LANDMARKS OF WORLD HISTORY
A Chronology of Remarkable Natural Phenomena
19th Century 1841-1850
Numbers show sources
Date
Location
Phenomenon
Description
1841
Nanga Parva, Himalayas
Earthquake
Landslide after earthquake blocked the Indus River; dam burst and flood drowned Sikh army 300 miles downstream. (3)
1841 January 8
London
Winter cold
A day temperature of 17° F. in London. (48)
1841 January 10
Denmark
Winter cold
Ice on Denmark Sound supported sledges until March 24. (38)
1841 January 28
Antarctica
Volcano
James Ross discovers Mount Erebus. (28)
1841 March 22
Silesia
Meteorite
A 2 lbs. stone fell at Gruneberg after detonations. (25)
1841 April
North Atlantic
Ice
Icefield 100 miles long, surrounded by immense numbers of floes. (52)
1841 April - May
-
Planet
A marking ‘like a lunar crater’ on Venus; telescopic. (8)
1841 June
Pictou, Nova Scotia
Fall
Heavy fall of pollen on ship; swept up with buckets. (79)
1841 June
Italy
Ball lightning
A reddish yellow fireball during a storm at Milan. (43)
1841 June 12
France
Meteorite
A 66 lbs. stone fell at Chateau-Renard after a fireball. (25)
1841 June 30
Germany
Fall
A heavy fall of pike, perch, roach, etc. during a storm in North Germany
1841 July 8
England
Fall
‘Enormous numbers’ of fish, frogs and ice fell at Derby. (21)
1841 July 21 - 22
Hong Kong
Typhoon
Over 1,000 drowned in Hong Kong harbour. (56)
1841 August 17
Tennessee, United States
Fall
Drops of ‘blood’ and foul-smelling matter fell from a red cloud. (51)
1841 August 27
Costa Rica
Earthquake
Shock wrecked Cartago; 4,000 killed. (56)
1841 September 10
Calcutta, India
Meteor shower
‘Innumerable meteors’ for 10 or 12 minutes. (85)
1841 October 7
Scotland
Fall
Many fish fell in thunderstorm at Dunfermline. (21)
1841 November 5
France
Meteorite
An 11 lbs. stone fell at Bourbon-Vendee. (23)
1841 November 15
Langensalza
Bolide
Meteor burst over town with ‘tremendous detonation’. (23)
1841 December 5
Silesia
Bolide
Fireball as large as the Moon burst into many ’stars’. (23)
1841 December 21
Scotland
Bolide
Fireball twice size of Moon seen from Stirling and Glasgow; exploded. (23)
1841 December 25
England
Landslide
8 killed when goods train ran into landslide after heavy rain at Sonning. (64)
1842 March 4
Virginia, United States
Tornado
A tornado 1,500 yards wide at Cartersville; track 8 miles long. (47)
1842 April 26
Yugoslavia
Meteorites
2 or 3 stones of 6 kg. each fell at Milena after exploding meteor. (25)
1842 May 16
North Atlantic
Ice
About 100 icebergs seen at 46° N., 47° W.; one 500 feet high. (35)
1842 June 4 (or 3)
France
Meteorite
A 4 lbs. stone fell at Aumieres. (23, 25)
1842 June 17 - 18
Western Australia
Tornado
Tornado 400 yards wide cut swathe through a forest at Leschenault. (70)
1842 June 18
Mediterranean Sea
Ball lightning?
Three luminous bodies emerged from sea near brig Victoria; ‘stench of sulphur’. (78)
1842 July 4
Spain
Meteorite
A 7 lbs. stony-iron fell at Barea. (25)
1842 July 8
Europe
Solar eclipse
Total eclipse, Italy, France, Germany, Russia; ‘bright glory’ round Moon. (34, 49, 52)
1842 August 5
Harrogate, Yorkshire
Meteorite?
A hot stone fell. “Whistling’ in air, lightning and thunder. (23, 25)
1842 November 22
Washington State, U.S.
