LANDMARKS OF WORLD HISTORY
A Chronology of Remarkable Natural Phenomena
19th Century 1881-1890
Numbers show sources
Date
Location
Phenomenon
Description
1881 January
Scotland
Ice
45 piers of 5,790-foot Solway Firth Viaduct demolished by ice floes; 37 spans fell. (11)
1881 January 17
Scotland
Winter cold
Minimum temperature of -17° F. (-26.7° C.) at Kelso, Roxburgh. (8)
1881 January 18
England
Blizzard
‘Worst snowstorm of 19th Century’ in London. E’ly gust of 73 mph, Yarmouth, 12-foot snowdrifts, Isle of Wight. (8)
1881 January 22
Russell, West Virginia
Fall
Drizzle of blood-like substance from solitary cloud covered ground. (126)
1881 February
United States
Blizzard
‘Unprecedented’ snowstorms in Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, etc. (13)
1881 February 1
Arabian Sea
Marine phosphorescence
‘Milky sea’; uniformly luminous to horizon. (20)
1881 February 9
Western Australia
Hurricane
Pearling ships wrecked near Roebourne; 1,000 sheep killed near Ashburton. (1)
1881 February 10
Guatemala
Frost
Ice formed in many places. (18)
1881 February 18
United States
Tornado
Tornado accompanied by fireballs of various sizes, Alabama. (12)
1881 March 14
Yorkshire, England
Meteorite
A 3.5 lbs. stone seen to fall at Middlesbrough after detonations. (7)
1881 April 3
Chios, Greece
Earthquake
Chios town wrecked, 25 villages destroyed, 7,000 killed.
1881 May 22
Australia
Comet
Discovery of Tebbutt’s Comet; tail 20° long on June 22. (2)
1881 May 22
Nimes, France
Ball lightning?
A dog ’surrounded and consumed’ by a fireball during a thunderstorm. (21)
1881 May 28
Worcester, England
Fall
About half a ton of periwinkles and a few pebbles fell a few hours before thunderstorm. (6)
1881 June 12
Iowa, Unites States
Hailstorm
Stones ’size of man’s fist’; much livestock killed. (17)
1881 June 20
Nebraska, United States
Hailstorm
Stones large as ‘cabbage heads’; house roofs pierced; cattle and horses killed, persons badly injured. (4)
1881 June 20
Auvergne, France
Ball lightning
Fireball during storm entered house and burst; 1 killed in resulting fire. (23)
1881 July 15
England
Summer heat
97.1° F. at Greenwich; 101° F. at Ashdell, Herts. in ‘unorthodox’ thermometer screen. (9, 22)
1881 August 4
Spain
Summer heat
Temperature of 122° F. at Seville
1881 August 9
Illinois, United States
Summer heat
“Scorching SW wind’ at Vandalia; temperature of 108° F., vegetation withered. (15)
1881 August 12 - 13
British Isles
Aurora
Brilliant in England and Scotland; magnets violently disturbed. (19)
1881 September 2
Minnesota, United States
Hailstorm
Stones 15 inches round; several persons seriously injured. (19)
1881 September 6
Michigan, United States
Forest fires
Great fires on shore of Lake Huron; up to 1,000 persons killed; smoke impeded navigation. (5, 19)
1881 September 6
New England, United States
Obscuration
‘Yellow gloom’ until 3 pm. (19)
1881 September 30
Hawaii
Earthquake
Two violent shocks. many buildings wrecked. (16)
1881 October 8
North Vietnam
Hurricane
A typhoon killed 300,000 persons.
1881 October 14
British Isles
Gale
189 fishermen drowned on East Coasts.
1881 October 17
London
Early cold
A minimum (night) temperature of 21° F.
1881 October 27
Mexico
Hurricane
City of Manzanillo completely destroyed. (14)
1881 November 19
Ukraine
Meteorite
Man ‘reported injured’ by meteorite at Grossliebenthal; fireball seen, 8 kg. stone found. (7, 10)
1881 December 31
Far East
Earthquake
Shock beneath Car Nicobar felt in India, Burma and Sumatra, 2,000,000 square miles. Sea waves 4 feet high in India. No injuries. (3)
1882 January 12
California, United States
Snow
Up to 5 inches of snow on San Diego hills; a ‘thing never before experienced’. (27)
1882 January 18
Ireland
High barometer
Barometer reading of 30.935 inches in Dublin. (33)
1882 January 22
London
Fog
‘High fog’ caused 3 hours of day darkness. (23)
1882 February 3
Transylvania
Meteorites
About 3,000 stones fell at Mocs; total 300 kg. (7)
1882 February 28
North Atlantic
Ice
Icefields reached 200 miles from Newfoundland coast. (29)
1882 March 8
Montana, United States
Meteor impact?
