Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for August 23, 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.
Billion-dollar disasters
A tropical cyclone disaster that cost $60 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 61, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from August 23, 1992 to August 27, 1992.
Volcanoes
Oshima-Oshima, Japan erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 2,000 people, destroyed 871 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. The eruption caused a tsunami.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Laura crossed the coast near Bajos de Haina, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic as a tropical storm, 45 kt, central pressure 1004 mb. It killed 47 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. S. state of Louisiana, as measured by maximum sustained winds.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Andrew crossed the coast near Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas as a category 5 hurricane, 140 kt (160 mph), central pressure 923 mb. Hurricane Andrew was a compact but extremely powerful tropical cyclone that became the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged or destroyed and remained the costliest in financial terms until Hurricane Irma surpassed it 25 years later. Andrew was also the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States in decades and the costliest hurricane to strike anywhere in the country, until it was surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Turkey. It killed 300 people.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China. It killed 71 people, injured 162 and did $5 million in damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Aeghion, Achaia, Greece. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 128 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Corinthos-Patras Gulf, Greece, with a maximum water height of 12 meters. It killed 128 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
The 1985 Wuqia earthquake occurred on August 23, 1985, at 20:42 local time near the border of Wuqia County and Shufu County, Xinjiang, China. 4 and caused 71 deaths, 162 injuries, and left 15,000 homeless, as well as destroying 85% of buildings and highways.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Floods
By nightfall on the 23rd, the central low pressure associated with the remainder of Charley had indeed stalled near Del Rio. A second seige of devastating rain fell between 9 pm and 2 am, producing over 10 inches by midnight.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Oshima, Japan. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 26 people and destroyed 193 houses.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake struck SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan, with a maximum water height of 6 meters. It killed 26 people and destroyed 193 houses.
28 on August 23, oldest first.
An unrated tornado touched down in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region County, Connecticut, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Woodstock/Pomfret/Killingly, CT.
An F3 tornado touched down in Barnes, Stutsman counties, North Dakota and tracked 8.5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
Rapid developing thunderstorms produced golf-ball size hail, twice, at Morrison, Illinois. Both severe thunderstorms were about half an hour apart and moved northeast at 35 mph. The second storm arrived with a stronger punch of wind with measured wind gusts recorded at 68 mph.
A tornado damaged seven farms, destroying numerous grain bins and outbuildings. Eight cattle were also killed by downed power lines. Hail the size of golf balls was reported by storm spotters.
Dime to golf ball size hail was reported by storm spotters, while a brief tornado touchdown heavily damaged a farm house. 2 x 4 boards were blown through a bedroom wall and glass debris was strewn throughout the house.
An F3 tornado touched down in Door County, Wisconsin and tracked 5.1 miles, 1,300 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
Three supercell thunderstorms dropped large hail and tornadoes across northeast and central Wisconsin during the afternoon and early evening. The first two storms developed quickly over central Wisconsin and then tracked east-southeast through the Fox Cities.
Two small tornadoes in Treasure County knocked down several trees, antennas and power poles. One power pole which contained a transformer started some fires after it fell. The tornadoes also damaged some houses and sheds.
Double strike at the high school, with one bolt hitting a tree next to the History department while the other is believed to have hit the top of the school. Power was lost on some of the telephones, computers, an appliance in the kitchen, the intercom, and bells.
A tornado briefly touched down at the Putnam County Fairground and destroyed 1 horse stable and damaged one other building.
A stagnant weather pattern on August 23rd and 24th resulted in waves of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. A warm front pushed north during the afternoon of August 23rd.
Powerful and damaging thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois producing widespread wind damage.
A large severe weather event unfolded on August 23rd and resulted in numerous reports of wind damage. A confirmed tornado in Montcalm county resulted in minimal damage to several sheds and thousands of trees were either uprooted or snapped off in a rural portion of the county.
Tropical Storm Fay, and its remnants after landfall, brought high winds, heavy rain, and numerous tornadoes to Central Alabama.
In Park County at 11-Mile Reservoir, a waterspout caused damage when it transitioned into a landspout. Five vehicles were damaged, including a motor home and a pickup truck with a camper that overturned. One camp trailer was completely destroyed.
