Catastrophic flooding in 1942—driven by days of tropical rainfall—sent the Potomac to a record crest, inundating parts of D.C. and causing widespread devastation across the region.
Hurricane Hazel in 1954 roared through the region with record wind gusts near 100 mph, toppling trees, flooding the Potomac, and causing widespread destruction and power outages.
A powerful 1893 hurricane swept through with flooding rains and damaging winds, while in 1983 severe storms spawned a tornado that caused significant damage in Northern Virginia.
A powerful 1846 hurricane drove a massive storm surge up the Potomac causing widespread coastal damage, while in 1906 an unusually early cold snap brought the earliest freezing temperature on record.
A relentless 2013 storm—fed by tropical remnants and a larger system—dumped record rainfall across the region as part of a sprawling, multi-hazard event.
Extreme late-season heat in 2007 pushed temperatures to a record 94 degrees, part of the warmest October on record and a stretch that kept fall feeling like summer.
