Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for March 31, 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
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua. It killed 2,450 people and did $15 million in damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck SW, Popayan, Colombia. It killed 350 people, injured 1,200 and did $410.9 million in damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Jones, Jasper, Clarke counties, Mississippi and tracked 31.2 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 37 and injuring 170. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Laurel to S Quitman, MS.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua. It killed 1,000 people and did $15 million in damage.
Earthquakes
An earthquake struck Van, Turkey. It killed 2,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Lanao,ozamiz,cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines. It killed 465 people and did $5 million in damage. It caused a tsunami.
Billion-dollar disasters
A severe storm disaster that cost $5.9 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 33, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from March 31, 2023 to April 1, 2023.
Tornadoes
127 tornadoes were recorded on March 31, 2023, in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and more, 1 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 23 people.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Butler County, Kansas and tracked 25.4 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 9 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Towanda, KS.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Malatya, Turkey. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Sumner, Sedgwick counties, Kansas and tracked 30.2 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 40. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: South Haven to E Wellington, KS.
Tornadoes
An F4 tornado touched down in Abbeville, Greenwood counties, South Carolina and tracked 22.6 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 30.
132 on March 31, oldest first.
An unrated tornado touched down in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Marion Station/Goodrich, MS.
An F1 tornado touched down in Hamilton County, Texas, killing 3. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: W Hico, TX.
An F4 tornado touched down in Butler County, Kansas and tracked 25.4 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 9 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Towanda, KS.
An F4 tornado touched down in Sumner, Sedgwick counties, Kansas and tracked 30.2 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 40. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: South Haven to E Wellington, KS.
An F4 tornado touched down in Pottawatomie County, Kansas and tracked 14.8 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 5 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Wamego, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Marion, Chase counties, Kansas and tracked 20.2 miles, killing 3 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Florence/Hymer/W Strong City, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Coleman, Brown counties, Texas and tracked 9.9 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Trickham/Bangs, TX.
An F3 tornado touched down in Saline, McPherson counties, Kansas and tracked 27.7 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 17. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Smolan/Salina, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Nuckolls, Clay counties, Nebraska and tracked 14.1 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 7. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Nelson to Edgar, NE.
An F2 tornado touched down in Coleman, Brown counties, Texas and tracked 10.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Trickham/Bangs, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Coleman County, Texas and tracked 0.9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 13. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Santa Anna, TX.
An F2 tornado touched down in Ottawa County, Kansas, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Vine Creek, KS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Bradley, Cleveland, Lincoln counties, Arkansas and tracked 35.3 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 30. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Parnell Springs/SE New Edinburg/SE Star City to S Grady, AR.
An F2 tornado touched down in Yell County, Arkansas and tracked 2.7 miles, killing 1 and injuring 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Belleville, AR.
An F2 tornado touched down in Dougherty County, Georgia and tracked 1.2 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 60. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Albany, GA.
An F2 tornado touched down in Washington County, Missouri and 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Mineral Point, MO.
An F2 tornado touched down in Coffee County, Alabama and tracked 9 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: S Elba, AL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Jones, Jasper, Clarke counties, Mississippi and tracked 31.2 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, killing 37 and injuring 170. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: NW Laurel to S Quitman, MS.
An F3 tornado touched down in East Baton Rouge Parish, East Feliciana Parish, Saint Helena Parish, Louisiana and tracked 27 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 21. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Zachary/W Greensburg/Pride to Darlington, LA.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lincoln County, Mississippi and tracked 15.3 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 25. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE Brookhaven, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Washington County, Mississippi and tracked 14.3 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 27. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Leland, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Smith County, Mississippi and 150 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 9. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Bezer/SE Raleigh, MS.
An F3 tornado touched down in Simpson County, Mississippi and tracked 4.9 miles, 150 yards wide at its widest, injuring 9. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Shivers, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in George County, Mississippi and tracked 18.5 miles, killing 1 and injuring 12. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: N Vestry/N Agricola/Latonia, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Pike, Walthall counties, Mississippi and tracked 24.2 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: SE McComb/N Tylertown, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in George County, Mississippi and tracked 9 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 5. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Agricola, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Baldwin County, Alabama and tracked 8.1 miles, 250 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Elberta, AL.