Thunderstorms from Fay produced two tornadoes, an EF0 in Miller County and EF1 in Cook County.
Two people were directly injured and an indirect death occurred from an EF2 tornado near Chili (Clark County) during the late afternoon of August 23rd. The death occurred when an oxygen machine stopped working due to a power outage caused by the tornado.
During the early afternoon of Thursday, August 23rd, thunderstorms begun to develop in west-central Minnesota near Morris, and moved northeast. A few large hail stones were reported south and southwest of Hancock.
Thunderstorms producing torrential rainfall led to flooding in the Detroit metro area early Thursday morning (August 24th). Western Wayne county into Monroe county was hardest hit resulting in widespread residential flooding, road closures, and stranded vehicles.
At the surface, a low drifted east-southeastward across southern MN during the early afternoon of August 23rd through the predawn hours of August 24th.
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An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a category 3 hurricane, 100 kt (115 mph).
An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a tropical storm, 60 kt.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a category 2 hurricane, 90 kt (105 mph), central pressure 964 mb.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast near Wanchese, NC as a category 1 hurricane, 80 kt (90 mph), central pressure 963 mb. The 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane was among the most damaging hurricanes in the Mid-Atlantic states in the eastern United States. The sixth storm and third hurricane of the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed in the eastern Atlantic, where it moved west-northwestward and eventually became a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Cleo reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph) with a central pressure of 938 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Ellis reached its peak of 125 kt (145 mph) with a central pressure of 915 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Andrew crossed the coast near Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas as a category 5 hurricane, 140 kt (160 mph), central pressure 923 mb. Hurricane Andrew was a compact but extremely powerful tropical cyclone that became the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged or destroyed and remained the costliest in financial terms until Hurricane Irma surpassed it 25 years later. Andrew was also the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the United States in decades and the costliest hurricane to strike anywhere in the country, until it was surpassed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Andrew reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 922 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Lester crossed the coast as a category 1 hurricane, 65 kt (75 mph), central pressure 988 mb. Hurricane Lester was the first Pacific tropical cyclone to enter the United States as a tropical storm since 1967. The fourteenth named storm and eighth hurricane of the 1992 Pacific hurricane season, Lester formed on August 20 from a tropical wave southwest of Mexico.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane John reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph), a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Dolly crossed the coast near Naranjos, Veracruz, Mexico as a category 1 hurricane, 70 kt (80 mph), central pressure 989 mb. Hurricane Dolly caused flooding throughout Mexico in August 1996. The fourth named storm and third hurricane of the season, Dolly developed from a tropical wave to the west-southwest of Jamaica on August 19.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Howard reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph) with a central pressure of 932 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Bret crossed the coast near San Perlita, TX as a category 3 hurricane, 100 kt (115 mph), central pressure 951 mb. Hurricane Bret was the first of five Category 4 hurricanes that developed during the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season and the first tropical cyclone since Hurricane Jerry in 1989 to make landfall in Texas at hurricane intensity. Forming from a tropical wave on August 18, Bret slowly organized within weak steering currents in the Bay of Campeche.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Chaba reached its peak of 155 kt (180 mph) with a central pressure of 879 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Tembin reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph) with a central pressure of 933 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Laura crossed the coast near Bajos de Haina, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic as a tropical storm, 45 kt, central pressure 1004 mb. It killed 47 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. S. state of Louisiana, as measured by maximum sustained winds.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Franklin crossed the coast near Santa Cruz de Barahona, Barahona Province, Dominican Republic as a tropical storm, 40 kt, central pressure 1003 mb. It killed 3 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. Hurricane Franklin was a long-lived and powerful tropical cyclone that brought tropical-storm force winds to parts of the Greater Antilles and Bermuda. The sixth named storm, second hurricane and first major hurricane of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, Franklin impacted Hispaniola as a tropical storm before strengthening into a high-end Category 4 hurricane several days later.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
36 on August 23, oldest first.
Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches in 2 hours caused widespread flash flooding. Numerous roads across the county were closed. A man was killed when his car was swept of a road by a flooded creek.
