Local Weather History: The Dark Day of 1780 In New England & Black Sunday of 1950 & How It Is All Tied to Our Weather

Chief Meteorologist

Extremely thick smoke from massive Canadian forest fires turned skies to dusk in the middle of the day in New England in 1780. A similar situation occurred in 1950. The weather pattern responsible can be tied to our area.

Courtesy of New England Historical Society.......1780 dark day:

Many hazy days with yellow & gray to pale white skies were noted in spring to early summer 1780 over the northeastern U.S. One particular day was very, very bad for smoke. It was so thick that it completely blotted out the sun & the sky to such a degree as to resemble dark dusk in the afternoon on May 19, 1780. Many people remarked that it seemed the apocalypse was underway as chickens went to roost & candlelight was needed indoors & out.

Black, oily, sooty rain fell in Massachusetts & thick, massive drifts of sooty ash was accumulating on river banks in New England leading many to think the end of the world was truly at hand.

The reason from it being so extra dark was likely a combination of the wildfire smoke near the ground & aloft & cloudy skies with rain & fog. The black, ashy, oily rain occurred as the rainfall mixed with the soot & ash from fires.

There were reports of a "strong, sooty smell".

From Providence, Rhode Island to Boston, Massachusetts to Portland, Maine & over central Vermont, it was completely dark like twilight in a smoky fog, while Hartford to New York City reported very hazy conditions with dim sun. New Jersey & Pennsylvania reported hazy skies & red clouds, red sunset & blood red moon.

"Men prayed, and women wept; all ears grew sharp/ To hear the doom-blast of the trumpet shatter / The black sky . .wrote John Greenleaf Whittier.

Another similarly dark day occurred Oct. 19, 1762.

Observers in Philadelphia reported a lack of haziness or any sort of dimming of the sun.

Massive forest fires were burning over Alberta & Ontario (especially just east of Lake Huron in western Ontario where signficant fire scaring from 1780 was noted in recent corings of old growth trees at Algonquian National Park, Ontario by University of Missouri researchers) & in what was a hot, dry spring to early summer in Canada. Widespread drought of up to "Exceptional" status (per tree rings) was found from Saskatchewan to Manitoba to Ontario to New Brunswick. Drought was also found over New England. Thoughts are that it was a combination of multiple massive fires near New England & at various distances from Ontario to Alberta were the culprits.

Another large drought occurred from the Southwest U.S. to Lower Mississippi Valley, according to tree rings.

The area from the Northern Rockies to Plains, through the Corn Belt to the Appalachians & Mid-Atlantic saw above normal rainfall.

This was a very frequent, dominant pattern 1779-81 with very high amounts of precipitation (comparitive to modern-day normals) from the Northern Rockies of the U.S., through the Plains to the Corn Belt. Meanwhile, extensive, persistent severe drought occurred northern Alberta to Ontario & New England, was well as the Southwest U.S., Southern Plains & also the Southeast. Major, major drought also occurred in Mexico & the Yucatan with fires.

There are a few references to it being very wet in Indiana in the 1779-81 time period.

This tended to begin in early 1779. This reference is from late winter-early Spring 1779 when it was unusually mild & very wet in southeastern Illinois to Vincennes, Indiana (granted the area was pretty swampy anyway, but this appears to have been a large, expansive flood on the Wabash River):

Bowman's Journal

7th began our March early, made a good days March for about 9 leagues-The roads very bad with Mud and Water....

8th Marched early thro' the Water which we now began to meet in those large and level plains...our Men were in Great Spirits, tho much fatigued.

9th made a moderate days march rain'd most of the day.

10-Crossed the River of the Petel [Petit] Ford upon Trees that we felled for that purpose the Water being so high there was no fording it; still raining and no Tents....

11th Cross saline River

12. Marched across bad plain saw and killed numbers of Buffaloe...Now 21 leagues from St. Vincent

13. Arrived early at the two Wabashes...We set to make a Canoe.

14. Finished the Canoe....

15. Ferryed across the two Wabashes with it....

16. March all day thro' Rain and Water...our provisions began to grow short.

17. Marched early crossed Several Rivers very deep...About One hour before sunset We got Near the River Embara found the country all overflown, we strove to find the Wabash Traveld till 8th O Clock in mud and water but could find no place to encamp on still kept marching on but after some time M Kennedy and his party return'd found it impossible to cross the Embara River we found the Water fallen from a small spot of Ground staid the remainder of the Night...

