April 1st usually arrives with jokes and pranks thanks to those who like to celebrate April Fools’ Day, but there were a few memorable weather events that occurred on this day.

What You Need To Know

  • The origins of April Fools’ is unknown and there are many theories surrounding it

  • Major scientific firsts have occurred on this date

  • April 1st has seen big range of extreme weather events

The first weather map created for a daily newspaper occurred on this date in 1875. It is attributed to British scientist and meteorologist Francis Galton for the British newspaper, The Times. It included isobars, or lines of equal air pressure, as well as symbols to show wind direction and weather.

On April 1st, 1960, the TIROS-1 (Television Infrared Observation Satellite) was launched into orbit by NASA and marked a significant milestone in the history of meteorology. The mission of TIROS-1 was to provide the first images of Earth’s weather patterns from space. On the same day, the first weather satellite image captured by TIROS-1 showed a large cloud formation over the Gulf of Mexico.

The first weather satellite image captured by TIROS-1 was black and white and showed a large cloud formation over the Gulf of Mexico. Modern day weather satellites provide us with real-time data on weather patterns and allow us to monitor the changing climate on a local and global scale. These images are used by meteorologists to create weather forecasts, by emergency responders to prepare for natural disasters, and by scientists to study the Earth’s climate.

April 1, 1974 marked the date of a tornado outbreak caused by a low-pressure system exiting the Plains, which produced severe thunderstorms from the Gulf Coast into the Ohio Valley. On that day there were at least 23 tornadoes and despite the system being well forecasted four people were killed and dozens were injured. This destructive event was a precursor to a much larger outbreak just a few days later.

During this outbreak, there were 148 confirmed tornadoes that touched down in 13 U.S. states, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. 

A blizzard that occurred on April Fool’s Day in 1997, affecting parts of the northeast U including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia.The blizzard was unexpected, and it dumped up to 2 feet of snow in some areas.

The National Weather Service said Boston’s Logan International Airport received 25.4 inches of snow, making the event the fourth-biggest snowstorm in the city’s history. Flights were canceled, schools and businesses were closed, and many people were stranded in their homes or vehicles. The storm also caused power outages, downed trees, and hazardous road conditions.

Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.