On this day:
FISH FALLS
On February 11, 1859, in the village of Mountain Ash, Aberdare, South Wales, thousands of living fish fell from the sky during two violent storms, ten minutes apart. The dense downpour took place only in the area around a lumber yard, where many fish were found on the roof. Specimens between one and four inches long fell during the first bout, and others up to five inches long fell during the second. The town curate reported that collected samples were preserved in both fresh and salt water and that those in the saline died. Fish were collected by locals and sent to the British Museum, where Dr. John Gray, keeper of zoology, identified them as minnow and sticklebacks. In February 1839, again in Aberdare, there were two fish falls, ten minutes apart showering the same spot, an area twelve yards by eighty yards.
In 1947, freshwater fish fell in Marksville, Louisiana, during foggy but calm weather. They were a local species, and many were collected for the evening meal.
In 1965, on an Alabama farm, a couple watched a small dark cloud form in the sky. It began to downpour over a concentrated area of 200 square feet for fifteen minutes, while the cloud turned from black to white, raining live catfish, bass, and bream. There had been no unusual weather previously.
In 1985, Fort Worth, Texas, fish fell from a dark cloud following thunderstorm activity. Observer Louis Castoreno commented, "It scared me. When you see fish coming down out of the sky, and there's nobody around, that's scary." Thirty-four fish, each approximately two inches long, were of the type that Castoreno had unsuccessfully fished for in the local Trinity River.
Text from: Almanac of the Infamous, the Incredible, and the Ignored by Juanita Rose Violins, published by Weiser Books, 2009
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U.S. Precipitation Records Tied/Broken 8/24/22
Gainesville, Alabama: 1.89" (previous record 1.2" 1948)
Unincorporated Copper River Census Area, Alaska: 0.44" (previous record 0.31" 1991)
Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona: 1.8" (previous record 1.34" 1980)
Unincorporated Cochise County, Arizona: 0.98" (previous record 0.67" 2021)
Kaibab National Forest, Arizona: 0.4" (also 0.4" 1996)
Calion, Arkansas: 0.5" (previous record 0.43" 2008)
Blythe, California: 0.77" (previous record 0.72" 1980)
Cleveland National Forest, California: 0.85" (previous record 0.76" 2000)
Gilroy, California: 0.01" (previous record 0" 2021)
Unincorporated San Bernardino County, California: 0.25" (previous record 0.22" 1955)
Thompson, Connecticut: 2.59" (previous record 2.06" 1970)
Bradenton, Florida: 3.5" (previous record 2.07" 1981)
Duette Preserve, Florida: 4.4" (previous record 2.8" 1995)
Sheep Mt. summit, Idaho: 0.3" (previous record 0.1" 2014)
Unincorporated Twin Falls County, Idaho: 0.2" (also 0.2" 2009)
Columbia, Louisiana: 2.87" (previous record 1.06" 1976)
Unincorporated Franklin Parish, Louisiana: 4" (previous record 2.95" 1970)
Homer, Louisiana: 1" (previous record 0.65" 1962)
Livingston, Louisiana: 3.41" (previous record 2.25" 2008)
Marksville, Louisiana: 1.47" (previous record 1.1" 1984)
Ponchatoula, Louisiana: 1.17" (previous record 0.3" 2013)
Port Allen, Louisiana: 1.75" (previous record 1.35" 2017)
Unincorporated Rapides Parish, Louisiana: 1.29" (previous record 0.6" 1990)
Unincorporated Rapides Parish, Louisiana: 2.02" (previous record 1.81" 1988)
West Monroe, Louisiana: 2.3" (previous record 1.29" 2006)
Rangeley, Maine: 0.97" (previous record 0.66" 1982)
Markey Township, Michigan: 1.42" (previous record 1.11" 1985)
Midland, Michigan: 1.25" (previous record 1.15" 1979)
Negaunee Township, Michigan: 0.93" (previous record 0.9" 1964)
Manitou Township, Minnesota: 1.03" (previous record 0.67" 2014)
Superior National Forest, Minnesota: 0.81" (previous record 0.44" 1992)
Jackson, Mississippi: 5.05" (previous record 1.75" 2008)
Unincorporated Jefferson County, Mississippi: 2.35" (previous record 1.61" 2006)
Kosciusko, Mississippi: 3.69" (previous record 2.01" 1922)
Unincorporated Lauderdale County, Mississippi: 3.63" (previous record 1.28" 2008)
Liberty, Mississippi: 2.32" (previous record 1.05" 1998)
Unincorporated Madison County, Mississippi: 6.28" (previous record 1.59" 1970)
Meridian, Mississippi: 4.61" (previous record 1.56" 1967)
Mize, Mississippi: 1.43" (previous record 1.35" 1978)
Poplarville, Mississippi: 1.97" (previous record 0.98" 1944)
Sumrall, Mississippi: 1.48" (previous record 1.25" 2017)
Walnut Grove, Mississippi: 7" (previous record 1.82" 2008)
Belgrade, Montana: 0.86" (previous record 0.53" 1987)
Unincorporated Cascade County, Montana: 1.03" (previous record 0.75" 1989)
Custer National Forest, Montana: 2" (previous record 0.9" 1987)
Deerlodge National Forest, Montana: 0.4" (previous record 0.2" 1989)
Gallatin National Forest, Montana: 0.8" (previous record 0.7" 2002)
Helena National Forest, Montana: 0.6" (previous record 0.3" 1999)
Unincorporated Powell County, Montana: 0.6" (previous record 0.3" 2003)
Shelby, Montana: 0.6" (previous record 0.15" 1953)
Skalkaho Pass summit, Montana: 0.6" (previous record 0.5" 1990)
Pittsburg, New Hampshire: 2.43" (previous record 1.68" 1963)
Troy, New York: 1.01" (previous record 0.7" 1974)
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon: 0.3" (previous record 0" 2021)
Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota: 0.9" (previous record 0.4" 2007)
Hot Springs, South Dakota: 0.77" (previous record 0.67" 1982)
Beaumont, Texas: 1.48" (previous record 1.22" 1998)
Benavides, Texas: 1.61" (previous record 0.85" 1996)
Columbus, Texas: 2.3" (previous record 1.1" 1986)
Unincorporated Kaufman County, Texas: 0.48" (previous record 0.32" 2019)
Unincorporated Kendall County, Texas: 1.12" (previous record 1.06" 2003)
League City, Texas: 0.88" (previous record 0.62" 2020)
Unincorporated Orange County, Texas: 0.7" (also 0.7" 1986)
Dixie National Forest, Utah: 0.3" (also 0.3" 2013)
Brighton, Vermont: 0.93" (previous record 0.57" 2000)
Buena Vista Township, Wisconsin: 1.38" (previous record 1.02" 2006)
Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming: 0.8" (previous record 0.4" 2018)
Lander, Wyoming: 0.24" (previous record 0.14" 1987)
Parker Peak summit, Wyoming: 0.9" (previous record 0.4" 2014)
Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: 0.4" (also 0.4" 2016)
Teton National Forest, Wyoming: 0.6" (previous record 0.3" 1981)
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