Volcano
Mount St. Helens erupted ash. (65)
1843
Mongolia
Fall
A millstone-sized ice mass fell during thunderstorm. (17)
1843 January 12
France
Gale
The East Indiaman Conqueror went ashore near Boulogne; all crew and passengers but one lost. Many other fatal shipwrecks. (81)
1843 January 13 - 15
Irish Sea
Gale
107 fishermen drowned. (80)
1843 February 8
West Indies
Earthquake
Shock ruined Pont-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; felt in Barbados and British Guiana. (1)
1843 February 8
Rome
Flood
River Tiber flooded a third of the city. (82)
1843 February 27
-
Comet
Perihelion of Great Comet; 81,500 miles from Sun’s surface. (57)
1843 February 28
-
Comet
Nucleus of Great Comet visible in daylight, 4° from Sun. (11, 19)
1843 March 7
Washington, U.S.A.
Comet
Tail of Great Comet 55° long. (52)
1843 March 25
South Carolina
Meteorite
A 13 lbs. stone fell at Bishopsville. (25)
1843 June
France
Ball lightning
Fireball entered room via chimney, Paris; ‘played’ about, left via stovepipe, exploded. (5)
1843 June
-
Sunspot
Spot 74,000 miles in diameter visible 8 days. Sunspot minimum. (42)
1843 June 2
Holland
Meteorite
A 7 kg. stone fell after detonations. (25)
1843 June 17 (reported)
France
Floods and storms
Rhone, Saone, Isire and other rivers flooded. Corn destroyed by hail, Loire; great storm damage in the Pyrenees. (83)
1843 August 2
Cornwall, England
Ball lightning
Fireball passed along Helford Harbour at 30 m.p.h. and headed out to sea. Visible several minutes. (76)
1843 August 9
England
Hail
Great hailstorm moved 255 km. from Cotswolds to Norfolk. (59)
1843 December 11
France
Meteor
‘Great bolide’ as bright as the Sun; serpentine motion. (23)
1843 December 21
France, Switzerland
Bolide
Detonating fireball illuminated countryside, Alsace, Zurich. (23)
1844 January
Brazil
Meteorite
Huge mass of hot iron fell with great noise and light, Entre Rios. (23)
1844 January
Mexico
Meteorite
A 2.6 lbs. stone fell at Cosina after meteor. (25)
1844 January
Argentina
Meteorite
‘Aerolite about 1 cubic yard in mass’ fell at Corritas Pago. (23)
1844 March 18
Denmark
Winter cold
Sledge party drove over frozen Denmark Sound from Copenhagen to Sweden. (38)
1844 April 29
Ireland
Meteorites
A shower of small stones fell at Killeter; no meteor seen. (23, 25)
1844 June 24
Liverpool, England
Fall
Pebbles and eels fell in a thunderstorm. (16)
1844 October
France
Fall
A 5 kg. ice block fell at Cette. (37)
1844 October 4 - 7
Cuba
Hurricane
All villages destroyed between Havana and Cardenas; 72 ships lost in Havana harbour. (69)
1844 November 17
India
Meteor
Brilliant meteors at Bombay on 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st.
1844 November 20
France
Bolide
A fireball brighter than the Moon, Laysac; great and numerous detonations. (23)
1844 December
Europe
Winter cold
“Coldest December since 1799’. Venice lagoons frozen. Great snow in the south of France. (58)
1845
Canada
Volcano?
An eruption in British Columbia. (65)
1845 January 2
Kyouk Phyoo, Arracan
Volcano?
‘Volumes of flame’ far out to sea; rumbling noise. (86)
1845 January 16
France
Bolide
A large daylight meteor exploded with great noise. (23)
1845 (or 1846) February 19
Columbia
Volcano
Mudflow from Nevado del Ruiz killed 1,000 persons. (66)
1845 March 13
London
Late cold
Maximum temperature of 25° F.; minimum 14° F., 14th.
