Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for March 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.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Sarpy, Douglas, Pottawattamie counties, Nebraska and tracked 40.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 103 and injuring 350. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Omaha, NE to IA.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Floyd, Clark, Jefferson counties, Indiana and tracked 14.9 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 46 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: New Albany, IN to KY.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Sarpy, Pottawattamie, Shelby counties, Nebraska and tracked 48.4 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 25 and injuring 75. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE to Council Bluffs, IA.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Vigo, Clay counties, Indiana and tracked 22 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 21 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Terre Haute, IN.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Saunders, Douglas, Washington counties, Nebraska and tracked 56.6 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 22 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Yutan, NE/Logan, IA.
Floods
The Great Flood of 1913 occurred between March 23 and March 26, after major rivers in the central and eastern United States flooded from runoff and several days of heavy rain. Related deaths and damage in the United States were widespread and extensive.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Otoe, Cass, Mills counties, Nebraska and tracked 67.7 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 18 and injuring 100. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Otoe, NE to IA.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Ava, Amarapura, Myanmar. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Webster, Wright, Laclede counties, Missouri and tracked 25.5 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Niangua, MO.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Andrew, Gentry, Harrison counties, Missouri and tracked 45 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Flag Springs, MO.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Shanxi Province, China. It killed 84 people and destroyed 55 houses.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Lefkada, Greece. It killed 60 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
78 on March 23, oldest first.
An F3 tornado touched down in Richland Parish, Louisiana and tracked 14.8 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Alto/Mangham/Archibald, LA.
An F2 tornado touched down in DeSoto, Shelby counties, Mississippi and tracked 10.6 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 17. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Kelly/NW Olive Branch, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Weakley County, Tennessee and tracked 2.2 miles, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Dresden, TN.
An F2 tornado touched down in Calloway County, Kentucky and tracked 6.1 miles, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Murray, KY.
An F2 tornado touched down in Wise, Denton, Cooke counties, Texas and tracked 8.4 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 10 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Slidell/NW Sanger, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Webb County, Texas and 500 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 14. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Laredo, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Jack, Wise counties, Texas and tracked 19.7 miles, 80 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Crafton/W Greenwood, TX.
An F4 tornado touched down in Sarpy, Douglas, Pottawattamie counties, Nebraska and tracked 40.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 103 and injuring 350. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Omaha, NE to IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Sarpy, Pottawattamie, Shelby counties, Nebraska and tracked 48.4 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 25 and injuring 75. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE to Council Bluffs, IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Vigo, Clay counties, Indiana and tracked 22 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 21 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Terre Haute, IN.
An F4 tornado touched down in Saunders, Douglas, Washington counties, Nebraska and tracked 56.6 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 22 and injuring 50. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Yutan, NE/Logan, IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Otoe, Cass, Mills counties, Nebraska and tracked 67.7 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 18 and injuring 100. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Otoe, NE to IA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Andrew, Gentry, Harrison counties, Missouri and tracked 45 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 8. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Flag Springs, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Burt, Monona counties, Nebraska and tracked 17.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 13. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Craig, NE/NW Blencoe, IA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lancaster, Cass counties, Nebraska and tracked 14.7 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Havelok/Prairie Home/E Greenwood, NE.
An F2 tornado touched down in Bienville Parish, Louisiana and tracked 6.2 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Saline, LA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Floyd, Clark, Jefferson counties, Indiana and tracked 14.9 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 46 and injuring 250. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: New Albany, IN to KY.
An F3 tornado touched down in Crawford, Sullivan counties, Illinois and tracked 22.1 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NE Flat Rock, IL/S Carlisle/Pleasantville, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Harrison County, Indiana and tracked 7.1 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, injuring 20. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Corydon, IN.
An F3 tornado touched down in Delaware County, Indiana and tracked 3.5 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Desoto, IN.
An F2 tornado touched down in Sumter County, Georgia and tracked 4 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Plains, GA.
An F4 tornado touched down in Webster, Wright, Laclede counties, Missouri and tracked 25.5 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Niangua, MO.
