Earthquakes
1966August 19, 1966 Earthquake in Varto, Turkey
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Varto, Turkey. It killed 2,394 people and did $20 million in damage.
- When
- August 19, 1966
- Magnitude
- 6.8
- Deaths
- 2,394
- Damage
- $20 million
- Where
- Varto, Turkey
Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for August 19, in any year, each linked to its full record.
Every event with a place, colored by kind. Tap one to open its record.
By deaths, damage and strength together, across every archive.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Varto, Turkey. It killed 2,394 people and did $20 million in damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Toluk, Kyrgyzstan. It killed 75 people, destroyed 8,200 houses and did $130 million in damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Sunda Islands, Indonesia. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 189 people, injured 75 and did $1.2 million in damage.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Sunda Islands, Indonesia, with a maximum water height of 15 meters. It killed 189 people, injured 75 and did $1.2 million in damage.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Kyoto, Japan. It killed 280 people.
Tornadoes
An F3 tornado touched down in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and tracked 16.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 16 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: South Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Wildfires
A major wildfire occurred from 19 August 1949 to 25 August 1949 in the Landes forest in France. 50,000 hectares (500 km2) of forest land were burnt - and 82 people killed.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Marinette County, Wisconsin and tracked 21.8 miles, 33 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 3.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Bill reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 954 mb, a category 4 storm.
Tornadoes
An F3 tornado touched down in Columbia, Luzerne counties, Pennsylvania and tracked 24.8 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Shickshinny/Silkworth, PA.
Earthquakes
8 a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). At least 2,394 were killed and up to 1,500 people were injured in the town of Varto and Hınıs in the Muş Province of eastern Turkey.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
An unnamed storm crossed the coast near Dulac, LA as a category 2 hurricane, 95 kt (110 mph). It killed 12 people in all. The 1888 Louisiana hurricane was a major hurricane that caused significant flooding and wind damage to the Mississippi River Delta and the Mississippi Valley in late August 1888. It was the third tropical cyclone and second hurricane of the 1888 Atlantic hurricane season.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
57 on August 19, oldest first.
An F3 tornado touched down in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania and tracked 16.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 16 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: South Wilkes-Barre, PA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Columbia, Luzerne counties, Pennsylvania and tracked 24.8 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Shickshinny/Silkworth, PA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania and tracked 5.2 miles, 70 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W New Milford to E Summerville.
The 1890 Wilkes-Barre tornado was a deadly tornado that occurred on Tuesday, August 19, 1890, in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It tore through the city as an estimated F3.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An F3 tornado touched down in Deuel County, South Dakota, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Clear Lake, SD.
An F2 tornado touched down in City of Saint Louis, Madison counties, Missouri and tracked 4.9 miles, 70 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: St. Louis, MO/Venice, IL.
An F3 tornado touched down in Itasca, Saint Louis counties, Minnesota and tracked 12.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Cedar Valley/Swan River, MN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Saint Louis County, Minnesota and tracked 9.5 miles, 70 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Meadowlands to Payne, MN.
An F2 tornado touched down in Northumberland, Saint Mary's counties, Virginia and tracked 24.6 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Reedville, VA/Scotland, MD.
An F4 tornado touched down in Marinette County, Wisconsin and tracked 21.8 miles, 33 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Erie County, New York and tracked 2.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Logan County, North Dakota and tracked 0.1 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
The police department reported golfball-size hail along with hail during the early morning hours.
A lightning flash struck close to the Grace Fellowship Church's football team, sending a side flash into the group. Eight team members were knocked to the ground, but no one was seriously injured. One player suffered a concussion.
Trees and power lines down
Thunderstorm winds downed several large trees across area roadways. One tree fell onto a house, causing minor damage.
Significant damage at Great Bend Airport. Hangars were unroofed and an unspecified number of aircraft were overturned. This proved to be an anxious moment for Great Bend! After causing extensive damage to the airport, the tornado was moving toward the city when it lifted.
Rain bands from Tropical Storm Fay moving onshore from the Atlantic produced a tornado in southern Brevard County.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Sangamon, Logan counties, Illinois and tracked 24.27 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, injuring 19.
