The Texas Heatwave - Nature's Silent Killer (1980)

It ranks as one of the deadliest natural disasters ever to have struck the USA. Yet, unless you are old enough to remember living through this, it remains one of those "silent killers" - deadly events which go relatively unnoticed by history..... The Texas 1980 Heatwave.
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Photo Credits: Christian Science Monitor, PBS, Fort Worth Star Telegraph, St Louis Dispatch, AP, BBC World Service, MNSBC, USGS, National Weather Service
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#History #Disasters

[@kutter_ttl6786]

Imagine having a heatwave so bad that you're grateful for a hurricane.

[@davidpawson7393]

As someone that lived on an island prone to hurricanes I approve of this message and raise you a break from tourists.

[@ArchTeryx00]

The one good thing about a hurricane is that it sucks the heat right out of the air, especially if that's heat coming from the ocean. All that heat energy powers the hurricane. It makes it more destructive, but it also brings more relief, and the rain it puts down inland is a drought-breaker. I'd bet it's the rain that many welcomed even more than the heat relief.

[@queenb67]

What's worse is when the hurricane passes, and you're stuck for 3 weeks or more with no electricity for air conditioning and the humidity is near 100% in 95°F temps, you have no refrigeration, have to cook on a grill, and the mosquitoes are trying their best to suck you dry. Been there, done it. It's about as bad as you can imagine.

[@tomlawrence1335]

I literally saw Texans commenting yesterday they are looking forward to the storms coming to get out of the triple digits they have had all summer

[@grmpEqweer]

We could use a tropical storm here in Houston, we're in drought and hitting 106F.

[@CivilEngineerWroxton]

I definitely remember the heat wave in the summer of 1980. I was 13 years old and about to start 7th grade. It was so hot that even we teenagers didn’t want to go outside to enjoy the summer weather. It was just awful. My family had just moved into a brand new house and we ended up just staying in the house in the air conditioning. We had 52 days in a row in which the temperature went well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.77 Celsius). I still have my “I Survived the 1980 Heat Wave” T-shirt.

[@billconger3689]

I remember too..i was 14 years old and we didn't have air conditioning..

[@Chevdriver]

@@billconger3689 i guess you have the “I didnt survive the 1980 Heat Wave” T-shirt then.

[@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits]

I was 13 that year as well.

[@RetroRogue.]

@@ChevdriverI mean they still here so in all honesty they deserve "I survived the 1980 heat wave with no a/c" shirt. Lol.

[@mushyroom9569]

Only 100 degrees?

[@debbieellett9093]

I was carrying my first child during this time and it was horrible! Pregnancy is not comfortable any time of year, but being nine months pregnant and not having air conditioning was beyond that. Luckily, I lived where we had lots of fans and we kept well hydrated. My heart went out to all who died.

[@tamekkaknuth9612]

Flip and do cold blizzard weather for similar. I watched video. Fortunately the baby made it.

[@debbieellett9093]

I am not sure what you're trying to say.

[@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits]

@@tamekkaknuth9612 You made no sense at all in your comment!

[@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits]

@@debbieellett9093 I agree!!

[@janette2691]

Did your baby survive? ( Not trying to be rude)

[@bansidheaz]

I lived in Phoenix, Arizona at that time. I remember that it hit 119º F / 48º C and of course, our air conditioner chose that time to break. Our neighbors thoughtfully invited us over to use their pool, but the water was as warm as bath water.

[@elliottprice6084]

Natural disasters, in particular heatwaves, should be covered more often on channels like this. I had no idea the death toll from this heatwave was so high. Also, a video on ten forgotten disasters was featured on here a while back. I'd like to see some of them get their own video on here. The Black Market express, and Dona Paz ferry disaster

[@mikeknowles8017]

I was working as an Aircraft Mechanic in an unairconditioned hangar at San Antonio International Airport in the summer of 80. I'll never forget it. Shortly after that I quit and went back to Engineering School and never looked back. Weirdly, that heat wave changed my life for the better. I was watching the TV series "Halt and Catch Fire" in 2014 and in one scene the actress Mackenzie Davis was wearing an "I survived the 1980 heat wave" T Shirt and it cracked me up.

[@Plaprad]

Worked in a few hangars in Texas when I was stationed there. It just gets brutal. You either can't escape the heat, or you can't escape the cold. During the winter months everyone was volunteering for deployments because we were so used to the heat from the summer.

