Blistering late-season heat in 1980 sent temperatures to 101 degrees, part of a record-setting stretch of 90-degree days that extended deep into September.
Violent weather defines this date, from a thunderstorm-drenched Civil War battle in 1862 to record rains, hurricane remnants, and destructive tornadoes in multiple years.
A violent 1940 thunderstorm brought record rainfall and led to a tragic plane crash in Northern Virginia, then the deadliest in U.S. commercial aviation history.
Unseasonable chill in 1986 tied a record low for August, while in 1988 the remnants of Tropical Storm Chris brought soaking rains and gusty winds to the region.
Extreme heat in 1948 pushed temperatures to 99 degrees, while later years brought tropical impacts—from tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Andrew’s remnants in 1992 to damaging winds and flooding from Hurricane Irene in 2011.
A rare cold, rainy August day in 1908 set records, while later years brought heavy rain and severe thunderstorms that flooded roads and knocked out power across the region.
A violent 1814 storm—likely including a tornado—ripped through Washington, damaging buildings, dousing fires, and helping drive British troops from the city during the War of 1812.
A catastrophic 1933 hurricane devastated the Mid-Atlantic, bringing extreme flooding, a massive storm surge up the Potomac, and widespread destruction that reshaped parts of the Chesapeake Bay coastline.
The powerful 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac hurricane slammed into Hampton Roads with near-100 mph winds and an 8-foot storm surge, devastating coastal Virginia before tracking north toward the D.C. region.
