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On this day in 1913, the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 began

November 7, 2023

|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every year that begins at 12:00 am on day 7 of November, repeating indefinitely

On this day in 1913, the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 began. Over the course of 4 days, the blizzard killed over 250 people and sunk 19 ships. Bystanders reported whiteout snow conditions and hurricane-force winds as the storm tore through the Great Lakes region. ๐ŸŒจโ„๏ธ๐Ÿ’จ Waves swelled up to 35 feet. ๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒŠ The blizzard remains the most devastating natural disaster on record to hit the Great Lakes.

Did you know? At the time, the Coast Guard and Weather Bureau warned sailors and residents of impending severe weather by raising flags and lanterns above their stations. Black and red flags, or a sequence of red, white, and red lanterns at night, indicated a hurricane.๐Ÿฎ ๐Ÿฎ Unfortunately, many ignored these signs during a โ€œsucker holeโ€ โ€“ a lull of calm in the middle of the storm.

Weather prediction systems have improved by leaps and bounds since 1913, but color-coded flag/lantern warnings are still used today.

Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbourโ€™s Mouth, Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1842

Details

Date:
November 7, 2023
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