Weather History For March 18
1899
An F4 tornado killed 12 people and injured 30 on a 17 mile track through Calhoun and Cleburne counties in Alabama.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1900
The minimum temperature for the date is 13 °F in Washingon, DC.
(Ref. Washington Weather Records)
1913
High barometer reading of 30.92 inches equals the March record.
(Washington Weather Records - KDCA)
1914
San Francisco, CA recorded their highest temperature ever in March when the mercury soared to 86°.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1925
The great "Tri-State Tornado" occurred, the most deadly tornado in U.S. history. The tornado claimed 695 lives (including 234 at Murphysboro, IL and 148 at West Frankfort, IL), and caused seventeen million dollars property damage. It cut a swath of destruction 219 miles long and as much as a mile wide from east central Missouri to southern Indiana between 1 PM and 4 PM. The tornado leveled a school in West Frankfort, IL and picked up sixteen students setting them down unharmed 150 yards away. Seven other tornadoes claimed an additional 97 lives that day.
(Ref. WxDoctor)
(Ref. Wilson - Additional Information Listed at This Link)
(David Ludlum)
1927
An F3 tornado destroyed a home near Tonkawa, OK. The 3 children survived, even though 1 of them was airborne for almost
1935
Suffocating dust storms occurred frequently in southeast Colorado between the 12th and the 25th of the month. Six people died, and many livestock starved or suffocated. Up to six feet of dust covered the ground. Schools were closed, and many rural homes were deserted by tenants.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1952
151.73 inches of rain fell at Cilaos, La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean over a five day period (3/ 13-18 /1952)to set, then the world rainfall record. This record was broken 2/ 24-28, 2007 when Commerce La Reunion Island picked up 196.06 inches.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1958
A late-season winter storm brought heavy, wet snow to parts of the northeast from Virginia to New England. In parts of Maryland and eastern Pennsylvania, it was the heaviest snowfall ever recorded at that time.The most snow reported at a major reporting station was 11.7 inches at Central Park in New York City, but parts of Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, Baltimore, MD and Washington, D.C. saw as much as 20 inches. 800 people were trapped along the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Morganton, WV where the 3-day snowfall total was 50 inches.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1971
High winds accompanied a low-pressure system from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes. Winds gusted to 100 mph at Hastings, NE, and reached 115 mph at Hays KS. High winds caused two million dollars damage in Kansas. Fire burned 50,000 forest acres in eastern Oklahoma. (17th-19th)
(The Weather Channel)
1987
A storm in the central U.S. produced up to 10 inches of snow in western Nebraska, and up to six inches of rain in eastern sections of the state. The heavy rains pushed the Elkhorn River out of its banks, submerging the streets of Inman under three feet of water.
(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1988
Light rain and snow prevailed east of the Mississippi River. Fair weather prevailed west of the Mississippi.(The National Weather Summary)
1989
The maximum temperature for the date is 81 °F in Washingon, DC.
(Ref. Washington Weather Records - KDCA)
A storm in the western U.S. produced heavy rain in California with heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada Range. Venado, CA was drenched with 5.40 inches of rain in 24 hours. A dozen cities in the eastern U.S. reported new record high temperatures for the date, including Baltimore MD with a reading of 82 degrees.
(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1990
Heavy rain caused extensive flooding of rivers and streams in Georgia, with total damage running well into the millions. Flooding also claimed six lives. Nearly seven inches of rain caused 2.5 million dollars damage around Columbus, and up to nine inches of rain was reported over the northern Kinchafoonee Basin in Georgia.
(Storm Data)
An intense hailstorm struck the Sydney region in Australia producing strong winds and heavy rain in a swathe from Camden to Narrabeen, causing extensive damage. Hailstones were measured up to 3 inches in diameter. The total insured damage was estimated at $314 million Australian dollars, the third largest loss event in Australian insurance history.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
1998
Total snow accumulations in southwest Kansas ranged up to 8 to 12 inches in Stafford, Comanche, Ford, Gray, Finney, Grant, Morton, Seward, Meade and Clark counties. 20 to 30 mph winds accompanied the snowfall resulting in visibilities under a half mile and significant drifting of the snow.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
2003
Denver, Colorado on the 18th and 19th :
Colorado's capital city has to dig out from the second-biggest snowstorm in its history. Almost 2.5 feet of wet snow over 36 hours shuts down the city. The month ends as the snowiest March on record for the city.
(Ref. WxDoctor)
Utility poles in Madison, WI reportedly ignited as fog combined with leftover salt from the winter season to create a conductive solution that allowed the poles to catch fire.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
2005
Heavy snow occurred across the Upper Midwest. 24 inches was recorded at Lyle, MN, 23 inches at Alma Center, WI, and 19 inches at Otranto, IA. Rochester, MN was buried under 20.2 inches of snow for its greatest snowstorm on record.
(Ref. Wilson Wx. History)
2012
Chicago extended the record for most number of 80 degree days in a March up to five days. March 18th was also the 5th consecutive day above 80...which broke the record for earliest in the season to have five consecutive 80 degree days. Previously, the earliest Chicago had ever seen 5 consecutive 80 degree days was back on April 23-27 1915.
(Ref. NWS)