On This Day In Weather History...

DECEMBER 21ST
HISTORIC WEATHER EVENTS
...1892...
Portland OR was buried under a record 27.5 inches of snow. (21st-24th) (The
Weather Channel)
...1929...
An exceptional storm produced snow from the Middle Rio Grande Valley of
Texas to southern Arkansas. The storm produced 26 inches of snow at
Hillsboro TX, 18 inches at El Dorado AR, and 14 inches at Bossier LA.
(21st-22nd) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
...1964...
A great warm surge from the Pacific Ocean across Oregon and northern
California brought torrential rains on a deep snow cover resulting in
record floods. (David Ludlum)
...1987...
High winds continued along the eastern slopes of the Rockies. During the
morning hours winds gusted to 64 mph at Cheyenne WY, and reached 97 mph
near Boulder CO. Gale force winds prevailed across the Great Lakes Region.
(The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
...1988...
Seven cities in the eastern U.S. reported record high temperatures for the
date, including Charleston SC with a reading of 78 degrees. A storm in the
northwestern U.S. produced 22 inches of snow at Idaho City ID in two days,
and up to two feet of snow at Happy Camp CA. Ski resorts in Idaho reported
three to six feet of snow on the ground. (The National Weather Summary)
(Storm Data)
...1989...
Forty cities in the north central U.S., including thirteen in Iowa,
reported record low temperatures for the date. Havre MT and Jordan MT tied
for honors as the cold spot in the nation with morning lows of 43 degrees
below zero, and the temperature remained close to 40 degrees below zero
through the daylight hours. Dickinson ND reported a morning low of 33
degrees below zero and a wind chill reading of 86 degrees below zero. The
high for the date of 16 degrees below zero at Sioux Falls SD was December
record for that location. (The National Weather Summary)
...2006...
On this first day of winter...the "Holiday Blizzard" of 2006 shut down the
entire state of Colorado with 1 to 3 feet of snow, gusty winds and whiteouts. 
Nearly 5,000 people were stranded at Denver International Airport. Snow, 
freezing rain and sleet covered much of Nebraska. Kentucky had light to
moderate rain with temperatures in the 50's. (Tom Priddy, UKAWC)