An F2 tornado touched down in Coahoma, Quitman counties, Mississippi and tracked 19.2 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Clarksdale/Belen, MS.
An F1 tornado touched down in Baldwin County, Alabama and tracked 7.2 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest, killing 1. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Perdido Beach, AL.
An F4 tornado touched down in Lawrence County, Mississippi and tracked 4 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Lorando, MS.
An F2 tornado touched down in Conway, Faulkner, Van Buren counties, Arkansas and tracked 46.8 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 3 and injuring 10. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: E Morrilton/N Quitman to N Plummersville, AR.
An F3 tornado touched down in Conway, Faulkner, Van Buren counties, Arkansas and tracked 24.8 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, injuring 15. From Grazulis's record of significant tornadoes: Overcup to Martinsville/Gravesville, AR.
An F4 tornado touched down in Hill County, Texas and tracked 10.4 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 31.
An F3 tornado touched down in Cooke County, Texas and tracked 6.8 miles, 1,760 yards wide at its widest, injuring 16.
An F3 tornado touched down in Marshall County, Oklahoma and tracked 13.2 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, injuring 10.
An F3 tornado touched down in Creek County, Oklahoma and tracked 3.8 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
An F3 tornado touched down in Logan County, Arkansas and tracked 2 miles, 300 yards wide at its widest.
A round of severe storms on March 31, 1959, caused damage across much of Oklahoma. In Noble and Pawnee Counties, tornadoes caused damage to farms, while in Shawnee, a golf ball-sized hailstone knocked one person unconscious. Baseball-size hail fell in Thackerville, with some stones as large as 11 to 12 inches in circumference. This created holes in roofs, windshields, and even produced craters in the ground.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
An F3 tornado touched down in Dooly County, Georgia and tracked 1 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 14.
An F3 tornado touched down in Muscogee, Russell counties, Alabama and tracked 8.2 miles, 167 yards wide at its widest, injuring 7.
An F3 tornado touched down in Santa Rosa County, Florida and tracked 6.9 miles, 440 yards wide at its widest, killing 17 and injuring 100.
An F3 tornado touched down in Lowndes County, Mississippi and tracked 3 miles, 880 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An F4 tornado touched down in Abbeville, Greenwood counties, South Carolina and tracked 22.6 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 7 and injuring 30.
An F2 tornado touched down in Clayton, DeKalb, Rockdale counties, Georgia and tracked 72.4 miles, 500 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 100.
An F3 tornado touched down in Barren County, Kentucky and tracked 12.7 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 19.
Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs onto power lines which caused scattered power outages across Marion County.
Few trees were downed and power disruptions in northern portion of county.
Severe thunderstorms which formed over northwest central Indiana quickly transitioned to a powerful and expanding squall line with embedded supercells that moved southeast through central Indiana during the afternoon and evening of 31 March 2006.
Utility poles were blown down near the intersection of county roads 192 and 49. A chimney was blown down near the intersection of county roads 53 and 220.
Trained spotters and an emergency manager reported one inch diameter hail from east of Battle Creek to near Marshall.
In the early morning hours of March 31, both supercells and short bow echoes began to form along the north-south aligned cold front after it crossed the IH-35 corridor.
A seasonally strong low pressure system lifted northeast from northern Kansas to extreme western Iowa, on March 31, 2007. A warm front moved northward into northeast Iowa followed by a cold front sweeping across eastern Iowa into Illinois.
A compact upper low pressure system tracked across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa early in the afternoon on 3/31/07.
Severe thunderstorms occurred across eastern Oklahoma on the 31st.
On March 31, 2008, a powerful low-pressure system developed over northwest Oklahoma, with a dry line extending south from the low. As a result, numerous severe thunderstorms developed across western Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours and moved into central Oklahoma during the evening. Hail larger than the size of baseballs and winds gusting to 60 mph were frequently reported as the storms advanced eastward. A few tornadoes were also reported, one of which affected the Oklahoma City area, with several homes and businesses damaged.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Eleven tornadoes and significant flash flooding occurred in response to several clusters of thunderstorms impacting the Missouri Ozarks. The ground was saturated from record rainfall in both the months of February and March.