‘Enormous meteoric stone’ fell SE of Fort Assinnaboine, followed by earth tremor. (26)
1882 April 16
British Isles, North America
Aurora
Great aurora and magnetic storm. (26)
1882 May 7 - 17
North Atlantic
Ice
Ship passed icebergs daily from 7th to 17th at lat. 43° N. (36)
1882 May 12
Germany
Storms and floods
Thunderstorms and heavy rain, Prussia and Saxony; 60 drowned at Oberlansitz. (37)
1882 May 17
Egypt
Comet
Tewfik’s Comet seen during total solar eclipse.
1882 June 5
India
Hurricane
Cyclone and storm surge killed 100,000 persons, Bombay.
1882 June 15 (reported)
Iceland
Ice
Ice surrounded N and E coast; livestock starved through lack of vegetation. (28)
1882 June 16
Iowa, United States
Hailstorm
Stones 17 inches round, Dubuque, one weighing 1 lb. 12 oz., many persons injured. Small live frogs found in stones. (28)
1882 June 17
Iowa, United States
Tornado
Tornado track ‘200 miles long’; 100 persons killed at Grinnel. (25)
1882 August
Kansas, United States
Hailstorm
5 lbs. stones fell near Salina; ice mass weighing about 80 lbs. found. (5)
1882 September 4
Japan
Hurricane
A typhoon destroyed over 1,000 houses and killed 28 persons in Tokyo. (30)
1882 September 8
South Africa
Comet
Great Comet discovery date. (24)
1882 September 12
United States
Heat
Temperatures of 105° F. in Kansas, accompanied by a dust storm and a hot wind which scorched vegetation. (30)
1882 October 2
Cyprus
Tornado
A ‘terrific hurricane’ passed over the island, destroying much property. (31)
1882 October 2
Europe, Australia
Aurora
Brilliant aurora seen from Britain, Southern Europe and Australia. (32)
1882 November 17
London
Aurora
Great aurora and magnetic storm; green torpedo-shaped ‘auroral meteor’ 27° long seen from Greenwich. (34)
1882 November 18
London
Sunspot
Great sunspot visible to naked eye. (34)
1882 December 6
-
Planetary event
Transit of Venus. See here (2)
1883 February 5
Avvika, Sweden
Peculiar meteor
Meteor as large as Sun moved SE to NW, then to the SE, and ‘made several digressions from its plane’. (40)
1883 February 16
Italy
Meteorite
A 228 kg. stone fell at Alfianello. (7)
1883 February 27
Connecticut, United States
Bolide
A detonating meteor was followed by rumbling sounds and an earthquake. (53)
1883 April 8
Finland
Earthquake
Houses ‘shaken to their foundations’ at Ytterjeppo. (54)
1883 April 22
United States
Tornado outbreak
Tornadoes in Mississippi, Kansas, Lousiana, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. About 170 persons killed. (52)
1883 May 17 - 18
United States
Windstorms
Wind, rain and lightning storms in Texas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin; ‘straight-away gales’ 300 yards to 2 miles wide. (39)
1883 May 20
Sumatra
Volcano
First eruption of Krakatoa. Fine dust fell 150 miles away. (42)
1883 June 5
Sumatra
Volcano
Eruption of Merapi. Ash fell 833 kilometres away. (50)
1883 June 19
Nicaragua
Volcano
Eruption of Ometepec in Lake Nicaragua; lava overflowed whole island. (45)
1883 July 3
Lincolnshire, England
Hailstorm
Great hailstorm at Barton, stones 5 inches by 3 inches. 15 tons of glass broken. (43)
1883 July 12
Chicago, United States
Ice fall
A ’shower of hail or ice’ from a clear sky on Lake Michigan, 20 miles from Chicago. One ice mass was the size of a brick and weighed 2 pounds. (55)
1883 July 28
Ischia, Italy
Earthquake
2,000 killed in island. (55)
1883 August 12
Mexico
Anomalous phenomena?
Bonilla photographed 143 spindle-shaped objects crossing the Sun (telescopic). Possibly insects.
