, four hurricanes roam the Atlantic Basin: one off Nova Scotia; the second between the Bahamas and Bermuda; the third northeast of the Lesser Antilles, and the newest off the Cape Verde Islands. Over a century would pass (1998) before four hurricanes would again rage together in the Atlantic.

22-23 August 2000, Taiwan: Super-Typhoon Billis devastates Taiwan claiming 11 lives, injuring at least 80 and trapping 18 in mudslides.

23 August 1944, Warnsveld, The Netherlands: The nation's hottest day on record. temperatures reach 38.6°C (101.5°F) at Warnsveld (near Zutphen in the east region of the country).

23-24 August 2005, Uruguay: A powerful storm system with winds in excess of 160 km/hr (100 mph) strikes the regions of Uruguay where nearly 70 percent of the country's population reside. Thousands of homes are damaged and around 20,000 people lose electricity and telephone service. Seven people are killed and dozens injured

24 August 1456, Ancona, Italy: Machiavelli describes a tornado which crossed Italy as: "From…confused clouds, furious winds, and momentary fires, sounds issued, of which no earthquake or thunder ever heard could afford the least idea; striking such awe into all, that it was thought the end of the world had arrived...."

24-29 August 1785, Eastern Caribbean Sea: Hurricane ravages the area from St. Croix, Virgin Islands to Cuba during the last week of August. Over 142 are reported dead from storm's impact.

25 August 2003, Vietnam/Southern China: Typhoon Krovanh makes landfall along the coast of Vietnam near the Chinese border. The strongest typhoon to strike Vietnam in more than a decade destroys nearly 1,000 homes, and 11,000 homes in southern China.

26 August 1883, Krakatau Island, Indonesia: Violent eruption of Mount Krakatoa sends a veil of dust into the stratosphere that will influence the weather and sunsets for several years.

28 August 1961, La Coruna, Spain: La Coruna. located on the tip of northwestern Spain, registers its hottest day on record as temperatures peak at 39.6°C (103.2 °F).

29 August 1936, Rickmansworth, England: In the frost-hollow at Rickmansworth, the temperature rises within 9 hours from an overnight low of 1.1 °C (34.0 °F) to an afternoon high of 29.4°C (84.9 °F), a jump of 28.3 C° (50.9 F°).

29 August 2002, Kerkyra, Corfu: Strong thunderstorms drop 120 mm (4.7 inches) of rain on Kerkyra in 6 hours, nearly seven times the average August rainfall.

30 August 2002, South Korea: Typhoon Rusa dumps torrential rains across South Korea, causing widespread flooding. Among the notable rainfall totals are a rainfall of 671mm (26.4 inches) in 24 hours at Gangneung in northern South Korea just east of Seoul and 915mm (36.0 inches) in Kangnung in 30 hours. Rusa, the strongest typhoon to hit South Korea in overfour decades, killed 187 people.

31 August 1911, Funkiko, Japan:City deluged with rain as 1033.8 mm (40.7 inches) falls in 24 hours.

31 August 1979, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Winds of 240 km/h (150 mph) from Hurricane David bring over $1 billion in damage to Santo Domingo and kill over 1200.

31 August to 2 September 1967, San Felipe, Mexico: Storm surge and winds from Hurricane Katrina partially destroy San Felipe, leaving 2,500 people homeless and sinking 60 vessels.

31 August-3 September 2005, Taiwan and Mainland China: Typhoon Talim makes landfall in Taiwan late in the day sporting maximum sustained winds near 195 km/hr (105 knots or 120 mph). The typhoon shut down businesses, schools and financial markets and caused 1.48 million power outages. Total fatalities on the Chinese mainland reach at least 129.

August 1813, Martinique: Hurricane devastates the area causing more than 3000 deaths.

The Weather Doctor's Diary ©2008 Keith C. Heidorn, PhD.
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