18th At Break of day heard Gov Hamiltons morning Gun-set off and marched down the River...About 2 o Clock came to the Bank of the Wabash, made Rafts for 4 men to cross and go up Town, and Steal Boats, but they spent the day and Night in the Water to no purpose for there was not one foot of dry land to be found.

19th...starving...No provisions of an Sort now two days hard fortune

20. Camp very quiet but hungry some almost in despair...One of our men killed a deer which was distributed in camp-Very acceptable.

21st At Break of day began to ferry our Men over in our two Canoes to a Small little hill called the lower Marnell...we thought to get to town that Night so plunged into the Water sometimes to the Neck for more than one league when we stop'd on the second hill of the Same name there being no dry land near us on one side for many leagues....

22-Col. Clark encourages his men which gave them great Spirits. Marched on in the Water...we came one league farther to some sugar camps, where we staid all Night...No provisions yet....

23. Set off to cross a plain called Horse Shoe plain about 4 miles long cover'd with water breast high...we pushed into it with Courage. Col. Clark being first...we halted on a small Nole of dry land called Warriors Island...Col. Clark Wrote a letter to the inhabitants...

In order to publish this letter, we lay still to about Sun down when we began our March all in order with colors flying...after wading to the Edge of the Town in Water breast high we mounted the rising ground the town is built on....

Clark's Memoir, 1791 Pages 470-550

Knowing that the Wabash...would be overflowed to five or six miles wide...to convey our artillery and stores, it was concluded to send a vessel round by water so strong that she might force her way....

(February 5, 1779)

marched about three miles and encamped, where we lay until the 8th...and set out, the weather wet, but, fortunately, not cold for the season, and a great part of the plains under water several inches deep. It was difficult and very fatiguing marching. My object was now to keep the men in spirits. I suffered then to shoot game on all occasion, and feast on it like Indian war-dancers-each company, by turns, inviting the other to their feasts-which was the case every night, as the company that was to give the feast was always supplied with horses.....

This place is called the two Little Wabashes. They are three miles apart, and from teh heights of the one to that of the other, on the opposite shore, is five miles-the shole under water, generally about three feet deep, never under two, and frequently four....

...I viewed this sheet of water for some time with distrust...ordered a pirogue to be built....My anxiety to cross this place continually increased...as all ideas of retreat would..........

In the evening of the 14th, our vessel was finished, manned and set to explore the drowned lands...to find some spot of dry land. They found about half an acre and marked the trees from thence back to camp, and made a very favorable report.

(February 15, 1779)

Fortunately the 15th happened to be a warm, moist day for the season. The channel of the river where we lay was about thirty yards wide........................we moved on cheerfully...to the little dry spot mentioned....the troops immediately crossed and marched on in the water....Our horses and baggage crossed...following the marked trail of the troops. As tracks could not be seen in the water, the trees were marked.

(February 22, 1779)

.....when about waist deep one of the men informed me that he thought he felt a path-a path is very easily discovered under water by the feet. We examined and found it so, and concluded that it kept to the highest ground, which it did, and, by taking pains to follow it, we got to the sugar camp...where there was about half an acre of dry ground, at least not under water, where we took up our lodging.

(February 23, 1779)

...This was the coldest night we had. The ice, in the morning, was from one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick near the shores and in still water....A little after sunrise I lectured the whole....I concluded...that in a few hours they would have a sight of their long wished for object, and immediately stepped into the water without waiting for any reply....This was the most trying of all the difficulties we had experienced....Getting about the middle of the plain, the water being about knee deep, I found myself sensibly falling and as there were (here) no trees nor bushes for the men to support themselves by....I ordered the canoes to make the land, discharge their loading, and play backward and forward, with all diligence, and pick up men....The men...exerted themselves almost beyond their abilities....The water was up to my shoulders, but gaining woods was of great consequences. All the low mean, and the weakly, hung to the trees and floated on the old logs until they were taken off by the canoes. The strong and tall got ashore and built fires....