1883 August 26
Grand Banks, Newfoundland
Gale
80 persons drowned when a sudden gale struck fishing fleet. (56)
1883 August 26
Sumatra
Volcano
Paroxysmal eruption of Krakatoa began; ash cloud 17 miles high. (42)
1883 August 27
Sumatra
Volcano
4 explosions destroy Krakatoa. Sound heard 2,968 miles distant. 36,380 persons killed, mostly by sea waves. (42, 50)
1883 August 27
Sumatra
Volcano
Eruption of Merapi. (50)
1883 September 2
Trinidad
Optical phenomenon
Sun ‘like a blue globe’. (50)
1883 September 5
Hawaii
Optical phenomenon
First report of ‘Bishop’s Ring’ diffraction corona round Sun. (44)
1883 September 6
Indian Ocean
Fall
Fine ash fell on ship 5,321 kilometres from Krakatoa for 2 days. (50)
1883 September 9
South China Sea
Optical phenomena
A green Sun for 48 hours. (50)
1883 September 10
India
Optical phenomenon
Sun rose ‘bright blue’ at Madras. (51)
1883 September 24
Sweden
Whirlwind and ball lightning?
Whirlwind and brilliant egg-shaped ‘meteor’ at Karingon, 9 pm. (5)
1883 October 6
Alaska
Volcano
Augustine volcano erupts; landslide caused 30-foot sea wave which flooded Port Graham, 54 miles away. (41, 50)
1883 October 16
Turkey
Earthquake
‘Over 2,000 killed’ in Anatolia. Figure said to be ‘exaggerated’. (46)
1883 November
Ireland
Optical phenomena
Dawns and sunsets of ‘unwonted splendour’, Dublin. (47)
1883 November
Norfolk, England
Optical phenomenon
A ‘sapphire blue’ Moon. (51)
1883 November 17
Somerset, England
Tornado
A tornado unroofed cottages at Alverston. Possible tornado at Portsmouth. (38)
1883 November 27
New York, United States
Optical phenomenon
A ‘brilliant scarlet’ sunset. (49)
1883 December 12
Australia
Dust storm
‘Wind and dust terrible for 10 hours’ at Bourke, New South Wales. (48)
1884 January 17
Sweden
Optical phenomenon
A green Moon seen for 3 minutes at Stockholm. (51)
1884 January 26
Scotland
Low barometer
Reading of 926.5 millibars (276.332 inches) in storm centre, Ochtertyre, Perthshire. (67)
1884 February 1 (c.)
San Salvador
Optical phenomena
Crescent Moon ‘magnificent emerald green’; Venus and a comet also green. (44)
1884 February 19
United States
Tornado outbreak
60 tornadoes in Virginia, Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky; 182 killed. (64)
1884 March 19
Java
Meteorite
A 166 kg stone fell at Djati-Pengilon, after detonating fireball. (7)
1884 April 22
Essex, England
Earthquake
One of the strongest English earthquakes; widespread damage. (63)
1884 April 26
Kansas, United States
Tornado
A.A. Adams takes the first photograph of a tornado from Garnett. (69)
1884 May 20 (or 27)
Norway
Meteorites
2 stones fell on Tysnes Island after detonating fireball. Largest 18.95 kg. (7)
1884 May 22 and 23
Dakota, United States
Fall
Numerous small flinty stones fell on Bismarck for two days. (60)
1884 July 20
Suffolk, England
Tornado
A huge waterspout off Southwold. (70)
1884 July 26
Germany
Ball lightning
Large ‘ball of scarlet fire’ moved erratically for several minutes, Bruhl. (71)
1884 August 10
United States
Earthquake
Shock felt from Maine to Virginia; buildings in New York ’shaken to foundations’. (68)
1884 August 12
Scotland
Thunderstorm
Great storm at Dundee; fireballs; some persons ‘died of fright’. (59)
1884 August 15
Atlantic Ocean
Earthquake
Sea ‘boiled like a pot’ in a submarine earthquake, 38º north, 75º west. (65)
1884 August 24
Algeria
Heat
A temperature of 127° F. (53° C.) at Ouargla. (62)
1884 August 28
South Dakota, United States
Tornadoes
A tornado photographed near Huron; another photographed several times from Howard City. (69)
1884 August 29
Sicily
Heat
Sirocco at Palermo; shade temperature of 121° F. (57)
1884 September 15
Japan
Hurricane
