times when weather changed the course of history

Throughout history, fierce winds, raging monsoons and other weird weather have changed the tides of entire civilizations. From sealing Hiroshima's fate and the demise of Napoleon's army (and horses) to hurrying the onset of the French Revolution and even defeating the leader of a Mongol Empire, here are 10 ways weather has changed history.

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How has the weather changed history?

Throughout history, fierce winds, raging monsoons and other weird weather have changed the tides of entire civilizations. From sealing Hiroshima's fate and the demise of Napoleon's army (and horses) to hurrying the onset of the French Revolution and even defeating the leader of a Mongol Empire, here are 10 ways weather has changed history.

When was the last episode of when weather changed history?

Season 2 premiered on October 5, 2008. The last episode of When Weather Changed History premiered in February 2009. Currently reruns can be seen, however, the current fate of the program is unknown at this time.

How did weather affect the events of the French Revolution?

Weather dramatically altered the events of the French Revolution, not by changing the course of a battle, but as a trigger to the beginning of the Revolution. By 1788, there was a significant economic crisis in France. Understanding the conditions in pre-Revolutionary France is essential to an overall understanding of the Revolution.

How many episodes are in when weather changed history season 2?

As a result, a second season consisting of 14 episodes was ordered. Season 2 premiered on October 5, 2008. The last episode of When Weather Changed History premiered in February 2009.

How has weather changed the course of history?

Weather has influenced significant events thorughout human history, whether forced migration or the course of a war. Sometimes these events are tied to climate change, other times they represent anomalies that affected the future of air travel or launched eras of famine and disease.

What are three historical events that were affected by weather?

How Weather Changed Historya.d. 541: Rain After Drought Brings First Bubonic Plague Epidemic. ... 1692: Little Ice Age Spurs Salem Witch Trials. ... 1937: Hindenburg Explosion Changes Future of Air Travel. ... 1789: Weather Helps Cause the French Revolution.More items...•

What was the most damaging weather event in US history?

1900s: The Great Galveston Storm, Texas, USA The deadliest natural disaster in US history took place on 8 September 1900, when a Category 4 hurricane ripped apart the island city of Galveston on Texas's Gulf Coast.

What is an extreme event in history?

Though the threshold is subjective, some scientists define extreme events as those that occur in the highest or lowest 5% or 10% of historical measurements. Other times they describe events by how far they are from the mean, or by their recurrence interval or probability.

How did the weather conditions of the 1780s lead to or cause the French Revolution?

The years of climatic stress, financial instability and political conflict brutally converged in 1788 and 1789. A severe drought in the spring of 1788 left staple crops crippled and withered. On July 13, 1788, one of the most severe hailstorms in recorded history swept across France.

What is the craziest weather ever?

On January 16, 2004, the summit weather observation registered a temperature of −43.6 °F and sustained winds of 87.5 mph, resulting in a wind chill value of −102.59 °F on the mountain.

What year had the most extreme weather?

Although the high-altitude town is used to heavy downpours, the record 2493 mm (8 ft 2 in) of rain received on 15-16 June 1995 is the most extreme 48-hour period ever – as verified by the WMO. Cherrapunji also holds the record for greatest monthly rainfall at 9300 mm (30 ft 6 in), during July 1861.

What was the biggest natural disaster in history?

Excessive rainfall over central China in July and August of 1931 triggered the most deadly natural disaster in world history — the Central China floods of 1931.

How has weather changed the course of history?

10 Times Weather Changed the Course of History. Everyday weather has a tremendous impact on day to day life. While it generally tends to just slow down our commutes or affect our picnic plans, extreme weather can flip the tides of a war or bring a civilization to its knees. Mother Nature doesn’t take sides, and the world as we know it would look ...

What caused the Hindenburg to go down?

While it’s been long believed that the Hindenburg disaster was the cause of technical malfunction caused by an engine spark which ignited the highly flammable and possibly leaking hydrogen inside the zeppelin, some recent evidence may have proven otherwise. Leaving Germany, the Hindenburg began a three day journey towards New Jersey. After reaching its destination on May 6, 1937, the airship suddenly caught fire and plunged to the ground just when it was beginning landing operations. After just a couple of minutes and 36 casualties, the era of the blimp was over.

What happened to Napoleon in 1812?

Of his 600,000 men only about 100,000 managed to return to France, while the rest died of starvation or exposure to the elements. This defeat, inflicted in part by the Russians and in part by Mother Nature herself, changed the course of history.

Why did people burn women at the stake?

All throughout the Middle Ages, people were torturing and burning women at the stake in the belief that they were witches. Women and girls were accused when something out of the ordinary happened in a village, and accusations of witchcraft were also a good way to address personal disputes and rivalries.

What was the French Revolution?

The French Revolution. The French Revolution was largely an economic and food related uprising. France, already burdened by the aid they offered the Americans in the Revolutionary War, was experiencing a series of droughts and other weather that lowered food production significantly.

When did the Hindenburg hit the ground?

Leaving Germany, the Hindenburg began a three day journey towards New Jersey. After reaching its destination on May 6, 1937 , the airship suddenly caught fire and plunged to the ground just when it was beginning landing operations. After just a couple of minutes and 36 casualties, the era of the blimp was over.