An F3 tornado touched down in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and tracked 12.3 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Huntersville to W Concord, NC.
An F3 tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Texas and tracked 0.5 miles, 67 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lee, Prentiss counties, Mississippi and tracked 17.2 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest.
Thunderstorm winds severely damaged a manufacturing plant in Adel. Approximately 35,000 square feet of the building was destroyed while another 20,000 square feet was heavily damaged. In a trailer park in Adel, one trailer was flipped over and another had its roof removed.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed in a rapidly destabilizing airmass over northeast Georgia and upstate South Carolina. This severe weather episode was confined to a very small area. Three weak tornados were the first severe weather in the episode.
Downburst removed a tin roof off a building and damaged part of the wall.
An unusually early and intense outbreak of severe storms with large hail and tornadoes occurred across east central and southeast New Mexico during the afternoon and evening of the 23rd.
An EF2 tornado touched down in Roosevelt, Curry counties, New Mexico and tracked 12.45 miles, 350 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 33.
An active round of severe thunderstorms, including damaging tornadoes, affected a large portion of the Southern Plains of the U.S. during the afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd.
Severe thunderstorms during the late morning and early afternoon hours produced hail from the northwest Texas panhandle into the south-central Texas panhandle.
An upper level storm system moved east across northern Mexico across west Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Ahead of this system, a moist and unstable airmass was in place. As temperatures warmed throughout the day, the atmosphere became more unstable.
Around 12:30 pm MDT on Friday, March 23, thunderstorms began to develop over the Guadalupe Mountains of Eddy County. Thunderstorms continued to rapidly develop, becoming severe over portions of Eddy County at 1:45 pm MDT.
An intense upper level low pressure system tracked from eastern Colorado into southeast South Dakota from March 23rd into March 24th. This caused a surface low pressure system to move from western Nebraska into southeast South Dakota during that time.
Widespread very strong southerly winds affected much of central and south-central Kansas from the late morning through the afternoon hours on the 23rd, in response to a strong dry line and cold front approaching from the west and northwest.
Strong thunderstorms developed ahead of an eastward moving dryline and cold front that pushed through Kansas during the afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd. Discrete thunderstorms merged into a convective line as they moved through the Topeka County Warning Area.
A strong upper level trough lifted northeast from the southwest U.S. with the surface moving from central Nebraska at mid afternoon, and into eastern South Dakota by the early morning hours of the 24th.
Several severe thunderstorms occurred from overnight on the 23rd to the morning hours of the 24th.
A strong and slow moving spring storm caused severe thunderstorms to occur across north central Nebraska. As colder was drawn into the system, strong winds and snow combined to produce blizzard conditions across the western half of north central Nebraska.
Thunderstorms produced large hail, damaging winds, and a tornado in southeast South Dakota south of Interstate 90 during the late afternoon of March 23rd.
An intense upper level low pressure system tracked from eastern Colorado into southeast South Dakota from March 23rd to March 24th. This caused a surface low pressure system to move from western Nebraska into southeast South Dakota during that time.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Blount County, Tennessee and tracked 5.8 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest, injuring 2.
As a low pressure system tracked along a warm front across Ohio and Pennsylvania severe thunderstorms developed just south of the front in Ohio and progressed eastward.
Severe convection developed ahead of a cold front during the late afternoon through the late evening hours in an atmosphere characterized by high shear with a 40 to 50 knot low level jet and a 120 knot upper level jet but only weak to moderate instability.
During the afternoon through early evening hours on Wednesday, March 23rd, as a strong low pressure system moved across the Ohio Valley Region, an associated strong cold front approached and moved across Middle Tennessee.
A brief tornado touched down near the town of Williams in Colusa County.
An EF2 tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Illinois and tracked 2.58 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2.
A large upper level low pressure system moved east from Missouri into an area of warm, moist air with dewpoint temperatures in the 60s. Strong mid level winds helped to produce severe thunderstorms, including supercells.