A typhoon unroofed 3,000 houses in Tokyo. (58)
1884 December 13
Canada
Meteorite
A meteor illuminated the country near Quebec like the ‘noonday sun’ at 3 a.m. A meteorite a foot in diameter was found. (66)
1884 December 18
Atlantic Ocean
A submarine earthquake in 38º 51' N., 29º 55' W., caused panic aboard the barque Helen isabel. (66)
1884 December 26
Spain
Earthquake
Repeated shocks in southern Spain killed 2,000 persons. (66)
1884 December 28
Austria
Earthquake
An earthquake in Carinthia caused much damage. (66)
1884 December 29
North Atlantic
Volcano
Submarine eruption at lat. 49° N., long. 34.50° W. (61)
1885 January 3
Siberia
Cold
A minimum temperature of -90.4° F. recorded at Verkhoyansk. (75)
1885 January 15
Vermont, United States
Snow
W. A. Bentley takes the first photograph of a snow crystal. (43)
1885 February 6
Australia
Dust storm
‘Black as the blackest night’ for 20 minutes at Albury, 2.30 pm. (48)
1885 February 23
British Columbia, Canada
Meteor
An ‘enormous meteor’ passed over the city of Victoria at 9 a.m. and fell into the sea, raising spray and steam. (80)
1885 February 24
Pacific Ocean
Ball lightning?
“Mass of fire’ fell into sea 50 yards from barque Innerwich; explosion and wave. (80)
1885 March 5 -6
Chico, California, United States
Meteor
Brilliant meteor with ’noise like thunder’. A ‘very hard’ object 30 feet long and 2 feet in diameter found next day. (1)
1885 March 15
Scandinavia
Aurora
First photograph of the aurora, by S. Tromholt. (73)
1885 March 24
Colorado, United States
Snow
A 24-hour storm with 32 inches of snow. ‘The streets of Denver were impassable’. (81)
1885 April 10
Atlantic Ocean
Tornado
A waterspout struck the barque Ceylon WSW of the Bermudas. 1 man killed by falling spars. (79)
1885 May
Atlantic Ocean
Ice
Vast ice-fields as far south as lat. 44°, and far east as long. 46°. (78)
1885 June 2
India
Earthquake
3,000 killed, Serinagur, Kashmir; aftershocks continued until July 8. (46)
1885 June 5 - 6
Ireland
Noctilucent clouds
‘Luminous cirri’ seen on the N. horizon from Dublin late at night. (78)
1885 June 8
Germany
Noctilucent clouds
Backhouse observes noctilucent clouds from Kissingen. (74)
1885 June 23
Europe
Noctilucent clouds
Noctilucent clouds seen by many European observers. (74)
1885 June 26
Europe
Noctilucent clouds
First measurement of noctilucent cloud heights gives a ‘rough altitude’ of 75 kilometres. (74)
1885 August 6
-
Supernova
Discovery date of a supernova in the Andromeda galaxy, M31. It reached naked-eye visibility and faded in 1886. (77)
1885 August 10
France
Fall
About 20 stones and a ‘bituminous substance’ fell at Grazac after detonations. ‘Not meteoritic’. (7)
1885 August 12
New York, United States
Tornado
A tornado at Norwood killed 2 persons. A 300-foot railway bridge was carried 40 feet and dropped in a river
1885 August 17
California, United States
Heat
A temperature of 130° F. (54° C.) at Amos and Monument Tank. (75)
1885 August 21
China
Tornadoes
A series of tornadoes struck Shanghai; buildings damaged and boats capsized. (72)
1885 October 15
Bavaria
Gale
A storm in the Partenkirchen Valley uprooted a million large trees; red rain fell. (57)
1885 November 27
Europe
Meteor shower
A great meteor shower, associated with Biela’s comet. The first photograph of a meteor was taken from Prague. (76)
1885 November 27
Mexico
Meteorite
A 4 kg. iron fell at Mazapil during a ’star-shower’. (7)
1885 December 12
Pacific Ocean
Ball lightning?
Schooner J.C. Ford struck by a ‘meteor’, which set the sails afire.
1886 January
Florida, United States
Snow
Snow fell at Tampa.
1886 January 1
Norway
Cold
A temperature of -60.5° F. (-51.4° C.) at Karasjok. (62)
1886 January 4
Siberia
Meteor impact?
