Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for September 3, in any year, each linked to its full record.
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Every event with a place, colored by kind. Tap one to open its record.
By deaths, damage and strength together, across every archive.
Billion-dollar disasters
A tropical cyclone disaster that cost $16 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 48, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from September 3, 2004 to September 9, 2004.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Antigua,chimaltenango,amatitlan, Guatemala. It killed 300 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
An unnamed storm crossed the coast near Duck Key, FL as a category 5 hurricane, 160 kt (185 mph), central pressure 892 mb. The 1935 Labor Day hurricane was an extremely powerful and devastating Atlantic hurricane that struck the southeastern United States in early September 1935. For several decades, it was the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record in terms of barometric pressure, 1-minute sustained winds, and the strongest at landfall by 1-minute sustained winds.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Volcanoes
Furnas, Portugal erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 200 people.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tangir, Gupis, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Pakistan. It killed 100 people, destroyed 1,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 160 kt (185 mph) with a central pressure of 892 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Carol reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph), a category 5 storm.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Opal reached its peak of 155 kt (180 mph) with a central pressure of 930 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Agnes reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 910 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane Felix reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 935 mb, a category 5 storm.
Earthquakes
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Bartin, Amasra, Cakraz, Turkey. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 24 people, injured 200, destroyed 2,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
Tsunamis
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Black Sea, Turkey, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 24 people, injured 200, destroyed 2,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
51 on September 3, oldest first.
An F3 tornado touched down in Haskell County, Texas and tracked 0.7 miles, 30 yards wide at its widest.
An F3 tornado touched down in Elk County, Pennsylvania and tracked 8.4 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 20.
An F3 tornado touched down in Richland County, Wisconsin and tracked 17.1 miles, 800 yards wide at its widest, injuring 4.
An F3 tornado touched down in Sedgwick County, Kansas and tracked 0.1 miles, 400 yards wide at its widest, injuring 27.
An F3 tornado touched down in Pickaway County, Ohio and tracked 2.3 miles, 100 yards wide at its widest, injuring 1.
An F3 tornado touched down in Stearns County, Minnesota and tracked 3.8 miles, 60 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 15.
An F1 tornado touched down in Harris County, Texas and tracked 1 miles, 200 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 2.
A tornado touched down in a corn field in Batavia and moved northeast. The tornado tore the roof off a home and destroyed the attached garage. The roof was carried about 0.25 mile.
An F1 tornado touched down in Genesee County, New York and tracked 4.2 miles, 63 yards wide at its widest, killing 2.
Rte. 105 and the County Line to 1 NW Island Pond,The first tornado to touch down in the state in several years hit the northeast corner of the state during the evening of September 3rd.
An F2 tornado touched down in Beaufort, Colleton counties, South Carolina and tracked 18 miles, 80 yards wide at its widest, killing 1 and injuring 4.
Numerous trees and power lines down. One car was blown off the road near Ridgeland.
Numerous trees snapped off or uprooted. The most extensive damage was approximately 3 miles north of Sylvania. In this area, there were 5 mobile homes destroyed, 1 business destroyed, 15 mobile homes with major damage and 5 mobile homes with minor damage.
A tornado (F2), associated with an outer band of Hurricane Earl, touched down along N. Fairport Avenue, east of the intersection of County Road 495 and West Dunklin Road, six miles northeast of Crystal River.
The second and strongest of the two tornadoes produced by the remnants of Hurricane Earl only touched down for an instant, but not before it destroyed one house and severely damaged another.
The tornado was witnessed by many people in the Naples area, including law enforcement personnel. Several mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Several garages and sheds were destroyed, with heavy debris strewn for hundreds of yards.
An EF2 tornado touched down in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana and tracked 7.06 miles, 50 yards wide at its widest, killing 2 and injuring 2.
Tropical Depression 13 formed on the evening of September 1, 2011 about 225 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The depression moved very slowly, around 2 mph, across northern portions of the Gulf of Mexico.
