Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for December 18, in any year, each linked to its full record.
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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 5.9 earthquake struck Jishishan, Gansu Province, China. It killed 151 people, injured 967, destroyed 15,000 houses and did $2 billion in damage.
Volcanoes
Merapi, Indonesia erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed 1,369 people, destroyed 1,109 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Sandyo IN Etigo, Japan. It killed 1,443 people, destroyed 11,750 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage. It caused a tsunami.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Chilung (Keelung), Taiwan. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 580 people.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck E. China Sea, Taiwan, with a maximum water height of 15 meters. It killed 580 people.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Jackson, Williamson, Franklin counties, Illinois and tracked 28.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 11 and injuring 200.
Tornadoes
An F5 tornado touched down in Perry County, Illinois and tracked 5.4 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 6.
Winter storms and snow
Snowstorm of December 18, 2009 was ranked category 4, Crippling, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Southeast. It lasted from December 18, 2009 to December 21, 2009.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. It killed 100 people. It caused a tsunami.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. It killed 100 people.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Illinois and tracked 16.8 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 45.
Tornadoes
25 tornadoes were recorded on December 18, 1957, in Missouri, Illinois, 3 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 17 people.
45 on December 18, oldest first.
An F4 tornado touched down in Jackson, Williamson, Franklin counties, Illinois and tracked 28.3 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 11 and injuring 200.
An F5 tornado touched down in Perry County, Illinois and tracked 5.4 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 6.
An F4 tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Illinois and tracked 16.8 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 45.
25 tornadoes were recorded on December 18, 1957, in Missouri, Illinois, 3 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 17 people.
An F2 tornado touched down in Scott County, Missouri and tracked 0.5 miles, 33 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 1.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hamilton, White, Edwards counties, Illinois and tracked 19.8 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hamilton County, Illinois and tracked 2.5 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Perry County, Illinois and tracked 2.5 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An F3 tornado touched down in Wayne, Clay counties, Illinois and tracked 19.6 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An F3 tornado touched down in Randolph, Perry counties, Illinois and tracked 20.2 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Randolph, Perry counties, Illinois and tracked 17.7 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Randolph County, Illinois and tracked 5.7 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Jasper County, Illinois and tracked 4.5 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F2 tornado touched down in Saint Francois County, Missouri and tracked 2.7 miles, 33 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 1.
On December 18–20, 1957, a significant tornado outbreak sequence affected the southern Midwest and the South of the contiguous United States. The outbreak sequence began on the afternoon of December 18, when a low-pressure area approached the southern portions of Missouri and Illinois.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An F2 tornado touched down in Morgan, Madison counties, Alabama and tracked 22.9 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 27.
An F3 tornado touched down in Sumter County, Alabama and tracked 7.6 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
On this date in 1968, an F2 tornado skipped northeast of Tulsa, near the town of Skiatook. Northeast of Skiatook, a barn was destroyed and the debris was scattered one-quarter mile away from the barn’s original location.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Numerous trees were downed across Highway 3015.
Sheriff's department and public report hail.
An F3 tornado touched down in Faulkner County, Arkansas and tracked 9.8 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 13.
39 tornadoes were recorded on December 18, 2002, in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana. They killed 2 people.
An F1 tornado touched down in Barton County, Missouri and tracked 9.5 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 7.
A strong tornado was spawned over Faulkner County about 1 mile north of Hamlet. The tornado moved to the northeast for approximately 9.8 miles before lifting 0.8 mile east-southeast of Enola.
The tornado initially touched down and destroyed a mobile home and uprooted trees one mile northwest of Jasper. The tornado then tracked northeast to three miles southeast of Boston where three homes were destroyed at the intersection of highway JJ and 126.
A roof was blown off of a trailer home.
A strong tornado developed under a supercell moving northeast across the parish. As the tornado developed in Union Parish, Louisiana, eyewitness reports described the tornado as resembling a stove pipe with screaming winds sounding like a banshee.
Tornado traversed northeast over the Cedar-Polk county line, eventually damaging 18 homes. The tornado then uprooted many trees within Polk County prior to advancing into southern Hickory County.
An F1 tornado touched down briefly just to the northeast of Garrett Bridge. The first noted damage was at a church on Highway 54 where several flag poles were bent over and some tree limbs were downed.