Meteor ‘burst’ near Tschember; explosions and earth tremors 10 minutes later. Houses fell and lake ice broken. (92)
1886 March 1 - 2
Ireland, England
Snowstorm
Snow 5 inches deep in Dublin; ‘vast snowdrifts’ in N. England completely blocked road and rail traffic. (87)
1886 March 3 - 4
Fiji
Hurricane
Town of Vuna in Taviuni blown down and washed away; storm surge penetrated inland 700 yards. (57)
1886 March 19
Wisconsin, United States
Day darkness
“Dark as midnight’ at Oshkosh for 10 minutes at 3 pm. A ‘wave of total darkness’ passed from W to E. (85)
1886 March 27
Arkansas, United States
Meteorite
A 107 lbs. iron fell at Cabin Creek. (7)
1886 April 14
Minnesota, United States
Tornadoes
A tornado at St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids killed 72 persons. Other tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Texas. (52)
1886 May 11
Missouri, United States
Downbursts
32 persons killed in collapsing buildings at Kansas City by 45 minutes of ‘bursts from the sky’. (52)
1886 May 12
Spain
Tornado
A ‘bourrasque’ caused much damage in Madrid. (87)
1886 June 10
New Zealand
Volcano
Great eruption of Tarawera, North Island. 2 Maori villages lost; pink terraces of Rotomahana destroyed. Ash covered 4,000 square miles. (82)
1886 June 14
Kent, England
Tornado
A tornado at Deal caused much building damage. (90)
1886 June 22
Ireland
Noctilucent clouds
‘Intensely luminous cirri’ in N sky at Dublin, 11 pm. (87)
1886 July 4
Algeria
Heat
A shade temperature of 116° F. (47° C.) at Biskra. (87)
1886 July 12
Ireland
Noctilucent clouds
A ‘magnificent display of luminous cirri’ from Dublin. (87)
1886 August 19
Texas, United States
Hurricane
The town of Indianola wrecked; 176 killed. (89)
1886 August 31
United States
Earthquake
100 persons killed in Charleston, South Carolina. Shock felt from Nebraska to Alabama to New York; earth waves and ground disturbances. (91)
1886 September 4
South Carolina, United States
Fall
‘3 showers of warm stones’ fell at Charleston, 7.30 am, 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm. (88)
1886 October 4
England
Late heat
80° F. recorded at London and Cambridge. (87)
1886 October 8 - 13
Texas, United States
Hurricane
Sabine Pass washed away; 150 drowned. (89)
1886 October 24 (reported)
South Carolina, United States
Fall
‘Heavy rain’ fell from a cloudless sky for 14 days, Chesterfield County. (83)
1886 October 24
Venezuela
Ball lightning??
‘Dazzling light’ during nocturnal rainstorm, Maracaibo; 9 persons suffered vomiting and skin lesions. Trees withered. (93)
1886 October 26
Japan
Meteorites
‘Innumerable’ stones fell over Kyushu after detonations. Largest 29 kg. (7)
1886 October 30
Sweden
Bolide
Detonating meteor with ‘yellow, red and green light’, Faloterbo. (86)
1886 November 4
Norway
Aurora
Great aurora covered most of sky, Trondheim. (86)
1886 November 15
China
Meteor shower
Meteors ‘in numbers past calculation’, Shanghai. (84)
1886 December 8 - 9
Europe
Gale
Storm extended from Stornoway to Corunna; average wind speed of 80 m.p.h. at Fleetwood. 217 vessels lost or damaged. (57, 87)
1886 December 26
England
Blizzard
Snowstorm ‘of unexampled severity’ in England; wet snow damaged trees and wires. (87)
1887 January 1
Ukraine
Meteorites
About 8 stones fell at Zaslavi, largest 2 kg. (7)
1887 January 18
Cordoba
Comet
Discovery of the ‘headless comet’ of 1887. The comet’s nucleus was believed to have disintegrated 6 hours after perihelion on Jan. 11. (96)
1887 January 28
Montana, United States
Snow
Snowflakes 15 inches across and 8 inches thick fell at Fort Keogh. (5)
1887 February 23
France
Earthquake
Shock killed 640 persons in the Riviera; disturbed area of 219,000 square miles. (57)
1887 spring
China
Flood
Yellow River inundated over 2,000 villages and towns. Loss of life estimated at between 1.5 million and 7 million persons. (43)
1887 March 17
Australia
Bolide
‘Blood-red ball’ exploded over South Australia, followed by rumblings and earth tremors. (94)
1887 March 19
Atlantic Ocean
Anomalous phenomena
In a storm a dark and an illuminated spherical body fell into the sea near the barque J.P.A.; waves swept vessel, chunks of ice fell. (5)
1887 April 22
Australia
Hurricane
Cyclone wrecked pearling fleet off 90-Mile Beach, West Australia; 200 drowned.
