1936: Abnormally warm conditions brought record temperatures to much of central and northeast South Dakota along with west central Minnesota on this day in 1936. Temperatures rose into the upper 90s and lower 100s during the afternoon hours. Pierre and Watertown set record highs of 99 degrees. Mobridge and Sisseton warmed to record highs of 101 degrees. Finally, Kennebec and Aberdeen rose to record highs of 102 and 103 degrees, respectively.

1810: Fernhill Heath, England, was struck by what was probably Europe's widest tornado, with some reports saying the twister was nearly a mile across. Modern analysis suggests it was an EF4.

1869: Cleveland Abbe began forecasting weather in Cincinnati. Professor Abbe was one of the nation's pioneer weather forecasters and observers.

1989: Hurricane Hugo made landfall in the Carolinas with winds up to 140 mph. Hugo caused $7 billion in damage in the United States and $3 billion in the Caribbean. All together, the death toll was 76.

1998: Hurricane Georges raked Hispanola after reaching category 4 status, leaving 580 dead in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, due mainly to flash flooding and subsequent mud slides in high terrain regions. Damage estimates from the storm exceeded $1 billion (US). Vivid lightning and possible blue jets, a type of rare upward lightning, were reported as the eye passed over the mountains of Hispanola.