This Date in Weather History for October 8,2012

Here's the tidbits for "This Date in Weather History",for Monday,October 8 (Columbus Day), 2012,from examiner.com/weather-history,enjoy:










1837
The remnants of Racer's Storm moved off the South Carolina coast and headed out into the Atlantic, where it intensified. Off Cape Hatteras, the paddle-wheeler Home was sunk. There were only 2 life preservers onboard. The tragedy prompted Congress to make a law requiring all American boats to have one life preserver onboard for every passenger, a law that is still in effect today.
1871
The Great Chicago Fire occurred after a terrible summer drought left much of the Midwest, including the city of Chicago as dry as a tinderbox. Many areas of the city were very congested with narrow streets of wood frame buildings. The fire started just after 9pm on the city's South Side and spread rapidly northward, jumping the Chicago River around midnight. The fire knocked the city's water works out of commission and then there was nothing to stop it. 17,500 buildings were destroyed and 2,100 acres were burned. 250 people were killed and 100,000 were left homeless in the city of about 334,000 residents. The fired raged out of control all day on Monday, October 9, finally being extinguished by the combination of a light rain and the natural obstacle of Lake Michigan. Some feel that the fire was a blessing in disguise, that it wiped away the cheaply constructed wood frame buildings and allowed Chicago to be built back better prepared for the future. Damage totaled $196 million dollars.
A firestorm consumed the town of Peshtigo, WI killing more than 1,100 people. In Wisconsin, a million acres of land were burned, and in Michigan, 2.5 million acres were burned killing 200 people. "Tornadoes of fire" generated by intense heat caused houses to explode in fire, and burned to death scores of people seeking refuge in open fields.
1896
A hurricane made landfall on the Gulf Coast near Punta Gorda, FL and crossed the peninsula exiting into the Atlantic near Melbourne, FL early the next day. This storm was responsible for 68 deaths.
1901
12 inches of rain fell in just six hours at Galveston, TX on the 13-month anniversary of the infamous 1900 hurricane that killed 6,000 people.
1919