Tornado touched down and damaged two houses with several others receiving minor damage.
Tornado touched down damaging two mobile homes, several out buildings, along with numerous uprooted trees.
Tornado touched down destroying a large barn and several out buildings.
An area of low pressure moved across northern Florida with a trailing cold front that moved through the area behind it. Along and ahead of the cold front were numerous showers with a few embedded thunderstorms. A brief and weak tornado spawned from one thunderstorm.
In the wake of heavy rain, a cold unstable air mass resulted in isolated strong thunderstorms during the afternoon of December 18, 2018. The strongest storm developed over Kitsap County, WA, ultimately producing an EF-2 tornado.
A cold front produced showers and thunderstorms that generated some wind damage and an EF-1 tornado in Montgomery County.
A wet system brought periods of moderate to heavy rain with scattered thunderstorms. Lines of stronger thunderstorms brought local road flooding to portions of interior Northern California.
2 on December 18, oldest first.
The 1964 Rameswaram cyclone was regarded as one of the most powerful storms on record to ever strike India. The system was first identified as an area of low pressure over the Andaman Sea on 15 December.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Paka reached its peak of 160 kt (185 mph) with a central pressure of 920 mb, a category 5 storm.
23 on December 18, oldest first.
The Withlacoochee River at Croom crested at 10.9 feet, nearly two feet above the flood stage of nine feet on the 31st. Several homes along Hernando-Pasco county line, from Croom south to Ridge Manor, were damaged by floodwaters.
The White River rose above flood stage, inundating low-lying areas and bottomlands. A section of State Route 257 in Pike County was closed near the river. Motorists still drove through the closed area by going around barricades.
Five businesses were damaged from flood waters.
The 2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods were a series of floods that mostly affected Malaysia from 18 December 2006 to 13 January 2007. The floods were caused by above average rainfall, which was attributed to Typhoon Utor (2006) which had hit the Philippines and Vietnam a few days earlier.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A major storm moved across northern and central California producing heavy rain and strong wind. Numerous power outages, trees blown down, localized flooding and minor debris flows occurred during this storm. Throughout the weekend about 3,200 customers lost power.
A period of heavy rain ahead of a cold front, combined with snow melt produced flooding of streams and some roadways across eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and the northern Panhandle of West Virginia.
Rainfall across the region caused rises on area streams and creeks.
Low pressure began organizing in the Gulf of Mexico on the 16th, setting record low sea level pressures as it traversed the Southeast through the 17th.
An area of low pressure tracked up the East Coast and intensified in the process as it brought widespread moderate to heavy rainfall across eastern New York on December 18, 2023. Rainfall totals were between 2 and 5 inches with the highest amounts across the eastern Catskills.
A strong storm system moved up the Atlantic coast Sunday night into Monday, merging with a short wave trough exiting the northern Great Plains and taking the surface low west of southern New England.
A strong coastal storm developed over the eastern Gulf of Mexico, crossed the Florida peninsula, and pushed northward up the East Coast from December 17 through December 19, 2023.
Low pressure began organizing in the Gulf of Mexico on the 16th, setting record low sea level pressures as it traversed the Southeast through the 17th.
A very deep trough across the eastern seaboard allowed a deep, mild, moist flow from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean to feed into the northeast United States, including VT and NY on December 17th and 18th.
A very deep trough across the eastern seaboard allowed a deep, mild, moist flow from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean to feed into the northeast United States, including VT and NY on December 17th and 18th.
An area of low pressure tracked up the East Coast and intensified in the process as it brought widespread moderate to heavy rainfall across southern Vermont on December 18, 2023.
Low pressure moved north along the Atlantic Seaboard spreading steady and heavy rain into northeastern Pennsylvania during the overnight hours. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were observed along with a considerable amount of melting snow into area rivers and streams.
A strengthening coastal low pressure system brought several rounds of rain to the region Sunday night into Monday (December 17-18th). Total rainfall amounts across the forecast area varied from about 1.50 inches up to 7.00 inches.
Low pressure moved north along the Atlantic Seaboard spreading steady and heavy rain into central New York during the overnight hours. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were observed along with a considerable amount of melting snow into area rivers and streams.
A strengthening coastal low pressure system brought several rounds of rain to the region Sunday night into Monday (December 17-18th). Total rainfall amounts across the forecast area varied from about 1.50 inches up to 7.00 inches.