[@ClefairyRox]

Heat is statistically the deadliest weather killer! Sadly, most of its victims are the very old, very young, and very poor--people frequently forgotten by society at large. I'm currently one of the people roasting under the heat dome that's stuck over the southern U.S. as of now. Stay safe and cool, friends!

[@Manx123]

"Sadly, most of its victims are the very old, very young, and very poor!" How exactly is that sad? Wouldn't it be much worse if those who were most net productive were killed off?

[@dadams6596]

@@Manx123 That's a fucked up view of the worth of human life.

[@Manx123]

@@dadams6596 So, would you prefer the young, who have lived far less than than old, and the productive, who contribute more to society generally, to die more? You monster.

[@dadams6596]

@@ithecastic "Some." Yeah, that's what one would call a society, you edgy, social-darwinian, jackass.

[@shadetreader]

@Manx123 Found the vile eugenicist 😬

[@austintaylor6152]

Thank you for mentioning the current heat wave, I'm in Texas and it's been like 108 everyday for a month and a half

[@Lazy_Tim]

It was a warm year in Australia too! BTW 1980 The Blues Brothers !

[@psyxypher3881]

Europeans: OH GOD IT'S 36 C I'M GONNA DIE! Americans: Just put on an Air Conditioner.

[@Critical-Thinker895]

I live in Texas and I believe we're on track to exceed the Texas heat wave of 1980. I can't remember now when the last day was this year when the high didn't exceed 100 . Our temp today is 108 and it's almost September. That's unreal. I've been wondering if we might get a hurricane to break this up. We really need the rain.

[@happyclampopper]

August 22nd in the San Antonio area, high was 91. Thanks to the rain. The last bit of the, " it might be" a tropical storm in the gulf

[@stee8345]

Same here in Louisiana and its sooo humid . Maybe another month or so..shoot 😢

[@happyclampopper]

@@stee8345 Mid September is typically when the temperature drops, and stays below 100, been this way since I moved to this bipolar schizophrenic weather state.

[@Its.Jessica.]

Houston almost every day this week has been setting record high temperatures for the area. It sucks!

[@Critical-Thinker895]

@@Its.Jessica. I am just north of you and you're not wrong.

[@hwd7]

Marble Bar heatwave, 1923-24 The world record for the longest sequence of days above 100°Fahrenheit (or 37.8° on the Celsius scale) is held by Marble Bar in the inland Pilbara district of Western Australia. The temperature, measured under standard exposure conditions, reached or exceeded the century mark every day from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924, a total of 160 days. -- National Australian Archive.

[@Mantis_Toboggan_TrashMan]

I worked a factory job where the factory floor was no joke 115F. I stayed at that job for only a week before quitting. The first day I got home, I had a terrible headache. My head was spinning I was so dizzy. At that point, it doesn't just feel hot anymore; it's a oppressive force it almost feels to hit you physically. You have to feel it to understand it. Even going from 105-110 or 110-115, feels like a difference of 20 degrees.

[@sirrliv]

Howdy from Central Texas. Heat waves aren't exactly unusual to us; as someone else has mentioned, I remember Summer 2011 with 3 straight months of 100+ F heat and not a drop of rain until September. That said, we're the first to realize that heatstroke is no joke; anyone who thinks we're boasting about our heat (What, 100F in London, ya call that hot?), we're not. We know what that's like and we have nothing but sympathy and concern, especially for those regions of the world that are less well equipped to deal with the heat than we are. Tragically, a coworker of mine has already passed away from heatstroke, and my own father came very close through a combination of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and malnutrition; turns out Dr. Pepper isn't an adequate substitute for a bottle of water and a decent meal before playing in a band at an outdoor gig, who knew.

[@kristiemccoy5604]

Anything under 100° is a heck of a nice day in Texas. We're no stranger to 115°+ all through the summer months, and even 120°. It's so hot I literally CANNOT breathe outside during the hottest part of the day. I can be out there for 5 minutes and my heart will be racing like crazy because I'm just not able to get enough oxygen in my lungs. No idea why the heat causes this, but for me, it does. I eat ice all day every day.

[@suomenpresidentti]

Crazy. I can breath in a 180°F sauna very nicely. I the winter, when it gets to - 30°F outside, now that's more difficult. You just frequently sip little breaths then. Greetings From Finland!