A fairly widespread outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred on Labor Day across much of the NWS Tallahassee County Warning Area (CWA). This event was forced by unseasonably strong wind fields associated with a potent extra-tropical cyclone that was formerly Tropical Storm Lee.
Tropical Storm Lee made landfall south of Intracoastal City in Vermilion Parish on September 4th. No deaths or injuries were reported.
Tropical Storm Lee began as a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea during the last week of August. By the evening of Thursday, 1 September 2011, the tropical wave further developed into Tropical Depression 13.
Tropical Storm Lee initially developed as Tropical Depression Thirteen in middle Gulf of Mexico on Thursday evening September 1st.
An isolated tornado occurred in Camden. The combination of a stationary front, a moist and unstable air mass and the approaching remnants of Isaac produced sufficient shear to generate a tornado.
Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across portions of northern Illinois during the afternoon of September 3rd.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri during the afternoon and evening as an upper level disturbance tracked across the region.
A disturbance (the remnant of convection from the day before over the Tennessee River Valley) triggered a few supercells and line segments from eastern West Virginia into the Washington/Baltimore metro areas.
S. state of Michigan are not uncommon, with an estimated 17 tornadoes touching down every year since 1880.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
25 on September 3, oldest first.
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 130 kt (150 mph), a category 4 storm.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast as a category 1 hurricane, 75 kt (85 mph), central pressure 976 mb.
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 135 kt (155 mph) with a central pressure of 933 mb, a category 4 storm.
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph) with a central pressure of 945 mb, a category 4 storm.
An unnamed storm crossed the coast near Duck Key, FL as a category 5 hurricane, 160 kt (185 mph), central pressure 892 mb. The 1935 Labor Day hurricane was an extremely powerful and devastating Atlantic hurricane that struck the southeastern United States in early September 1935. For several decades, it was the most intense Atlantic hurricane on record in terms of barometric pressure, 1-minute sustained winds, and the strongest at landfall by 1-minute sustained winds.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
An unnamed storm reached its peak of 160 kt (185 mph) with a central pressure of 892 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Easy crossed the coast near Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba as a category 1 hurricane, 70 kt (80 mph). Hurricane Easy was the fifth tropical storm, hurricane, and major hurricane of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane developed in the western Caribbean Sea on September 1, and tracked northeastward.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Carol reached its peak of 140 kt (160 mph), a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Ella crossed the coast near Nueva Gerona, Isla de la Juventud, Cuba as a tropical storm, 55 kt, central pressure 1003 mb. Hurricane Ella brought flooding to the Greater Antilles and Texas in September 1958. The fifth named storm and third hurricane of the annual season, Ella developed from a tropical wave located just east of the Lesser Antilles on August 30.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Louise reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph) with a central pressure of 965 mb, a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Opal reached its peak of 155 kt (180 mph) with a central pressure of 930 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Agnes reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 910 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Francelia crossed the coast near Lívingston, Izabal Department, Guatemala as a category 2 hurricane, 85 kt (100 mph). Hurricane Francelia was the deadliest hurricane of the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season after causing significant flooding to Central America, especially Belize and Guatemala. The sixth named storm and fourth hurricane of the season, Francelia developed from a tropical wave in the southeastern Caribbean Sea on August 29.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Katrina reached its peak of 115 kt (130 mph), a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Norman reached its peak of 120 kt (140 mph), a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Kiko reached its peak of 125 kt (145 mph), a category 4 storm.
Hurricane Debby crossed the coast near Poza Rica de Hidalgo, Veracruz, Mexico as a category 1 hurricane, 65 kt (75 mph), central pressure 987 mb. Hurricane Debby was the first hurricane to strike the Mexican state of Veracruz since Hurricane Anna in 1956. The eighth tropical cyclone, fourth named storm, and the first hurricane of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Debby developed from a tropical wave off the west coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on August 31.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Earl crossed the coast near Lower Grand Lagoon, FL as a category 1 hurricane, 70 kt (80 mph), central pressure 987 mb. Hurricane Earl was an atypical, disorganized, and short-lived Category 2 hurricane that caused moderate damage throughout the Southeast United States. It formed out of a poorly organized tropical disturbance over the southwest Gulf of Mexico late on August 31, 1998.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Tropical Storm Earl produced widespread moderate to heavy rain and strong winds as it trekked northeast from Southwest to East-central Georgia. Rainfall totals associated with Earl ranged from three to six inches. Peak wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common.