Another active day for severe weather occurred during the afternoon and early evening hours over Oklahoma on the 31st.
Showers and thunderstorms that moved southeast into northeast Texas during the predawn hours of March 31st...continued to move southeast during the morning hours...effecting much of northwest and north central Louisiana.
Clusters of severe storms in northeast Arkansas moved east-northeast, affecting western Kentucky during the afternoon. Damaging winds accompanied some of the storms, along with an isolated tornado. The storms developed along and just ahead of a surface cold front.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours on March 31. A few of the storms became supercells and produced 2 weak tornadoes along with numerous reports of large hail and wind damage.
Supercell and multi-cell cluster thunderstorms affected much of the Tennessee Valley in advance of a strong cold front during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 31st. One of the cells produced an EF-2 tornado in Morgan County and extreme southeastern Limestone County.
Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of low pressure and a cold front produced damaging winds, large hail, and two tornadoes across portions of southeast Virginia.
Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of low pressure and a cold front produced damaging winds, large hail, and one tornado across portions of northeast North Carolina.
On March 31, 2019, a powerful "rainstorm" swept across two districts of southern Nepal killing at least 28 and injuring more than 1,100 people. It was later identified as the first confirmed case of a tornado in Nepal.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A strengthening surface low pressure area moved across the Tri-State region. A warm front lifted northward through the area, and a cold front moved through during the afternoon hours. Scattered thunderstorms moved across the area, some of which were severe.
A strong upper level disturbance caused a wave of low pressure to form along a quasi-stationary front and move eastward along the Highway 80 and Interstate 85 corridors. This allowed a warm front to lift northward across the southeast portions of Central Alabama.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Washington, Jackson counties, Florida and tracked 12.14 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 1.
The tri-state area was on the eastern edge of a large tornado outbreak that impacted numerous areas of central and south-central Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle. One EF3 tornado touched down in Washington County, FL, resulting in two fatalities.
A pre-frontal band of showers and isolated thunderstorms moved into a marginally unstable but highly sheared environment leading to a couple of tornadoes, namely in Anson into Stanly counties and just west of the Raleigh Durham International Airport from Research Triangle Park…
An EF1 tornado producing peak winds estimated at 85 to 95 mph tracked from northern Montour County into southeastern Lycoming County during the late afternoon of March 31, 2022. The path length was nearly 9 miles, with a maximum path width of approximately 500 yards.
A broken line of thunderstorms accompanied a cold front as it crossed Western Pennsylvania during the late morning hours of March 31st. An in-place low-level jet and sufficient instability helped to transport strong wind to the surface, resulting in many wind damage reports.
127 tornadoes were recorded on March 31, 2023, in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and more, 1 of them rated violent (F4 or EF4 and above). They killed 23 people.
A regional tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2023.
A widespread, deadly, and historic tornado outbreak affected large portions of the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern United States on March 31 and April 1, 2023, the result of an extratropical cyclone that also produced blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a rare high risk for severe weather in two areas of the Mississippi Valley on March 31, the first high risk issuance since March 25, 2021.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Hardeman, McNairy, Hardin counties, Tennessee and tracked 86.01 miles, 1,400 yards wide at its widest, killing 9 and injuring 23.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Jasper, Crawford, Sullivan counties, Illinois and tracked 40.89 miles, 700 yards wide at its widest, killing 6 and injuring 16.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Cross, Crittenden, Mississippi counties, Arkansas and tracked 72.55 miles, 1,600 yards wide at its widest, killing 4 and injuring 26.
An EF4 tornado touched down in Keokuk, Washington, Iowa counties, Iowa and tracked 19.9 miles, 700 yards wide at its widest, injuring 3.
A regional tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2023.
A strong, occluding storm system over the Upper Midwest produced a deep column of strong southwesterly winds over the Midwest on the afternoon and evening of the 31st.|This pattern generated an inordinate amount of vertical wind shear.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Owen, Monroe counties, Indiana and tracked 5.92 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 2.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Tipton, Haywood counties, Tennessee and tracked 39.18 miles, 2,000 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 28.