When did the Mayan civilization reach its peak?

The Mayan civilization was one of the most prominent Mesoamerican cultures. Existing as early as 1800 BC, they reached their peak around 800 AD. During this time they built over 40 cities and mastered mathematics, astronomy and calendar keeping.

What were the effects of the year without a summer?

“The Year Without a Summer” also had cultural effects: 1 The lack of oats to feed horses likely inspired German inventor Karl Drais to research new ways of horseless transportation, which led to his invention of the precursor to the bicycle. 2 Many Americans left New England for the Midwest, accelerating the westward movement of the American people. Vermont alone had as many as 15,000 people emigrate, including the family of Joseph Smith, who moved from Norwich, Vermont, to Palmyra, New York. This move may have made possible the publication of the Book of Mormon and the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 3 In June 1816, Mary Shelley was forced by the weather to spend her Swiss holiday indoors with her literary companions, where to pass the time they decided to have a contest to see who could write the scariest story. The result was the novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.

What happened in 1815?

Earth was experiencing the concluding decades of The Little Ice Age in a period of relatively low solar activity from 1790 to 1830 known as the Dalton Minimum.

How long was D-Day put off?

Without a break in the weather, D-Day would have to be put off two weeks until tides and moon were right again. Critical decisions about when to send the Allied forces across the channel were based on weather forecasts compiled by Allied meteorologists, which predicted a break in the unfavorable weather on June 6.

What caused the extinction of dinosaurs?

Most of us know that it was a change in the climate, caused by an extraterrestrial impact or a massive bout of volcanism, that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs, rise of the mammals, and, eventually, emergence of humans. But, since that time, weather and climate have also played a critical role in numerous events that have dramatically changed ...

How many horses died in the cold?

As many as 50,000 horses died from the cold in 1 day and only 150,000 of the soldiers made it back to France, the rest succumbing to the cold. It was the beginning of the end for Napoleon’s empire, and heralded the emergence of Russia as a power in Europe.

What was the name of the country that Napoleon conquered in 1812?

In 1812, Napoleon assembled the largest army Europe had ever seen, with more than 600,000 men, to attack Russia and add it to his empire. His soldiers quickly captured Moscow, but as they marched away with their spoils, the severely cold Russian winter arrived, with temperatures dropping as low as 40 degrees below zero (in both Fahrenheit and Celsius—40 below zero is the temperature at which the two scales have the same reading). As many as 50,000 horses died from the cold in 1 day and only 150,000 of the soldiers made it back to France, the rest succumbing to the cold. It was the beginning of the end for Napoleon’s empire, and heralded the emergence of Russia as a power in Europe.

When was D-Day originally set?

D-Day was originally set for June 5. The Allied forces’ invasion of France across the English Channel would give them the foothold needed to defeat the Germans by the following May. However, forecasted storms on the 5th forced allied leader Gen. Dwight Eisenhower to reconsider the timing of the invasion.

What happened on Aug 30th 1800?

Instead, a violent rainstorm kept the conspirators from gathering long enough for word of the plot to get out.

What happened in September 1941?

In September 1941, operation Typhoon (one of many military operations named for extreme weather) swept into the Soviet Union.

What happened in 1788?

In the late summer of 1788, there were terrible storms across the northern part of France. Many were hail storms, but even those that were not involved heavy rains which beat down the grain in the fields. It was too late in the year fro the crops to recover, and the grain harvest in much of France failed.

When did the Great Famine start?

The onset of the Great Famine coincided with the end of the Medieval Warm Period. Between 1310 and 1330 , northern Europe saw some of the worst and most sustained periods of bad weather in the entire Middle Ages, characterized by severe winters and rainy and cold summers.

What did snow mean in Europe?

Snow in Europe all summer long meant that little grew and horses were eaten. This drove Karl Drais - Wikipedia to seek an alternative for the horse, and the invention of his ‘running machine’. This later became the model for the bicycle, motorbike, and later for the car. Laufmaschine / Velocipede (running machine).

Why was the Black Death so devastating?

Weakened immune systems due to prolonged malnutrition may have been the reason, or one of the reasons, why the Black Death was as devastating as it was. The Black Death had far-reaching consequences for society, economy and culture, which had profound effects on the course of European history.

Is there a rock cairn in the summer?

In some places there are rock cairns. In the summer months there is a worn path that is easy to follow . But with snow on the ground, both the trail and cairns would be below the snow's surface. Her GPS would be an important hiking tool to guide her safely along the correct path.

The Kamikazes

The Battle For Long Island

The Mayan Decline

Failed Attempts to Invade Russia

Donora Smog Disaster

• In the late days of October 1948, disaster struck the town of Donora,Pennsylvania. A weather phenomenon known as “air inversion” hit the town due to a flux of cold air coming from the west. Located within a valley and surrounded by peaks towering some 400 feet, Donora offered the perfect conditions for an inversion. The phenomenon on its own isn’t ...

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Cold Weather and Witch Hunts

The Hindenburg

The Evacuation of Dunkirk

The Challenger Space Shuttle Accident

The French Revolution