Hurricane Frances crossed the coast as a category 3 hurricane, 100 kt (115 mph), central pressure 954 mb. S. state of Florida during the 2004 season.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Felix reached its peak of 150 kt (175 mph) with a central pressure of 935 mb, a category 5 storm.
Hurricane Hanna crossed the coast near Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands as a tropical storm, 50 kt, central pressure 994 mb. Hurricane Hanna was a moderately powerful but deadly tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage across the Western Atlantic, mostly in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the East Coast of the United States. The eighth named storm and fourth hurricane of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The September 2009 Vietnam tropical depression was a weak tropical depression that caused deadly flooding throughout central Vietnam in early September. Forming out of an area of low pressure on September 3, the depression hardly intensified as it meandered off the coast of Vietnam.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Nana crossed the coast near Belize City, Belize District, Belize as a category 1 hurricane, 65 kt (75 mph), central pressure 994 mb. Hurricane Nana was a small, short-lived tropical cyclone that caused relatively minor damage in Belize and Mexico in early September 2020. The sixteenth tropical cyclone, fourteenth named storm, and fifth hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Nana originated from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of West Africa on August 23.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Hurricane Earl was a large, long-lived Category 2 hurricane that brought heavy rain to Puerto Rico and Newfoundland in September 2022 despite remaining mostly out to sea. The fifth named storm and second hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, Earl originated from a tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa on August 25.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
26 on September 3, oldest first.
Between 0500 and 1000 am very heavy thunderstorm rainfall produced widespread flash flooding over the Tucson Metro area. 35-40 rescues were made of people stranded in flooded washes, and 250 storm related emergencies were reported to city and county Fire Departments.
Monsoonal moisture over the Southwest United States by the late afternoon/early evening of Wednesday, September 3rd, supported thunderstorm activity over the desert portions of Kern County and the northern Kern County Mountains.
A second day of heavy rain producing thunderstorms lead to more flash flooding in the Pahrump Valley. At 11:35 am PST, the Nevada Highway Patrol reported a wall of water crossing State Route 160 near mile marker four. The road remain closed for several hours.
Heavy rain weakened the root system of a large oak tree that toppled onto a passing truck killing a 15-year old male passenger and injuring the driver.
1 to 3 inches of heavy rain in a short period of time caused rapid flash flooding of streams and urban areas. The ground was already saturated from several inches that fell on September 2nd. Most areas in the county had some flooding.
Golf ball sized hail fell at Games Lake. A number of campers at the lake campground suffered dents and puncture holes in awnings.
Severe convection formed along an outflow boundary which originated over the higher terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border.
Monsoon moisture fueled another outbreak of thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Some storms produced flash flooding and/or severe weather.
Isolated to scattered thunderstorms continued over the mountains, deserts, and portions of the Inland Empire, producing flash flooding each afternoon and evening through the 7th, with a brief lull in activity on the 1st.
The most significant flooding took place in Pocatello and Chubbuck in Bannock County, the second major flood in two weeks.
A cold front moved through an unstable atmosphere across southern New England, triggering showers and thunderstorms across much of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. There was enough shear and instability for some of these storms to become severe, producing damaging winds.
Scattered thunderstorms moved though the Midlands and produced some large hail, wind damage, and very intense rains that produced flash flooding.
During the late afternoon and through most of the night strong to severe thunderstorms developed and trained along a surface boundary. The storms slowly moved east across parts of Northwest Kansas. The largest hail reported was quarter size in far northern Cheyenne County.
