September 4 has been marked by several significant weather events throughout history, including destructive hurricanes, deadly floods, and extreme heat waves.

Major hurricanes and tropical storms

• 1930, Dominican Republic: A devastating Category 4 hurricane made landfall, causing catastrophic damage and killing between 2,000 and 8,000 people. It remains one of the deadliest Atlantic hurricanes on record.
• 1766, Texas: A hurricane struck near what is now Galveston, producing a 7-foot storm surge that destroyed a mission and wrecked several Spanish galleons.
• 1999, North Carolina: Tropical Storm Dennis made landfall with 70 mph winds after drifting aimlessly off the coast. Its heavy rains caused inland flooding and set the stage for more flooding from Hurricane Floyd weeks later.
• 2007, Nicaragua: Hurricane Felix struck the northeastern coast as a powerful Category 5 storm, killing at least 130 people and causing $46.7 million in damages.
• 2011, U.S. Gulf Coast: Tropical Storm Lee moved ashore and lingered, bringing torrential rains and widespread flooding to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
• 2018, U.S. Gulf Coast: Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall near the border of Alabama and Mississippi.
• 2025, Pacific Ocean: As of September 4, 2025, two Pacific hurricanes were active: Category 4 Hurricane Kiko off the coast of Hawaii and Hurricane Lorena, which was threatening to cause flooding in Mexico and the U.S. Southwest.

Floods and flash floods

• 1970, Arizona: The “greatest natural disaster of record” for Arizona occurred when unprecedented rainfall caused rivers to rise dramatically. Flash flooding claimed 23 lives, swept away cars and buildings, and caused millions of dollars in damage.
• 1978, Northern India: Parts of the country, including West Bengal, experienced severe flooding, with some areas under 18 feet of water. The disaster left millions homeless and killed thousands of people.
• 1987, Southern Atlantic Coast (U.S.): Thunderstorms dumped up to eight inches of rain in parts of South Carolina, causing serious flooding.
• 1989, Nebraska and Florida: A series of storms caused significant flooding across eastern Nebraska, while thunderstorms in northern Florida dropped 6.82 inches of rain in Jacksonville.

Extreme heat

• 1988, Western U.S.: A heat wave brought record-breaking temperatures across the region. Los Angeles tied its all-time record high of 110 °F, while San Diego recorded its hottest day in 25 years at 107 °F.
• 2000, Texas and Louisiana: Houston recorded its hottest day on record at 109 °F, with other cities in the region also reaching historic highs.
• 2001, South Dakota: Record or near-record heat hit the central and north-central parts of the state, with Pierre and Kennebec setting new highs of 105 °F and 106 °F, respectively.
• 2002, Southern California: A heat wave sent temperatures soaring, with remarkable temperature gradients near the coast. While Newport Beach was 77 °F, Santa Ana—just ten miles away—was 107 °F.
• 2007, Western U.S.: A multi-day heat wave across the West led to numerous daily record highs.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes

• 1941, Minneapolis: A violent tornado ripped through the northeast and north sections of the city, killing four people and injuring 50 more at the Soo Line Railroad’s Shoreham Yards.
• 1986, Flagstaff, Arizona: An unusually strong dust devil blew open the doors of the National Weather Service office, scattering papers and bringing down a ceiling light.
• 2016, Wyoming: An EF1 tornado developed north of Merna, causing tree damage along its 2.45-mile path.