A large, nearly cut-off upper closed low located over Kansas brought several bands of convection to Kentucky and Indiana. During the early afternoon, a cluster of low-topped storms developed east of Bowling Green and moved north towards Louisville.
A large upper level low pressure system moved east from Missouri into an area of warm, moist air with dewpoint temperatures in the 60s. Strong mid level winds helped to produce severe thunderstorms, including supercells.
An upper level closed low moved across Missouri during the day on March 23. Several shortwaves moving around the base of the trough, traversed across central Alabama.
An approaching upper level low pressure system combined with daytime heating to produce scattered thunderstorms across the Ohio Valley during the afternoon and evening.
A strong upper level low coupled with moderate wind shear aided in the development of a few strong to severe storms across the tri-state area. The severe storms remained across southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia with one weak tornado occurring in Geneva county, AL.
Thunderstorms developed late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening along a dryline as it surged east to the Interstate 35 corridor. Several of these storms became severe, producing damaging winds, hail and one tornado.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a dry line over central Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours of the 23rd. The storms developed eastward across eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas during the evening hours.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a dry line over central Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours of the 23rd. The storms developed eastward across eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas during the evening hours.
A strong storm system and cold front produced limited reports of large hail and an isolated EF-1 tornado.
A cold front slowly moved through the region during the morning of the 23rd. Heavy resulted in flooding at a few locations. A tornado also occurred.
A warm front headed north into the region bringing a large swath of rain. Immediately south of the front, atmospheric conditions became unstable enough for a few storms to develop. One storm developed with enough rotation to generate a tornado in Carroll County.
A cold front moving across the region resulted in development of a line of scattered thunderstorms across Upstate South Carolina during the evening. A couple of the storms produced tornadoes in Pickens County, with one of those being significant.
A cold front moving across the region resulted in development of a line of scattered thunderstorms over western Nouth Carolina during the late afternoon and evening. A couple of the storms produced locally damaging wind gusts in addition to an EF1 tornado in Alexander County.
A round of severe storms developed during the afternoon of March 23rd and persisted into the evening hours mainly across the northern half of the area.
2 on March 23, oldest first.
Hurricane Sandy reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph) with a central pressure of 956 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Gillian reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 918 mb, a category 5 storm.
12 on March 23, oldest first.
The Great Flood of 1913 occurred between March 23 and March 26, after major rivers in the central and eastern United States flooded from runoff and several days of heavy rain. Related deaths and damage in the United States were widespread and extensive.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Ice jam and snowmelt flooding continued over much of central Iowa during the last two weeks of March. The South Skunk, North Raccoon, and Ice Rivers were the most affected.
The White River flooded yet again in late March.
A strong area of low pressure moved northward across the upper midwest and combined with unseasonable early Spring gulf moisture to cause a large area of heavy rainfall. Local rainfall totals were in the two to three inch range before the system moved north of the region.
Snowmelt and ice jamming caused the Maple River to flood in northwest Brown County. The Maple River flooded some homes in the town of Frederick along with many roads and pasture and cropland.
A slow moving area of low pressure tracked north along the East Coast on the 23rd and then turned northeast, passing through the Gulf of Maine on the 24th.
A slow moving area of low pressure tracked north along the East Coast on the 23rd and then turned northeast, passing through the Gulf of Maine on the 24th.
On March 23rd, a long lived mini supercell tracked from Martin County northeast through Bloomington, Shelby County, and the southeast Indianapolis metro, continuing northeast through Muncie.
Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with a passing low pressure system as warm and unstable traveled north ahead of the system. A squall line that sweeped across the region allowed large damaging hail, strong damaging wind gusts, and some flash flooding to develop.
Moderate flooding occurred along parts of the Moreau River due to snowmelt and ice jams.
The most impactful storm system to affect the region during the month of March began during the late afternoon and early evening of the 23rd as strong to severe thunderstorms trained along and north of a front that had stalled over northwest Arkansas and south central Missouri.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd, as a cold front moved slowly into the area. The strongest thunderstorms produced hail up to ping pong ball size.
37 on March 23, oldest first.
Tree down.