By nightfall on the 23rd, the central low pressure associated with the remainder of Charley had indeed stalled near Del Rio. A second seige of devastating rain fell between 9 pm and 2 am, producing over 10 inches by midnight.
By nightfall on the evening of Saturday, August 22nd, the remains of Charley had stalled over southern Uvalde and northern Zavala Counties. Heavy rainfall from the previous week had left soils in the two counties saturated.
Flooding along the headwaters of the Frio River was devastating, but campers had been removed in advance from the camps, preventing the need for dangerous last-minute rescues. Still, the flooding covered the entire camping area of Garner State Park in northeast Uvalde County.
Moderate to heavy rainfall continued through much of the morning on Sunday the 23rd, producing widespread flash flooding over secondary roads and over low water crossings.
The Guadalupe River at Hunt crested at 17.6 feet, putting five and a half feet of turbulent flow over the highway 39 bridge, a main artery between the eastern and western portions of Kerr County.
Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 miles an hour blew down a few trees.
Several inches of rain in only two to three hours caused flash flooding in Kalamazoo, where two homes and two businesses sustained extensive damage. Waldo Stadium, on the campus of Western Michigan University, also had major flooding problems.
The worst flash flooding in the town of Tropic in 40 years occurred as over 2 inches of rain fell over the area in 90 minutes, sending torrents of mud and water down the center of town and into houses and basements.
The first major fall storm of the season hit the Bering Sea Coast the morning of August 23rd. This storm had two major impacts. Ahead of the associated front, strong wind whipped through south central Alaska.
Powerful, severe storms moved across northwest Indiana during the afternoon and evening hours of August 23rd.
A cold frontal boundary, which actually is the same boundary as had been over the state for the past several days, began to move southeast across the state during the late afternoon of the 23rd.
A round of very intense rainfall occurred in the state overnight on the 23rd into the morning of the 24th. During the event of the 23rd-24th (12.34 inches at Lake Rathbun Dam). A widespread area of 3 to 5 inch rainfall was observed.
Thunderstorms became severe in the early evening on the 23rd and produced large hail, high wind and very heavy rain. Flooding in the Dodge City area caused property damage.
Scattered severe thunderstorms developed along a slow moving cold front across Western Pennsylvania.
Tropical Storm Fay made its fourth landfall on Saturday, August 23rd near Carrabelle, Florida, then continued on a steady westward path across the Florida Panhandle.
Tropical Storm Fay emerged into the Apalachee Bay late Friday night and made its fourth landfall on Saturday, August 23rd near Carrabelle, Florida. That morning, Fay had tapped into Gulf of Mexico moisture.
A complex of thunderstorms developed over eastern South Dakota during the evening of August 22nd.
A large convective complex formed over south central Arizona during the early morning hours on August 23rd, a result of a weather disturbance acting on a very humid and unstable airmass.
A strong push of monsoon moisture fueled thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin for several days, peaking on the 25th. Many storms produced flash flooding, and isolated severe weather also occurred.
A weak surface ridge remained in place across north Georgia, with a stalled surface boundary draped across central Georgia. A very warm and moist airmass remained in place across the area.
Monsoon moisture from the southeast, as well as the remnants of Tropical Storm Ivo, set off thunderstorms along and east of a line from Big Bear, south to Tecate, Mexico each afternoon/evening.
Heavy rain with 2 to 4 inch amounts in the Chubbuck and Pocatello area caused extensive street, business and home flooding on August 23rd. The Center Street underpass was closed.
Thunderstorms moved slowly along a stalled boundary, and produced very heavy rain and flash flooding over Fayette county during the early morning of August 23rd.
A very moist airmass was in place with warm cloud depths near 4.5 km. Precipitable water values were in the 2.2 to 2.4 inch range over a large part of Iowa. A thunderstorm complex formed over eastern Nebraska during the evening of the 22nd.
A very wet and slow-moving low pressure system stalled over Montana and directed near-continuous rainfall over central and northeastern portions of the state for several days. Rainfall totals ranged from 5 to 10 inches in the affected area.
Repeated rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rains moved across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of August 23rd into the early morning hours of the 24th.