[@sarahcoleman3125]

I was just a baby bite in 1980, but my family lived in Louisiana. I assume they had AC since I... you know, survived. One thing I've noticed living in the South and the North USA in the south AC is considered a "must have" for every home; in the north, heat is essential. I was in my 40s when I realized that my home in Louisiana never actually had heat. My family put me in front of a kerosene heater when it got cold. 😂

[@craigusselman546]

I was a baby as well I guess we brought the heat😅

[@foo219]

Humanity has a tendency to settle in areas we're not really suited for it seems. Every winter I wonder what possessed my ancestors to settle Sweden...

[@richardcranium3579]

It wasn’t that far back in time that those of us I’m the Deep South did not have hvac in our homes. Nobody did. Vehicles only had heat. We survived. Sweated a lot but didn’t know any different.

[@erintheunready7575]

This summer and last summer have shattered records here in Austin for consecutive days above 100 degrees. This Tuesday was the first day where it didn't reach 100 that I can remember since mid June. We had such a mild spring that it felt certain that once it got hot it was gonna be HOT.

[@justuscrickets]

I grew up in the Deep South, where A/C was still a luxury at that time. The relentless heat was brutal, especially with no relief at night. 🥵 A/C may be more widely available now, but even that has limited effect in extreme heat, which can render all but the most robust cooling systems useless. It also does nothing for the poor & those who have to work in the heat.

[@mommy2libras]

Same here. Coastal Alabama, which is basically swampland. I don't remember 1980 as I was only 2 but I do remember being very young, maybe 5 or 6, and sweating all night instead of sleeping. We had a house with central a/c but it wasn't great- we used our attic fan, which most of the houses in our area were built with. They'd be somewhere near the middle of the house and sucked air in instead of blowing. I remember lying on my bed with my window open about 6 inches. My bed was high enough so I was laying basically right in front of the open window so the air being pulled in by the fan created a constant breeze. They were kind of loud but very strong and you'd sweltering without them. You didn't want it on if you wanted to watch TV or talk on the phone but those fans were heaven, especially at night.

[@chatteyj]

Stay hydrated, cut your hair short and wet your head is the only advise I can give you.

[@donkee011]

I guess there were a lot less ACs in houses, offices, cars and such. That counts for something for sure.

[@CivilEngineerWroxton]

Yep, just like he stated.

[@aquachonk]

During the 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Dome, a 1000-year weather event that killed close to 2000 people, my backyard thermometer in the Portland, Oregon, area buried the needle at 120 degrees in early afternoon. I took a photo of it because I just couldn't believe it. The thermometer wouldn't go any higher but the temps kept creeping up past that point until about 5 PM. I'll never know just how hot it got that day but I do know that I had a h*ll of a time trying to sleep that night. Streets buckled, outdoor plastic melted, glass cracked and shattered, livestock and pets died, car interiors oozed and warped, entire forests scorched to the point that they looked like a wildfire had gone through, and people jumped into the freezing cold rivers and ocean to cool off and often ended up seizing and drowning. From that day on, I became proactive: I bought light and heat blocking curtains (they work!), scoped out a few secret places to camp on the cool coast if the power ever goes down, and began removing everything from my extensive gardens that can't take the heat...because this ain't over.

[@Astro95Media]

I live in Houston, TX and it's definitely been a scorcher of a summer. We're blessed with functioning air conditioning but it's certainly been a hit on our bank account to keep it running day in and day out.

[@drank__4077]

Tell me about it, definitely reminds me of the 2011 drought we suffered through as well

[@Astro95Media]

@@drank__4077 I was living in Lubbock that summer and temps hit 112. Thankfully it was a dry heat so it wasn't too bad, but still ... lots of sunscreen was used that year.

[@queenb67]

I remember 1980, and I'm pretty sure we've surpassed most of the records set that year. I don't think I've ever seen our little corner of SE Texas suffer so hard in our lifetime.

[@MajorT0m]

How can you be "blessed" by air conditioning? It was installed by a human.

[@drank__4077]

@@MajorT0m not everyone is lucky or privileged enough to have A/C

[@dragongeraldb]

So why does every media outlet act like this is new and never happened before?

[@33moneyball]

Climate change obsessives

[@RatPfink66]

"If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell." -Gen. Philip Sheridan

[@matthewschreck6418]

I remember the summer of 1980. I was twelve and my house didn't have A/C. My parents had a window unit in their bedroom, but my brother and I had to tough it. After a couple of sleepless nights, we dragged our mattresses into our basement, where it was much cooler. We spent the rest of that summer living down there. We only had one bathroom and it was upstairs. I remember opening the door to the upstairs- it felt like. Opening an oven door. Thank god we had that basement!