Excessive rainfall resulted in flash flooding and river flooding on this Saturday night, with the river flooding lasting into Tuesday. Isolated thunderstorms initiated over northwest Kansas late Saturday afternoon, near the Nebraska state line.
Thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall caused some flooding across Ellis county.
A northwest surge of tropical moisture during the Labor Day weekend produced strong thunderstorms over the Kern County Mountains during the late afternoon of September 3.
Thunderstorms with heavy rain moved across western Wisconsin during the evening of September 3rd. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches produced some flash flooding across portions of Monroe, Vernon, Crawford and Richland Counties.
Heavy rainfall spread over the area during the overnight hours of September 3rd into the morning of September 4th. Heavy rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches led to numerous road county road closures and rises on numerous rivers and streams.
Little movement of clustering rain and storms along the immediate coastline caused flooding on Galveston Island.
Scattered thunderstorms produced heavy rain across portions of northern Illinois during the morning hours of September 3rd producing flooding.
Slow moving showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours in a warm and humid airmass.
During the afternoon and evening hours of September 3rd, a combination of a moist, unstable environment and relatively light steering level winds over the Ohio Valley facilitated the development of slow moving showers and thunderstorms which produced heavy rainfall across…
A mid-level trough moved over a moist conditionally unstable airmass. Thunderstorms developed along the seabreeze early in the day and moved inland to Lavaca County. Lightning from one of these storms started a fire at a storage tank battery.
36 on September 3, oldest first.
On the evening of September 3, 1963, one man was stunned and five horses were knocked off their feet when lightning struck a fence near the Crescent High School.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
Strong winds blew several cars off I-35 south of town.
Severe thunderstorm winds blew down trees over much of Comal and Kendall Counties, and damaged roofs in the Sisterdale area of Kendall County. Severe winds damaged roofs and the sides off several barns west of Bastrop.
Severe downburst winds destroyed a shed just north of Poteet, then blew over trees as the storm moved eastward. The winds also rolled a mobile home over on its side and picked up a 500 gallon diesel tank and tossed it 150 feet.
Trees and power lines down.
Hurricane Earl moved across the Florida panhandle and weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through southwest Georgia. It continued to weaken as it moved near a track from 30 miles south of Albany to near Dublin to just south of Augusta.
Strong winds and hail teamed to damage late season corn and soybean crops in eastern Furnas county.
Downburst winds of 80 to 100 mph caused a three mile wide swath of damage along FM 356 between Trinity and Sebastopol near White Rock Creek. A woman was killed when the front porch collapsed at her home in the Hillwood Acres subdivision.
A single, isolated severe thunderstorm moved from near Saint Libory to Polk and dumped hail from 1 to 2 inches in diameter.
A microburst type system caused extensive damage in Mountain Grove. Numerous roofs were blown off or damaged around the city. Some of the most extensive damage was to a building supply company, a lumber yard, and a local high school.
Thunderstorm winds did extensive damage to poultry houses and a barn. A large tree was also blown down.
Lightning struck a storage facility complex at Sexton Office Supplies, causing a fire that consumed four buildings.
A powerful thunderstorm produced strong winds that blew mobile homes off their foundations and knocked down 22 power poles that left about 3000 people without power. About 12 mobile homes were severely damaged and two cars were crushed by a toppled mobile home.
Thunderstorm winds downed large tree limbs in North Royalton and Cleveland.
A cold front brought severe thunderstorms to the region during the afternoon hours. The thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines and scattered power outages were reported. In Yorkshire, Cattaraugus county, a tree fell on and damaged a garage.
An upper low across Eastern Nebraska and cyclonic curvature across Central Kansas lead to the development of a cluster of southward moving supercells on the evening of September 3rd, 2009.
A compact upper level low pressure system moving south out of the Northern Plains brought scattered afternoon and early evening thunderstorms to North Central Kansas.
Severe thunderstorms developed in the mid afternoon hours across the far northern counties as an outflow boundary from earlier north Texas convection became active. Severe thunderstorms moved to the south and southwest across a very warm and unstable airmass.
