1987: A succession of thunderstorms produced rainfall that was unprecedented in 116 years of precipitation records at Chicago, Illinois during an 18 hour period from the evening of the 13th to the early afternoon of the 14th. The resulting flash flood was the worst to ever strike the Chicago metropolitan area, causing 3 deaths and water damage that amounted to 221 million dollars worth. O Hare International Airport received an event total of 9.35 inches of rain in 18 hours, shattering the previous 24 hour record of 6.24 inches. For a period of about 24 hours, the airport was only accessible from the air as all roads were blocked by high water, including the Kennedy Expressway.

1950: Hurricane Able was the first Atlantic hurricane to be given a "phonetic" name. The first storm was named with an "A", the second with a "B", and so on. It was not until 1953 that actual names were given to tropical storms.

1982: A thunderstorm struck Barrow, AK with pea-sized hail and 43mph winds.

1986: 3.04 inches of rain fell in Flagstaff, AZ, the most ever for a single day in August in the city.

2004: After passing just west of Key West with 110mph winds, Hurricane Charley intensified rapidly and possessed 145mph gusts just three hours later as it made landfall on the west coast of Florida. The storm crossed the state, bringing 100mph winds to Walt Disney World, re-emerged over the Atlantic Ocean still as a Category 1 hurricane, and then curved northward into the Carolinas. There were 15 fatalities.

2011: Powerful thunderstorm winds caused a large concert stage to collapse at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, killing seven people and injuring 48.