Weather History for August 26

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

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9 Historical Weather Events on August 26
1864 — A train running from Cincinnati to Chicago was derailed by a tornado in Dearborn County, Indiana, or 75 miles southeast of Indianapolis. Two passenger cars were lifted from the tracks and dropped in a ravine which injured 30 people.
1883 — Krakatoa Volcano exploded in the East Indies. The explosion was heard more than 2500 miles away, and every barograph around the world recorded the passage of the air wave, up to seven times. Giant waves, 125 feet high and traveling 300 mph, devastated everything in their path, hurling ashore coral blocks weighing up to 900 tons, and killing more than 36,000 persons. Volcanic ash was carried around the globe in thirteen days producing blue and green suns in the tropics, and then vivid red sunsets in higher latitudes. The temperature of the earth was lowered one degree for the next two years, finally recovering to normal by 1888. (David Ludlum)
1949 — A hurricane made landfall at Delray Beach. Winds reached 153 mph at the Jupiter Lighthouse before the anemometer failed. The hurricane caused 45 million dollars damage to crops, and also caught the Georgia and South Carolina coast resulting in another two million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
1965 — Late night severe thunderstorms associated with an unusually strong late summer cold front produced 100 mph winds straight line winds in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana. In Lake County IND, high winds derailed a train near Crown Point, and left a canoe suspended among telephone lines. Two nights later the temperature at Midway Airport in Chicago dipped to 43 degrees, establishing a record for the month of August. (Storm Data) (Hugh Crowther)
1976 — A weak tornado touched down briefly in the Hockley Hills near Kiana, AK, about 29 miles north of the Arctic Circle. (The Weather Channel)
1987 — Showers and thunderstorms drenched northern Illinois during the morning and afternoon hours pushing August rainfall totals for Chicago, Moline and Peoria to new all-time highs for any month of the year. By the end of August, Chicago had received 17.10 inches of rain, which easily surpassed the previous record of 14.17 inches established in September 1961. (The National Weather Summary)
1988 — A dozen cities in Texas, Colorado and California reported record high temperatures for the date, including readings of 100 degrees at Pueblo CO, 106 degrees at Wichita Falls TX, and 109 degrees at Redding CA. Afternoon thunderstorms in Utah deluged the town of Beaver with more than an inch of rain in twenty minutes. (The National Weather Summary)
1989 — Anchorage, AK, was soaked with a steady rain, and the 24 hour total of 4.12 inches smashed their previous 24 hour precipitation total of 2.10 inches. It also pushed their rainfall total for the month past their previous record for August. (The National Weather Summary)
1992 — Hurricane Andrew made a second landfall near Burns Point, LA as a Category 3 hurricane. Morgan City, LA recorded sustained winds of 92 mph with a peak gust of 108 mph. Hammond, LA was deluged with 11.92 inches of rain. As Andrew moved inland and weakened, it spawned 47 tornadoes from this date through the 28th from the South to the Mid-Atlantic States.

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 August 26 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.