THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY

1839: A Snow Hurricane

Episode Details

This Date in Weather History is often filled with stories of Hurricanes this time of the year. These monster storms all across the globe leave a trail a destruction and despair. They can change history and the fate of millions. Almost every storm’s impacts are a result of heavy rain, powerful wind and pounding rampaging sea and surf. On August 28, 1839, such a storm struck Charleston South Carolina with strong force to flood the streets and nearby farms. It moved quickly up the coast dumping more heavy rain in North Carolina and there are reports of some damage in Norfolk, Va. The system then headed northeast and off the coast. It was still powerful enough to sink a floating lighthouse off the coast of New Jersey. On Sunday August 30 as the storm headed for the open waters south of Cape Cod a surge of unseasonably cold air blasted out of eastern Canada and into New York state. Across the Catskill mountains temperatures plunged to near freezing, yet moisture was still being hurled inland. The result was one of those rare occurrences across the uplands of eastern New York – a snow hurricane. Several inches of the white stuff mounted up – the wind was still howling and the heavy wet snow plastered itself to everything in what could be describe as a hurricane white-out.

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THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY

1839: A Snow Hurricane

This Date in Weather History

This Date in Weather History Update

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1977: Powerful snowstorm strikes Northeast US

1360: Massive storms impact outcome of Hundred Years War

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1937: The Hindenburg Disaster

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1887: Massive Flooding at China's "Yellow River"

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1992: "Grapefruit-sized" hail devastates parts of Texas

2004: High temperatures smash records across Southern Californ...

1986: The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

1982: Lightning strike damages Alabama town's water supply

1993: Large tornado hits Interstate 44 in Tulsa

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1982: Violent thunderstorms produce baseball-sized hail

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1775: Paul Revere's Ride - Part I

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