A powerful storm system and associated upper trough propagated across the Central Plains into the the Mid-Mississippi Valley. Showers and thunderstorms developed in response to the passing trough triggering strong to severe thunderstorms across Arkansas.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Pulaski, Lonoke counties, Arkansas and tracked 34.23 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, injuring 54.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Wapello, Keokuk counties, Iowa and tracked 26.09 miles, 1,000 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Johnson County, Indiana and tracked 5.48 miles, 316 yards wide at its widest.
An EF3 tornado touched down in Grant County, Indiana and tracked 6.35 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest.
Two rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms spawned 13 tornadoes across central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of March 31st...including an EF-3 tornado that killed 3 people in Robinson in Crawford County.
During the afternoon and evening of the 31st, a wave of severe thunderstorms produced numerous tornadoes, severe hail, extensive wind damage, and localized flooding across northern and northeastern Illinois. A total of 37 tornadoes were confirmed across the state.
An EF1 tornado touched down in Ogle, Winnebago, Boone counties, Illinois and tracked 27.51 miles, 600 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 40.
Showers and thunderstorms overspread the area during the late evening hours ahead of a strong low pressure system and an associated cold front moving through the Ohio Valley.
During the afternoon hours of March 31, 2023, a large and destructive rain-wrapped wedge tornado struck the city of Wynne, and caused additional damage in or around the communities of Parkin, Earle, Turrell, and Drummonds in Arkansas and Tennessee. 5 million in damage.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
76 km) path of destruction in its wake. The tornado caused major damage at the southern and eastern edges of Robinson, Illinois, and later crossed into Indiana and devastated the town of Sullivan, Indiana.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
On the afternoon of March 31, 2023, a large and destructive tornado struck Little Rock and the North Little Rock subdivisions of Martindale and Indian Hills, as well as Jacksonville and areas south of Cabot, in the US state of Arkansas. The tornado, the first of the historic March 31 outbreak, would move through heavily populated areas of the Little Rock metro while also causing significant damage to multiple parks.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A regional tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon of Friday, March 31, 2023, and continued into the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1, 2023.
A warm front was draped across southern Wisconsin on the evening of March 31st which had numerous thunderstorms develop along it. Most of the stronger storms that interacted with the warm front ended up producing some brief EF-0 to EF-1 tornadic damage.
Thunderstorms developing in the evening of March 31 resulted in multiple weather hazards. Hail nearly 2 inches in diameter was observed, trees were downed from thunderstorm wind, and flooding occurred from heavy rain rates.
An intense storm system tracked across the state of Iowa on Friday, March 31st. This system pulled unseasonably warm and moist conditions into the Midwest, which coupled with a very favorable wind profile and created quite the volatile environment for severe thunderstorms.
A very strong system developed on the morning of March 31st and tracked across the state of Iowa. This system pulled unseasonably warm and moist air into the Midwest, which combined with a very favorable wind profile to create a volatile environment for severe thunderstorms.
A very strong low pressure system deepened over the central Great Plains beginning on March 31, 2023 and continuing into April 1st.
Ahead of a strong cold front, discrete supercells developed and rapidly moved northeast across the region during the early afternoon. Then as the front moved through the activity became more linear before moving out by late evening.
A very strong system developed on the morning of March 31st and tracked across the state of Iowa. This system pulled unseasonably warm and moist air into the Midwest, which combined with a very favorable wind profile to create a volatile environment for severe thunderstorms.
During the afternoon and evening of the 31st, a wave of severe thunderstorms produced numerous tornadoes, severe hail, and extensive wind damage across northwestern Indiana. A total of 23 tornadoes were confirmed across the state.
A line of severe storms pushed across the region and produced damaging wind gusts that downed trees and power lines, and damaged several structures during the early morning hours of the 31st. Ahead of the storms, strong gradient winds also produced damage to a similar degree.
A strong spring cold front moved through the area with strong to severe storms ahead of it. Damaging winds gusts and a couple of tornadoes occurred across the tri-state region.
A cold-front initiated a line of thunderstorms across north and central GA through the afternoon hours of the 31st. Storms brought damaging winds along the I20 corridor and south as well as six quick spin-up tornadoes.
