THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY

1635: The Great Colonial Hurricane

Episode Details

The Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 hit the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia and the Massachusetts Bay Colony during August 1635. It is considered to be one of the earliest hurricanes to have struck New England, occurring just 15 years after the settlement at Plymouth rock. Although the hurricane’s exact track remains unknown, several historical accounts describe the storm. The storm is first mentioned on August 24, 1635, as it moved rapidly to the east of the Jamestown Colony in Virginia, but did not cause any damage. Massachusetts Bay Governor, John Winthrop, kept a running journal of his experiences in the Boston area at that time. On August 25 he described a storm arriving before midnight on August 25, blowing with “such violence” and “an abundance of rain”. Historian and writer William Bradford, who lived in Plymouth Plantation, stated that the hurricane “was such a mighty storm of wind and rain as none living in these parts, ever saw… It caused the sea to swell to the southward [of this place] above 20 feet right up and down…” Reverend Richard Mather, who was traveling on the ship the James at the time of the storm, recounted strong, shifting winds while aboard the vessel. The hurricane produced a storm surge of 20 ft in Narragansett Bay. Due to strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high tide, hundreds of trees were toppled, homes were destroyed, and ships were blown off their anchors. An estimated 46 people died. The damage to structures and the losses described were similar to the descriptions from the 1938 New England Hurricane, so, historians believe the intensity of the Great Colonial Hurricane was comparable.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MORE PODCASTS

00:00 / 02:33

Episodes

Ashburn, VA

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Video

Podcasts

Winter Center

PODCAST HOME

THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY

1635: The Great Colonial Hurricane

This Date in Weather History

This Date in Weather History Update

2014: Hail storm causes $400 million in damage in Abilene, TX

2008: F3 tornado strikes Scout camp near Little Sioux, IA

1752: Benjamin Franklin famously flies kite in thunderstorm

1984: Violent tornado outbreak in Russia

The 1953 Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak

1984: F5 tornado destroys 90% of Barneveld, WI

1944: How weather forecasting impacted D-Day

1925: Temperature reaches 100 degrees in Washington DC

1976: Strong tropical cyclone and 40' storm surge hits India

1921: Cloudburst causes 10' of flooding in Pueblo, CO

1889: Flooding of the Potomac River

1965: Tropical system causes 30k fatalities in Bangladesh

1889: The Johnstown Flood

1879: The Real-life inspiration for "The Wizard of Oz"

1914: Empress of Ireland and Storstad ships collide

1880: 1' of rain falls in less than 2 hours in Brackettville, ...

1896: The third most deadly tornado in U.S. history strikes St...

2008: "Pneumonia Front" causes big temperature drops in Chicag...

1987: A fisherman is struck and killed by lightning

1986: Severe and destructive storm strikes Texas

1908: Record flooding impacts north and central Texas

1933: 600-yd wide tornado destroys town of Liberal, KS

The May 1957 Tornado Outbreak

1918: Tornadoes strike Kansas town for 3 consecutive years

2007: Temperature reaches 115°F in Sibi, Pakistan

1894: Severe storms and wind sinks 9 ships on Lake Michigan

1814: Logs in swollen Maine rivers cause destruction

1874: The Mill River Flood

1968: Five tornadoes strike Iowa

1834: Late-season storm brings snow from Ohio to New England

1930: One of the few hail deaths in the US occurs

1934: Massive dust storm strikes Eastern US cities

2003: Record tornado outbreak impacts 25 US states

1889: Destructive tornado touches down in Reading, PA

1977: Powerful snowstorm strikes Northeast US

1360: Massive storms impact outcome of Hundred Years War

1840: Deadly Tornado strikes Natchez, MS

1937: The Hindenburg Disaster

1761: 5" of snow falls in Ashford, CT

1774: 4" of snow falls in Germantown, Philadelphia

1978: 11" of rain falls on "Sun Day" in New Orleans

2009: Storm collapses roof of Dallas Cowboys' practice facilit...

1854: 90 consecutive hours of rain falls in New England

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

1991: Tropical storm surge floods Bangladesh

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

2013: Latest measurable snowfall on record in Wichita, Kansas

1980: Temperature reaches 100°F in Waterloo, Iowa

1963: Rare "Dust Devil" strikes Reading, PA

1982: Violent thunderstorms produce baseball-sized hail

1775: Paul Revere's Ride - Part II

1775: Paul Revere's Ride - Part I

1821: 12" of snow blankets Boston, MA

1851: The Lighthouse Storm

1912: The Sinking of the RMS Titanic