Earthquakes
850July 15, 850 Earthquake in Rey (Ray), Iran
An earthquake struck Rey (Ray), Iran. It killed 45,000 people.
- When
- July 15, 850
- Deaths
- 45,000
- Where
- Rey (Ray), Iran
Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for July 15, 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
An earthquake struck Rey (Ray), Iran. It killed 45,000 people.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Cumana, Venezuela. It killed 1,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Cumana, Venezuela, with a maximum water height of 5 meters. It killed 1,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Renville, Nicollet, Brown counties, Minnesota and tracked 40.1 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 20 and injuring 93. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Cairo/New Ulm, MN.
Volcanoes
The 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai was a major volcanic eruption which occurred during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. The eruption occurred on July 15, 1888, pyroclastic flows buried villages on the northern foot of the mountain, and devastated the eastern part of Bandai region, Iwashiro Province north of Tokyo.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Volcanoes
Bandaisan, Japan erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 461 people and injured 70.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, Swift counties, Minnesota and tracked 30.1 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Fairfield, MN.
Severe storms
A complex of severe thunderstorms raced across the area before sunrise on the 15th. Thunderstorm winds caused widespread damage, downing trees and wires. In North Syracuse, Onondaga County, a parked Boeing 727 at Syracuse Airport was blown into a parked Boeing 737.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Burt County, Nebraska and tracked 10 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest, injuring 33.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Winnie reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 940 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Gordon reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 915 mb, a category 5 storm.
Heat and drought
The Desert Southwest remained under the influence of persistent strong high pressure during the middle part of July. During this time, temperatures peaked around 110 degrees each day.
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An F4 tornado touched down in Renville, Nicollet, Brown counties, Minnesota and tracked 40.1 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 20 and injuring 93. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Cairo/New Ulm, MN.
An F4 tornado touched down in Lac qui Parle, Big Stone, Swift counties, Minnesota and tracked 30.1 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Fairfield, MN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cottonwood, Watonwan counties, Minnesota and tracked 10 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Mt. Lake to W Odin, MN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Hyde County, South Dakota and tracked 6.9 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Highmore, SD.
An F4 tornado touched down in Burt County, Nebraska and tracked 10 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest, injuring 33.
An F1 tornado touched down in Murray County, Oklahoma and tracked 1.5 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lincoln County, Kansas and tracked 7.1 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Beaver County, Oklahoma and tracked 0.1 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin and tracked 1 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 10.
An F2 tornado touched down in Saint Croix, Dunn counties, Wisconsin and tracked 0.1 miles, 10 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 12.
An F2 tornado touched down in Chippewa County, Wisconsin and tracked 0.2 miles, 67 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pottawattamie County, Iowa and tracked 2.8 miles, 73 yards wide at its widest, injuring 34.
Trees and power lines were downed.
Metal siding was blown off an apartment building.
A tornado destroyed the attached garage of a house, damaged a semi truck, and destroyed a grain dryer.
At 3 pm CST on the 15th, a stationary front was located from near Minot (ND) to Jamestown (ND) to near Sisseton (SD). South of the front, mid afternoon temperatures ranged in the mid 80s to lower 90s.
In the late afternoon of Sunday July 15th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 521 was issued in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing in the vicinity of a stalled surface front over eastern North Dakota, and downstream from an embedded mid level vorticity maximum over southern…
Thunderstorms continued to develop beneath a persistent upper level low, producing heavy rain and flash flooding, as well as a tornado, on the morning of July 15.
The combination of upper and lower jet support led to some nocturnal thunderstorms across southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota.
As surface dewpoints from the southwest reached 70 degrees and daytime temperatures soared above 90 degrees, a lee-side surface trough of low pressure focused the development of thunderstorms with very strong updrafts.
Several clusters of thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of Monday, July 15th in central Minnesota. A few storms also developed ahead of the storms in central Minnesota, and became severe west of the Twin Cities.
Low pressure tracked from near Kansas City on the morning of July 15th to southern Lake Michigan by midnight on July 16th.
62 tornadoes were recorded on July 15, 2024, in Minnesota, New York, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana.
On the evening of July 15, 2024, a derecho brought very strong winds, several tornadoes, and heavy rainfall to a good portion of the Midwest.
A derecho moved across northern Illinois during the evening of July 15th producing widespread wind damage and 30 tornadoes in northeast Illinois. One of these tornadoes crossed into northwest Indiana.
