![]() December 31, 1917 The temperature at Lewisburg, WV, plunged to 37 degrees below zero to set a state record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) December 31, 1929 Greenland Ranch, in Death Valley, California, went the entire year without measurable precipitation. (The Weather Channel) December 31, 1933 A 24 hour rainfall of 7.36 inches set the stage for the worst flood in Los Angeles history. Flooding claimed 44 lives. (David Ludlum) December 31, 1941 Snow which began on New Year's Eve became a major blizzard on New Year's Day, burying Des Moines, IA, uunder 19.8 inches of snow in 24 hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel) December 31, 1947 A late afternoon tornado touched down 10 miles north of Shreveport LA, and dissipated south of El Dorado AR. The tornado, as much as 400 yards in width, killed 18 persons. It damaged or destroyed two thirds of the structures at Cotton Valley LA. (The Weather Channel) December 31, 1962 Perhaps the worst blizzard in the history of the state of Maine finally came to an end. The storm produced 40 inches in 24 hours at Orono, and a total of 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam. Gale force winds produced snow drifts twenty feet high around Bangor. A disastrous icestorm was over Georgia and South Carolina. It ravaged the two states for days causing more than seven million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) December 31, 1963 A snowstorm struck the Deep South. Meridian, MS, received 15 inches of snow, 10.5 inches blanketed Bay St Louis MS, and 4.5 inches fell at New Orleans LA. Freezing temperatures then prevailed for New Year's Day. (David Ludlum) December 31, 1963 One of the most destructive ice storms ever experienced in Georgia up to this time hit the state. More than 7 inches of snow and sleet was reported in the extreme northwest part of the state while sleet and freezing rain occurred as far south as Albany and Tifton in south Georgia. Damage and inconvenience were experienced over the northern three-fourths of the state, but the heaviest losses were in central Georgia where icing from freezing rain was the heaviest. Thousands of homes in central Georgia were without power and telephone services for several days. Repair crews, including more than 1200 workers from outside the area, worked almost continuously for several days to restore service. (NWS Atlanta) December 31, 1987 Torrential rains caused extensive flash flooding over eastern sections of the island of Oahu in Hawaii, resulting in many rock and mud slides. Rainfall totals ranged up to 22.89 inches in a 24 hour period, and property damage was estimated at 35 million dollars. Strong winds continued to usher arctic cold into the north central U.S. The temperature at Alexandria MN remained below zero through the day, and Jamestown ND reported a wind chill reading of 58 degrees below zero. Gales lashed the Great Lakes, with wind gusts to 54 mph reported at Lansing MI. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) December 31, 1988 Warm and wet weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S. Six cities in Florida reported record high temperatures for the date. Thunderstorms produced locally heavy rains from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Southern Atlantic Coast. (The National Weather Summary) December 31, 1989 The year and decade ended on a soggy note in the eastern U.S. Thunderstorm rains pushed precipitation totals for the year to 88.32 inches at Baton Rouge, and to 75.37 inches at Huntsville AL, establishing all-time records for those two locations. Dry weather continued in California. Sacramento and San Francisco finished the month without any rain or snow, and Santa Maria reported their driest year of record with just 3.30 inches of precipitation. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 31, 2006 An F-2 tornado moved across parts of Dooly County near Unadilla. Although the length of the tornado damage was less than a half mile long, it produced up to $400,000 in property and crop damage. This tornado destroyed 3 mobile homes, an irrigation system, billboards along the highway, roofs on homes, and uprooted several trees in a pecan orchard. One person was injured in one of the mobile homes that was destroyed. (NWS Atlanta) December 31, 2010 Unusually warm air fueled strong storms in the mid-western and southern U.S., producing high winds and a preliminary count of 53 tornadoes across five states. At least eight people were killed in Missouri and Arkansas and dozens of others were injured. In Mississippi, about 200 people were evacuated from the Jackson-Evers International Airport, where an EF-2 tornado crossed a runway. (NCDC) Data courtesy of WeatherForYou Snow Cover Analysis