At the surface, a cold front drifted southeastward across Lake Ontario, southern ON, and southern Lower MI toward Lake Erie during the early afternoon through late evening of the 31st.
3 on March 31, oldest first.
Hurricane Evrina:frederic reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph) with a central pressure of 920 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Maysak reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 911 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Herman reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph) with a central pressure of 930 mb, a category 4 storm.
11 on March 31, oldest first.
An intense low pressure system developed off the DELMARVA Coast during Monday morning. It moved slowly east-northeast, passing south of Long Island Monday afternoon and southeast of Cape Cod, MA during Tuesday morning, April 1st.Heavy rain developed Monday morning.
An intense low pressure system developed off the DELMARVA Coast during Monday morning. It moved slowly east-northeast, passing south of Long Island Monday afternoon and southeast of Cape Cod, MA during Tuesday morning, April 1st.Heavy rain developed by late Monday morning.
The Tenerife flood of 2002, also known as 31-M, was a flash flood caused by a cold drop that occurred in the Santa Cruz de Tenerife area of Tenerife, Spain, on 31 March 2002. 6 litres per square metre of rain fell in less than six hours, causing the deaths of eight people, and damage estimated at €20 million.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Heavy rains caused several roads across Choctaw county to have standing water in them. Several roads had to be closed for more than an hour due to high water. Radar estimated that five to six inches of rain fell across the county between 630 and 900 AM.
The public reported quarter to golf ball-sized hail.
Severe thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois during the evening hours of Saturday, March 31st, producing winds in excess of 60 mph across many locations.
An upper level disturbance moved over the Mid South on the evening of March 31st and showers and thunderstorms developed across western Tennessee. Some of the stronger storms produced flash flooding.
A surge of moisture and unstable air aloft (steep mid level lapse rates) created a favorable environment for strong to severe thunderstorms producing large hail as a weak cold front dropped southeast into the Tennessee Valley.
An abundantly moist and unstable atmosphere was in place during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 31st. As a weak upper storm system moved through the region, the weak capping inversion was lifted, allowing for scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms.
A prolonged period of rain fell on the 31st as a low pressure system moved through the Ohio River Valley. Generally around an inch of rain fell. This did not produce any flooding, but swift flow was observed on local creeks and streams.
A strong cold front brought widespread showers and thunderstorms to central Illinois from the afternoon of March 30th through the pre-dawn hours of March 31st. 24-hour rainfall totals ranged from 2 to 3 inches, which caused localized flash flooding of a few rural roads.
24 on March 31, oldest first.
A large area of up to three inch hail fell over central Rankin county. The largest hail of three inches fell in the Crossgates subdivision, just east of Brandon. The majority of the hail across the area was golfball to baseball size.
A nor'easter, languishing off the middle Atlantic coast, produced sustained winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph or higher over much of northern Virginia. The winds caused scattered damage to buildings under construction, roofs, and trees and power lines.
Straight-line thunderstorm winds from a downburst flattened 4 brand new chicken houses on East Damascus Road. About a mile north a mobile home was ripped from its foundation and destroyed.
Very strong pre frontal southerly winds wrecked havoc across northern Arizona this afternoon. Early in the event, 90 mph (78kt) winds were measured at the Meteor Crater. Other peak wind gusts include 93 mph (81 kt) at the Winslow Airport, 104 mph (90kt) at the St.
Strong winds blew through the Inland Empire area from mid morning through mid afternoon. Twenty-five power poles were toppled in the Sun City area, and several power poles also fell in Yucaipa. A large tree was blown down in Beaumont.
An elderly man was killed when a pine tree snapped and fell on the cab of his truck while driving during a severe thunderstorm. Reported by the Courier Herald.
Thunderstorm winds destroyed 2 homes and damaged several other homes and buildings. There were three injuries...one was in a home when the roof was blown off their house and two others were injured when a tree fell on their vehicle.
High winds developed across northeast Illinois on Friday, March 31st. Winds gusted as high as 65 mph in some locations.
A pre-frontal trough well ahead of a central Texas cold front slowed as it approached the coastal counties. This boundary became the focus for severe thunderstorms along the coast and neighboring inland counties.
Severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of an approaching cold front across the middle Red River valley of northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma as well as southwest Arkansas during the afternoon and evening hours of March 31st.
Severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of an approaching cold front across the middle Red River valley of northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma as well as southwest Arkansas during the afternoon and evening hours of March 31st.
A strong line of thunderstorms associated with a post-frontal trough moved across Northwest California. One storm produced severe winds over portions of coastal Del Norte County. Other storms produced sub-severe hail over portions of coastal Mendocino County.
As had been the case for several days, the Southeast states remained on the northern periphery of weak upper level ridging on the 31st.
Scattered severe thunderstorms developed over the northern Rio Grande Plains during the late afternoon and moved southeast into the Brush Country through the evening hours.
A line of severe thunderstorms developed during the predawn hours across Eastern Oklahoma and North Central Texas. This line of convection became a broken squall line and moved rapidly from northwest to southeast across the region on Easter Sunday.
A series of moderate short waves swept across Georgia in the persistent northwesterly upper-level flow interacting with a stationary front across Central Georgia.
An approaching cold front, combined with ample daytime instability and moisture, led to several lines of strong to severe thunderstorms across central Kentucky during the afternoon and early evening hours March 31st. The primary hazard was damaging wind.
Strong southwesterly winds mixed to the surface ahead of a strong cold front. This resulted in some damage across southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
A developing surface low along a sharp cold front produced a line of thunderstorms that swept across portions of north and central Georgia.
A strong cold front pushed into an anomalously warm and humid airmass over central Pennsylvania during the afternoon of March 31, 2022, triggering a QLCS that stretched from the New York state line southward into Maryland.
A tight pressure gradient was over southeast Georgia and northeast Florida early Thursday morning through afternoon due to high pressure to the east and an approaching squall line to the west.
A highly-anticipated regional severe weather outbreak was forecast and occurred during the afternoon and evening of March 31st. Convective initiation initially occurred relatively early (7-9 am) in southeast Kansas and evolved into east central Kansas into west central Missouri.
A few severe storms occurred, including a very damaging wind event in Hopkinsville. A potent 500 mb jet streak ejected east-northeast from the Texas panhandle and western Oklahoma to the south of a mid-level low over northern Nebraska.
11 on March 31, oldest first.
Snowstorm of March 31, 1957 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northern Rockies and Plains. It lasted from March 31, 1957 to April 7, 1957.
Snowstorm of March 31, 1997 was ranked category 2, Significant, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from March 31, 1997 to April 1, 1997.
A strong cold front roared through Utah on this date. High winds and local heavy snowfall were the main weather problems with this system. 6-14" of snow accumulated in the northern mountains and 2-6" elsewhere. High winds caused extensive damage.
On March 31 and April 1, a classic late season nor'easter tracked from the Chesapeake Bay area northeast to central coastal New Jersey then slowly out to sea. This system produced rain across much of eastern New York during the morning hours of March 31.
On March 31 and April 1, a classic late season nor'easter tracked from the Chesapeake Bay area northeast to central coastal New Jersey then slowly out to sea. This system produced rain across Bennington and Windham Counties during the morning hours of March 31.
On March 31 and April 1, a classic late season nor'easter tracked from the Chesapeake Bay area northeast to central coastal New Jersey then slowly out to sea. This system produced rain across Berkshire County during the morning hours of March 31.
On March 31 and April 1, a classic late season nor'easter tracked from the Chesapeake Bay area northeast to central coastal New Jersey then slowly out to sea. This system produced rain across Litchfield County during the morning hours of March 31.
Snowfall of 6 to 16 inches occurred over a large area, causing some damage to power lines resulting in power outages. The wet snow also caused tree damage in Charles Mix County where the heaviest accumulation of 16 inches was reported.
Widepsread snow produced areas of heavy accumulations over southwest Minnesota during the predawn and daytime hours of March 31st. Accumulations varied from a little under 6 inches to a little over 6 inches.
The winter and spring months of the year 2011 were very dry. In the midst of a historical drought, March 2011 ended up being the 2nd driest March in Oklahoma City history and the 4th driest at Wichita Falls, Texas.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
A batch of light snow moved into central and south Kansas during the morning hours of March 31st. Snowfall amounts ranged from a half inch to three inches.