1845 June 1
Switzerland
Glacier flood
Advance of Vernaght and Rosenthal glaciers formed lake; lake burst in 15 days, flood laid waste valley. (18)
1845 August 2
Suffolk, England
Tornado
A tornado near Lowestoft dismasted boats and threw others ashore. (77)
1845 August 19
France
Tornado
Violent tornado with track 15 km. long destroyed Moneuil paper-mills; many killed. A tornado at Aarlenderveen, Holland overturned boats on the Rhine; several killed. (55, 73, 75)
1845 September 2
Iceland
Volcano
Eruption of Hekla; lasted through most of 1846. (54)
1845 September 10
France
Ball lightning
Fireball emerged from chimney and rolled through several rooms, Salignac; a pig killed. (2)
1845 December 3
Mentz
Bolide
Large fireball burst over town with ‘much smoke and noise’. (23)
1845 December 20
France
Ball lightning
Fireball descended lightning conductor, Bortyvon; became ‘huge cask of fire rolling along ground’. (20)
1846
Ireland
Aurora? Optical phenomenon?
“Three moons and a flaming cross” seen at night for 3 hours. (12)
1846 January 13
-
Comet
Biela’s Comet split into two parts. (13)
1846 May 8
Ancona
Meteorites
A shower of stones after explosion, Macerata. One weighed 6 lbs. (23)
1846 May 20
India
Tornado?
‘Storm of dust, wind, rain, thunder and lightning’ destroyed barracks at Loodinah; 81 killed. (26)
1846 May 21
England
Hot summer
Beginning of an ‘amazing summer’; hottest since 1780. (1)
1846 July 9
Newlyn, Cornwall, England
Thunderstorm flood
East Wheal Rose mine flooded by ‘cloudburst: 43 miners drowned. (4)
1846 August 1
England
Thunderstorm
Great storm traversed most of England. (39)
1846 August 14
Missouri, United States
Meteorite
A 5 lbs. stone fell at Cape Girardeau. (25)
1846 September 23
Germany
Planet
Dr. Gaulle finds Neptune. (7)
1846 October 6
West Indies
Hurricane
100s killed and great damage in Cuba. (69)
1846 October 17
France
Fall
‘Blood-red rain’ from cloud filled with red dust, Lyon. (21)
1846 November 11
New York
Fall
‘Meteor’ seen 5 minutes, Loweville; mass of ‘foetid jelly’ 4 feet in diameter found. (14, 15, 23)
1846 December 25
Bavaria
Meteorites
Several stones, weight 17 lbs., fell at Minderthal. (23)
1847
Cape Verde Islands
Volcano
Eruption of Fuego after 50 years’ rest. Lava flows desolated island. (54)
1847 February 25
Iowa, United States
Meteorites
2½ lbs. stone seen to fall after explosions, Marion; 40 lbs. and 20 lbs. stones found later. (25)
1847 May 28
London
Heat
83.5° F. at Greenwich. (60)
1847 July 14
South of England
Summer heat
Shade temperature of 98° F. at Crowborough Hill, Sussex. (58)
1847 July 14
Bohemia
Meteorite
A 37 lbs. iron broke through a house roof in Braunnau. (23, 46)
1847 October 24
London
Aurora
‘Magnificent aurora’ at Greenwich; great magnetic disturbances. (58, 60)
1847 October 31
Bay of Bengal
Earthquake?
Sea wave inundated Kondul Island. No shock mentioned. (9)
1847 November 8
London
Late warmth
67° F. at Greenwich.
1848 February 15
India
Meteorite
A 4 lbs. stone fell at Dharwar. (6, 25)
1848 March 19
Europe
Lunar eclipse
Very bright lunar eclipse; Moon blood-red. (14, 61))
1848 March 29
England
Halo complex
Solar halo display; 22° halo, 46° halo, off-centre 22° halo, parhelic circle, contact arcs, parhelia. (61)
1848 May 3
France
Mirage?
A ‘city and armies in the sky’ seen for two hours, Vienne dans la Dauphine.