A vigorous upper-level disturbance in conjunction with a warm front lifting northward through central Illinois triggered strong to severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of August 19th.
30 tornadoes were recorded on August 19, 2009, in Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri.
Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northwest Indiana during the late afternoon and evening hours of August 19th, producing one tornado in Chesterton.
During the afternoon of August 19th, a large area of generally moderate to heavy showers occurred across most of south central and east central Minnesota. The area had very few lightning strikes, and most of the shower activity was racing northward at 40 to 50 mph.
A squall line of thunderstorms produced a tornado, damaging winds, hail and flash flooding.
Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours and moved northeast across parts northern and central Illinois. Three tornadoes were confirmed during this event.
Late morning and early afternoon sunshine was the fuel for a couple rounds of showers and thunderstorms across the region August 19. The storms brought heavy rain to most areas, with rainfall amounts between a half inch and and inch and a half common.
A warm front over southern Iowa moved north into southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin during the afternoon hours of August 19th. Thunderstorms developed along the warm front and spawned four EF0 tornadoes as it shifted north during the afternoon hours.
A supercell developed over far northern Saginaw late in the afternoon, then tracked southeast along a frontal boundary. This storm produced a swath of wind damage, large hail, and eventually spawning two tornadoes as it moved through Macomb County.
An EF1 tornado touched down in Marinette, Menominee counties, Wisconsin and tracked 7.9 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 1.
A deadly tornado occurred in Marinette County in Wausaukee and isolated severe thunderstorms produced large hail and gusty winds across north-central Wisconsin. The storms knocked out electricity to 2,000 customers and caused at least $120,000 in damage.
Thunderstorms initiated across north central Nebraska during the late afternoon hours of August 19th. As storms tracked to the southeast, they produced large hail, heavy rain and 5 tornadoes.
A wind gust of 85 mph was recorded on this date in 2018 when a tornado impacted the Mesonet observation site near Inola, Oklahoma, just east of Tulsa. This marks the 4th tornado encounter with a Mesonet site. The others include El Reno on May 24, 2011, and both Tipton and Fort Cobb on November 7, 2011.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
August 19-20 a rapidly deepening low pressure system tracked from south central Kansas to southwest Iowa.
Thunderstorms developed over northeastern New Mexico, southeastern Colorado, and the northwestern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours of the 18th. These storms moved east overnight and affected northeastern Oklahoma during the morning hours of the 19th.
Generally speaking, a bit of everything occurred during an overnight/early morning severe mesoscale convective system that rolled across Iowa.
Severe thunderstorms produced intense winds and large hail across Adams, Broomfield, Douglas, Jefferson, Morgan, Weld and Phillips counties. The hail ranged in size from one to two inches in diameter. Three short-lived brief tornadoes touched down in Phillips County.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Fred moved across Southern New England producing heavy rain, gusty winds, and two tornadoes - one that moved from northeast Connecticut into Worcester County and another in central Worcester County.
15 on August 19, oldest first.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a category 1 hurricane, 70 kt (80 mph), central pressure 984 mb.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast near Dulac, LA as a category 2 hurricane, 95 kt (110 mph). It killed 12 people in all. The 1888 Louisiana hurricane was a major hurricane that caused significant flooding and wind damage to the Mississippi River Delta and the Mississippi Valley in late August 1888. It was the third tropical cyclone and second hurricane of the 1888 Atlantic hurricane season.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph), a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Anita reached its peak of 135 kt (155 mph) with a central pressure of 910 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Bob crossed the coast near New Shoreham, RI as a category 2 hurricane, 90 kt (105 mph), central pressure 962 mb. Hurricane Bob was one of the costliest tropical cyclones in New England history. The second named storm and first hurricane of the 1991 Atlantic hurricane season, Bob developed from an area of low pressure near The Bahamas on August 16.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Greg reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 949 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Fred reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph) with a central pressure of 925 mb, a category 4 storm.
