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1860: One of the worst tornadoes of the 19th Century brought death and destruction along its 80 mile path from Cedar County, IA to Lee County, IL, and came to be known as the Great Tornado of the Northwest. Camanche, IA, on the Mississippi River, was hardest hit with much of the town ruined. A boat passing by on the river was struck, resulting in 23 fatalities and the few survivors finding themselves on the Illinois shore with no recollection of how they got there. The tornado was 3/4 of a mile wide and took a total of 92 lives. It was just one of several immense tornadoes that hit Iowa and northern Illinois that day.

1902: A tornado said to be 1.8 miles wide swept through Javaugues, France. There was only one fatality.

1921: A cloudburst near Pikes Peak sent a high wave of water down the Arkansas River into Pueblo, CO. At least 70 people were killed and $20 million dollars damage was done in Pueblo.

1959: Thunderstorms in northwest Kansas produced up to 18 inches of hail in Selden. Crops were completely destroyed, and total damage from the storm was about half a million dollars. Hail fell for 85 minutes, while the temperature dropped from near 80 degrees prior to the storm to 38 degrees at the height of the storm.

1989: The Skydome opened in Toronto, Ontario during a heavy rain event. Despite the weather conditions, the Ontario Premier opened the roof with a laser beam device and everyone seated in the lower levels was drenched.