Winds gusting 60 to 70 mph damaged signs and trees and ripped away sections of a restaurant roof causing additional damage to nearby cars and buildings in Gallup. Winds gusting 45 to 55 mph fanned an 8000 acre grassfire northeast of Clayton in Union county.
A rapidly intensifying low moved northeast across the central Aleutians Monday morning, deepening to 956mbs late Monday night. The low then tracked northeast into Bristol Bay early Tuesday, where it began to weaken.
A "wake low" formed well behind a line of thunderstorms and produced strong gradient winds that caused minor damage to manufactured homes in Hernando County. The Brooksville Airport recorded 61 MPH wind gust.
Two to three inches of hail fell near the Tehama-Glenn canal near Road P. Many ornamental trees were stripped of new growth.
Strong winds knocked out power to about 3500 people in Lewis county. A tree fell on a car, damaging it.
Widespread thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and evening along a dry line. Many of the storms became severe producing large hail. The dry line retreated westward during the early evening, with the cold front overtaking the boundary from north to south.
A deep low pressure system brought strong gradient winds through central and eastern Kansas on Monday, March 23rd. Strong gradient winds were enhanced by a low level jet core of 65 knots 2,000 ft. off of the surface.
Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in much of northwest Iowa during the late afternoon and early evening of March 23rd.
A strong, slow moving upper level low pressure system shifted east out of the Rocky Mountains and onto the plains during the daytime hours of March 23rd. A well vertically stacked system, it brought strong winds as well as thunderstorms to portions of South Central Nebraska.
An upper level jet stream tracking through the Ohio Valley combined with low pressure at the surface to produce severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of March 23rd. Several supercells developed producing large hail.
Scattered thunderstorms formed along a boundary that sliced from eastern to southern portions of Indiana during the early afternoon hours on the 23rd.
This was a synoptic scale event. A strong north to south temperature gradient existed along the Interstate 70 corridor in Ohio. Low pressure moved out of Illinois in the morning, reaching western Pennsylvania by evening.
A surface low tracked across IL/IN/OH through the day on March 23. Southern Indiana and central Kentucky were in the warm sector of this system through the day with southwesterly winds advecting mid-50s dewpoints into the area.
As a cold front moved across the region, numerous showers and thunderstorms developed along it. Some of the storms increased to severe levels and produced damaging winds and hail.
As a cold front moved across the region, numerous showers and thunderstorms developed along it. Some of the storms increased to severe levels and produced damaging winds and hail.
A vigorous upper-level trough was moving through the Ohio Valley region toward the mid-Atlantic. A cold front accompanied the upper trough and was moving southeast into the region.
Showers and thunderstorms developed north of a warm frontal boundary stretched across central Ohio on March 23rd.
This was a synoptic scale event. A strong north to south temperature gradient existed along the Interstate 70 corridor in Ohio. Low pressure moved out of Illinois in the morning, reaching western Pennsylvania by evening.
A stationary boundary was located over northern Virginia on the 23rd. An upper-level disturbance tracked through the area during this time, bringing showers and thunderstorms.
An upper level jet stream tracking through the Ohio Valley combined with low pressure at the surface to produce severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of March 23rd. Several supercells developed producing large hail.
As a low pressure system tracked along a warm front across Ohio and Pennsylvania severe thunderstorms developed just south of the front in Ohio and progressed eastward.
A thunderstorm outflow boundary crossed Gaston County during the evening hours. While the winds were well below severe limits, a partially rotten tree was blown onto a car, killing two people and seriously injuring a third.
Sea breeze storms sparked a few strong storms over NE Florida during the evening.
A deep upper-level low helped triggered scattered strong to severe thunderstorms across east-central and southeast Illinois during the afternoon of March 23rd. Some of the storms produced hail up to the size of golf balls and winds in excess of 60 mph.
On the morning of Saturday, March 23, an upper trough began digging into the center of the country. That evening, within the resultant southwesterly flow aloft that was streaming through the southeastern United States, a surface low began to develop near New Orleans.
Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with a passing low pressure system as warm and unstable traveled north ahead of the system. A squall line that sweeped across the region allowed large damaging hail, strong damaging wind gusts, and some flash flooding to develop.
Deep layer shear, steep mid-level lapse rates, and sufficient instability came together to produce several severe thunderstorms across the area. Large hail was the primary threat, although some isolated occurrences of wind damage also occurred.
With very warm temperatures combining with strong winds and very dry air, a large wildfire began just north and east of Freedom, in Woods County of northwest Oklahoma on this date back in 2016. The fire spread quickly northeast into southern Kansas. Thankfully, no human lives were lost. Over 300,000 acres of rangeland burned, and at least 25 structures and several hundred livestock were lost.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
High winds, some directly associated with thunderstorms and some not, occurred during the evening hours on this Thursday. Between 4 and 5 PM CST, isolated thunderstorms began developing over southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas.
The first severe weather event of the spring developed as a s/wv trough moved out of the west.
The first severe thunderstorms of the season occurred over Phillips and Smith counties on this Friday evening. A large area of showers evolved over southwest Nebraska.
During the daytime hours on March 23rd through March 24th, a deep west coast trough helped to deliver progressive yet strong southwesterly upper-level to mid-level moist flow across the northern Gulf coast.
A cold front moved through the region with showers and thunderstorms. Limited instability and shear precluded a significant severe weather outbreak in the tri-state area, but a few wind damage reports were received.
A cold front moved into a warm, moist airmass and generated thunderstorms. The warm sector airmass had CAPE values of 2000-3000 j/kg and deep layer wind shear around 40 kts with steep mid-level lapse rates all of which was conducive to large hail growth.
A cold front moved through North and Central Texas on Sunday, May 23rd. As the cold front moved south, scattered storms developed along the boundary and produced large hail. The largest hail fell in Navarro and Henderson Counties, where golf ball sized hail stones were reported.
A strong cold front crossed the Mid-Atlantic during the early morning hours. A band of showers and a few thunderstorms developed along it.
19 on March 23, oldest first.
A major winter storm moved from Kansas to southeast Wisconsin during the period. Thunderstorms deposited bursts of heavy snow across the area late 3/23 into the morning of 3/24. Heavy snow redeveloped during the early afternoon of 3/24 across the area along with strong winds.
An early spring snow storm moved up out of the 4-corners region of the country to bring another round of severe winter weather to the northern plains.
A moderate 980 mb low 150 miles southeast of Kodiak Island early Saturday, brought strong northeast winds and heavy precipitation to the Island Friday afternoon through early Saturday.Peak winds of 93 mph were reported at Zachor Bay Lodge (near Larsen Bay) sometime Friday and…
Up until the year 2006, March 23rd had stood as the only day in March that Oklahoma City had not seen measurable snowfall. In 2006, 1.6 inches of snow was measured.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Snowstorm of March 23, 2009 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northern Rockies and Plains. It lasted from March 23, 2009 to March 26, 2009.
A powerful spring storm brought rain, snow, and very strong winds to western South Dakota. Precipitation started as rain, then changed to snow, and blizzard conditions developed. The heaviest snow fell over the northern Black Hills, where 18 to 48 inches of snow was measured.
Warm air surged north ahead of a strong low pressure system, while cold air over Lake Superior was pushed onshore by strong easterly winds. Heavy rain froze on contact and created severe icing conditions along the north shore of Lake Superior from Two Harbors to Grand Marais.
A powerful spring storm brought blizzard conditions to northeastern Wyoming. Heavy snow and wind gusts over 60 mph produced significant blowing and drifting snow, reducing visibilities to near zero for many hours.
Snowstorm of March 23, 2011 was ranked category 1, Notable, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Upper Midwest. It lasted from March 23, 2011 to March 25, 2011.
Low pressure moved east from Iowa across western Pennsylvania to the mid-Atlantic Coast. The low brought a blanket of seven to nine inches of heavy, wet snow to parts of western New York. The snow resulted in slick roads and numerous motor vehicle accidents.