Low pressure moved north along the Atlantic Seaboard spreading steady and heavy rain into central New York during the overnight hours. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches were observed along with a considerable amount of melting snow into area rivers and streams.
An area of low pressure tracked up the East Coast and intensified in the process as it brought widespread heavy rainfall across northwestern Connecticut on December 18, 2023.
An area of low pressure tracked up the East Coast and intensified in the process as it brought widespread moderate to heavy rainfall across western Massachusetts on December 18, 2023.
Beginning mid-December, a series of storm systems impacted Northwest California with the first set of storms bringing particularly heavy rain from December 19th through December 21st.
17 on December 18, oldest first.
Dime-size hail was reported in the west parts of Mobile.
Several trees were blown down.
The Oakland Hills section of Alameda county experience winds gusting as high as 66 mph according to the observation on Mt.Diablo. Gusts to 62 mph were recorded at Oakland South Raws and a gust of 71 MPH was reported at the Oakland north RAWS in Contr Costa County.
High wind occurred across much of the area producing frequent gusts from 50 to 56 knots. In Larned (Pawnee county), a roof blown off a business and traveled down the street impacting another business. Vehicles were smashed from the debris.
A strong low north of the state, along with a cold front moving through the islands, brought gusty winds to most of the island chain. The winds damaged some roofs and caused several power outages in the isles.
A low pressure system moved through the northern Sierra and western Nevada and brought snow and high winds to the region.
The transport of very strong winds aloft combined with a anomalously large pressure gradient produced high winds across much of southeast Wyoming.
Departing coastal low pressure brought strong winds and scattered snow showers to Eastern Massachusetts. Most of the damage was concentrated in Middlesex County in Northeast Massachusetts.
A line of thunderstorms swept through Louisiana as a cold front pushed through. Multiple reports of downed trees and power poles were reported.
Very strong northwesterly winds overspread portions of central and south-central Kansas during the morning hours of December 18th. These strong winds continued throughout the afternoon hours with many sites reporting wind gusts between 60 and 75 mph.
A broken line of showers and strong to severe thunderstorms (a few exhibiting embedded supercell structures) pushed east into northwestern Alabama during the early evening hours.
A potent jet stream moved over Wyoming and the high plains resulting in another round of strong gusty winds, and occasionally very strong winds across the wind prone areas of southeast Wyoming. Gusts of 60 to 70 MPH were common, with some gusts as high as 88 MPH.
A cold front moved through eastern Kentucky on the evening of the Friday, December 19th. It was then followed by a second, reinforcing cold front that brought a strong surge of cold air.
A broken line of showers and strong to severe thunderstorms (a few exhibiting embedded supercell structures) pushed east into northwestern Alabama during the early evening hours.
Strong cold front brought a line of showers and thunderstorms that were able to successfully transport strong to severe wind gusts to the surface in portions of East Tennessee.
A strong upper-level storm system tracked through the eastern portion of the United States on December 18, 2025. A very strong jet and potent cold front was associated with this system.
A strong storm system passing to the north of central Indiana on the 18th produced strong gradient wind gusts up to 30-40 mph. Late day convective showers with the associated cold front included an embedded thin line of strongly-forced heavier rain.
46 on December 18, oldest first.
Snowstorm of December 18, 1951 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Upper Midwest. It lasted from December 18, 1951 to December 22, 1951.
Snowstorm of December 18, 1968 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Upper Midwest. It lasted from December 18, 1968 to December 24, 1968.
Snowstorm of December 18, 1983 was ranked category 1, Notable, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Upper Midwest. It lasted from December 18, 1983 to December 23, 1983.
Snowstorm of December 18, 1995 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 18, 1995 to December 22, 1995.
A snow storm that began in the early afternoon hours across the central sections of the state dumped 1 to 3 inches of snow on parts of the state. It was over by early evening. Schools and businesses let out early on the 18th across much of the area affected.
Snow amounts ranging from 1 to 3 inches fell across portions of north Georgia. No major travel problems were encountered because road temperatures were still warm enough to melt most of the snow as it made contact.
Icy roads caused a one car accident on Interstate-82 near Hermiston. The car slid off the road, rolled several times, and ejected the passenger. The driver sustained minor injuries and the passenger was pronounced dead at the scene.