[@samuelrichards5931]

Hi! Nice work on this video! Definitely proves that it doesn't need to be a giant storm or a big accident that can claim soo many innocent lives in one go. I also have a few suggestions/ideas for future videos on your channel. 1. Llandow air disaster 1950: A crash which at the time, was actually the worst in the world, with 3 of the 80 fatalities being members of the Abercarn Rugby Football Club. 2. Aberfan Disaster 1966: When a heavy build up of water in a coal spoil tip, caused it to slide down the hillside, before engulfing the Pantglas Junior school and taking 144 lives with it. 3. Ohio Penitentiary Fire 1930: When a fire on the left roof of the West Block, went on to become the most tragic prison fire in American history, claiming 322 lives.

[@RatPfink66]

The Ohio Pen fire was the first breaking news event on radio. The CBS station in Columbus had a wire to the prison, and the feed went national as inmate "Deacon" Gardner described the horrific scene of convicts left to die in burning cellblocks and relayed calls for medical help.

[@chesspiece81]

I am in Alabama right now and it is 96° but the heat index is 105° with 84% humidity. Our temperatures occasionally get above 100° during the summer but the heat index usually stays in the 96-110° range from the middle of June through the middle of September.

[@stee8345]

See, ppl don't really understand that the humidity plays a huge factor--here in New orleans its also ridiculously humid. I would take the higher temps for lower humidity any day. Sadly its been 100 degrees or hotter here also

[@mommy2libras]

​@stee8345 I grew up in Mobile and lived in Beaumont TX for a bit, Brownsville, Slidell and now NW Florida. My husband traveled the world in the Navy and lived for awhile in Guam and spent time in Bahrain. In Mobile, the swamp was literally our backyard and the bay was may 1/4 mile away through the neighborhood. The humidity was God awful. But we both agree the Slidell had the worst humidity we'd ever dealt with. We lived over by the state line, so in the Honey Island Swamp area. Our yard looked like an emerald carpet but if it rained, was still squishy a week later even if it didn't look it. The was a constant layer of extreme humidity- even higher than the rest of the air- about a foot above the ground. You could almost see it. All my plants would constantly get mildew. Everything in our garage mildewed the first summer. It's actually a nice town- small town feel but you have everything there within 10 minutes and the schools are good- but I had to get the hell out of there. Not that where I'm at now in coastal NWFL is much better. But right on the coast we have slightly less humidity than they do 20 minutes inland (like Slidell was).

[@gailblair6149]

This single heatwave somehow managed to cause close to 6x MORE damages than Hurricane Hugo... My god, that was horrible. I feel so bad for the victims of this heatwave, and I really hope we don't get another one like it

[@alanwing2849]

I live in southern Kansas. I helped my dad replace a/c compressors that summer. The old units simply couldn't take it. Needless to say we were very,very busy. Honestly, when it would cool down to 100° it felt pretty good!

[@cardboardempire]

TV and the media has been telling me that the climate is warming to crisis proportions.....as I enjoy one of the cooler August months that I can remember.

[@elmin82]

thanks , in Italy we have a similar thing in 2003 , many old people die for the heatwave that year

[@DaveSCameron]

All countries have them sadly

[@keliciaigbinazaka4538]

Thanks for another great video Raven, your dedication to research as well as your respectful delivery is always such a pleasure. Also thank you for covering topics like these which don’t get so much attention in wider media. Hope you’re doing okay in Portugal ❤

[@rey273]

thank you for your concern over our current heat wave. we are doing better this time around, with AC both in cars and in homes. out power grid had been upgraded after the last heatwave to withstand higher temps, so although we were in danger of freezing to death in the Freeze of 2021, we are enduring this heatwave with much more success. although we are currently hoping for a tropical storm or a hurricane to come our way. that’s usually our indication that summer is over anyway. I hope the weather in Portugal and the rest of the northern hemisphere cools down enough soon. From Texas with love!

[@arkroogs90]

I live in the desert of southern California, where it is above 100 every day for about 2 months straight in the summer. We would literally die without AC. I didn't learn that some people in the United States lived without AC until I was about 12 and I was flabbergasted lol.