Tropical Storm Kaemi was a weak tropical storm which affected Vietnam and Thailand during late August 2000. The nineteenth depression and eleventh tropical storm of the 2000 Pacific typhoon season, Kaemi originated from an area of convection offshore Vietnam.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On the morning of August 19th, Tropical Storm Fay came onshore in southwest Florida, moving north-northeast toward Lake Okeechobee.
Tropical Storm Fay made its first of four Florida landfalls at Key West shortly before 5 PM on Monday, August 18th. Maximum sustained winds were 60 mph and the minimum pressure was 998 MB.
Hurricane Bill reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 954 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Atsani reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 918 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Grace crossed the coast near Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico as a category 1 hurricane, 75 kt (85 mph), central pressure 978 mb. It killed 16 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. Hurricane Grace was the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Grace impacted much of the Leeward Islands and Greater Antilles as a tropical storm, before causing more substantial impacts in the Yucatán Peninsula and Veracruz at hurricane status.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was the fourth-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record with 20 named storms forming, tied with 1933. Among them, 7 became hurricanes, with 3 reaching major hurricane strength.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Lala reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 947 mb, a category 4 storm.
31 on August 19, oldest first.
A thunderstorm produced intense rainfall over the northwest portion of the Las Vegas valley with several automated and personal rain gauges recorded between 3 and 5 inches of rain in less than an hour.
Repetitive thunderstorms dropped southeast along a warm frontal boundary. The rain moved along the Kentucky border with West Virginia, beginning around 0400E. Buffalo Creek and Dans Branch were hit the hardest. Rain estimates of 3 to 3.5 inches fell in 3 to 4 hours.
At Perry Lake Marina.
A nearly stationary front across the region was the focus for thunderstorms across northeast Iowa during the late afternoon and evening of August 19. Excessive rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches in two to three hours caused flash flooding.
A similar situation to what was in place on the early morning of the 19th took place during the afternoon and overnight of the the 19th into the 20th. In fact, the thunderstorm activity didn't really end between the two events.
Localized very heavy rain caused significant flash flooding across parts of eastern Oklahoma.
Following the heavy rains of the previous day, thunderstorms once again developed over northern Iowa during the overnight hours of the 18th into the early morning of the 19th.
On August 19th Tropical Storm Fay came on shore in south west Florida moving north northeast toward Lake Okeechobee.
Torrential rain from Tropical Storm Fay produced widespread flooding across Brevard and central and southern Volusia counties.
A slow-moving upper low caused flash flooding as multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms dropped several inches of rain over the area.
An upper level low pressure system centered across the southern plains became nearly stationary through the week of August 19th. This setup allowed for deep tropical moisture to advance northward from the Gulf of Mexico.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms affected southeast Kansas from the evening hours on the 19th through the early morning hours on the 20th. The storms formed along and ahead of an advancing strong cold front surging southeast across the plains.
Severe thunderstorms affected portions of eastern Oklahoma during the late evening of the 19th and early morning hours of the 20th.
Monsoonal moisture resulted in strong thunderstorms which produced heavy rainfall, as well as hail and outflow winds that approached severe criteria.
A series of mid-level trough and upper level disturbances moved across central North Carolina as a moisten laden airmass remained in place.
A slow moving cold front and a moist unstable airmass combined to produce scattered severe thunderstorms and flash flooding across eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
Between five and seven inches of rain fell over Ottawa County, with the highest amounts in Port Clinton. The rain fell as a result of an area of low pressure moving over the lakeshore, producing onshore winds out of the northeast.
Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across much of central Arizona during the morning hours on August 19th, and they moved steadily towards the northeast for a period of several hours, affecting the greater Phoenix metropolitan areas as well as higher…
A significant push of monsoon moisture fueled an outbreak of thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Many storms produced severe weather and flash flooding.
Scattered clusters of thunderstorms developed across much of western North Carolina during early afternoon and continued into the evening hours.
Showers and thunderstorms developed as a series of disturbances moved through the region. Some of these storms produced flash flooding, along with damaging wind gusts and lightning.
A major flash flood event engulfed many locations across south central Kansas. During the evening of August 19th a strong cold front pushed across central and eastern Kansas. Storms developed along this front and tracked off to the southeast during the evening hours.