Snowstorm of March 23, 2013 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Ohio Valley. It lasted from March 23, 2013 to March 28, 2013.
Strong low pressure tracked from the central Great Plains across northern IL and Lower MI, bringing snow, freezing rain, and sleet to southern WI. Heavier snow amounts were toward central WI.
Snowfall varying greatly from 3 to 17 inches was preceded by rain in part of northwest Iowa. The snow was accompanied by north to northeast winds gusting as high as 50 mph.
A late winter storm brought around a a tenth to as much as four tenths of an inch of freezing rain and ice accumulation to central lower Michigan. In addition, heavy wet snow and sleet was also reported.
Northeast Iowa received between a quarter to half inch of ice accumulation along with snow from a late season winter storm that hit the area on March 23rd and 24th. The ice accumulations mainly occurred portions of Floyd, Chickasaw, Allamakee and Clayton Counties.
Low pressure tracking from the Ozarks eastward into the Ohio River Valley brought a swath of heavy snow to north-central Illinois from the late evening of March 23rd through the afternoon of March 24th.
A late season weak area of low pressure moved across the Ohio River valley and developed a secondary area of low pressure south of New England during the afternoon and evening hours of March 23rd.
A strong and cold low pressure system deepened over the Great Basin area before tracking eastward over the state of New Mexico starting on March 23 and continuing through March 24, 2021.
The active winter pattern persisted deeper into Late March as another winter storm once again brought accumulating snow to many portions of Utah, primarily from central Utah northward.
1 on March 23, oldest first.
A Napakiak man, Herman Motgin, age 31, died of hypothyermia Friday after he was found next to his snowmachine on the trail between Bethel and Napakiak, a short distance away.
1 on March 23, oldest first.
Gouldsboro recorded 60 inches, Pennsylvania’s all-time maximum snow depth, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it (a tie with an earlier value).
45 on March 23, oldest first.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 23, 1994, in Kansas, and burned 1,720 acres.
The Triangle Fire was discovered on March 23, 1996, in Texas, and burned 26,294 acres.
The Buckle L Fire was discovered on March 23, 1996, in Texas, and burned 20,354 acres.
The Potter 1 Fire was discovered on March 23, 1996, in Texas, and burned 13,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Rabbit Fire was discovered on March 23, 1996, in New Mexico, and burned 7,600 acres.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on March 23, 1999, in Lee County, Florida, and burned 1,425 acres; the cause was recorded as railroad operations and maintenance.
The Number 52 Fire was discovered on March 23, 2002, in New Mexico, and burned 16,422 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Santa Fe Fire was discovered on March 23, 2002, in Colorado, and burned 1,725 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 23, 2003, in Arkansas, and burned 2,054 acres.
The Split Fire #2 Fire was discovered on March 23, 2004, in Latimer County, Oklahoma, and burned 1,920 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Bull Fire was discovered on March 23, 2009, in Oklahoma, and burned 3,100 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Black Hollow Road Fire was discovered on March 23, 2009, in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, and burned 2,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
Dry conditions along with above normal temperatures during the week preceding the fire likely contributed to a decrease in fuel moisture and an increased potential for fires. Strong gusty westerly winds developed during the afternoon and in advance of a surface|trough.
The Vest Ranch Fire was discovered on March 23, 2010, in Ector County, Texas, and burned 6,000 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Henderson #1 Fire was discovered on March 23, 2010, in Winkler County, Texas, and burned 1,740 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
Warm temperatures in combination with low relative humidity values and breezy conditions, resulted in conditions favorable for wildfire starts in southern South Carolina.
The Greyhorse Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Oklahoma, and burned 11,382 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Slick Hill Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Oklahoma, and burned 3,607 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Dipper Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Presidio County, Texas, and burned 2,500 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Windy Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Charleston County, South Carolina, and burned 2,466 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Round Mountain Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Oklahoma, and burned 2,135 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Rifle Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in South Carolina, and burned 1,933 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Whitehorn Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Oklahoma, and burned 1,924 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Rustler Springs/Duval Fire was discovered on March 23, 2011, in Culberson County, Texas, and burned 1,800 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
Late this afternoon, a compact upper low exited northern New Mexico and tracked over the northern Texas Panhandle. South of this low, an already tight pressure gradient intensified even further ahead of an unseasonably strong Polar cold front.