1848 June 30
England
Summer cold
A severe frost in the south of England. (61)
1848 July 4
France
Meteorite
A 3 kg. stone fell at Marmande. (25)
1848 August
-
Sunspot
A spot 183,000 miles in diameter. (50)
1848 August 10
England
Summer cold
Severe frost at Uckfield; ice on brooks. (61)
1848 August 16
Constantinople
Summer heat
A fire swept Constantinople after a hot dry summer; 200 killed. (56)
1848 August 18 - 19
Scotland
Gale
SE’ly gale in NE Scotland drowned 100 fishermen. (40)
1848 September 24
France
Fall
Shower of fossil ostracods (minute shelled crustacea), Lyon. (16)
1848 November 17
Europe
Aurora
Great red aurora seen as far south as Turkey. (36, 61)
1848 December 10
London
Winter warmth
Maximum of 62° F. at Greenwich. (10)
1849
Caucasus
Glacier
Advance of the Asau glacier destroyed a forest. (45)
1849 January 14
Jaulnah, India
Hail
Thunder and hailstorm, ‘many people killed’. (84)
1849 February 28
England
Blizzard
Ship Florian wrecked in Thames Estuary; 174 drowned. (44)
1849 March 28
India
Obscuration
Thick haze at Hoshungabad to April 2; Sun a ‘disc of silver’; impalpable dust sometimes fell. (6)
1849 February - March
Dominica
Earthquakes
Continuous alarming shocks; 24 in one night and 8 in one hour. (71)
1849 April 4
Purneah district, India
Hail
Hailstones ‘as large as oranges’ (84)
1849 June 3
Cumberland, England
Summer snow
Snow fell on mountains near Whitehaven. (62)
1849 June
Paris
Ball lightning
‘Balloon’ descended and burst; ‘lightnings’ shot out and damaged buildings. (5)
1849 August 14
Scotland
Ice meteorite?
Ice mass 20 feet in diameter fell at Balvullich after peal of thunder. (37)
1849 September 9
Ireland
Mirage?
“An army and ships in the sky’, afternoon, Lough Foyle.
1849 October 31
North Carolina, United States
Meteorite
A 19 lbs. stone fell in Cabarras County after detonations. (23)
1849 November 1
South Carolina
Meteors
Meteors and detonations during day; ‘shooting stars’ in evening. (23)
1849 November 13
Italy; North Africa
Meteorites
Detonating meteor seen from Italy and Tunis; shower of stones fell on Tripolis. (23)
1850 early January
Sudan
Earthquake
Violent earthquake in Equatoria; great ground disturbances. (72)
1850 January 5
Italy
Winter cold
Heavy snow in Florence; minimum temperateure of 10° F. (31, 67)
1850 February 5
Italy
Volcano
Eruption of Vesuvius began; lava-flow 4 miles wide on Feb. 14. (31)
1850 February 6
Winter cold
Constantinople
158 persons froze to death, mostly in houses. (27)
1850 February 11
England
Bolide
Great meteor passed from Shropshire to Warwickshire; burst 19 miles up. See here (63)
1850 February 15
North Carolina
Fall
‘Flesh and blood’ fell on small area, Simpson County. (61)
1850 March 26
China
Fall
A heavy fall of impalpable yellow dust for four days. (74)
1850 March 29
Virginia, United States
Fall
‘Blood and flesh’ fell from small reddish cloud, Cloverlea. (61)
1850 March 30
England
Gale
Many shipwrecks; Royal Adelaide wrecked off Margate, 300 drowned. (61)
1850 April 7
Spain
Lightning
Saragossa Cathedral set on fire by lightning and destroyed. (61, 68)
1850 April 7
Condwul, India
Hail
Persons and cattle killed by hailstones the size of coconuts, or ‘much larger’. (84)
1850 April 18
Ireland
Tornado
A tornado did much damage in Dublin. (53)
1850 May
Atlantic Ocean
Ice
An ice field 150 miles long, lat. 46° N. (32)
1850 June 12
Japan
Meteor
A 135 kg. stone fell at Kesen after detonations. (25)
1850 August 6
France
Flood
Thunderstorm flooded Paris up to 4 feet deep. (28)
1850 August 17
Belgium
Flood
Brussels inundated after heavy rain. (29)
1850 September 15
Arctic Canada
Anomalous phenomena
Two spherical bodies seen floating over Wellington Channel ‘for some time’. (41)
1850 October 14
Mediterranean
Waterspout
Brig Lady Flora sunk by ‘whirlwind’ 30 miles off Gozo; all hands but one lost. (33)
1850 November 30
India
Meteorite
A stone 2 feet in diameter fell at Bissempore. (23)
1850 December 14
Ireland
Mirage
‘Aerial Morgana’ seen near the Banmouth.