Rainfall dominated the story on the 19th and into the 20th as western Iowa found itself in a favorable setup for sustained moderate to briefly heavy rainfall. Initially, showers and storms along a weak frontal boundary as part of a larger upper level trough.
A meso-scale boundary along the North Carolina-Virginia state line sparked a complex of slow moving convection that produced 4 to 5 inches of rain and isolated flash flooding across Person County.
A deepening upper-level trough along with a moist and moderately unstable air mass resulted in scattered strong to severe thunderstorms each afternoon and evening, mainly along a stationary frontal boundary across north Georgia.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Fred were forecast to move across the region. Out ahead of the remnants of Fred, a slow-moving frontal zone and tropical moisture spreading north ahead of Fred allowed for a pre-cursory heavy rainfall event on August 17.
A weak mid-level short wave moving through the region, combined with strong daytime heating isolated strong to severe thunderstorms across north Georgia during the afternoon.
Despite high pressure being in general control at the surface, a shortwave was moving into western KY during the morning hours, and would provide the energy needed, in an already very moist atmosphere, to trigger showers and thunderstorms throughout the day.
Eastern Pacific Hurricane Hilary made landfall on the Baja Peninsula early on the morning of the 20th and reached Southern California as a tropical storm that afternoon. The cyclone brought widespread flash flooding to southeast California, along with isolated high winds.
Eastern Pacific Hurricane Hilary made landfall on the Baja Peninsula early on the morning of the 20th and reached Southern California as a tropical storm that afternoon.
A strong surge of moisture associated with Hurricane Hillary pushed northward into central California on August 19.
33 on August 19, oldest first.
Strong thunderstorm winds downed power poles, fences, and trees across parts of south-central, central, and northeast Oklahoma on this date in 1979. Several mobile homes were damaged or destroyed in the Pauls Valley area.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
An irrigation system and two farm sheds were destroyed.
Marble to dime-size hail fell near White Oak Mountain for about 15 minutes damaging 100 acres of tobacco crops and causing crop losses estimated around $175,000.
Trees were reported down in the Clayton area.
A barn was blown down by high winds.
Powerful thunderstorm winds leveled a cattle pole shed and also damaged a granary. In addition, roof shingles were riped off a machine shed and main barn.
High winds blew over a mobile home and tore a roof off of a house. Large hail broke a skylight in another home.
Severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a warm front in northeastern Kansas and moved east into northwest Missouri. The strongest storm crossed the Missouri River near Atchison, KS and caused extensive wind damage as it moved eastward to Richmond.
A severe thunderstorm over the south central Texas panhandle produced damaging winds during the early evening hours.
The Texas Tech West Texas Mesonet station 8 SW Sundown measured a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust.
Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree near New Bloomington. A truck struck the fallen tree resulting in serious injuries to the driver. A second tree was downed near Marion.
Severe weather moved through central Indiana on August 19, 2007. The main threats were damaging thunderstorm winds and hail. Multiple trees and power lines were down in addition to structural damage and damage to vehicles.
A cold front moved through southern New England, producing showers and thunderstorms that became severe as they moved across southeastern Massachusetts. Large hail and damaging winds affected southeast Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the waters off the Cape.
A weak cold front, supported by an energized mid-level disturbance, moved into a moderately unstable air mass across southwest Vermont during the afternoon of August 19th.
On this day in 2009, severe thunderstorms developed along an outflow boundary across central and northern Oklahoma. The storms produced baseball-size hail in Harper County and winds up to 75 mph in Ponca City. Minor damage was reported.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
A stationary front was located from southern Iowa into central Illinois and Indiana. Moderate to strong instability was in place with steep low level lapse rates and moderate wind fields.
A thunderstorm collapse resulted in a broad area of outflow wind damage.
Isolated storms in the Pee Dee region produced some severe weather in Chesterfield county. Damging winds took down trees and did some structural damage.
Southwest flow kept a cold front over Southern New England for a prolonged period of time. Coupled with an approaching shortwave, this created enough lift, instability, and moisture to produce strong to severe thunderstorms.