Northwesterly flow in the mid to upper levels of the atmosphere caused thunderstorms in southeastern Texas. These storms produced outflow boundaries that intersected with the sea-breeze front over Gonzales County and created a thunderstorm which produced damaging wind gusts.
Scattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon on September 3rd and continued to develop into the early morning hours on September 4th. Some of these thunderstorms became severe. The main threats from these storms were damaging thunderstorm winds and large hail.
In the late afternoon and evening of September 3, 2011 several thunderstorms fired up ahead of a cold front that was draped across lower Michigan. Outflow boundaries from previous storms in the day provided the lift required to set these storms in motion.
Scattered thunderstorms began to develop across central Indiana during the afternoon hours of September 3rd. These storms formed out ahead of an upper level disturbance pushing southeast from the Upper Mississippi Valley.
A residual surface boundary that extended from eastern Iowa across northern Illinois was the focus for thunderstorm development as a moderate southwest 850 mb jet pushed it north as a warm front.
A cold front moved across the upper Ohio Valley during the evening hours of September 3rd and early morning hours of the 4th. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with this front. A few of the stronger thunderstorms became severe.
A cold front moved toward the Mississippi River valley during the afternoon hours of September 3rd. This front interacted with an unseasonably warm and humid airmass to produce multicell thunderstorms in eastern Iowa and western Illinois.
Showers and storms developed by the early afternoon within an area of greater moisture across the central Appalachians. The storms were also fueled by good instability in the lower portion of the atmosphere and plenty of daytime heating.
A line of severe thunderstorms struck from Muskegon to Newaygo and Isabella counties on the morning of September 3rd. A National Weather Service storm survey found a 40 mile path of intermittent downburst wind damage, with winds estimated to be from 40 to 70 mph.
A cold front moved into Iowa during the afternoon. Though much of the convection was well to the east, a narrow band of thunderstorms formed along the cold front.
Severe thunderstorms developed in advance of a cold front.
Strong shear with moderate instability developed over the region through the day of September 3. A surface low was over the western Dakotas ahead of an approaching cold front. A warm front was located near the North and South Dakota border in the afternoon.
A strong low-pressure system combined with a moderately-unstable atmosphere to form a series of squall lines and severe thunderstorms which moved over far eastern Montana.
A weak surface low moving across southern Georgia swept deep moisture across North and Central Georgia during the day providing moderate instability over the region. A strong short wave associated with an upper-level trough digging into the southeastern U.S.
A slow-moving upper trough produced multiple rounds of thunderstorms over Labor Day weekend. Some of these storms produced damaging microbursts and severe hail.
Isolated thunderstorms developed over Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening of September 3, 2025. While these thunderstorms remained non-severe due to poor lapse rates, other ingredients were enough to still allow for strong winds.
5 on September 3, oldest first.
A strong ridge of high pressure aloft stagnated over the southeastern U.S. for several days during the first 11 days of September. Consequently, temperatures were unseasonably warm during the first part of September.
Temperatures in the mid 90s were common across southeast Louisiana. Widespread power outages in the wake of Hurricane Isaac, combined with the hot temperatures, caused several reports of heat exhaustion and at least one case of heat stroke.
Two people died in Las Vegas of heat-related causes.
Strong high pressure centered near the Four Corners led to well above normal temperatures and excessive heat warning conditions across the region. Four direct fatalities were reported by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
One person died in Las Vegas of heat-related causes.
2 on September 3, oldest first.
Coffeyville recorded 1.65 pounds, Kansas’s hail: weight, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
Coffeyville recorded 17.6 inches, Kansas’s hail: circumference, as the State Climate Extremes Committee lists it.
42 on September 3, oldest first.
The Star Lake Fire started on September 3, 1986, in Texas, and burned 8,873 acres.
The Unnamed Fire started on September 3, 1987, in Arizona, and burned 2,959 acres.
The Piru Fire started on September 3, 1988, in California, and burned 14,268 acres.
The Two Mile Fire started on September 3, 1988, in Nevada, and burned 3,687 acres.
