This day in weather history

August in Weather History

6,898 events on record across the month

Every day of August and what happened on it, in any year, with the month’s most significant events.

The most significant in August

Tsunamis

1999August 17, 1999 Tsunami at Kocaeli, Turkey

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Kocaeli, Turkey, with a maximum water height of 2.52 meters. It killed 17,118 people, injured 50,000 and did $20 billion in damage.

When
August 17, 1999
Magnitude
7.6
Water height
2.52 m
Deaths
17,118
Damage
$20 billion
Where
Kocaeli, Turkey

The full record

Earthquakes

19991999 İzmit earthquake

6 struck Kocaeli Province, Turkey, on 17 August 1999. According to official figures, at least 18,373 people died and 48,901 people were injured during the earthquake, and 5,840 people were missing.

Where
Gölcük
Country
Turkey
Magnitude
7.6
Deaths
17,217

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Hurricanes and tropical storms

2017Hurricane Harvey makes landfall near Fulton, TX

Hurricane Harvey crossed the coast near Fulton, TX as a category 4 hurricane, 115 kt (130 mph), central pressure 937 mb. It killed 107 people in all. Hurricane Harvey was a powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that made landfall in Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing widespread flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in Greater Houston and Southeast Texas; this made the storm the costliest natural disaster recorded in Texas at the time.

Wind at landfall
115 kt
Pressure
937 mb
Peak wind
115 kt
Deaths
107
Damage
$150 billion

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Tsunamis

1868August 13, 1868 Tsunami at Northern Chile

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck Northern Chile, with a maximum water height of 18 meters. It killed 25,000 people and did $300 million in damage.

When
August 13, 1868
Magnitude
8.5
Water height
18 m
Deaths
25,000
Damage
$300 million
Where
Northern Chile

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Hurricanes and tropical storms

2005Hurricane Katrina makes landfall near Buras, LA

Hurricane Katrina crossed the coast near Buras, LA as a category 3 hurricane, 110 kt (125 mph), central pressure 920 mb. It killed 520 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. Hurricane Katrina was an extremely powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that affected the Southeastern United States in late August 2005, particularly in and around the city of New Orleans. Katrina became the United States' costliest tropical cyclone, with an estimated $125 billion in damages.

Wind at landfall
110 kt
Pressure
920 mb
Peak wind
150 kt
Deaths
520
Damage
$125 billion

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Billion-dollar disasters

2005Hurricane Katrina (August 2005)

A tropical cyclone disaster that cost $201 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 1,833, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from August 25, 2005 to August 30, 2005.

Losses (2024 dollars)
$201 billion
Kind
Tropical Cyclone
Deaths
1,833

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Hurricanes and tropical storms

2021Hurricane Ida makes landfall near Grand Isle, LA

Hurricane Ida crossed the coast near Grand Isle, LA as a category 4 hurricane, 130 kt (150 mph), central pressure 931 mb. It killed 55 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. S. state of Louisiana on record, behind Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Wind at landfall
130 kt
Pressure
931 mb
Peak wind
130 kt
Deaths
55
Damage
$75 billion

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Earthquakes

16681668 North Anatolia earthquake

Northern Anatolia was struck by a large earthquake on 17 August 1668 in the late morning. 0 Ms and the maximum felt intensity was IX on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.

Where
Turkey
Countries
Turkey, Ottoman Empire
Magnitude
7.9
Deaths
17,500

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Tsunamis

1976August 16, 1976 Tsunami at Moro Gulf, Philippines

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8 earthquake struck Moro Gulf, Philippines, with a maximum water height of 9 meters. It killed 8,000 people, injured 10,000 and did $134 million in damage.

When
August 16, 1976
Magnitude
8
Water height
9 m
Deaths
8,000
Damage
$134 million
Where
Moro Gulf, Philippines

The full record

Hurricanes and tropical storms

2020Hurricane Laura makes landfall near Cameron, LA

Hurricane Laura crossed the coast near Cameron, LA as a category 4 hurricane, 130 kt (150 mph), central pressure 939 mb. It killed 47 people in all, by the National Hurricane Center’s count. S. state of Louisiana, as measured by maximum sustained winds.

Wind at landfall
130 kt
Pressure
939 mb
Peak wind
130 kt
Deaths
47
Damage
$19 billion

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

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Sources

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.