A derecho moved across northwest Indiana during the evening of July 15th producing widespread wind damage and three tornadoes, one of which started in northeast Illinois. One fatality occurred when a large tree limb fell onto a house in Cedar Lake.
Starting on the evening of July 13 and extending through July 16, 2024, an intense sequence of severe weather outbreaks affected much of the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. This included two significant derechos that each had wind gusts exceeding 100 mph (160 km/h), as well as multiple tornado outbreaks that produced a combined 94 tornadoes across the affected areas.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A mesoscale convective system (MCS) and an upper-level wave moved through the region triggering widespread showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.
A decaying derecho moved through the area late in the evening on July 15th. Storms raced eastward into southwest Lower Michigan and northern Indiana, prompting several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for winds up to 70+ mph and Tornado Warnings for embedded rotation along the line.
Thunderstorms rapidly developed over northern Iowa during the afternoon and organized into a powerful line of wind producing storms that surged through the Quad Cities and into northern and central Illinois through the evening hours.
Convection from a passing upper level trough and associated MCS in the morning brought an initial round of non-severe storms mainly in Minnesota into the far reaches of northern Iowa.
A strong upper-level trough and mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) crossed western and central New York during the afternoon on July 15, 2024. Timing with the MCV corresponded with favorable daytime heating and partly to mostly sunny skies ahead of the system.
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An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a category 2 hurricane, 90 kt (105 mph).
Hurricane Ingrid reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph), a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Winnie reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 940 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Abby crossed the coast near La Ceiba, Atlantida Department, Honduras as a category 1 hurricane, 70 kt (80 mph). Hurricane Abby was the only tropical cyclone in the Caribbean Sea during the 1960 Atlantic hurricane season. The second tropical cyclone and first named storm of the season, Abby developed on July 10 from a tropical wave in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Billie reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph) with a central pressure of 915 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Gordon reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 915 mb, a category 5 storm.
The high winds from former Hurricane Claudette, now Tropical Storm Claudette, struck in the evening of July 15 and continued through most of the night - mainly over the southern part of the county.
Hurricane Claudette crossed the coast near Port O'Connor, TX as a category 1 hurricane, 80 kt (90 mph), central pressure 979 mb. Hurricane Claudette was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that struck South Texas in July 2003. A fairly long-lived July Atlantic hurricane, Claudette was the fourth depression, third tropical storm, and first hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Former Hurricane Claudette, now Tropical Storm Claudette, produced widespread damage in Karnes County, knocking over hundreds of trees and power poles. Major damage was reported to14 homes, along with minor damage to another 237.
Hurricane Claudette strengthened just prior to making landfall near Port O'Connor. Its outer rain bands moved into South Central Texas through the afternoon Tuesday, July 15.
Hurricane Dolores reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph) with a central pressure of 946 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Fernanda reached its peak of 125 kt (145 mph) with a central pressure of 948 mb, a category 4 storm.
The 2022 Pacific hurricane season was a slightly above average hurricane season in the eastern North Pacific basin, with nineteen named storms, ten hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. Two of the storms crossed into the basin from the Atlantic.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
21 on July 15, oldest first.
A cold front stalled across northern Vermont during the morning hours of July 15, 1997 and focused heavy convective rain during the morning of July 15. This resulted in numerous road and bridge washouts, especially in eastern Franklin county.
A cold front stalled across northern Vermont during the morning of July 15, 1997. This front focused heavy convective rain in this area. Extensive flooding with a number of road washouts resulted. Rises on area rivers were quite rapid.
During July 15, an extremely hot and humid airmass was situated over eastern New York. Scattered severe thunderstorms developed over the region through the afternoon and early evening hours.
Six to Seven inches of rain fell in the headwaters of Sabino and Bear Canyons on the south slopes of the Catalina mountains early in the morning. At one point 2 inches of rain in 20 minutes was recorded by a remote rain gage.
Rainfall of 5 to 8 inches in just a few hours caused significant flash flooding across Florence county and extreme northern Forest county. An estimated 50 to 75 miles of roads required repairs, including U.S. Highways 2 and 141 and state highways 70 and 101.
A stalled frontal boundary across eastern New York interacted with a strong upper level disturbance on July 15. The result was a slow-moving low pressure area that formed over Virginia.
Heavy rainfall of 7 to 11 inches in less than twelve hours caused extensive flooding of homes, businesses and roadways from Anna Maria south to Bradenton Beach in extreme western Manatee county.