The St Clair Fire started on September 3, 1988, in Nevada, and burned 3,370 acres.
The Mosby Bt Fire was discovered on September 3, 1992, in Idaho, and burned 7,080 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Westend Fire was discovered on September 3, 1993, in Texas, and burned 3,500 acres.
The Drywells Fire was discovered on September 3, 2000, in Nebraska, and burned 12,000 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Unnamed Fire started on September 3, 2000, in Nebraska, and burned 3,191 acres.
The Willow Creek Fire was discovered on September 3, 2001, in Camas County, Idaho, and burned 18,047 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Lost Fork-Monarch Complex (Lost Fork) Fire was discovered on September 3, 2001, in Meagher County, Montana, and burned 2,338 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Leona Fire was discovered on September 3, 2002, in California, and burned 5,124 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Honeydew Fire was discovered on September 3, 2003, in Humboldt County, California, and burned 13,846 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Canoe Fire was discovered on September 3, 2003, in Humboldt County, California, and burned 11,036 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Grindstone Complex (Deafy) Fire was discovered on September 3, 2003, in California, and burned 4,696 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Bear Fire 5 miles south of Mariposa burned 416 acres and 5 structures (damage figure estimated). The cost to suppress this human origin fire was $1.4M. No fatalities or injuries occurred.
The Geysers Fire was discovered on September 3, 2004, in Lake County, California, and burned 12,525 acres.
The Pattison Fire was discovered on September 3, 2004, in Calaveras County, California, and burned 2,476 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Valley Road Fire was discovered on September 3, 2005, in Blaine County, Idaho, and burned 40,483 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.
The Wf Unit 6 Fire was discovered on September 3, 2005, in Texas, and burned 3,500 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Black Mountain Fire was discovered on September 3, 2005, in Tooele County, Utah, and burned 3,070 acres; the cause was recorded as firearms and explosives use.
The Gorman Fire was discovered on September 3, 2005, in California, and burned 2,500 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Sheep Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 150,271 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Amazon Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 108,564 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Deer Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 15,698 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Jackies Butte Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Malheur County, Oregon, and burned 14,572 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Webb Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 13,655 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Meadow Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Idaho County, Idaho, and burned 7,200 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Green Canyon Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Power County, Idaho, and burned 2,828 acres; the cause was recorded as firearms and explosives use.
The Silver Lake Fire was discovered on September 3, 2006, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 2,534 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Moonlight Fire was discovered on September 3, 2007, in Plumas County, California, and burned 64,995 acres; the cause was recorded as equipment and vehicle use.
The Lick Fire was discovered on September 3, 2007, in Santa Clara County, California, and burned 47,760 acres; the cause was recorded as recreation and ceremony.
The Chief Parrish Fire was discovered on September 3, 2007, in Boise County, Idaho, and burned 3,898 acres; the cause was recorded as human.
The Fracas Fire was discovered on September 3, 2009, in Coconino County, Arizona, and burned 2,339 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The County Line Fire was discovered on September 3, 2010, in Oklahoma, and burned 2,300 acres; the cause was recorded as arson/incendiarism.
The Gance Fire was reported on September 3, 2018, in Elko County, Nevada, and burned 4,258 acres.
The River Fire was reported on September 3, 2019, in Maricopa County, Arizona, and burned 7,944 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
Lightning started the Prospect Fire on September 3.
The Commissary Fire was reported on September 3, 2024, in Bonneville County, Idaho, and burned 6,885 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Pinnacle Fire was reported on September 3, 2025, in Curry County, Oregon, and burned 19,520 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Backbone Fire was reported on September 3, 2025, in Curry County, Oregon, and burned 3,356 acres; the cause was recorded as natural.
The Kothman Fire was reported on September 3, 2026, in Quay County, New Mexico, and burned 2,749 acres.
12 on September 3, oldest first.
An earthquake struck Patras, Greece.
An earthquake struck Port Royal,kingston, Jamaica.