1887 April 24
Orne, France
Ball lightning and fall
In a storm a fireball entered a stable; ‘a great quantity of incandescent stones’ fell nearby. (99)
1887 June
N/S
Noctilucent clouds
First photograph of noctilucent clouds, taken by O. Jesse. (74)
1887 June 3
Leicestershire, England
Summer snow
‘A little snow’ fell at Lutterworth. (100)
1887 June 13
London
Fine weather
15.8 hours of sunshine at Kew Observatory. (95)
1887 June 26
Ireland
Heat
Maximum temperature of 92° F. (33.3° C.) at Kilkenny. (100)
1887 July 16
New York, United States
Tornado
A ‘cone-shaped cloud’ damaged the large steamer Eliza Hancox, Bay Ridge; many passengers injured. (97)
1887 August 30
Ochonsk, Russia
Meteorites
After meteor and detonations, a shower of stones fell at Tabory. Largest 253 lbs., total 1,102 lbs. (7)
1887 September - October
China
Flood
Hwang-Ho River inundated 50,000 square miles; 900,000 persons drowned. (43)
1887 November 20
England
Bolide
Meteor burst with 3 explosions over Berkshire, earth tremors. (98)
1888 January 9
England
Winter warmth
63° F. (17° C.) in N.E, England. (32, 109)
1888 January 28
Atlantic Ocean
Tornado
A waterspout over a mile wide near Bermuda. (43)
1888 January
United States
Blizzard
‘Fearful blizzard’ from the Dakotas to Texas; temperature fell to -40° F, farmers froze to death in fields. (108)
1888 February 11
300 miles W. of Bermuda
Waterspout
Barque Reindeer dismasted by waterspout. (127)
1888 March 12
United States
Blizzard
Snowstorm ‘cut off and immobilised’ Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston; drifts up to 50 feet deep; 400 killed, 200 in New York City. (106)
1888 March 24
England
Snow
Snowflakes almost 4 inches wide fell for 2 minutes at Chepstow; lay 2 inches deep. (105)
1888 March 31
Papua
Volcano
Eruption and landslide on Ritter Island; sea waves devastated nearby coasts; about 3,000 drowned.
1888 April 25
North Atlantic Ocean
Tornado
A waterspout struck the schooner Baltic, flooding the deck and carrying away boats. (104)
1888 April 30
Moradabad and Behari, India
Hailstones
Enormous hailstones ‘pounded to death’ or buried 246 persons. Also a tornado. (43, 103)
1888 May 19
Scotland and England
Thunderstorm
A nocturnal thunderstorm moved from S. to N. at 50 m.p.h.; torrential rain, large hail, several persons killed by lightning. (109)
1888 June 9
Yorkshire, England
‘Cloudburst’
Torrent flowed from hill after appearance of a funnel cloud, Langtoft; great damage. (57)
1888 June 10
France, England, Scotland
Heat and cold
94° F. in Paris, 84° F. in S. England; heavy snow in central Scotland. (109)
1888 June 15
Ireland
Noctilucent clouds
‘Luminous cirriform clouds’ on the N. horizon, 11 pm, Dublin. (109)
1888 July 10
England and Scotland
Summer snow and cold
Snow fell near sea level at North Shields. A minimum temperature of 28° F. (-2.2° C.) at West Linton, Peebles. Snow fell in London on the 11th. (110, 111)
1888 July 11
Colorado, United States
Heat
A temperature of 118° F. at Bennett, elevation 5,484 feet. (112)
1888 July 15
Japan
Volcano
Bandai-San, Honshu, wrecked by explosion; avalanche and horizontal blast killed 461 persons. (101)
1888 August 1 (c.)
Croatia
Anomalous phenomena
‘Infantry divisions led by a chief with a flaming sword’ seen in the sky on 3 consecutive days, near Varasdin. (88)
1888 August 17
Rugen Island, Baltic Sea
Sea waves
‘Two enormous waves’ caused much damage to small craft after rumbling sound out at sea. No wind at time, sea calm. (117)
1888 August 21
Maryland, United States
Tornado outbreak
20 tornadoes, funnel clouds and waterspouts around Chesapeake Bay; 12 persons killed. (52)
1888 September 1
New Zealand
Earthquake
Strong shock, North Canterbury region, North Island, many buildings and Christchurch Cathedral damaged.