A powerful upper level low pressure system that intensified over Colorado forced a potent dry slot and associated strong winds over New Mexico.
The Jackson Fire was reported on March 23, 2015, in Greenwood County, Kansas, and burned 3,200 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
Amidst windy and dry conditions, grass fires burned several thousand acres in Woods county and 725 acres across Blaine and Custer counties.
The Anderson Creek Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Woods County, Oklahoma, and burned 367,740 acres.
The Crutch Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Gray County, Texas, and burned 44,686 acres.
The I40 Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Wheeler County, Texas, and burned 15,174 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Burmac Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Reno County, Kansas, and burned 14,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Bender Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 2,293 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Puuwaawaa Makai Fire was reported on March 23, 2016, in Hawaii County, Hawaii, and burned 1,787 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Rankin Ranch Road Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Roberts County, Texas, and burned 38,104 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Jackson Ranch Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Creek County, Oklahoma, and burned 8,500 acres.
The Hutchinson Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Union County, New Mexico, and burned 4,787 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Swinging Bridge Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, and burned 3,700 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Hargrove Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Creek County, Oklahoma, and burned 3,475 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Arkalon Fire was reported on March 23, 2017, in Seward County, Kansas, and burned 2,500 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Thut Creek Fire was reported on March 23, 2018, in Gray County, Texas, and burned 7,334 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The West Anderson Fire was reported on March 23, 2018, in Latimer County, Oklahoma, and burned 2,700 acres.
The Swan Creek Fire was reported on March 23, 2019, in Christian County, Missouri, and burned 2,121 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Boar Creek Fire was reported on March 23, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 1,706 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Billy Road Fire was reported on March 23, 2024, in Perry County, Mississippi, and burned 1,750 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
18 on March 23, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Switzerland. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Concepcion, Chile. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Valence, Spain. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000).
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Lefkada, Greece. It killed 60 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Beaumont,pierrevert,sainte Tulle,manosque, France.
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Shanxi Province, China. It killed 84 people and destroyed 55 houses.
An earthquake struck Ava, Amarapura, Myanmar. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Salta, Southern, Argentina, Bolivia.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Timor, Indonesia. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Northern Italy.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Demirci, Gordes, Sindirgi, Turkey. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Broach, India. It killed 26 people and injured 200.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Kuril Islands, Russia. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kuril Islands, Russia. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Vonitsa, Greece. It injured 7 and destroyed 160 houses.
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck Aksu, Xingjiang, China. It killed 3 people.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck East Sepik, Papua New Guinea. It killed 5 people, injured 2, destroyed 1,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
1 on March 23, oldest first.
Redoubt, United States erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3.
5 on March 23, oldest first.
A tsunami struck Torre Annunziata, Italy.
A tsunami with a source recorded as earthquake struck Central Chile.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sanriku, Japan, with a maximum water height of 0.75 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck S. Kuril Islands, Russia, with a maximum water height of 0.3 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck S. Kuril Islands, Russia, with a maximum water height of 0.17 meters.
6 on March 23, oldest first.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 1940, reached Kp 9 and lasted 72 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 187; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 40 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 1946, reached Kp 9- and lasted 78 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 195; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 1953, reached Kp 7- and lasted 66 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 63; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 52 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 1966, reached Kp 7 and lasted 15 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 67; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 1969, reached Kp 8 and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 79; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 45 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began March 23, 2023, reached Kp 8 and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 73; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 45 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
1 on March 23, oldest first.
A severe storm disaster that cost $2.7 billion in 2024 dollars, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from March 23, 2016 to March 24, 2016.
2 on March 23, oldest first.
Lightning struck a house and caused significant damage.
Gusty east winds lead to rough seas and a high risk of rip currents. One person drowned after jumping into the Atlantic near a pier.
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.