This was a delightful dry spot of ground, of about ten acres. We soon found that the fires answered no purpose, but that two strong men taking a weaker one by the arms was the only way to recover him, and, being a delightful day, it soon did....a canoe of Indian squaws and children...was discovered by our canoes....They gave chase and took the Indian canoe, on boards of which was near a quarter of a buffalo, some corn, tallow, kettles, etc....Broth was immediately made and served out to the most weakly with great care; most of the whole got a little....This little refreshment and fine weather, by the afternoon, fave new lift to the whole.

The Indiana Historian The Fall of Fort Sackville Indiana Historical Bureau Indianapolis, Indiana December 1997 Pages 9-12

Flooding in 1780 spring here was the result of deep snow & heavy rainfall after a very cold, snowy winter. 1780-81 was back to being very mild & wet, then 1781-82 winter turned colder & snowier than normal from the Midwest to the Northeast.

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What is interesting is that a similar situation occurred September 1950 & we were in a wet summer (& overall wet pattern 1949-51 then too!) The overall weather pattern was similar. We also had the near/record flooding in late winter & early spring 1950.

Drought & hot, hot weather occurred Alberta & Manitoba to Ontario & over parts of New England.

Thick smoke spread over the Northeast & turned the day into dusk. There were several reports of panic & that people did not believe it was from forest fires & but attacks from Russian warplanes. There was also talk of Russian warplanes causing the forest fires themselves. There was an atmosphere of that the world was coming to an end, just like in 1780.

Westfield Republican of Sept. 27, 1950, "Phenomenal Skies Turn Day To Nite,"

Probably Sunday's phenomenal skies will long remain in the memory of residents. Nothing like it had ever been experienced before. A weird darkness began to descend accompanied by a light copper hued pall ... in an hour it was black as night ... Some wondered if the world was coming to an end ... Soon after, the weather bureau reports on the radio stated that the unusual darkness was caused by terrific forest fires in Alberta, Canada, and the smoke had spread as far as Iowa and south to West Virginia ... It was the first time in history that Cleveland had played baseball under the arc lights in the daytime at the stadium there ... Cars proceeded on all highways with full lights on. Many were parked on the Oxbow watching the strange skies during the entire time ... In Jamestown there were so many calls coming into the telephone office that a taxi was dispatched for nine operators who were off duty ... for the emergency calls.

A local national weather service tells a similar story:

Between 1400 and 1600 EST light from the sky was diminished to the dimness of twilight (or pre-dawn). The sky was chaotic with mammato forms showing where the obscurement appeared thickest, while to the northeast a streak of clear bright sky continued until about sunset time. Street lights came on. Artificial lights where needed for all purposes.

Buffalo State College:

One can only imagine the sensation and confusion people must have felt on that afternoon. On that Sunday, Major League Baseball's day games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland were played under lights. The Buffalo Courier-Express received reports of 'the sun turning blue and displaying a yellow aura. There were also reports of other varied sun colors — purple, pink, yellow and brown.' The strange event was attributed to smoke drifting down from forest fires in Alberta, Canada. The weird hues noted by observers can be attributed to the uniformly fine particles within the smoke layer. The very fine smoke particles aloft scattered the sun's light, dispersing the red and yellow light which accounts for most of its visible spectrum, allowing only the shorter wavelengths of blue and magenta to penetrate through. Thus, wherever the sun or moon were visible, they were painted with hues of blue, pink or purple.

Similar pattern Summer 1780 & 1950:

Instrumental data June-July-August 1950 & compare to tree ring data from 1780 (note the similarities):

There were a lack of temperature observations for 1780, but 1950 gives us a clue.

The unusually warm weather overall in Summer 1950 was Alaska (blocking ridge) to the western & southwestern U.S. & another blocking ridge from Greenland to New England.

The cooler than normal weather occurred Plains to the Southeast.

Given such similarities to 1780, it is evident this was a pattern in that 1950 summer.

1949-51 & 1779-81 precipitation anomaly similaraties with instrumental record & tree ring record:

Chief Meteorologist