1888 September 1
Cuba
Hurricane
Seacoast towns washed away; over 600 killed. (89)
1888 October 1
-
Galaxy
Great Andromeda Nebula (M-31) shown to be a spiral in 3-hour exposure telescopic photograph by Isaac Roberts. (102)
1888 December 20
Chile
Noctilucent clouds
First observation of southern hemisphere noctilucent clouds, by Stubenrauch at Punta Arenas. (74)
1889 January 16
Australia
Heat
128° F. (53° C.) at Cloncurry, Queensland. (114)
1889 March 15
Samoa
Hurricane
Typhoon struck Apia, 2 German and 2 American warships sunk, 146 persons killed. (115)
1889 May 10
New York, United States
Thunderstorm
Dust storm followed by thunderstorm at Brooklyn; much damage. (113)
1889 May 31
Pennsylvania, United States
Flood
Dam burst after heavy rains destroyed the city of Johnstown; about 2,200 persons killed. (115)
1889 June 7
Kent, England
Hail
Rain and hailstorm, Tunbrige Wells: one stone weighed half a pound. (32)
1889 June 7
Ireland
Noctilucent clouds
“Luminous cirri’ on the N. horizon, Dublin. (118)
1889 July
East Africa
Meteorite
A 44 lbs. stone fell at Ergheo. (7)
1889 July 3
Germany
Noctilucent clouds
Noctilucent clouds photographed; altitude calculated at 82 kilometres. (116)
1889 August 19
Japan
Rain and floods
35.5 inches of rain fell in 17 hours, Tanabe, Kii Peninsula; floods drowned 1,502 persons. (57)
1889 October 6
Ireland
Gale
Sudden storm with ‘hurricane-force gusts’ did much damage in Dublin. (118)
1889 December 1
Serbia
Meteorites
A shower of stones fell at Jelica; largest 19 lbs., total 75 lbs. (7)
1889 December 5
Russia
Anticyclone
Barometer readings of 31 inches and upwards in Central Russia. (118)
1890 January 2
Pontrvedra, Spain
Ball lightning
Fireball fell from a clear sky and badly damaged a power station. (124)
1890 January 12
Texas, United States
Aurora??
Train passed under a ‘vast, hueless rainbow spanning the heavens’. (123)
1890 February 3
Italy
Meteorite
An 11 lbs. stone fell at Collescipoli after detonating meteor. (7)
1890 March 27
Kentucky, United States
Tornado
A nocturnal tornado struck Louisville; 106 persons killed. (52)
1890 April 24
United States
Flood
A flood of the Mississippi River inundated 3,000 square miles; 100 drowned. (117)
1890 May 2
Iowa, United States
Meteorites
8 large stones, up to 80 lbs., and over 500 small ones fell at Forest City after detonating meteor. (7)
1890 June 25
Kansas
Meteorite
An 188 lbs. stone buried itself to a depth of 4 feet at Farmington after detonating meteor. (7, 43)
1890 July 23 (reported)
Russia
Tornado?
19 persons were killed by a ‘hurricane’ at Slomni. (114)
1890 August 18
France
Tornado
A tornado at Dreux uprooted trees and destroyed houses. (125)
1890 August 25
Italy, Austria
Thunderstorm
A storm moved rapidly from N.E. Italy across the Adriatic to Vienna. A gust of 80 m.p.h. at Pesaro. Much damage and many shipwrecks. (57)
1890 October 15
Pacific Ocean
Meteorite?
“Bulky mass’ fell into sea near barque Killarney during storm; spray thrown 40 feet high. (120)
1890 October 27
Cape Town, South Africa
Comet?
A ‘comet-like body’ with a tail 90° long seen for 47 minutes; moved across 100 degrees of arc. (10)
1890 November 15
Scotland
Earthquake
Shock caused slight damage in Inverness. (116)
1890 December
London
Winter gloom
0.3 hour of sunshine recorded at Kew during month; 6 minutes at Bunhill Row; no sunshine at all at Westminster. (95)
1890 December 14
London
Cold
A maximum temperature of 21° F. (-6° C.) in London. (122)