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Antigua,chimaltenango,amatitlan, Guatemala. It killed 300 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Off Coast, Peru. It caused a tsunami.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Bartin, Amasra, Cakraz, Turkey. With the tsunami it caused, it killed 24 people, injured 200, destroyed 2,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tangir, Gupis, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Pakistan. It killed 100 people, destroyed 1,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck Germany. It did $150 million in damage.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Macquarie Island, Australia.
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Napa, California, United States. It injured 41 and did $50 million in damage.
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck Adiyaman, Turkey.
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Christchurch, New Zealand. It injured 2 and did $6.5 billion in damage.
At 7:02 AM on this date in 2016, a strong earthquake struck the region with the center of the quake located near Pawnee, Oklahoma. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake was felt as far away as Iowa. There were several reports of significant damage in and near Pawnee. The 5.8 magnitude earthquake is the strongest recorded in Oklahoma.
From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.
1 on September 3, oldest first.
Furnas, Portugal erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 4. It killed 200 people.
4 on September 3, oldest first.
A tsunami with a source recorded as meteorological struck Assateague Island, VA, United States. It injured 1.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Central Peru, with a maximum water height of 2 meters.
A tsunami caused by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Black Sea, Turkey, with a maximum water height of 3 meters. It killed 24 people, injured 200, destroyed 2,000 houses and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage.
A tsunami with a source recorded as landslide struck Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela.
6 on September 3, oldest first.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1947, reached Kp 7+ and lasted 33 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 84; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 48 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1950, reached Kp 7 and lasted 21 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 56; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 50 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1953, reached Kp 7+ and lasted 36 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 61; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 48 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1958, reached Kp 9- and lasted 45 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 131; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G4 (severe) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1959, reached Kp 8- and lasted 30 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 103; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 47 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
A G5 (extreme) geomagnetic storm began September 3, 1966, reached Kp 9- and lasted 30 hours, with a daily Ap as high as 112; at that Kp the aurora may be seen from about 42 degrees geomagnetic latitude.
1 on September 3, oldest first.
A tropical cyclone disaster that cost $16 billion in 2024 dollars and killed 48, on NOAA’s billion-dollar list. It lasted from September 3, 2004 to September 9, 2004.
11 on September 3, oldest first.
Long period swells generated by Hurricane Fabian combined with unusually high tides to produce large breaking waves that affected the north...northwest and east coastal areas of Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra.
A Japanese tourist was overcome by strong rip currents in Tumon Bay, and drowned.
Strong northwest winds created dangerous conditions on far southeastern Lake Michigan. Waves as high as 16 feet caused extremely strong rip currents, one of which resulted in the drowning of a 26 year old man from Chicago. Four rescuers were also injured.
Strong rip currents persisted across the east-central Florida waters in the aftermath of Hurricane Earl.
Swells from Hurricane Earl off the mid-Atlantic coast affected the Palm Beach County waters, causing rough conditions at local inlets.
High offshore winds associated with Tropical Storm Lee knocked a beach goer off a flotation device. The man was unable to get back to shore and drowned.
Hany Mohamed, a 35 year old male from Middletown PA (Dauphin County), drowned in the ocean at Learning Avenue in Wildwood NJ on Sunday, September 3rd. He apparently ventured out to save his two children who, after playing near a sandbar, were taken into deeper waters.
Lightning strike causes fire at apartment complex near High Point in Pinellas County.
Breaking waves around 3 to 5 feet, multiple swell groups from offshore Hurricane Franklin and Idalia, and a dominant long period onshore swell resulted in dangerous rip currents at the New Jersey shore. A HIGH risk for rip currents was in effect.
An 82 year old man drowned in Lake Michigan just south of Summit County Park. Wave heights at the time of the drowning were between 4 and 5 feet.
Breaking waves around 3 to 5 feet, multiple swell groups from offshore Hurricane Franklin and Idalia, and a dominant long period onshore swell resulted in dangerous rip currents at the Delaware Beaches. A HIGH risk for rip currents was in effect.
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.