THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY

1778: Hurricane changes outcome of French/British naval battle

Episode Details

The Battle of Saratoga occurred in September and October, 1777, during the second year of the American Revolution. It included two crucial battles, fought eighteen days apart, and was a decisive victory for the Continental Army and a critical turning point in the Revolutionary War. It was the first major victory for the colonists and led to the signing of The Treaty of Alliance with France on February 6, 1778, creating a military alliance between the United States and France against Great Britain. Benjamin Franklin had been in Paris working to secure the alliance and the Battle had help swing opinion to the side of the Americans and exhibited their ability to take the fight to the British. So, it then happened that on August 10, 1778 a slow moving hurricane headed up the east coast of the Colonies. The storm resulted in extensive damage in eastern NC, and then moved up the coast offshore. At the time the French and British were ready to square off in a pitched naval battle off the coast near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. This is was to be one of the first battles that the French took an active part in after the signing of the French-American alliance. As the Hurricane battered the ships the French ships were larger and sustained the heaviest damage. The smaller British ships had a chance to capitalize on the situation avoiding the worst of the storm by their greater maneuverability but because of the severity of the storm they were blown away from the French fleet and had to re-group over the next few days. The severity of the hurricane cost the British precious time to press their advantage of maneuverability and greater numbers. By the time the British squadron had come back together on the 13th more French ships had arrived on the scene and an opportunity lost,. The French now controlled that part of the coast in a significant aide to the American Revolution.

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

MORE PODCASTS

00:00 / 02:39

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

1778: Hurricane changes outcome of French/British naval battle

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