More than 200 homes were flooded in the Southaven area with water reaching up to 4 feet in some of the houses. Numerous roads were flooded and several people had to rescued from their cars.
As a cold front approached and moved through Middle Tennessee during the morning through late evening hours, the atmosphere became increasingly unstable.
Showers and thunderstorms developed over Mid-South during the late afternoon and evening hours of July 15th, 2009 due to daytime heating. The storms died out a couple hours after sunset. Some of the storms became severe with large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding.
The approach of a weak cold front triggered thunderstorms with large amounts of lightning, along with isolated instances of severe weather and flash flooding on the 15th.
A complex of thunderstorms that developed across southeast North Dakota, moved into west central Minnesota during the early morning hours of Friday, July 15th.
Thunderstorms caused flash flooding, hail, and wind damage across southern Yavapai and northern Gila Counties.
The 2017 Ellison Creek flooding or mostly known as the 2017 Payson flash floods occurred on July 15, 2017, near Payson, Arizona, in the Water Wheel Falls Hiking Trail in the Tonto National Forest that killed 10 members of an extended family. Before the flash floods, 10 of those people, and 4 others, were celebrating a birthday party.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An upper level wave tracked up from the Clearwater Mountains of Idaho towards the Seeley Lake area and initiated thunderstorms thanks to warmer than normal temperatures in the region.
Deep monsoon moisture was in place over northern Arizona which allowed strong thunderstorms to develop.
A cold front moved southeastward from Lower Michigan to Lake Erie during the evening and overnight of the 15th and then stalled in vicinity of the southern lakeshore by daybreak.
Two people were killed after heavy rain which produced a destructive debris flow in the Cameron Peak burn area. The 37-yr old woman and her 12-yr old daughter were in a camp trailer that was swept away at Calcite Road along Sheep Creek.
Thunderstorms brought locally heavy rain to parts of eastern Pennsylvania from the late afternoon into the evening of July 15. Rainfall totals were as high as 3 to 6 inches.
Widespread showers and thunderstorms developed in the vicinity of a trough over the North Carolina foothills throughout the 15th. While rainfall was primarily in the 2 to 3 inch range, isolated areas of 4 to 6 inches fell in just a few hours across the northern foothills.
A moist and unstable air mass was in place from July 14 through July 15. This allowed for widespread, slow-moving storms to move across portions of central, southern, and southeastern Virginia. These storms produced heavy rain and widespread flash flooding in two rounds.
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A complex of severe thunderstorms raced across the area before sunrise on the 15th. Thunderstorm winds caused widespread damage, downing trees and wires. In North Syracuse, Onondaga County, a parked Boeing 727 at Syracuse Airport was blown into a parked Boeing 737.
A fast moving sqaull line of severe thunderstorms caused numerous reports of damaging winds in the western two-thirds of Massachusetts and more scattered reports of damage farther east.
A microburst likely struck a small area in which two barns suffered significant damage, and a silo was blown down into one of the barns. A cow inside was killed. Farm equipment near the barn was overturned.
A widespread severe weather outbreak hit Vermont during the morning hours of July 15th. A long lived squall line, known as a Derecho, crossed Vermont during the morning hours. Southern Vermont was hardest hit especially across Windham, Windsor, Rutland and Bennington Counties.
A ham radio operater reported golf ball-size hail.
CENTER PIVOT IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND TWO GRAIN BINS DESTROYED. APPROXIMATELY 30,000 ACRES OF CORN DAMAGED.
Several trees were blown down and caused minor damage.
Clusters of thunderstorms over central Wisconsin merged and strengthened into a broad line as they moved southeast through south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the pre-dawn hours of July 15, 2003.
Gusty winds at a golf course in Newton blew down a tree which fell on a golf cart. The 59-year-old man who was driving the cart was killed.
A few trees were blown down.
Weak upper level disturbances interacted with a moist airmass to produce afternoon thunderstorms.
An MCV producing strong to severe thunderstorms acclerated from central Missouri southeast into northern Tennessee. A large bow echo along the southern portion of this MCV.
An upper air disturbance combined with a lee side trof and another hot and humid July day to trigger scattered strong to severe thunderstorms across the Lehigh Valley and southeast Pennsylvania during the afternoon and evening of the 15th.
The downdraft from a severe thunderstorm caused a microburst in the town of York.
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms and storm clusters developed along and near a nearly stationary front Upstate South Carolina throughout the afternoon. A few of the storms produced brief damaging winds and hail.