Numerous slow-moving thunderstorms developed late this afternoon from near Levelland northeast to Floydada, before expanding into the northern Rolling Plains after sunset.
Ample moisture and a moderately unstable atmosphere combined with very strong afternoon heating to produce scattered strong to severe thunderstorms each afternoon and evening across north and central Georgia.
A thunderstorm complex moved across Washington County, including the City of St. George, during the evening hours, producing heavy rainfall and flash flooding, and an isolated severe wind gust.
Diurnally driven thunderstorms brought wind damage, hail, and some flooding to mainly western and central Massachusetts.
Thunderstorms moved southwest across southeast Arizona during the afternoon and evening. In the Tucson Metro area, damaging winds downed dozens of power poles and heavy rain resulted in flash flooding. Flash flooding also occurred in the Cochise County community of St. David.
Severe weather developed over central into parts of western North Dakota in an environment of enhanced instability and marginal deep layer shear. Many crops were damaged as hail combined with strong wind gusts.
A breach in a berm along Rucker Creek near the northeast edge of Elfrida caused flash flooding in part of town on August 23. Additional rainfall in town and upstream of the breach exacerbated the flooding later that day.
An anomalously-warm and moist air mass was in place across much of the Central Plains and Midwest, resulting in strong to perhaps extreme instability in addition to tropical-like precipitable water values exceeding 2.0 inches.
The remnant moisture and circulation of North Atlantic Tropical Storm Harold fueled evening thunderstorms over the Las Vegas Valley which produced flash flooding.
30 on August 23, oldest first.
The Lawton Municipal Airport was damaged on August 23, 1993, by winds from an isolated severe thunderstorm. Several hangar doors were heavily damaged, and an airplane was flipped on its back. Damages totaled over $500,000.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Isolated thunderstorms in southwest Oklahoma during the afternoon hours on the 23rd produced strong winds in Lawton. Winds measured at 75 mph flipped over a $1 million airplane and damaged hangar doors at Lawton Municipal Airport. Damage to the airplane was estimated at $500,000.
Isolated severe thunderstorms with winds gusting to 80 mph downed trees and power lines across eastern Wisconsin. The winds blew down a large shed and destroyed a pontoon boat inside it near Evansville.
Strong thunderstorms continued to pound Nevada for a second day, especially extreme southern Nevada. A severe thunderstorm packing strong winds, torrential downpours and large hail hit southwest Las Vegas.
Hail size ranged from .75 inch in diameter in the Woodland neighborhood on the northeast side of the city to 3.5 inches in Lincoln Park in West Duluth. The hail caused considerable damage to vehicles, roofs, gardens, and patio furniture.
Scattered thunderstorms formed over portions of central and southern Oklahoma during the evening of the 23rd, producing isolated wind damage, large hail, and lightning strikes.
A storm chaser measured 65 mph thunderstorm wind gusts.
Severe thunderstorms with large and damaging hail along with damaging winds occurred across the south-central and southeastern Texas panhandle during the afternoon and early evening hours.
Large hail driven by 60 mph winds blasted Blue Hill early in the morning breaking some windows and knocking out power for a time.
Hail of various sizes covered the ground.
4-5 Inch diameter limbs downed.
One tree was blown down on Lynn Drive. Additionally, several traffic lights were blown down at Brown and Alabama Streets as well as South McCrary.
Hail as large as baseballs, along with thunderstorm wind gusts as high as 75 mph, were reported by law enforcement officials, storm spotters, amateur radio operators and the public. Hail storms repeatedly moved over the same areas, especially along the Interstate 94 corridor.
Powerful severe thunderstorms developed over Lake Michigan during the afternoon of August 23rd. These thunderstorms moved south into northwest Indiana and produced wind speeds as high as 106 mph, which was measured at a coastal observation site in Michigan City.
A supercell came onshore from Lake Michigan at Michigan City with winds initially above 100 mph. Wind gusts to 75 mph were reported several miles inland as the storm continued south through Westville and Wanatah.