A weather feature dropped out of southern Alberta, through eastern Montana, then eventually southeast into Missouri. Though not a classic clipper type storm, the storm did produce many of the characteristic.
Widespread light snow fell across East Tennessee. Amounts in counties in the valley generally ranged from 1 to 2 inches. In the higher mountain elevations, amounts were a bit higher, averaging 2 to 4 inches.
Lake Effect snow bands combined with strong post-cold frontal winds to make driving hazardous in blowing and drifting snow. Snowfalls of up to a foot off Lake Ontario were enhanced in part by orographic lift.
A winter storm moved across northern Arizona leaving a blanket of snow and dangerous road conditions. In an eighteen hour time period, the Department of Public Safety reported more than 15 slide offs and 15 accidents.
A strong low pressure system moved up the eastern United States coast on the 17th to be in New England late that day. Rain started on the 16th continuing into the 17th before changing completely to snow during the afternoon.
A cold westerly flow resulted in lake effect snow bands off Lakes Erie and Ontario. Marginal warning amounts were observed, mainly over the higher elevations of southern Erie, southern Wyoming, northern Chautauqua, northern Cattaraugus, and Oswego counties.
A storm system moved north along the New England coast Wednesday night, December 17th and into eastern Canada early Thursday, December 18th.
A storm system moved north along the New England coast Wednesday night, December 17th and into eastern Canada early Thursday, December 18th.
Heavy snow and blizzard conditions occurred over the western mountains...and eastern mountains and southeast plains of southern Colorado.
A man died in an avalanche while hiking near Mount Rainier.
An area of high pressure developed in the eastern Pacific around mid December, centered near Hawaii.
Snowstorm of December 18, 2008 was ranked category 1, Notable, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 18, 2008 to December 22, 2008.
This was the 3rd major winter storm of the 2008-09 winter season for south-central and southeast Wisconsin. It dumped 8 to around 14 inches, but the impact on society was significant since there was a lot of blowing and drifting of the snow.
Heavy snow fell in the central Puget Sound area including Seattle.
A low pressure system moved through the northern Sierra and western Nevada and brought snow and high winds to the region.
A powerful storm system produced between one quarter and three quarters of an inch of ice across parts of central Illinois on December 18th. Areas along and north of I-72 were most severely impacted, with widespread tree damage and power outages reported.
Warm and moist air overrunning a retreating cold airmass resulted in widespread freezing drizzle, freezing rain and fog across south-central and southeast Kansas during the predawn and morning hours of December 18th.
A weather system moved across northwest Kansas producing freezing rain and light snow. Numerous accidents were reported on Interstate 70 in Sherman and Thomas counties as a result of ice accumulations up to 1/8.
A strong trough of low pressure in the upper atmosphere moved into the southwest U.S. late on the 17th and early on the 18th. The system was very fast moving with a strong jet of 165 kts streaming up the east side of the trough.
A strong winter storm moved across northern Illinois during the late evening hours of December 18th into the morning of December 19th. Ice accumulations of one quarter to one half inch were reported across much of Livingston, Kankakee, Ford and Iroquois Counties.
A strong trough of low pressure in the upper atmosphere moved into the southwest U.S. late on the 17th and early on the 18th. The system was very fast moving with a strong jet of 165 kts streaming up the east side of the trough.
Snowstorm of December 18, 2009 was ranked category 4, Crippling, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Southeast. It lasted from December 18, 2009 to December 21, 2009.
Low pressure tracked from the northeast Gulf coast early on December 18th reaching a position near Alma, Georgia as a 997 mb low by Friday the 18th at 5 PM EST. The storm continued moving northeast and deepened to a 986 mb low near Cape Hatteras by 10 AM December 19th.
A cold airmass was in place across Middle Tennessee as moisture associated with a strong surface low off the South Carolina coast, which moved north into Virgina during the early morning hours on December 19th, ushered in snowfall across the northern Cumberland Plateau region.
The mountain and the southern coal field counties were hit hard by heavy wet snow associated with a storm that moved out of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and across southern Georgia late Friday, the 18th. The storm then moved off the North Carolina coast early on the 19th.
Dickenson and Buchanan Counties were hit hard by heavy wet snow associated with a storm that moved out of the eastern Gulf of Mexico and across southern Georgia late Friday, the 18th. The storm then moved off the North Carolina coast early on the 19th.
