Weather History for October 3

Explore significant weather events that occurred on this date throughout history, including hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, floods, and extreme temperature records.

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8 Historical Weather Events on October 3
1841 — An October gale, the worst of record for Nantucket, MA, caught the Cap Cod fishing fleet at sea. Forty ships were driven ashore on Cape Cod, and 57 men perished from the town of Truro alone. Heavy snow fell inland, with 18 inches near Middletown, CT. (David Ludlum)
1912 — The longest dry spell of record in the U.S. commenced as Bagdad, CA, went 767 days without rain. (David Ludlum)
1964 — Hurricane Hilda struck Louisiana spawning many tornadoes, and claimed twenty-two lives. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders)
1979 — The first killer tornado of record in October in Connecticut destroyed sixteen vintage aircraft at the Bradley Air Museum in Windsor Locks. The tornado damaged more than one hundred homes causing 200 million dollars damage. Three persons were killed, and 500 others were injured. (The Weather Channel)
1986 — Remnants of Hurricane Paine deluged Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas with 6 to 10 inch overnight rains. Hardy, OK, was drenched with 21.79 inches. Heavy rain between September 26th and October 4th caused 350 million dollars damage in Oklahoma. (The Weather Channel)
1987 — Twenty-five cities in the Upper Midwest, including ten in Iowa, reported record low temperatures for the date. Duluth MN, Eau Claire, WI, and Spencer, IA, dipped to 24 degrees. Temperatures warmed into the 80s in the Northern and Central High Plains Region. At Chadron, NE, the mercury soared from a morning low of 29 degrees to an afternoon high of 88 degrees. Temperatures soared above 100 degrees in southern California. The high of 108 degrees at Downtown Los Angeles was a record for October. (The National Weather Summary)
1988 — Cold Canadian air invaded the north central U.S. bringing an end to the growing season across those states. Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. Phoenix, AZ, reported a record high of 105 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
1989 — Unseasonably cold weather prevailed from the Pacific Northwest to the Upper Mississippi Valley. A dozen cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Bismarck, ND, and Williston, ND, with readings of 16 degrees above zero. An upper level weather disturbance brought snow to parts of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana, with five inches reported at West Yellowstone, MT. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

About Weather History

Weather has always played a significant role in shaping human history. From devastating hurricanes and tornadoes to record-breaking temperatures and historic blizzards, extreme weather events have left lasting impacts on communities across the United States and around the world.

This collection documents notable weather events that occurred on October 3 throughout recorded history. These events include tropical storms and hurricanes, tornado outbreaks, severe thunderstorms, winter storms and blizzards, flooding events, heat waves and cold snaps, and other significant meteorological phenomena.

Types of Events Documented

  • Tropical Systems: Hurricanes, tropical storms, and their impacts
  • Severe Weather: Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and damaging winds
  • Winter Weather: Blizzards, ice storms, and record snowfall
  • Temperature Extremes: Heat waves, cold outbreaks, and record temperatures
  • Flooding: Flash floods, river flooding, and coastal flooding
  • Other Events: Droughts, wildfires influenced by weather, and unique phenomena

Understanding historical weather patterns helps us appreciate the power of nature and the importance of weather preparedness. Browse through different dates to discover what weather events shaped history on any given day of the year.