With a high amplitude long wave trough aloft, and with a cold front positioned to the north, scattered severe thunderstorms developed in the late morning and early afternoon hours.
A series of weak disturbances aloft interacted with a very moist air mass and triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms. One of these storms resulted in some minor wind damage. Also, a lightning strike injured 18 soldiers during a training activity.
In Larimer County, a man was struck by lightning while talking on his cell phone. He was standing outside a cabin between two 60-feet-tall trees when he was struck.
Thunderstorms that had redeveloped across southwest Minnesota prior to midnight, moved northeast and bowed out across portions of south central and east central Minnesota before moving into Wisconsin Friday morning, August 19th.
An approaching cold front traversed central Pennsylvania during the late afternoon and evening hours of August 19, 2017, generating a line of showers and storms that produced occasional wind damage along it's path.
Warm and moist conditions between a trough of low pressure inland and high pressure over the Atlantic led to a few strong/severe thunderstorms ahead of a sea breeze circulation across Southeast Georgia.
An otherwise benign weather day across the vast majority of New Mexico was interrupted by three very impressive supercell thunderstorms over the northeast plains.
A strong thunderstorm became severe around 1800 LST on the east side of Huntsville atop Monte Sano Mountain. A young hiker was killed when a tree limb hit him on the head while hiking Bluff Line Trail of Monte Sano Nature Preserve.
A thunderstorm outflow wind knocked down several large trees and power lines outside of McCall. The McCall airport recorded a gust of 45 mph.
A cluster of thunderstorms intensified over Logan and Macon counties during the pre-dawn hours of August 19th. One of the cells produced a downburst with 80-100 mph winds and significant wind damage in the town of Maroa in Macon County.
Numerous strong to severe thunderstorms developed across much of Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening of the 19th.
6 on August 19, oldest first.
A member of the Illinois Wesleyan University football team died from heat stroke several days after falling ill at a morning football practice. Temperatures at the time of the practice were in the middle 80s, with dew points in the lower 70s and a heat index in the lower 90s.
An upper level ridge of high pressure remained over the Mid-South during the middle to latter part of August. The upper ridge of high pressure produced above normal temperatures over the area.
An upper level ridge of high pressure remained over the Mid-South during the middle to latter part of August. The upper ridge of high pressure produced above normal temperatures over the area.
An Excessive Heat Warning was in effect for portions of the forecast area for 7 days as a heat wave dominated the area. This was the longest duration Excessive Heat Warning that the Omaha office has issued.
A ridge of high pressure in the middle and upper atmosphere redeveloped over the south central United States during late August.
3 on August 19, oldest first.
Tuckerton recorded 14.81 inches, New Jersey’s all-time greatest 24-hour precipitation, over August 19, 1939 to August 20, 1939, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
Burlington recorded 12.77 inches, Connecticut’s all-time greatest 24-hour precipitation, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
Hokah 1S recorded 15.1 inches, Minnesota’s all-time greatest 24-hour precipitation, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
44 on August 19, oldest first.
A major wildfire occurred from 19 August 1949 to 25 August 1949 in the Landes forest in France. 50,000 hectares (500 km2) of forest land were burnt - and 82 people killed.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Centennial Fire started on August 19, 1984, in Montana, and burned 11,769 acres.
The Twisselman Fire started on August 19, 1984, in California, and burned 5,094 acres.
The Kirby Fire started on August 19, 1988, in Montana, and burned 14,250 acres.
The Espy Fire started on August 19, 1988, in Montana, and burned 5,929 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on August 19, 1988, in California, and burned 4,715 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on August 19, 1991, in Montana, and burned 9,032 acres.
The Foothills Fire was discovered on August 19, 1992, in Idaho, and burned 177,544 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Windy Ridge Fire was discovered on August 19, 1992, in Idaho, and burned 17,500 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Well Field Fire was discovered on August 19, 1992, in Idaho, and burned 12,677 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Star Gulch Fire was discovered on August 19, 1994, in Idaho, and burned 30,655 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Central-P Fire was discovered on August 19, 1994, in Oklahoma, and burned 3,796 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
A gradient wind (non-thunderstorm) with speeds at 40 MPH plus was caused by the old center of Hurricane Ignacio moving over the San Joaquin Valley.