1 on March 31, oldest first.
Wolf Creek Pass 1E recorded 251 inches, Colorado’s all-time maximum snow depth, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
44 on March 31, oldest first.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 31, 1985, in Minnesota, and burned 2,612 acres.
The Murphy Fire started on March 31, 1988, in North Dakota, and burned 8,930 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 31, 1988, in Texas, and burned 6,682 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 31, 1991, in Kansas, and burned 12,075 acres.
The Weems Fire was discovered on March 31, 1994, in New Mexico, and burned 1,500 acres.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on March 31, 1997, in Nebraska, and burned 6,000 acres.
The Murrell Fire was discovered on March 31, 1997, in South Carolina, and burned 2,765 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Rapp Fire was discovered on March 31, 2000, in South Dakota, and burned 2,920 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Unnamed Fire started on March 31, 2000, in Indiana, and burned 1,600 acres.
The Town Fire was discovered on March 31, 2000, in California, and burned 1,140 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on March 31, 2000, in Rock County, Wisconsin, and burned 1,100 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Doubleup Fire was discovered on March 31, 2001, in Montana, and burned 1,120 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Middle Fire was discovered on March 31, 2002, in Catron County, New Mexico, and burned 37,600 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on March 31, 2002, in Greenwood County, Kansas, and burned 3,000 acres.
The Chouteau Fire was discovered on March 31, 2005, in Oklahoma, and burned 1,708 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Los Flores Fire was discovered on March 31, 2007, in San Bernardino County, California, and burned 4,100 acres.
A large wildfire began three miles west northwest of Kelton Texas about 1500 CST and burned approximately twelve hundred and fifty acres. Four homes saved however two other structures were lost.
The Borden County Complex was discovered on March 31, 2008, in Borden County, Texas, and burned 15,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The State Line East Fire was discovered on March 31, 2008, in Lea County, New Mexico, and burned 1,280 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Fire 1003311 was discovered on March 31, 2010, in Lamb County, Texas, and burned 3,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Unnamed Fire was discovered on March 31, 2010, in Dallas County, Missouri, and burned 2,855 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Agassiz Fire was discovered on March 31, 2010, in Minnesota, and burned 1,453 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Brush Fire was discovered on March 31, 2011, in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, and burned 3,079 acres; the cause was recorded as fireworks.
The 190th Fire was reported on March 31, 2015, in Stafford County, Kansas, and burned 5,100 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Z Bar 7 Fire was reported on March 31, 2015, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 4,000 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Good Fire was reported on March 31, 2018, in Lea County, New Mexico, and burned 4,480 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Spoonbill Fire was reported on March 31, 2018, in Collier County, Florida, and burned 1,843 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
Very dry air and very strong wind gusts of up to 60 to 65 mph behind a dry line, combined with drought-stricken fuels to promote conditions that supported the rapid spread of wildfire across portions of eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of March 31st.
The passage of a vigorous upper system produced widespread and multi-faceted weather hazards across the Southern Plains on the 31st. Across Oklahoma, hazardous weather occurred behind the passage of a dryline/Pacific front during the afternoon into early evening hours.
A wildfire burned three houses on the 31st of March in the municipality of Moca.
The Hwy 123 Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 18,485 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Zink Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 12,498 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Timber Hill Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 8,115 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Gap Road Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 4,416 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Chief Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 4,371 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Hickey Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 4,310 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Simpson Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Logan County, Oklahoma, and burned 3,392 acres.
The East Garfield Co Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Garfield County, Oklahoma, and burned 2,500 acres.
The Parallel Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Butler County, Kansas, and burned 2,300 acres.