[@melissakoch4675]

I was little, but I can remember my grandmother pitching a fit because there was a restriction on watering lawns.

[@CandyGirl44]

We are having a mini beatwave in Johannesburg, South Africa. Straight from a freezing, black frost day, virtually into the thirties. Seems Spring has been replaced by heatwaves now. We have had no rain since May, and today there was a tragic outcome - fire raced through a dry valley and consumed a few houses near us. Some areas have hit the forties already, I have absolutely no idea of how the majority of the population lives in tiny zinc shacks, with not a blade of grass or tree to cool off, and of course ac is out of the question, yet they still come to work, many outside in the blazing heat. I feel sorry for the animals locked in sheds and pens, and those in the fields with no shelters - no worries, insurance will pay fot the losses. I'm glad I don't participate in eating animals, their secretions and excretions, but we are only 1 % of the population that cares. Meanwile the Western Cape is battling with the worst floods in living memory, at one stage Cape Town was completely cut off from the interior. Sixty years ago we had no ac, in houses or cars, today it's an essential. Youngsters of today have no idea of how much life has changed - I think we were the lsst generation to play safely in the streets, walk around at night, know we had steady power and water, the seasons were the same every year, there were virtually no fences between neighbours and people were kind of not mostly assholes ,- my mom raised 3 children without a permanent job, housewives shared, there were fig, mulberry, guava and vines in virtually every garden, fruit was as cheap as chips so we lived on that mainly during hot summers. Now it's become a luxury item, I refuse to pay R45 for a 400g tub of grapes when we used to pay 1 cent a kg, and they are not even sweet and go bad before ripe. I can feel my brain cooking in the heat, even with a hat on, feels like I've been talking on a cellphone for hours - that cooked egg white feeling. I swear we are becoming more stupid as a species due to radiation of our brains from the sun. Thats about the extent of my conspiracy theories....

[@efnissien]

The 1980 Miami riots are worth noting as there is a direct correlation between increased temperatures and civil unrest.

[@RagingMoon1987]

I live in Missouri, and I kid you not, the heat this week has been insane. Thank God, our electricity has held up, but I pity our farmers and road workers. Another disaster well told, Raven!

[@kevinfoley8105]

Fellow Missourian here, we don't call it "Misery" for nothing!

[@Schriftt]

@@kevinfoley8105i live next door on the kansas side of kansas city. i remember it being 118 out and going to my car after work was literal hell

[@PedroLimaDJ]

I follow you for so long and only after seeing this video i noticed you're in Portugal! Bem-vindo pá! Keep up the awesome channel 👏🏻

[@TheApeStep]

Hi! I remember you once mentioned you wanted to make a video about the train hijack at De Punt, the Netherlands. Please let me know if you still want to do that and need any help, I'm a local and can provide you with a lot of information!

[@richardshippful]

East of Houston It has been VERY hot from early June and is still hot in late august. But power has stayed of (bills has been record breaking) so less deaths so far. Days are getting shorter so it has to ease off soon.

[@Tser]

Where I live, counties list cooling shelters open to anyone who needs to get away from the heat (including those that allow pets) and also lists splash pads and places to swim. It's definitely important for those who don't have AC, or whose power or AC fails due to the heat and increased use. There is discounted or free public transit fare to the cooling centers when the temperatures reach 100f/37c. They also have implemented AC and fan distribution for those in need who can't afford it, including help with energy costs. Even so, cooling centers have been at capacity at times, and they've had to turn people away, or people have to wait outside in the sweltering heat until there's room. And there are always people who are unable to access these services, or who don't recognize the danger until too late, and there have been multiple deaths this year from the heat. Nothing like 1980, or even a few years ago (when it reached 116 where I live), but still a tragic loss of life. And this will only become more common as we move forward into the future with climate change.

[@steadfastandyx4947]

Many, many more people die from cold weather. Please read the data. I'm sorry for whom died in not weather.

[@kojikicklighter371]

The current U.S. heat wave is primarily caused by the Tonga eruption(Pacific Ocean floor) back in January. I don't understand why the media isn't informing us of this.

[@Heike--]

It's weird, the story shows the German media deceiving their readers about what's really going on. It's like some kind of pattern where they keep doing this. Weird.

[@scarpfish]

The eruption was in January of *last year* and any correlation between it and our current heatwave has been suggested, but has not been proven. I'd just as soon the media lay off on that considering their reputation for scaremongering and sensationalism.

