WEATHER HISTORY
The Day the Music Died: February 3rd, 1959
1936: Singer-songwriter Buddy Holly is born under the birth name Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas. Holly would go on to become one of rock 'n' roll's pioneers despite a brief career cut short by his tragic death at age 22. Appropriately referred to as the “The Day the Music Died,” weather likely contributed to a commuter flight crash that killed rock n’ roll musicians Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper -- whose real name was J.P. Richardson, and Ritchie Valens, along with pilot Roger Peterson. (Repertoire Records)1936: Singer-songwriter Buddy Holly is born under the birth name Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas. Don McLean later famous addressed the plane crash in his 1971 song “American Pie” labeling it the “Day the Music Died”.
The night that San Antonio dropped down to zero
San Antonio is far enough north of the equator where bitter-cold temperatures and snowfall are not out of the realm of possibility. Yes, San Antonio dropped all the way down to zero degrees on the morning of January 31, 1949. Austin received 5-7 inches, while San Antonio reported 4 inches on the ground. The pictures below show a blanket of snow over San Antonio. It caused San Antonio to be colder than many places in the nation, including locations well to our north.
How weather has impacted inauguration days throughout US history
Inauguration Day is historic for obvious reasons and Wednesday promises to be no different. That falls in between some of the extremes seen on Inauguration Day in Washington D.C. It’s also fair to say that weather has had a big impact on the historic event. The first inauguration held outside occurred in 1817 when President James Monroe was sworn into office. After that, Inauguration Day was moved to January 20th. 4, 1909Cold weather and sicknessIn addition to the extremes, the weather has also been connected to sickness on Inauguration Day.
This Day in Weather History: January 12 is anniversary of San Antonio’s record setting 1985 snowstorm
It was a day, for anyone who lived in San Antonio during the mid-80s, will remember for a lifetime. January 12 marks the anniversary of the 1985 snowstorm. 1985 Snow stormSnow totals form the 1985 snowstorm. With a deep layer of cold air firmly in place an upper level low approached from the west. This upper level low tapped into high level Pacific moisture, much like what we might see in the spring.
This Day in Weather History: December 17th
It was on this day in 1903 that Wilbur and Orville Wright made their famous flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Courtesy of National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City, NCAs you might imagine, weather played a role in the event. Weather Bureau in Kitty Hawk. Courtesy of National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City, NC and the National Park ServiceDosher kept in contact with the Wright Brothers as their attempts continued over the next few years. On December 17, 1903, Orville used the Weather Bureau office to send a telegraph announcing the famous flight.
This Day in Weather History: December 7
It was on this day in 2017, that widespread snowfall fell across Central and South Texas. As the cold air settled into the area, a storm system helped to develop areas of snow. The Hill Country saw accumulations in the morning, while San Antonio and points south saw winter weather during the nighttime hours. Officially San Antonio International Airport picked up 1.9″ of snow. It was the largest snowfall since the record-setting 1985 snow event and it ranks as the second earliest measurable snowfall for San Antonio since records have been kept (earliest was November 23, 1957).
This Day in Weather History: October 30th
It was on this day in 2015, that an EF-2 tornado touched down in Floresville. The tornado did significant damage, including to the city’s high school. Also on this day in 1917, San Antonio saw its earliest freeze, when temperatures dropped all the way to 32°.
This Day in Weather History: October 8th
It was on this day in 1871, that the Great Chicago Fire began. It was a fire that would last nearly three days and result in a 4 by 3/4 mile wide swath of destruction. The fire was claimed to have started in a barn owned by the O’Leary family. A popular legend says that Catherine O’Leary was milking a cow and the cow kicked over a lantern. This O’Leary family denied the story and said they were in bed at the time.
This Day in Weather History: August 25th
It was on this day in 2017, that Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport as a category 4 storm. It ranks as one of the costliest storms in United States history, after sitting over Texas for many days and creating historic flooding. Winds reached up to 130 mph, while rainfall totals nearing 60 inches near Houston.
This Day in Weather History: August 20th
After seeing a devastating hurricane just 11 years earlier, Indianola, Texas, a thriving port town, took a direct hit from the 1886 storm. A storm surge of 15 feet destroyed nearly everything in the town, while a fire resulted in additional damage. The hurricane killed 46 people in Indianola (the storm in 1875 killed nearly 400). Indianola was never rebuilt, allowing Galveston to become Texass main port.
This Day in Weather History: August 17th
It was on this day in 1956, that the Edwards Aquifer (at the J-17 well) hit its lowest point of 612.5 feet. It occurred during one of the worst droughts in South Texas history. The Edwards Aquifer is now highly regulated, keeping levels from going that low again.
This Day in Weather History: August 10th
It was on this day in 1980 that Hurricane Allen made landfall just north of Brownsville. The hurricane achieved Category 5 status three separate times (the only Atlantic hurricane to do so). It also ranks as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes with sustained winds near 190 mph at its peak. When Allen made landfall, it had weakened to a Category 3 storm. Still, it brought damaging winds and torrential rainfall.
This Day in Weather History: July 15th
It was on this day in 2003, that Hurricane Claudette struck the Coastal Bend of Texas, making landfall near Port O Connor. Claudette moved west, tracking just south of San Antonio. The storm would bring heavy rain and strong winds, causing damage around the area.
This Day in Weather History: June 10th
On this day in 2010, 7 to 12 inches of rainfall fell around South Texas in just under 18 hours. As a result, the Guadalupe River flooded its banks and swept away homes, businesses, and roads around New Braunfels and Gruene. Pictures are courtesy of the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio.
This Day in Weather History: May 22nd
It was on this day in 1987, that Saragosa, Texas was hit by an F4 tornado. It would kill 30 residents and injure over 100 more. Sadly, most of those killed were attending a Head Start graduation at the citys community center. KSAT 12 talked to residents who survived the tornado and visited Saragosa in 2017 on the 30th anniversary of the event. You can read more here.
This Day in Weather History: May 18th
It was on this day in 1902 that one of Texass deadliest tornadoes touched down in Goliad (it is tied with the Waco tornado of 1953). The F4 twister killed 114 and caused widespread damage. In 1980, Mount St. Helens also erupted on this date. The volcanic explosion was the largest in United States history and killed 57 people.
This Day in Weather History: April 1st
TIROS 1 was launched from Port Canaveral, Florida on this date in 1960. It was an experimental step to see if satellites could be useful in studying the earth and predicting the weather. Weather forecasts would never be the same, with satellite data becoming an indispensable part of weather prediction.
This Day in Weather History: March 31st
It was a busy, Spring day in South Texas as storms erupted along a cold front. While storms can generally produce hail this time of year, this event was unusual because so many received large hail. Places like Crystal City and Knippa saw damage, after baseball size hail pounded the area. Around San Antonio, Alamo Heights, Leon Springs, and Castle Hills also reported large hail.
This Day in Weather History: March 27th
It was on this day in 1964 that a magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck Alaska, near Anchorage. It remains the strongest earthquake on record in North America and the second strongest in world history. The damage in Alaska was significant, while a subsequent tsunami caused even more damage across the Pacific.