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Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >

Weather History Archive

Weather History - October 3rd

Local and Regional Events:

October 3, 1985:

High winds of 60 to 75 mph occurred across much of western South Dakota from the late afternoon of the 3rd into the early morning hours of the 4th. The winds blew down power lines and caused power outages for many locations in the Black Hills. The strong winds uprooted trees in Rapid City and blew the roof off of a barn near Newell in Butte County.

 

U.S.A and Global Events for October 3rd:

1780: A hurricane, which formed on October 1st, destroyed the port city of Savanna-la-Mar on the island of Jamaica on this day. By some estimates, this stormed caused 3,000 deaths. This storm is documented in the Jamaica Archives and Record Department. Click HERE for more information, including a Petition to the Governor requesting instant relief. For additional information on the deadly hurricane season of 1780, see this website from the History Channel.

 

1903: An unusual late-season tornado moved northeast from west of Chatfield, Minnesota, passing through and devastating St. Charles, Minnesota. Seven people were killed, and 30 injured as 50 homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed.

 

Oct 3, 1903 St. Charles, MN Tornado 2

Oct 3, 1903 St. Charles, MN Tornado

The images above are courtesy of GenDisasters.com.

 

1979: An F4 tornado struck the towns of Windsor, Windsor Locks, and Suffield in Connecticut, causing an estimated $400 million in property damage, on this day. The New England Air Museum, which housed more than 20 vintage aircraft, was destroyed. This tornado also caused a United Airlines flight to abort a landing at the Bradley International Airport because the pilot saw the tornado. Click HERE for pictures of the damage at the New England Air Museum courtesy from the Hartford Courant.

 

Oct 3, 1979 Windsor Locks, Conn Tornado

The newspaper article was from the Spokane Daily Chronicle on October 5, 1979.

 

2002: Hurricane Lili made landfall between White Lake and Vermilion Bay, Louisiana as a Category 1 storm. Click HERE for more information from the Hurricane Research Division.

Oct 3, 2002 Hurricane Lili

Lower Fuselage radar from NOAA43 of Hurricane Lili’s eye making landfall.

 

2015: Unprecedented rainfall fell throughout South Carolina from October 1st — 5th, 2015. Storm total amounts greater than 20" were observed in Columbia and Sumter.

Oct 1-5, 2015 SC Rainfall

The image above is from an ArcGIS story map from the NWS Office in Columbia, South Carolina.  

 

2017: The City of Houston had the wettest year on record with 73.51 inches. The previous wettest year was in 1900 when 72.86 inches were measured.

Oct 3, 2017 Houston TX Rainfall

The image above is from a tweet by the NWS Office in Houston, Texas.

 

Click HERE for more This Day in Weather History from the Southeast Regional Climate Center.