8 Weird Weather Stories from History

If there’s one thing we know about weather, it’s that it can be unpredictable. Throughout history, there have been many unexpected weather events that have impacted parts of the world. From superstorms to massive droughts, weird weather events can happen anywhere and at any time. While some may be unexpected and unexplained, there are other weather events that we can understand, even if we can’t prevent them.

With advancements in technology, it’s a lot easier in the modern world for meteorologists to predict weather patterns. Although their predictions are not always accurate, there are certain natural disasters, such as hurricanes and snow storms, that meteorologists can see coming.

Other weather events, such as earthquakes or tornados can’t be predicted and sometimes seem like they come out of nowhere. Some of the weirdest weather events in history include devastating blizzards and super tornadoes. Like most extreme weather events, these weather disasters destroyed homes and other structures. Many were also fatal and left people stranded for days or weeks at a time. (After this article, check out 8 Times When Extreme Weather Changed the Course of History .)

Even though many of the most extreme weather events happened a long time ago, there have also been severe weather events and natural disasters in recent years. Currently, the Northern Hemisphere is in the middle of hurricane season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30.

To create a list of weird weather stories from history, 24/7 Tempo consulted sources such as CBS News, The Weather Channel, and the National Weather Service. Here are 8 weird weather stories in no particular order.

Fire Tornado of 2018

In July of 2018, a storm labeled a “fire tornado” swept across California. During a time when wildfires were rampant, this fire tornado produced winds as strong as 165 mph . This weather event was so extreme that even the weather service was shocked by its impact.

The wind speeds during this event were as strong as an EF-3 tornado, which is two categories away from being the strongest type of tornado.

Super Tornado Outbreak of 1974

EF5 tornados are the strongest type of tornado with wind speeds over 200 mph. These tornados are rare but what’s even more rare is one location getting hit by two strong tornados on the same day.

During the Super Tornado Outbreak of 1974, two F5 tornadoes hit Tanner, Alabama on the same day. The Super Tornado Outbreak of 1974 was the first time more than 100 tornadoes occurred in one day .

Great Gulf Coast Snowstorm

The Great Gulf Coast Snowstorm of 1895 was one of the most irregular snowstorms in history. Although some areas of the country are used to getting large amounts of snow, states like Texas aren’t prepared for large snowstorms.

In February of 1895, the Gulf Coast Snowstorm hit Texas and Louisiana . The entire coast received at least 4-8 inches of snow and some areas received over 2 feet of snow.

Dust Bowl

During the 1930s, the southern plains experienced major drought and dust storms that had such an impact on the region that it altered the course of history. First, major droughts hit the southern plains in 1930 and severe dust storms began in 1931.

Although severe drought was a significant part of what caused the Dust Bowl, the farming methods in the area also contributed to it. Regular rainfall didn’t return to that region until almost 1940.

Year Without a Summer

The year 1816 has gone down in history as the “year without a summer.” In Indonesia, there was a major volcanic eruption when Mount Tambora erupted in 1815. This eruption is still recorded as the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history.

The eruption of Mount Tambora significantly impacted the climate across the world. Part of this impact was unusually cool summer temperatures for most of the Northern Hemisphere. In parts of the United States, the summer of 1816 was the coldest in history.

Great Blizzard of 1888

The Great Blizzard of 1888 was one of the most severe blizzards in recorded history. This storm hit the East Coast, affecting much of Maine, D.C., and New York. Some areas in the United States were hit with over 50 inches of snow.

During this devastating storm, over 400 people were killed and many more were stranded. The Great Blizzard of 1888 brought strong winds and below-freezing temperatures.

Coldest and Hottest Temperatures

When it comes to extreme weather temperatures, we’ve seen some of the hottest summers and the coldest winters. However, you don’t often expect to see both in the same year. In 1936, two weather records were broken: the coldest February and the hottest July.

The region of the United States that experienced the most extreme temperatures was North and South Dakota. In February of that year, North Dakota reached -60 degrees. In early July of the same year, it reached 121 degrees in North Dakota.

Fogbows in San Francisco

A final weird weather story occurred in 2022 when a photographer in the San Francisco area captured an interesting weather phenomenon. This phenomenon, known as a fogbow or a white rainbow, happens when light is refracted by water droplets in the air.

A white rainbow looks similar to an ordinary rainbow but without all the beautiful colors. The following year, in 2023, the same photographer captured another fogbow in San Francisco. (Don’t miss 7 Weather Records We Hope Will Never Be Broken .)

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