A large and intense area of low pressure moved across the Tennessee valley and eventually up the east coast on December 18th and 19th. The initial precipitation began as a heavy wet snow on Friday afternoon December 18th.
An area of low pressure tracked into the region from the south combined with cold air resulting in heavy snow across the area. This heavy snow event was the largest snowfall that has occurred across southwest Virginia since 1996.
A large and very moist Pacific storm system brought widespread heavy precipitation to Utah over a five day period.
Light snow falling across Brown county caused a motorist to lose control of her van and collide with a southbound semi truck on US-75 at the intersection of US-75 and HWY 36.
A strong upper level storm system moved across southern New Mexico, and initially brought heavy snow to western and central New Mexico. Then, a very strong cold front plowed across the northeast and east central plains bringing winds up to 60 mph and more heavy snow.
The fourth lake effect event of the season was a combination of light synoptic snows followed lake effect snows. Off Lake Erie, snow fell through the morning and afternoon hours of the 18th before migrating northward through the evening hours and dissipating.
A cold front moved east across Lake Erie during the afternoon of December 18th. Lake effect snow showers developed that evening behind the front with a heavy west to east oriented band setting up across Ashtabula into Erie and Crawford Counties.
Low pressure moved across the western Great Lakes then north to James Bay. Behind the storm system, a cold westerly flow developed across the eastern Great Lakes. Lake effect snow developed off both Lakes Erie and Ontario.
A cold front moved east across Lake Erie during the afternoon of December 18th. Lake effect snow showers developed that evening behind the front with a heavy west to east oriented band setting up across Ashtabula into northern Crawford County.
An intense lake effect single band produced produced a quick 3-7 inches of snow during the morning hours of December 18th.
A weak area of low pressure moved from the Ohio River Valley to southeast of New England on Saturday, December 11th. Snow moved into VT during the early afternoon and exited around midnight. Snow fell moderate at times, especially across central and southern VT.
On December 19th, a potent winter system brought heavy snow amounts as high as 5 to 8 inches in a narrow band near the Interstate 90 corridor beginning in the morning hours and continuing through the overnight.
Intensifying low pressure moved across North Dakota and northern Minnesota early on December 18th. A very strong cold front plowed southward behind the system and was accompanied by a minimal amount of snowfall over several hours during the later morning and afternoon hours.
12 on December 18, oldest first.
A homeless man was found unconcious in his car suffering from exposure. The man's body temperature was only 85 degrees when he was discovered. Temperatures overnight in Denver had dipped to 9 below zero. The man died several hours later.
Strong northwest winds combined with cold temperatures to produce wind chills of 30 to 50 below zero.
An Arctic airmass settled in over northeastern Colorado dropping overnight temperatures well below zero for 6 consecutive days. Overnight temperatures bottomed out at 19 degrees below zero on the morning of the 22nd.
Very cold temperatures continued into the middle of December. Low temperatures dropped into the single digits for 5 days in a row, with the morning of December 19th the coldest of the entire month, with a low of one degree below zero.
The day after heavy snow fell in portions of the Las Vegas Valley, one man died of exposure to the cold temperatures.
An elderly couple was found dead from exposure to the cold in a remote part of Superior, Wisconsin. A utility worker found them on their deck around 10:30 am on Wednesday December 21st. They were last seen running errands and at a local tavern the previous Sunday, December 18th.
A very cold day was seen on this date in 2016. Most morning low temperatures across Oklahoma and northwest Texas were in the single digits or below zero. The coldest temperature was seen just northwest of Guymon where a low of minus 18 degrees was observed, the coldest temperature recorded in the state of Oklahoma that year. Wind chill values at this location dipped to minus 36. Temperatures recovered into the teens and 20s above zero for high temperatures across the region.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
A brutally cold airmass settled across the region behind several strong cold fronts. The coldest air was observed on the 18th with low temperatures well below zero. The coldest reading was -27F near Kendall.
Arctic air plunged into southern WI in the wake of a snowstorm and arctic cold front. Ambient air temperatures dropped well below zero the morning of Dec. 19th. Wind chill temperatures dropped to 20 to 35 below zero. One death due to hypothermia was reported.