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![]() December 29, 1830 A very heavy snowstorm ushered in the "winter of the deep snow." The storm produced 30 inches of snow at Peoria IL and 36 inches at Kansas City MO. Cold and snow continued until the middle of February causing great suffering among pioneers. (David Ludlum) December 29, 1894 A severe freeze hit Florida destroying fruit and causing considerable damage to trees. (David Ludlum) December 29, 1954 Fort Scott, KS, was buried under 26 inches of snow in 24 hours to establish a state record. (28th-29th) (The Weather Channel) December 29, 1984 One hundred cities in the central and eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures. Kansas City, MO, experienced its warmest December day of record with a morning low of 60 degrees and an afternoon high of 71 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987) December 29, 1987 A storm off the Middle Atlantic Coast produced heavy snow in the Appalachians and the northeastern U.S. Snow and high winds created blizzard conditions in southeastern Massachusetts. Cape Cod received thirteen inches of snow, and snow drifts three feet deep were reported around Chatham MA. Strong winds produced wind chill readings as cold as 60 degrees below zero in southwestern New England. In the western U.S., a Pacific coast storm produced heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada Range of California, with 24 inches reported at Mammoth Mountain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 29, 1988 A cold front brought rain and snow to the northwestern U.S. The rainfall total of 2.70 inches at Astoria OR was a record for the date. High winds along the eastern slopes of the Northern Rockies gusted to 81 mph at Livingston MT. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) December 29, 1989 Snow and ice prevailed from the southwestern U.S. to the Great Lakes Region. Flagstaff, AZ, received nine inches of snow in just six hours. Bitter cold weather continued over Maine. Portland ME reported a record twenty-two straight days with highs 32 degrees or colder. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 29, 1997 A winter storm moved across much of the state causing snow to accumulate as far south as Coweta County. General snow accumulations ranged from 2 to 4 inches, but in the higher elevations of the North Georgia Mountains more than 5 inches accumulated. (NWS Atlanta) Data courtesy of WeatherForYou Snow Cover AnalysisWPC 72 Hour Snow Forecast![]() December 28, 1839 The third storm in two weeks hit the northeastern U.S. It brought two more feet of snow to Hartford, CT, and Worcester, MA. Whole gales swept the coast causing many wrecks. (David Ludlum) December 28, 1897 The temperature at Dayville, OR, hit 81 degrees to establish a state record for December. (The Weather Channel) December 28, 1924 Iowa experienced it coldest December morning of record. Morning lows averaged 25 degrees below zero for the 104 weather stations across the state. December 28, 1955 Anchorage, AK, was buried under 17.7 inches of snow in 24 hours, a record for that location. (28th-29th) (The Weather Channel) December 28, 1958 Albuquerque, NM, received 14.2 inches of snow to establish a 24 hour record. (28th-29th) (The Weather Channel) December 28, 1987 A winter storm produced heavy snow in the Upper Mississippi Valley and the Upper Great Lakes Region. Up to twenty inches of snow buried southern Minnesota, and 20 to 40 mph northwesterly winds produced snow drifts six feet high, and reduced visibilities to near zero at times in blowing snow. There were a thousand traffic accidents in Michigan during the storm, resulting in thirty-five injuries. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 28, 1988 Strong winds behind a cold front claimed three lives in eastern Pennsylvania, and injured a dozen others in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Maryland. Winds gusted to 87 mph at Hammonton NJ and in the Washington D.C. area. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 28, 1989 Squalls continued to bring snow to the Great Lakes Region, with heavy snow reported near Lake Superior and Lake Ontario. Syracuse NY received 8.5 inches of snow to push the total for the month past their previous December record of 57 inches. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 28, 1997 heavy rain, with amounts of 3 to 4 inches, fell on already saturated ground across central Georgia. Street flooding was common with some roads damaged and others closed. Residents along rivers evacuated their homes in some areas as flood waters threatened. The rivers rose to their highest levels since the 1994 floods. Monthly rainfall amounts totaled 8 to 10 inches across much of central Georgia. (NWS Atlanta) December 28, 2003 A severe snow storm hit northern California and southern Oregon. As much as 2 feet of snow fell along Interstate 5 closing a 150-mile stretch of the interstate, stranding hundreds of travelers. Winds from the storm caused power outages to more than 200,000 customers in California and Oregon. One man died of a heart attack after helping other drivers. (CNN) December 28, 2004 Los Angeles (downtown) broke a daily rainfall record for the month of December (5.55 inches). This was the third wettest calendar day in Los Angeles since records began in 1877. December 28, 2005 An outbreak of severe thunderstorms across portions of the southeast United States on the 28th produced hail, high winds and a few tornadoes. The states of Georgia and Tennessee were the most affected. The severe weather outbreak that occurred across central Georgia resulting in many reports of hail and several tornadoes. Hail up to the size of baseballs was reported in Crisp, Troup and Johnson Counties. The largest hail stones reported were the size of softballs (4.25 inches) in Sumter County. Five tornados were reported, the strongest being an F-1 that occurred in Laurens and Johnson Counties where over $500,000 in damage was done (NWS Atlanta)(NCDC) Data courtesy of WeatherForYou Snow Cover Analysis WPC 72 Hour Snow Forecast ![]() December 27, 1869 A post Christmas storm in New York and Vermont produced record storm totals of 30 inches at Burlington, VT, and 39 inches at Montpelier VT. A public emergency was declared in Vermont. (David Ludlum) December 27, 1892 An Atlantic coast storm produced a record 18.6 inches of snow at Norfolk, VA, including 17.7 inches in 24 hours. The storm also produced 9.5 inches of snow at Raleigh NC, and brought snow to northern Florida for the first time in 35 years. (26th- 28th) (The Weather Channel) December 27, 1982 The worst Louisiana rainstorm in more than 100 years came to an end. More than 18 inches fell at Vinton, LA, during the three day storm. Flooding was widespread, and property damage was estimated at 100 to 200 million dollars. President Reagan visited the state and declared ten parishes in northeastern Louisiana disaster areas. (The Weather Channel) December 27, 1987 A winter storm produced snow and high winds in Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. Denver CO experienced its worst snowstorm since December 1983 as high winds gusting to 46 mph created near blizzard conditions, whipping the fifteen inch snow into drifts five feet high, and closing Stapleton Airport. Snowfall totals in the foothills southwest of Denver ranged up to 42 inches, at Intercanyon. Blizzard conditions raged across southeastern Wyoming through the day, stranding 300 holiday travelers in the tiny town of Chugwater. Heavier snowfall totals included 19 inches at La Grange WY, and 22 inches at Elsmere NE. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) December 27, 1988 Severe thunderstorms developing along a cold front in the south central U.S. spawned a dozen tornadoes in Mississippi between early afternoon and sunrise the following day. A tornado at Harperville destroyed five chicken homes killing thousands of chickens. Strong thunderstorm winds gusted to 80 mph at Rolling Fork MS. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 27, 1989 Half a dozen cities in the northeastern U.S. reported record low temperatures for the date, including Elkins, WV, with a reading of 13 degrees below zero. Watertown NY was the cold spot in the nation with a morning low of 37 degrees below zero. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) December 27, 1992 An ice storm brought down power lines and trees across much of north Georgia, as far south as the northern suburbs of the Atlanta and Athens area. In Hall County, damage cost for utility lines were estimated at nearly $30,000. In Forsyth County, over 75 roads were blocked by fallen trees. (NWS Atlanta) December 27, 1997 Light snow fell across the northeast Georgia mountains, accumulating 1 to 2 inches of snow in most places. (NWS Atlanta) December 27, 2004 A major storm system affected parts of the western United States during December 27-29, bringing a variety of weather conditions to the region. Heavy rainfall broke daily precipitation records at some locations in California. Very heavy snow fell across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with some areas receiving several feet of accumulation. Winds with this weather system gusted over 65 mph at some coastal and mountain locations in California. Data courtesy of WeatherForYou Snow Cover Analysis WPC 72 Hour Snow Forecast
