Weather Records and Events

• 1,800 thunderstorms are occurring at any moment around the world, which equals to 16 million thunderstorms annually

• Of the estimated 100,000 thunderstorms that occur each year in the United States, about 10 % are classified as severe.
  A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces hail greater than 3/4 inch in diameter, winds are higher than 58 mph, or contains a tornado.

• On April 10, 1979 Wichita Falls, Texas encountered the most damaging tornado in U.S. history. During the event, as many as 5 additional vortices swirled around the main tornado. 16 of the 25 vehicle-related deaths were citizens that were originally in a building, but got into their cars to evade the tornado. 3,000 homes and 1,000 apartment units were completely destroyed. Approximately 20,000 residents, or 10-20% of the population of Wichita Falls became homeless due to the extensive property damage.

• Tornado strengths:

• The energy from one lightning flash can light a 100-watt light bulb for more than 90 days.

• The most lighting-prone area in the United States is Pasco County, just east of Tampa Bay, Florida. Each square mile in this county receives more than 40 flashes of lightning per year.

• Lighting strikes the earth around 600 times each minute.

• The city that encounters the most tropical storms and hurricanes in the United States is is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. This city averages an encounter with a tropical storm or hurricane approximately every 2 1/2 years. 

• NOAA experimented with attempting to weaken hurricanes by dropping silver iodide into the clouds of four hurricanes during 1961-1973. The experiments were deemed to be inconclusive and were discontinued. Preceding the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese fired artillery rockets into the air containing silver iodide, in an attempt to produce rain before the Olympics and make for a rain-free Opening Ceremony.

• From January 18-27, 1980 Tropical Cyclone Hyacinthe dropped 223.5 inches of rain, or almost 19 feet at Commerson, La Reunion Island located in the Indian Ocean. In comparison, the wettest place in the United States is Hilo, Hawaii which experiences 128.0 inches of rain per year.