The coldest air of the winter season flooded into the region in the wake of an arctic cold front on the morning December 18th. Clouds cleared from west to east as high pressure moved into the region and winds diminished to 5 too 15 mph by sunrise.
Canadian high pressure building into the Plains brought a very cold airmass into central Illinois from December 18th through December 19th. Early morning lows on the 18th dropped to between 0 and -10F...while wind-chills dipped as low as -15 to -25F.
An Arctic airmass brought well below normal temperatures to Interior Alaska December 18th to the 23rd.
1 on December 18, oldest first.
Anderson Dam recorded 31 inches, Idaho’s all-time maximum 24-hour snowfall, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
1 on December 18, oldest first.
The Range 139 Fire was reported on December 18, 2025, in El Paso County, Colorado, and burned 1,600 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
21 on December 18, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Rhodes, Greece. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Ica, Peru. It killed 40 people.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Fort Duma, Awoin, Ghana. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Unknown Location, Haiti. With the tsunami it caused, it did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Sandyo IN Etigo, Japan. It killed 1,443 people, destroyed 11,750 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Chilung (Keelung), Taiwan. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 580 people.
An earthquake struck Semacha, Somaki, Armenia, Azerbaijan. It killed few people (about 1 to 50).
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Khios, Ayvalik, Mosko Is, Greece, Turkey.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sulawesi-N. Moluccas Islands, Indonesia. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Elbasan, Peqin, Albania, North Macedonia. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Peru.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Ahram,domrubah,mahmudabadi,ab Garm, Iran. It killed 2 people.
An earthquake struck Fes (Fez), Morocco. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Lisbon, Portugal. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. It killed 100 people. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Antofagasta, Chile. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Tonga Trench. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Shanxi Province, China.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Taiwan. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Neijiang, Sichuan Province, China. It injured 18.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Jishishan, Gansu Province, China. It killed 151 people, injured 967, destroyed 15,000 houses and did $2 billion in damage.
6 on December 18, oldest first.
Papandayan, Indonesia erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 1. It killed 1 person.
Merapi, Indonesia erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed 1,369 people, destroyed 1,109 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Gamalama, Indonesia erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2. It killed 1 person and injured 4.
Merapi, Indonesia erupted. It killed 8 people and injured 8.
The 2023–2025 Sundhnúkur eruptions are a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula, near the town of Grindavík, Iceland. Nine eruptions have occurred since December 2023, with the most recent taking place in August 2025.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reykjanes, Iceland erupted. It killed 1 person and destroyed 3 houses.
9 on December 18, oldest first.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Haiti & Dominican Republic. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck E. China Sea, Taiwan, with a maximum water height of 15 meters. It killed 580 people.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sulawesi, Indonesia.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Albanian Coasts. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake and landslide struck Portugal.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6 earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. It killed 100 people.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Northern Chile.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Tonga Trench.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Taiwan, with a maximum water height of 0.16 meters.
7 on December 18, oldest first.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1938, reached Kp 6- and lasted 6 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 36; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 57 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1951, reached Kp 5 and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 25; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1960, reached Kp 5 and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 26; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1962, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 36 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 44; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1976, reached Kp 6+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 28; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 53 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 1978, reached Kp 6- and lasted 15 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 48; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 57 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm began December 18, 2023, reached Kp 5+ and lasted 3 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 23; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 58 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
1 on December 18, oldest first.
A freeze disaster that cost $8.4 billion in 2024 dollars, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from December 18, 1990 to December 25, 1990.
6 on December 18, oldest first.
Dense fog resulted in a 38 vehicle pileup 10 miles northwest of downtown Sacramento on Interstate 5 at 0820 PST. The crash involved 26 automobiles, 10 tractor trailers, and 2 motor homes. Interstate 5 was closed for more than 10 hours in both directions.
A lightning strike ignited a fire in a house.
Locally dense fog on the Coosa River led to a boating accident.
A horse barn at the Mercury Equine Center in Lexington caught fire due to a lightning strike shortly after midnight Sunday December 19. The fire resulted in the loss of 23 thoroughbred horses and a total loss for the barn.
Pulses of northerly swells moving across the local waters, along with fresh to locally strong easterly winds, promoted hazardous coastal conditions for the local islands.
A drowning occurred at Shark's Cove as 18 to 20 foot surf rolled in. A High Surf Warning was in effect for Oahu's North Shore.
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.