An intense tornado moved through the town of Hoisington, 11 miles north of Great Bend, KS. It damaged or destroyed 60 homes which resulted in $200,000 in damages. Business papers and cancelled checks were found at Lincoln, 55 miles to the northeast.
1970
Late on this date into the next day, parts of the upper Midwest and northern Plains were hit with an early season snowstorm. The heavy snows affected portions of western Iowa and western Minnesota. Amounts of up to 7 inches were recorded in northwest Iowa. The heavy, wet snow snapped many tree branches and downed power lines. Sioux City recorded their heaviest snow for so early in the season.
The heavy snows also affected portions of southeast South Dakota. Vermillion received 6 inches of snow and that is the largest amount ever recorded there for so early in the season. The 5 inches that fell in Sioux Falls is the earliest significant snow on record for that city. The snow was very wet and heavy, but melted quickly over the next several days.
Behind the storm, residents of Laramie, WY woke up to a low of -7°. It was their earliest day in the season on record with a low below zero.
Other daily record lows included: Casper, WY: 12°, Lander, WY: 14°, Rapid City, SD: 16°, Cheyenne, WY: 18°, Scottsbluff, NE: 18°, Denver, CO: 22°, Clayton, NM: 23°, Pueblo, CO: 25°, Amarillo, TX: 31°, Grand Junction, CO: 32°-Tied and Roswell, NM: 33°.
1982
A record-breaking snowstorm for so early in the fall paralyzed the northern Black Hills with three to six feet of heavy, wet snow and winds of 40 to 70mph. Some snowfall amounts included 41 inches at Galena, 36 inches at Lead, and 23 inches at Deadwood. Five to six feet of snow was common in the higher elevations. The snowfall was dependent upon topography. 20 miles away, Rapid City received just a trace of snow. The heavy wet snow caused numerous problems. The roof of a clothing store in Lead collapsed under the weight of the snow and several other businesses were damaged. The roofs of at least three trailer homes also collapsed. The combination of strong winds and heavy snow broke tree branches causing extensive timber damage, power lines and telephone poles. Damage was done to 40 miles of power lines, including 30 broken power poles. Some residents were without power for five days. The city of Deadwood was without electricity and fresh water for at least three days.
1987
Unseasonably cold weather prevailed from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the southeastern U.S. The low of 28° at Evansville, IN was the coldest on record for so early in the season. Many cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Madison, WI: 22°, Green Bay, WI: 23°, Rockford, IL: 24°, Chicago, IL: 27°, Indianapolis, IN: 28°, Evansville, IN: 28°, Paducah, KY: 28°, Milwaukee, WI: 29°, Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: 33°, Meridian, MS: 34°, Jackson, MS: 35°, Chattanooga, TN: 35°, Augusta, GA: 36°, Columbia, SC: 37°, Tallahassee, FL: 38°, Columbus, GA: 41°-Tied, Jacksonville, FL: 47°, Pensacola, FL: 47°-Tied, Daytona Beach, FL: 56°, Vero Beach, FL: 58° and West Palm Beach, FL: 62°.
Hot weather continued in the southwestern U.S. Phoenix, AZ reported a record high of 104° and a record tying 116 days of 100 degree+ weather for the year. Tucson, AZ established an all-time record with 72 days of 100 degree+ weather for the year.
1988
Snow was reported across parts of northern New England. Two inches blanketed Mt. Snow, VT.
Meanwhile, warm weather continued in the northwestern U.S. Yakima, WA set a record high with 84°.
The afternoon high of 80° at Stampede Pass, WA exceeded their previous record for October by 7 degrees.
1989
Record morning lows in the 20s were reported from the Northern Plains to the Upper Great Lakes. Record lows for the date included: Grand Forks, ND: 19°, St. Cloud, MN: 20°, Marquette, MI: 22°, Duluth, MN: 24°-Tied, Muskegon, MI: 27° and Grand Rapids, MI: 28°-Tied.
Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in central California as the Oakland Athletics won the American League pennant. San Luis Obispo, CA reported a high of 99°. San Francisco Airport set a record high with 86°.
1990
7.9 inches of snow fell at Cheyenne, WY setting an all-time record for any 24-hour snowfall in October.
1993
With 1.05 inches of rain that fell at Columbia, MO, the yearly total precipitation was pushed to 55.77 inches, breaking the annual record.
1994
Flash flooding from tropical rains caused 18 deaths in Houston, TX.
2000
The coldest pre-October 10th air mass in nearly 50 years invaded the central U.S. The cold was most impressive over Texas where San Antonio only reached a high of 46°. This set a low-maximum temperature record for the date. The previous record was 65° set in 1975. The normal high in San Antonio is 84°.
A 111-year-old record was broken in Memphis, TN, when the temperature fell to 36° breaking the previous record of 39° set in 1889.
Other record lows included: Casper, WY: 12°-Tied, Norfolk, NE: 13°, North Platte, NE: 15°, Sioux Falls, SD: 15°, Valentine, NE: 15°, Grand Island, NE: 16°, Lincoln, NE: 17°, Sheridan, WY: 17°, St. Cloud, MN: 17°, Sioux City, IA: 17°, Grand Forks, ND: 18°, Dodge City, KS: 18°, Goodland, KS: 20°, International Falls, MN: 20°-Tied, Concordia, KS: 21°, Omaha, NE: 22°, Des Moines, IA: 24°, Kansas City, MO: 25°, Springfield, MO: 25°, Wichita, KS: 26°, Bristol, TN: 27°, Columbia, MO: 27°-Tied, Lexington, KY: 29°, Cincinnati, OH: 29°, Huntington, WV: 29°, Tulsa, OK: 30°, St, Louis, MO: 30°, Jackson, KY: 30°, Louisville, KY: 31°, Dayton, OH: 31°, Oak Ridge, TN: 31°, Oklahoma City, OK: 34°, Little Rock, AR: 35°, Wichita Falls, TX: 35°-Tied, Del Rio, TX: 42°, Austin (Bergstrom), TX: 44°, Brownsville, TX: 45° and Galveston, TX: 49°.
2004
On this date through the 9th, a powerful storm system struck Western Europe. In Portugal, winds gust over 60 mph and disrupted power in northern and central parts of the country. The wind damaged at least 40% of the greenhouses in central Portugal.
2006
On this date through the 10th, Valdez and Seward, Alaska: Days of torrential rains closed portions of the Seward Highway, cutting off road access to Valdez and Seward, AK. Rainfall measured in the Seward area ranged from 9 to 15 inches.
Moncton, New Brunswick Canada experienced their rainiest October day on record as 4.75 inches of rain fell. This started their wettest October on record where 10.94 inches fell. The total is also the rainiest of all months in the recorded weather history of the city.
2009
Typhoon Melor slammed into Japan, damaging buildings and roads, halting train service and canceling hundreds of flights as it swept across the country. Winds were 75 mph, with gusts up to 100 mph.The typhoon is the first typhoon to directly make landfall over Japan in two years.