A large severe thunderstorm bow echo moved across portions of Knox, Stark, Marshall, and Peoria counties during the afternoon hours of the 23rd causing significant damage. Widespread damage occurred across the city of Galesburg by wind gusts in the 70 to 80 mph range.
A weak back door cold front was approaching north and east Georgia from the Carolinas. Meanwhile...aloft a large upper high remained centered just west of the area.
A few isolated pulse storms developed over the northern sections of the CWA.
Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms moved across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois and northeast Missouri producing high winds and hail. The area hardest hit was Kirkwood, IL where winds were estimated to be 100 mph.
Severe severe storms affected western North Carolina during the evening hours.
Very severe wind gusts were reported with some of the severe thunderstorms that occurred during the evening. Heavy rainfall also accumulated during the evening and overnight.
Strong warm air advection took place over Iowa during the night of the 22nd into the morning of the 23rd. A low level jet of over 40 kts developed, transporting moisture into the state.
Strong thunderstorms produced wind damage over Montague and Collin Counties.
Severe winds from a thunderstorm caused extensive damage to homes, trees, and power poles in Rimrock.
A strong cold front moved across central North Carolina during the evening into the overnight hours. Showers and storms developed in advance of the front along a prefrontal trough.
The events of the day came in two waves. An initial wave of heavy rainfall ahead of the surface low, and then severe weather near the triple point in northern Iowa as the surface low crossed Iowa.
Thunderstorms developed over portions of eastern New York during the afternoon of the 23rd. Some of these storms became severe, resulting in downed trees and wires. Hail up to 1.5 inches was also reported in Albany county.
A stationary front draped south of New Hampshire moved back north as a warm front allowing for a hot and unstable airmass to move into Southern New Hampshire south of the boundary.
Several severe thunderstorms causing significant wind damage in the Bitterroot, Mission, and Seeley-Swan valleys.
8 on August 23, oldest first.
A late summer heat wave primarily caused problems for area schools that had just opened for the 1998-1999 school year. Most school districts opened only for the morning hours, sending the children home around noon.
Hot, rain free, and breezy weather from the 9th through the 24th brought an end to the temporary relief that Don had brought at the end of July near the coast.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached in Las Vegas on four straight days as high pressure built in from the east. One man died due to complications from the heat.
A 5-year-old boy died inside a hot car during the afternoon hours.
Strong high pressure centered near the Four Corners allowed for temperatures to climb above 110 degrees each day, leading to excessive heat conditions. Record highs were set in Phoenix on the 24th (115 degrees) and on the 27th (113 degrees).
Hot temperatures were experienced on August 23rd with high temperatures in the upper 90s in southwest Cochise County. The Pima County Medical Examiner confirmed that heat was the primary cause of death for one male.
Upper level ridging over the Desert Southwest resulted in near to slightly above normal temperatures across the Phoenix metro. According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, 7 heat-associated fatalities occurred during this time.
Hot temperatures and high humidity combined to create dangerous heat indices (in excess of 105 to 110-degrees) across the western two-thirds of Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening of 23rd to 26th.
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Torrington recorded 106°F, Connecticut’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
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The Trail Creek Fire started on August 23, 1988, in Idaho, and burned 7,954 acres.
The Stevens Pk Fire started on August 23, 1991, in Idaho, and burned 9,751 acres.
The Skeleton-Evans West (Skeleton) Fire was discovered on August 23, 1996, in Oregon, and burned 17,739 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Moolack Complex (Charlton) Fire was discovered on August 23, 1996, in Oregon, and burned 10,400 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on August 23, 1998, in Maui County, Hawaii, and burned 12,453 acres.
The Boulder Valley Fire was discovered on August 23, 1998, in Nevada, and burned 7,521 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Megram- Orleans Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 124,898 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Fish Complex (Fish Springs) Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Washoe County, Nevada, and burned 47,133 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mhrd Complex (Bucks) Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 34,175 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Tehama-Glenn Complex (Dehaven Gulch) Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 17,000 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Big Bar Complex (Onion) Fire started on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 16,732 acres.