The Chocktaw Fire was discovered on August 19, 1997, in California, and burned 10,416 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Muddy Canyon Fire was discovered on August 19, 1998, in Utah, and burned 3,976 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Dido Complex was discovered on August 19, 1999, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 15,735 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Welches Creek Fire was discovered on August 19, 1999, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 10,816 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Henderson Fire was discovered on August 19, 2000, in Natrona County, Wyoming, and burned 8,390 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Highway Fire is suspected to have been caused by arson. It burned 4152 acres and forced the evacuation of a large number of residents. There were no fatalities but 8 structures were lost (3 primary and 5 out-buildings). Total cost to contain was over $6M.
The Fridley Fire was discovered on August 19, 2001, in Park County, Montana, and burned 26,873 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Highway Fire was discovered on August 19, 2001, in California, and burned 4,152 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Lost Twenty Fire was discovered on August 19, 2002, in Alaska, and burned 15,176 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Bb Complex (Booth) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Oregon, and burned 79,734 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Rampage Complex (Double Mountain 2) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Montana, and burned 21,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Blackfoot Lake Complex (Blackfoot Lake) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Montana, and burned 14,194 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Boulder Basin II Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Wyoming, and burned 10,953 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Little Salmon Creek Complex (Gyp Mountain) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Montana, and burned 4,992 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unit 6 Wf Fire was discovered on August 19, 2003, in Texas, and burned 4,282 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire started on August 19, 2005, in California, and burned 9,039 acres.
The Green Acres Fire was discovered on August 19, 2006, in Idaho County, Idaho, and burned 6,700 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Cascade Crest Complex (Puzzle) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2006, in Linn County, Oregon, and burned 6,340 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Sharps Ridge Fire was discovered on August 19, 2006, in Grant County, Oregon, and burned 5,395 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Lower Deschutes Complex (Tygh Ridge) Fire was discovered on August 19, 2010, in Wasco County, Oregon, and burned 9,304 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Lower Deschutes Complex (Fall Canyon) Fire started on August 19, 2010, in Oregon, and burned 3,714 acres.
The Sardine Fire was discovered on August 19, 2012, in Baker County, Oregon, and burned 6,070 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Coyote Point Fire was discovered on August 19, 2012, in Humboldt County, Nevada, and burned 5,458 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Twisp River Fire was reported on August 19, 2015, in Okanogan County, Washington, and burned 11,832 acres.
The Terwilliger Fire was reported on August 19, 2018, in Lane County, Oregon, and burned 11,555 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The SQF Complex fire—also called the SQF Lightning Complex—was a wildfire complex that burned in Tulare County in Central California in 2020. Comprising the Castle and Shotgun fires, it affected Sequoia National Forest and adjacent areas.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Shamrock Fire was reported on August 19, 2020, in Adams County, Colorado, and burned 4,200 acres.
The Black Pine Fire was reported on August 19, 2020, in Oneida County, Idaho, and burned 3,784 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Plant Fire was reported on August 19, 2023, in Santa Barbara County, California, and burned 5,464 acres.
The Movie Dome Fire was reported on August 19, 2026, in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and burned 6,207 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Windmill Fire was reported on August 19, 2026, in Stillwater County, Montana, and burned 4,253 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
28 on August 19, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Fan Chong, Shaanxi Province, China. It killed 20 people.
An earthquake struck Taheri (Siraf), Iran. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
After a year of foreshocks, an earthquake occurred on 12 August 1157 near the city of Hama, in west-central Syria, where the most casualties were sustained. In eastern Syria, near the Euphrates, the quake destroyed the predecessor of the citadel al-Rahba, subsequently rebuilt on the same strategic site.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An earthquake struck Vallo Di Diano, Italy.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Shanghai, China. With the tsunami it caused, it killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
An earthquake struck Kyoto, Japan. It killed 280 people.
An earthquake struck Arequipa, Peru. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Lara, Maracaibo, Venezuela. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Shanxi Province, China.