A thunderstorm that developed near Socorro shortly before 5 pm produced an intense lightning strike that resulted in an indirect fatality of an elderly woman.
Ample moisture, moderate instability and strong daytime heating, combined with a nearly stationary frontal boundary across the region, resulted in fairly widespread reports of scattered severe thunderstorms across north and central Georgia.
A north/south line of thunderstorms that stretched across multiple counties produced outflow winds well ahead of the thunderstorms. This outflow was very strong and produced winds over 60 mph. These winds produced an area of blowing dust across Interstate 90 just west of Hardin.
A shortwave trough in a warm and humid air mass allowed for convection across western Pennsylvania to continue tracking eastward across central Pennsylvania during the evening hours of July 15, 2024.
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Wichita Falls’ hottest July temperature of 114 degrees first occurred on July 15, 1978. Two years later, during the major heat wave of 1980, the July record was tied twice when the temperature again reached 114 degrees on both the 2nd and 3rd.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Heat related death. Deceased lived in a metal shed.
Excessive heat occurred over the area throughout the month. But an approximate 2 week string of days during the last half of the month seemed to be the worst. Temperatures during this two week period exceeded 100 degrees in many areas on many days.
An extended period of hot weather began on July 15th and continued through July 22nd. High temperatures ranged mainly from the upper 80s to middle 90s. July 21st was the hottest day when high temperatures reached the middle to upper 90s.
Another work week of hot weather affected southeastern Pennsylvania from the 15th through the 19th. High temperatures reached into the 90s in most areas each day. The highest temperatures mainly occurred on the 17th.
Temperatures of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, inside a condominium in the Coachella Valley, led to the death of one woman and heat exhaustion of another.
On July 15, 2004, just before 2 PM, the temperature rose to 100 degrees at Wichita Falls, becoming the first 100 degree reading at Wichita Falls for the year of 2004. The mercury topped out at 102 degrees by the end of the afternoon.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
The first heat wave of the summer developed in the middle of July. High temperatures at Northerly Island in downtown Chicago reached 92 on July 15th, 94 on July 16th and 95 on July 17th. The peak heat index reached 99 on July 15th, 104 on July 16th and 113 on July 17th.
High pressure brought record heat to western South Dakota, with many locations setting all-time record high temperatures.
A small "heat wave" gripped the region during the middle of July with high temperature ranging from the upper 90s to around 100 degrees for five days with overnight lows only reaching the middle 70s.
A 96-year-old man died from the heat in Philadelphia. His body was discovered by police officers on the afternoon of the 15th. The air conditioner the gentleman had broke down during the heat wave of the previous week.
A heat related death occurred in Austin TX.
Strong high pressure pushed temperatures in the Mojave Desert over Excessive Heat Warning levels. Six people died in the Las Vegas Valley from the 18th through the 20th from the effects of the excessive heat.
Subtropical high pressure over the southern United States brought a warm, moist airmass over South Central Texas. This combination led to high temperatures in the lower 90s and dew point temperatures in the lower 70s with heat indices near 100.
The very dry conditions continued across west-central portions of Mississippi during July. The extended dry stretch resulted in an area of severe (D2) drought developing across parts of the Mississippi Delta.
The very dry conditions continued across southeast Arkansas during July. The extended dry stretch resulted in an area of severe (D2) drought developing across the region by the end of the month. Normal rainfall across this area for July is 3 to 4 inches.
A large area of high pressure developed in the upper atmosphere by the middle of July. Heat built up over Iowa, aided by the severe drought to the south across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Temperatures rose into the 90s each day through the period.
Another round of excessive heat hit southern Wisconsin mid-month, with high temperatures in the mid to upper 90s and dew points in the mid to upper 60s beginning on July 15th and lasting through July 17th.
The most oppressive hot spell of the summer season affected Eastern Pennsylvania from July 15th through the 20th. Widespread high temperatures reached into the mid to upper 90s and the most oppressive days (combination of heat and humidity) occurred on the 18th and 19th.
The most oppressive hot spell of the summer season affected Delaware from July 15th through the 20th. Widespread high temperatures reached into the mid 90s and the most oppressive days (combination of heat and humidity) occurred on the 18th and 19th.
One man died in Las Vegas, with heat as a contributing factor, on a day when the temperature reached 108 degrees.
A man died due to excessive heat.
Excessive Heat Warning criteria were reached in Las Vegas on the 15th. From the 15th through the 18th, 14 people died of heat related causes.
Strong high pressure over the Desert Southwest led to the hottest temperatures of the month with excessive heat warning conditions being met across the region.