The Goad Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 2,005 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Virginia Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Washington County, Oklahoma, and burned 1,472 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Bennet Pens Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Osage County, Oklahoma, and burned 1,357 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Red Fork Fire was reported on March 31, 2023, in Wheeler County, Texas, and burned 1,033 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The East Marsh Fire was reported on March 31, 2025, in Volusia County, Florida, and burned 3,377 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
22 on March 31, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Khorasan, Iran. It killed many people (about 101 to 1,000) and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
An earthquake struck Van, Turkey. It killed 2,000 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Sicasica, Cuzco,collao,lima, Bolivia, Peru. It did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Mexico.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Malatya, Turkey. It killed 400 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Sonoma County, California, United States. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Balchik, Bulgaria. It killed 4 people, injured 50, destroyed 1,200 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Balchik, Kavarna, Blatnitsa, Limanu, Bulgaria. It killed 4 people, injured 50 and destroyed 1,200 houses.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Tepekoy, Torbali, Turkey. It killed 170 people, injured 700, destroyed 2,600 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage. It caused a tsunami.
An earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua. It killed 1,000 people and did $15 million in damage.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua. It killed 2,450 people and did $15 million in damage.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Lanao,ozamiz,cotabato, Mindanao, Philippines. It killed 465 people and did $5 million in damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Hendojan, Iran. It killed 4 people, injured 70 and destroyed 100 houses.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Greece. It killed 6 people.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Beni-Souef, Al-Qahirah (Cairo), Egypt. It killed 2 people, injured 16, destroyed 107 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck SW, Popayan, Colombia. It killed 350 people, injured 1,200 and did $410.9 million in damage.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Taipei, Taiwan. It killed 5 people, injured 200 and destroyed 100 houses. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Borujerd, Dorud, Western, Iran. It killed 70 people, injured 1,300 and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Jilin, Songyuan, Jilin Province, China.
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck San Juan del Rio Coco, Nicaragua. It destroyed 3 houses.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Custer County, Idaho, United States.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. It caused a tsunami.
1 on March 31, oldest first.
Eyjafjallajokull, Iceland erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2. It killed 2 people.
11 on March 31, oldest first.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.5 earthquake struck SW Portugal, with a maximum water height of 2.4 meters. It killed 25 people.
A tsunami struck South Island, New Zealand.
A tsunami with a source recorded as meteorological struck Oakland, N. California, United States, with a maximum water height of 0.31 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Black Sea, Bulgaria, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 4 people, injured 50, destroyed 1,200 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck East Aegean, Greece. It killed 170 people, injured 700, destroyed 2,600 houses and did extreme (about $25 million or more) damage.
A tsunami struck Northern Chile.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Gulf of Suez, Egypt. It killed 2 people, injured 16, destroyed 107 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami with a source recorded as meteorological struck Nagasaki, Japan, with a maximum water height of 4.8 meters. It killed 3 people.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Taiwan, with a maximum water height of 0.2 meters. It killed 5 people, injured 200 and destroyed 100 houses.
A tsunami with a source recorded as meteorological struck Yellow Sea, South Korea, with a maximum water height of 1.65 meters. It killed 4 people and did $2 million in damage.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, with a maximum water height of 0.05 meters.
3 on March 31, oldest first.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began March 31, 1937, reached Kp 7+ and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 53; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 48 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began March 31, 1960, reached Kp 9- and lasted 78 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 241; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began March 31, 2001, reached Kp 9- and lasted 33 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 192; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
1 on March 31, oldest first.
A severe storm disaster that cost $5.9 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 33, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from March 31, 2023 to April 1, 2023.
6 on March 31, oldest first.
A 42 year old male, from Decatur AL, drowned after being caught in a rip current in the surf at Navarre.
Thunderstorms during the morning and afternoon hours of March 31. 2007 produced dangerous lightning strikes. One in which struck a house.
Dense fog near Fancy Gap helped to create the conditions for a massive pileup on southbound Interstate 77 in Carroll County. A warm front had lifted northward across the region during the early morning hours accompanied by showers.
In the wake of an overnight gravity wave event across the lower Texas coastal waters, winds remained strong and gusty across the Laguna Madre during the morning hours of March 31. The strong winds resulted in rough to very rough waters in the Laguna Madre.
Strengthening easterly to southeasterly flow contributed to building seas and rough surf across the Atlantic waters. This led to hazardous marine and beach conditions to the South Florida Atlantic coast beaches.
A 48-year-old female tourist drowned in the Wyndham Rio Mar beach in Rio Grande.
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.