The 1961 Kita Mino earthquake is an earthquake that occurred on August 19, 1961, near the border between Ishikawa, Fukui and Gifu Prefectures in Japan. 0.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck W Coast, Honshu, Japan. It killed 10 people.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Xinjiang, China.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Varto, Turkey. It killed 2,394 people and did $20 million in damage.
8 a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). At least 2,394 were killed and up to 1,500 people were injured in the town of Varto and Hınıs in the Muş Province of eastern Turkey.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Denizli, Turkey. It killed 4 people and injured 50.
A magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Sunda Islands, Indonesia. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 189 people, injured 75 and did $1.2 million in damage.
The 1977 Sumba earthquake occurred approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi) south of Bima, Sumbawa, and beneath the Indian Ocean, at 14:08 local time on 19 August. 3, the earthquake is notable for having an unusually great magnitude for a shock with a normal faulting focal mechanism.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Toluk, Kyrgyzstan. It killed 75 people, destroyed 8,200 houses and did $130 million in damage.
The 1992 Suusamyr earthquake occurred at 08:04:37 KGT on 19 August near Toluk in the border area of Kyrgyzstan. 3 and a maximum felt intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Fiji Islands.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Fiji Islands.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China. It destroyed 5 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Lombok Island, Indonesia. It killed 11 people.
The 2018 Fiji earthquakes occurred on August 19, at 00:19:40 UTC and on September 6 15:49 UTC. The epicenters were located close to the Fijian island Lakeba, and around 270 km from the small town of Levuka on Ovalau.
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A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Lombok Island, Indonesia. It killed 2 people and injured 1. It caused a tsunami.
On 19 August 2018 a major earthquake struck with high intensity on the northeast corner of Lombok and northwest Sumbawa at 22:56 local time, a few km to the east of a series of quakes that had been rocking the area for the past 3 weeks. 0 km.
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A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck Fiji Islands. It caused a tsunami.
8 on August 19, oldest first.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck East China Sea. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
A tsunami struck Andaman Islands, India, with a maximum water height of 4 meters.
A tsunami with a source recorded as meteorological struck Atlantic City, NJ, United States, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 4 people.
A tsunami with a source recorded as landslide struck Columbia River Valley, WA, United States.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck Sunda Islands, Indonesia, with a maximum water height of 15 meters. It killed 189 people, injured 75 and did $1.2 million in damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Southern Atlantic Ocean, UK Territories, with a maximum water height of 0.1 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Bali Sea, Indonesia. It killed 2 people and injured 1.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck Fiji Islands.
2 on August 19, oldest first.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began August 19, 1950, reached Kp 8+ and lasted 36 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 136; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 43 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began August 19, 1963, reached Kp 7 and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 58; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
7 on August 19, oldest first.
A 31 year old female was struck and killed by lightning near Bexley. The woman was going to her automobile to roll up the windows during a thunderstorm. She had just rolled the windows up and was returning to her home when lightning struck a nearby tree.
Lightning struck and killed a man who was fishing on the Northeast Cape Fear River.
A lightning strike from an afternoon thunderstorm destroyed a home in Deer Park.
Scattered thunderstorms developed over northeast lower and eastern upper Michigan. One individual was struck and killed by lightning.
A southerly wind developed between a weak cold front inland and high pressure over the Atlantic. The wind along with enhanced astronomical influences produced rip currents along South Carolina beaches.
Two people died and 6 others had to be rescued when a strong rip current developed along the beach in Seabrook. A 49-year-old man was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after the incident.
A 28 year old male from White House, TN died likely due to a rip current. He was pronounced dead at 1:32 am on the beach after drowning near Aqua Gulf Resort. Single red flags were flying at the time.
Gathered from this site’s archives: the tornado record (NOAA SPC, and Grazulis before 1950), IBTrACS and the National Hurricane Center, NOAA NCEI’s Storm Events Database, Regional Snowfall Index, billion-dollar disasters list, State Climate Extremes Committee and hazard databases, USGS, NIFC, GFZ Potsdam’s Kp index (CC BY 4.0), the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, and Wikidata (CC0), with article leads from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0, each credited where it appears. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.