The Desert Southwest remained under the influence of persistent strong high pressure during the middle part of July. During this time, temperatures peaked around 110 degrees each day.
Heat wave in United Kingdom.
Hot temperatures typically 3 to 5 degrees above normal were experienced across portions of southeast Arizona July 15.
Temperatures in Southeastern Arizona varied greatly from 5 to 12 degrees below normal to 2 to 3 degrees above normal, causing Low HeatRisk throughout the whole period. The Pima County Medical Examiner found that heat was a factor in the cause of death for 9 individuals.
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Altapass recorded 22.22 inches, North Carolina’s all-time greatest 24-hour precipitation, over July 15, 1916 to July 16, 1916, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
Geneva recorded 118°F, Nebraska’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
Balcony Falls recorded 110°F, Virginia’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
Diversion Dam recorded 115°F, Wyoming’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
Danbury recorded 106°F, Connecticut’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
Fort Pierre recorded 120°F, South Dakota’s all-time maximum temperature, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
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The Fire 531023 started on July 15, 1985, in Alaska, and burned 12,141 acres.
The Bland Mtn Fire started on July 15, 1987, in Oregon, and burned 10,066 acres.
The Lambing Fire started on July 15, 1987, in Washington, and burned 9,454 acres.
The Fire 832083 started on July 15, 1988, in Alaska, and burned 16,092 acres.
The Fyu N 60 Fire was discovered on July 15, 1993, in Alaska, and burned 20,942 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
Lightning started a wildfire (the Flat Fire) on Poverty Flat about 3 miles south of Monroe late in the afternoon on the 15th. The fire spread rapidly across 6000 acres that evening in very dry sage and pinyon/juniper due to strong thunderstorm winds.
The Big Knob Fire was discovered on July 15, 2001, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 8,767 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Deer Point Fire was discovered on July 15, 2002, in Chelan County, Washington, and burned 43,374 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Mahogany Complex (Atkins Butte) Fire was discovered on July 15, 2002, in Malheur County, Oregon, and burned 32,812 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Slims Complex (Slims) Fire was discovered on July 15, 2003, in Idaho County, Idaho, and burned 12,011 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Oregon Creek Fire was discovered on July 15, 2004, in Alaska, and burned 8,656 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Clover Fire was discovered on July 15, 2005, in Owyhee County, Idaho, and burned 192,846 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Esmeralda Fire was discovered on July 15, 2005, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 96,987 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Wilson Complex (Rawhide) Fire was discovered on July 15, 2005, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 35,749 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Dammeron Complex (Dammeron) Fire was discovered on July 15, 2005, in Washington County, Utah, and burned 9,593 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Red Rock Fire was discovered on July 15, 2009, in Nevada, and burned 10,549 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Mountain Fire started around 1243 PST on July 15, near the junction of Highway 243 and Highway 74. It burned east of Mountain Center, through the Apple Canyon and Bonita Vista areas, and then along the Desert Divide and southern portion of the San Jacinto Wilderness.
The Mountain Fire was discovered on July 15, 2013, in Riverside County, California, and burned 27,531 acres; the cause was recorded as power generation/transmission/distribution.
The Chiwaukum Complex was reported on July 15, 2014, in Chelan County, Washington, and burned 14,201 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Chiwaukum Creek Fire was reported on July 15, 2014, in Chelan County, Washington, and burned 13,895 acres.
The Bear Trap Fire was reported on July 15, 2014, in Nye County, Nevada, and burned 10,616 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Selawik River Fire was reported on July 15, 2015, in Northwest Arctic County, Alaska, and burned 8,867 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Steamboat Creek Fire was reported on July 15, 2016, in Valdez-Cordova County, Alaska, and burned 19,719 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Lolo Peak Fire was reported on July 15, 2017, in Missoula County, Montana, and burned 53,902 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Powerline Fire was reported on July 15, 2017, in Nez Perce County, Idaho, and burned 48,569 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Liberty Fire was reported on July 15, 2017, in Missoula County, Montana, and burned 28,694 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Klondike Fire was reported on July 15, 2018, in Josephine County, Oregon, and burned 175,258 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Taylor Creek Fire was reported on July 15, 2018, in Josephine County, Oregon, and burned 52,839 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Natchez Fire was reported on July 15, 2018, in Del Norte County, California, and burned 38,134 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Columbus Fire was reported on July 15, 2018, in Douglas County, Oregon, and burned 10,697 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Garner Complex was reported on July 15, 2018, in Jackson County, Oregon, and burned 8,886 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Sugar Pine Fire was reported on July 15, 2018, in Jackson County, Oregon, and burned 8,729 acres.