![]() December 25, 1962 An ice storm struck northeast Georgia causing extreme damage to utility lines, trees and shrubs in a ten county area centered around Gainesville in Hall County. Thousands of homes were without power and telephone service for up to 30 hours. (NWS Atlanta) December 25, 1964 A short lived tornado touched down in Cordele (Crisp County). The roof was blown off a National Guard Armory and several stores were damaged as the tornado hop-skipped over parts of Cordele. (NWS Atlanta) December 25, 1966 A white Christmas was enjoyed by residents from North Carolina to New England in the wake of a major snowstorm. Even coastal Virginia was white. (David Ludlum) December 25, 1980 It was the coldest Christmas Day of modern record in the northeastern U.S. Temperatures as cold as 36 degrees below zero were reported in New York State, and as the sharp cold front swept southeastward the temperature at Boston MA plunged from 34 degrees to seven degrees below zero during the day. (David Ludlum) December 25, 1983 It was the coldest Christmas Day of modern record for the central and eastern U.S. More than 125 cities reported record low temperatures for the date, and thirty-four of those cities reported all-time records for the month of December. The temperature plunged to one degree below zero at Huntsville AL, and dipped to 14 degrees at Galveston TX. Snow covered the ground from the Pacific Northwest through much of the Great Plains Region to the Northern Appalachian's. (The National Weather Summary) December 25, 1987 Residents of Tucson, AZ, awoke to a white Christmas for the first time in forty-seven years of records, as a winter storm blanketed the area with up to four inches of snow. While heavy rain inundated Arkansas, freezing rain was reported from northwest Texas to southwestern Missouri, with an inch of ice reported at Harrison AR. Unseasonably mild weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S. Seven cities reported record high temperatures for the date. For the second day in a row McAllen TX was the hot spot in the nation with an afternoon high of 91 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 25, 1988 A massive winter storm made for a very white Christmas in the western U.S. Las Vegas, NV, reported snow on the ground for the first time of record. Periods of snow over a five day period left several feet of new snow on the ground of ski areas in Colorado, with 68 inches reported at Wolf Creek Pass. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary) December 25, 1989 It was a record cold Christmas Day for parts of the southeastern U.S. Morning lows of zero degrees at Wilmington, NC, and five degrees below zero at Jacksonville NC established all-time records for those two locations. Miami Beach FL equaled a December record established the previous morning with a low of 33 degrees. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) December 25, 2003 Heavy rains affected areas of southern California that were just recently ravaged by wildfires in October. The downpour produced flash flooding that resulted in mudslides, taking the lives of 15 people at area campgrounds in San Bernardino (AFP). December 25, 2004 Snow fell on Christmas Day in Deep South Texas. Snow totaled 4.4 inches in Corpus Christi, making it the second White Christmas ever. Farther north, Victoria had their first white Christmas on record when 12.5 inches of snow fell. December 25, 2006 Severe thunderstorms produced four tornadoes in Florida. Columbia, Pasco, Lake and Volusia counties were hardest-hit, including the Daytona Beach area. A tornado generated considerable damage on the campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, delaying the start of the spring semester (Orlando Business Journal). December 25, 2010 Up to 32 inches of snow and blizzard conditions affected parts of the eastern U.S. on December 25th&27th. A state of emergency was declared in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Maine. In New York City, up to 24.5 inches of snow fell, effectively shutting down rail lines, major airports, and bus services. Thousands of flights were cancelled and stranded subway riders were forced to spend a night in unheated train cars. One person was reported killed in Maine due to the weather conditions. (NCDC) December 25, 2010 1.3 inches of snow fell at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta. This was the first measurable snow on Christmas Day since 1881. Not only did snow fall across Atlanta, but a good part of central and most of north Georgia also observed snow. The heaviest snowfall was in the north mountain counties where snowfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches. Up to a half inch of snow fell from Columbus to Macon. (NWS Atlanta) (Link) Data courtesy of WeatherForYou Snow Cover Analysis WPC 72 Hour Snow Forecast |