On this date in 1908, drenching rain fell amid unusually low temperatures for August. The high of 61 marked the coldest August day on record and 1.05 inches of rain accumulated. The previous day, 1.84 inches had fallen.
And on this date in 1999, a calendar-day record 2.03 inches of rain fell as intense thunderstorms swept the region. “Heavy rain returned to the Washington area last night, flooding some streets, stranding motorists and topping off streams already swollen from Wednesday’s all-day soaking,” The Washington Post reported the next day.
And on this date in 2003, severe thunderstorms swept through the area, “knocking out power to a quarter of a million homes, clogging streets and roads with debris and temporarily shutting the Capital Beltway in Maryland,” according to The Washington Post.
Here are other notables from the day:
- Average high: 87
- Average low: 70
- Record high: 97 (1948)
- Record low: 51 (1942)
- Record rainfall: 2.03 inches (1999)