The Bronco Gulch Fire was reported on July 15, 2019, in Graham County, Arizona, and burned 10,760 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Elbow Creek Fire was reported on July 15, 2021, in Wallowa County, Oregon, and burned 22,960 acres.
The Flat Fire was reported on July 15, 2023, in Curry County, Oregon, and burned 34,242 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The fire started on July 15 from undetermined cause.
The fire started on July 15 by an unknown human cause.
The Cougar Creek Fire was reported on July 15, 2024, in Asotin County, Washington, and burned 24,091 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Long Fire was reported on July 15, 2024, in Tulare County, California, and burned 9,204 acres.
The Diamond Canyon Fire started in mid July due to a lightning strike 13.2 miles northwest of Cisco, Utah or 39 miles northeast of Moab, Utah.
On 15 July 2026, a major wildfire broke out in the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands. The wildfire spread and affected areas such as Glenmore and An Lochan Uaine, and caused significant damage to the Caledonian Forest, causing Scots Pine, a declining ancient tree species in the region, to be damaged or destroyed.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Rowe Creek Complex was reported on July 15, 2026, in Wheeler County, Oregon, and burned 373,927 acres.
The Hay Creek Complex was reported on July 15, 2026, in Gilliam County, Oregon, and burned 200,292 acres.
The Little Giant Fire was reported on July 15, 2026, in Chelan County, Washington, and burned 172,879 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Brewer Fire was reported on July 15, 2026, in Jefferson County, Oregon, and burned 70,821 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Three Queens Fire was reported on July 15, 2026, in Kittitas County, Washington, and burned 9,551 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
12 on July 15, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Rey (Ray), Iran. It killed 45,000 people.
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck Yunnan Province, China. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Delhi, India. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
An earthquake struck St. Mary, Scilly Islands, England, United Kingdom. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Cumana, Venezuela. It killed 1,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Chavari (Elis), Greece. It killed few people (about 1 to 50).
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Masjed Soleyman,andarkah, Iran. It killed 6 people.
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Parma, Italy. It killed 2 people.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Nii-Jima, Near S Coast Honshu, Japan. It injured 10. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Felt IN Maldives, Indian Ocean.
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Off West Coast of South Island, New Zealand. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake struck Harrah, Oklahoma, United States.
3 on July 15, oldest first.
Etna, Italy erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
The 1888 eruption of Mount Bandai was a major volcanic eruption which occurred during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. The eruption occurred on July 15, 1888, pyroclastic flows buried villages on the northern foot of the mountain, and devastated the eastern part of Bandai region, Iwashiro Province north of Tokyo.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Bandaisan, Japan erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 461 people and injured 70.
5 on July 15, oldest first.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Scilly Islands, England, United Kingdom.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Cumana, Venezuela, with a maximum water height of 5 meters. It killed 1,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck S Coast, Honshu, Japan, with a maximum water height of 0.07 meters. It injured 10.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Off West Coast of South Island, New Zealand, with a maximum water height of 0.47 meters.
A tsunami with a source recorded as landslide struck Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland.
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A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began July 15, 1938, reached Kp 7 and lasted 39 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 67; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began July 15, 1959, reached Kp 9 and lasted 27 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 236; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 40 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began July 15, 2000, reached Kp 9 and lasted 18 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 164; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 40 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
6 on July 15, oldest first.
A 27 year old male was struck and killed by lightning while fishing on a pond south of 19th Avenue near U.S. Highway 41 in Ruskin. Lightning struck the victims fishing rod and killed him instantly. Also, the lightning strike partially burned the victim's clothes and fishing boat.
Lightning stuck and killed a man from the town of Nazlini.
Two men were killed when they sought refuge under a tree during a thunderstorm.
For Wichita Falls, Texas, it was a cloudy, rainy day on this date in 2013. The high temperature was only 70 degrees, making it the coolest maximum temperature for any day recorded in the month of July.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
An upper level disturbance crossing Florida led to scattered to numerous thunderstorms coming off the Gulf of Mexico and onto the Florida Peninsula through much of the 15th, and continuing overnight and through much of the 16th.
Several swimmers were caught by a rip current at the St. Joseph Peninsula State Park and taken 150 to 200 yards from shore. One 14 year old boy drowned as a result.
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.