The Bohemotash Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 14,090 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Musty Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 13,652 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Doe Mill Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Butte County, California, and burned 10,857 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Willow Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Lassen County, California, and burned 7,700 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The West Shoofly Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 7,502 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Middle Butte Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 6,908 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Spring Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in California, and burned 6,140 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Tungsten Fire was discovered on August 23, 1999, in Pershing County, Nevada, and burned 6,028 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Mule Dry Fire was discovered on August 23, 2000, in Washington, and burned 46,802 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Hash Rock Fire was discovered on August 23, 2000, in Oregon, and burned 18,500 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Crimson Clover Fire was discovered on August 23, 2000, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 16,502 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The South Black Fire was discovered on August 23, 2005, in Ada County, Idaho, and burned 8,347 acres; the cause was recorded as firearms and explosives use.
The Sailor Cap Fire was discovered on August 23, 2006, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 61,929 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Clarks Canyon Fire was discovered on August 23, 2006, in Beaverhead County, Montana, and burned 15,387 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Mudd Fire was discovered on August 23, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 13,457 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Higby Fire was discovered on August 23, 2006, in Lincoln County, Nevada, and burned 10,077 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Trailer Fire was discovered on August 23, 2006, in Platte County, Wyoming, and burned 8,416 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Cicada Fire was discovered on August 23, 2010, in Louisiana, and burned 6,259 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Shanty Fire was discovered on August 23, 2011, in Florida, and burned 7,491 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Deer Fire was discovered on August 23, 2013, in Tehama County, California, and burned 11,429 acres; the cause was recorded as power generation/transmission/distribution.
The Flagstaff Hill Fire was reported on August 23, 2016, in Roosevelt County, Montana, and burned 8,634 acres.
The Bearskin Fire was reported on August 23, 2017, in Valley County, Idaho, and burned 30,251 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Grassy Hills Fire was reported on August 23, 2017, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 9,350 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Diamond A Fire was reported on August 23, 2017, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 6,607 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The County Line Fire was reported on August 23, 2018, in Eureka County, Nevada, and burned 12,978 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Lower Klutuk Fire was reported on August 23, 2019, in Dillingham County, Alaska, and burned 5,940 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Pilot Knob Fire was reported on August 23, 2020, in Yavapai County, Arizona, and burned 11,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Gray Hill Fire was reported on August 23, 2020, in Millard County, Utah, and burned 6,845 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sheep Creek Fire was reported on August 23, 2021, in Idaho County, Idaho, and burned 8,150 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
19 on August 23, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Hunan Province, China. It killed some people (about 51 to 100).
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Arica, Moquegua, Arequipa, Chile, Peru. It killed few people (about 1 to 50). It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Aeghion, Achaia, Greece. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 128 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Turkey. It killed 300 people.
A magnitude 8 earthquake struck Oshima, Japan. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 26 people and destroyed 193 houses.
An earthquake struck Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, United States. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Iquique, Chile. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Banda Aceh,lhok Sukon,lhoksemawe, Indonesia. It killed 9 people and injured 20. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Stillwater Range, Nevada, United States.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mexico City, Oaxaca. It killed 6 people. It caused a tsunami.
5. Five people were reported dead in Mexico City and one in Oaxaca.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Kashmir, India. It killed 15 people and injured 40.
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Kashmir, India. It killed few people (about 1 to 50).
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Wuqua-Shufu, S Xinjiang, China. It killed 71 people, injured 162 and did $5 million in damage.
The 1985 Wuqia earthquake occurred on August 23, 1985, at 20:42 local time near the border of Wuqia County and Shufu County, Xinjiang, China. 4 and caused 71 deaths, 162 injuries, and left 15,000 homeless, as well as destroying 85% of buildings and highways.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck Louisa County, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, United States. It did $200 million in damage.
3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII. The epicenter of the intraplate earthquake was 10 mi (20 km) west northwest of Trinidad, Colorado, and 180 mi (290 km) south of Denver, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
S. m.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Segundo, Colorado, United States.
2 on August 23, oldest first.
Oshima-Oshima, Japan erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 2,000 people, destroyed 871 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. The eruption caused a tsunami.
Arenal, Costa Rica erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed 2 people and injured 1.
9 on August 23, oldest first.
A tsunami struck Haeju Coast, Yellow Sea, North Korea.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Peru. It killed few people (about 1 to 50).
