100 years ago in Spokane: A record-breaking storm thrashed agricultural fields and caused a giant pileup
A huge rainstorm, accompanied by thunder and lightning, raised havoc throughout the region.
More than 1.4 inches of rain fell in 18 hours, breaking a record for “the heaviest rainfall in the history of the government weather observatory” in Spokane.
It put a halt to all wheat-cutting and caused scores of threshing crews to remain idle.
It also caused the biggest traffic jam in the history of the Apple Way, east of Spokane. The storm caused most of the motorists enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the lakes to return all at the same time. The storm was so intense it created blinding conditions, and numerous cars ran into the ditches. It also caused many cars to stall, due to wet coils.
The state Highway Patrol said it took hours to clear out the traffic.
In Newport, a lightning blot struck a home and – in the words of a correspondent – the bolt “wandered about the house with careless abandon.” It was attracted to the foot of a resident who was wearing a shoe with nails in it.
The bolt burned her so badly that doctors feared she might lose her foot.
Elsewhere, Washington Water Power crews were kept busy repairing downed lines. A number of power poles were hit by lightning and shattered. One lightning strike near Colfax set fire to a “shock of oats” in a farm field.
Also on this date
(From onthisday.com)
1977: NASA launches Voyager 2 towards Jupiter and Saturn (later Uranus and Neptune also).
2020: Kamala Harris accepts her nomination for vice president.