May 11 Weather History

...1882... A severe "May storm" produced 58 mph winds the Delaware Breakwater. High tides swept away railroad tracks near Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Many ships were put aground in New York Bay.

...1900... The temperature dipped to 34 degrees on this day at Newport, Rhode Island, breaking the previous record of 41 degrees set in in 1894.

...1953... A tornado hit Waco TX killing 114 persons and burying some downtown streets under five feet of fallen bricks.

...1966... The 1.6 inch snow at Chicago IL was their latest measurable snow of record. Previously the record was 3.7 inches on the 1st and 2nd of May set in 1940.

...1970... A very powerful tornado struck the city of Lubbock TX killing 26 persons, injuring more than 500 others, and causing 135 million dollars damage. It was the most destructive tornado of record up until that time, and came on the 17th anniversary of the twister which struck Waco TX killing 114 persons. A second tornado killed two others persons in Lubbock, and the two tornadoes damaged or destroyed nearly a quarter of the city.

...1987... Early morning thunderstorms produced up to four inches of rain in southern Texas, with flooding reported from Maverick County to Eagle Pass. Evening thunderstorms in northern Illinois produced golf ball size hail and wind gusts to 70 mph.

...1988... Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the southwestern U.S. Reno NV reported a record high of 89 degrees.

...1989... Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced severe weather in the High Plains Region. Thunderstorm winds gusted to 71 mph at Gillette WY, and baseball size hail was reported at Pecos TX and Fort Stockton TX. Fort Stockton TX was deluged with 7.75 inches of rain in less than two hours.

...1990... Unseasonably cold weather followed in the wake of a spring storm in the north central U.S. Seven cities reported record low temperatures for the date, including Madison WI with a reading of 29 degrees.

Thunderstorms produced severe weather in Kansas, Oklahoma and the northern half of Texas. Severe thunderstorms spawned four tornadoes in Texas, and produced high winds which overturned four mobile homes northwest of Abilene TX injuring ten persons.

...2001... The high temperature record was broken at Newport, Rhode Island when the mercury rose to 82 degrees, breaking the previous record of 81 degrees that was set in 1993.

...2005... Grand Island, Nebraska set new 6, 12, and 24 hour rainfall records with 6.38 inches in 6 hours, 7.16 inches in 12 hours, and 7.21 inches in 24 hours.

Back To History Page