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Corinthos-Patras Gulf, Greece, with a maximum water height of 12 meters. It killed 128 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake struck SE. Hokkaido Island, Japan, with a maximum water height of 6 meters. It killed 26 people and destroyed 193 houses.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, AK, United States, with a maximum water height of 1.3 meters.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Northern Chile, with a maximum water height of 1 meters.
A tsunami struck Banda Sea, Indonesia.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Off Northwest Coast, Indonesia. It killed 9 people and injured 20.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mexico, with a maximum water height of 0.4 meters. It killed 6 people.
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A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began August 23, 1953, reached Kp 7- and lasted 51 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 58; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 52 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began August 23, 1956, reached Kp 8- and lasted 33 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 84; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 47 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
2 on August 23, oldest first.
A tropical cyclone disaster that cost $60 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 61, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from August 23, 1992 to August 27, 1992.
A severe storm disaster that cost $1.2 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 1, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from August 23, 2006 to August 24, 2006.
22 on August 23, oldest first.
Two female children, ages five and six, drowned in rip currents at the Ben T. Davis Municipal Beach along State Road 60 (Courtney Campbell Causeway).
Rip currents and large waves associated with Hurricane Bonnie killed one swimmer at Rehoboth Beach and resulted in swimming restrictions up and down the Delaware Coast through the full week of August 23rd.
Rip currents and large waves associated with Hurricane Bonnie caused hundreds of water rescues, at least eight injuries and resulted in swimming restrictions up and down the New Jersey Coast through the full week of August 23rd.
A 26-year-old man and a 27-year-old man were struck and killed by lightning while fighting a fire on the north end of the Stansbury Mountains. The lightning strike also injured 4 other members of the Flame-N-Go's firefighting unit from the Utah State Prison's Lone Peak facility.
Patchy fog was indirectly related to the death of a young man, whose vehicle was involved in an accident on Highway 93, 5 miles north of Centerville.
Lightning started a large range fire near Mule Dry Creek, which is in Yakima County. This wildfire burned along a broad front to the south of Mabton and Prosser, consuming 77,000 acres of scrubland, forest and agricultural land in both Yakima and Klickitat Counties.
Lightning struck four individuals who got caught in an open field during a thunderstorm, and fled under a tree for shelter.
Two persons will killed when lightning struck their farm.
Lightning struck and killed a 23 year old man while he was playing soccer at Billy Bowlegs Park in Fort Myers.
A lightning-initiated fire destroyed a house in Southwest Ranches. Ammunition in the house exploded.
86 year old man killed in a house fire started by a lightning strike.
The Michigan City In-Water Boat Show was in progress at the Washington Park Marina in Michigan City, as an intense supercell came onshore. A wind gust to 92 knots was recorded at the Michigan City Coast GLERL site with winds remaining above 34 knots for at least 5 minutes.
A lightning strike at the Gordon Aluminum Industries did considerable damage to the plant.
Strong west winds gusting in excess of 30 knots at times whipped up high waves over Grand Traverse Bay on Lake Superior on the 23rd. The high waves sank a 16-foot fishing boat which claimed the life of a Laurium man.
Large waves generated from Hurricane Bill...which was tracking well east of the region...created high surf along the Maine coast. A large wave at Thunder Hole...in Acadia National Park...washed a group of spectators into the ocean.
Scattered thunderstorms associated with the remnants of Tropical Depression Five produced lightning which struck and destroyed a home in Lafayette.
A man died several weeks after being struck by lightning while swimming in the ocean. He was struck by lightning on August 23rd around 1:50 pm LST, but died several weeks later after being in a medically induced coma. He died on 9/11/2019.
Onshore winds in combination with long period swell produced an enhanced risk of rip currents along the Southeast Georgia coast.
Evening thunderstorms cause a fatality when lightning strikes a woman outdoors.
Evening thunderstorms cause a fatality when lightning strikes a woman outdoors on Sand Key near Clearwater Beach.
A 59-year-old South Carolina man drowned on the afternoon of August 23rd while swimming at Sailors Haven on Fire Island. A rip current statement was in effect.
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.