[@joeheid2776]

Yes you do. Because it gives an actual factual reason as to why it's happening. The media wants you to think the reason is climate change.

[@archstanton6102]

Heat increases orally across last decades does not mean there is no global climate issues.

[@joeheid2776]

@@archstanton6102 Nobody is disputing that climate is changing. What smart people are challenging is how much we are affecting it and the fact that evs will do nothing to slow down what changes are happening and that they shouldn't be forced on us.

[@jackmonaghan8477]

The 1980 Heatwave must have been like a real life version of 'The Day the Earth Caught Fire' or the 'Twilight Zone' episode 'The Midnight Sun'.

[@patanouketgersiflet9486]

in 2003 in France, a big heatwave hit, as well as the rest of Europe. In about a month's time, between 15.000 and 20.000 people lost their lives, mostly the elderly. Risks associated with extreme heat had been disregarded up until that point.

[@l337ath3ist]

The 20,000 number might just be for France. I’ve read that the heat related deaths in summer 2003 were 70,000+ for all of Europe. In 2022 heat related deaths in Europe were estimated at around 62,000.

[@patanouketgersiflet9486]

@@l337ath3ist It is just for France indeed.

[@ItsJustLisa]

It hit Minnesota too. I was in high school, my first year here. It hit 100 on April 21st in parts of western Minnesota and I think it was high 90s here in Minneapolis/St. Paul. In April! And no, our schools aren’t air conditioned. It ended up that we had 52 days over 100F in the Midwest, with one in here in the Twin Cities in July. This might seem trite, but you must remember that Minnesota shares its northern border with Canada. 40 years ago, having more than 14 days over 90F in the summer was not only awful, it was making the news. We were used to making the news for being bone chilling cold or buried up to our noses in snow, not oppressive heat.

[@rebeccaedwards8590]

This summer of 2023 the heat in south Mississippi got close to that. We spent all of July and half of August with everyday day time temps over 100. Nighttime temps never went below 80.

[@tabbitee]

Now we're just gonna be making T-shirts with 'I survived the 20__ heatwave', with extra numerals you can stick on and then replace the next year

[@glennzanotti3346]

I was between my freshman and sophomore years in college that summer, and working a pipeline construction job in Houston. We worked as two man crews, and we emptied five gallon Igloo water coolers every shift. The Texas Legislature and Governor made it illegal for cities to require mandatory water breaks for construction workers in 2023, which was another brutal summer. In Texas, profits are more important than people.

[@b.p.879]

Holy crap! I feel bad that I laughed so hard picturing the people saying "Oh thank god a hurricane!".

[@danbev4738]

Last week i worked 12 hours in a forklift and the temp gauge i brought in never went below 100. Peaked at 109. All twelve hours with almost no break. I kept frozen water bottles between my legs. That was 6 days ago and i still cant shake this headache.

[@Raygeemusic]

Thank you so much for mentioning the animals, almost everywhere else they're being ignored...

[@harblewarble6427]

Weird, according to the lizards on TV every day is the hottest in history. It's almost as if the giant ball of fire in the sky on which all life on Earth depends that's 100 x the diameter of Earth could maybe have more to do with the weather than people who occupy a fraction of this tiny planet.

[@Harpeia]

Back some... several decades ago, when I was in elementary school, our biology teacher repeated a sentence that I started understanding only recently. "Remember this summer. It's the coolest summer of the rest of your lives." And it was. At least over here, it just progressively got hotter and hotter...

[@austinlawler3739]

While not the same scale, it reminds me of the heat wave in Chicago in 1994. About 700 died in that. Luckily with the extreme heat in places like Arizona, for long stretches of time recently haven't had too many deaths.

[@davidhudson5452]

100+ at 45 days now in Austin Tx it rained a little we need a hurricane to stop the dry wierd what you wish for

[@joshjones3408]

Oh yea its hot in southern Mississippi 105 heat index of a 117🥵🥵

[@stuartf2946]

I never knew about this Mr Raven. Another brilliant insight into history. Thank you.

[@batterymakermarkii2654]

I was there, I was 13. Watched a Channel 8 newscast where they fried an egg on the pavement.

[@silrana37]

We're having a heat wave? I live in Florida. We call this summer.

[@Phoenixesper1]

The phenomenon is called an omega block. Its called that because of the shape and path weather systems take around the high pressure core resembles the omega symbol. The drought map of 1980 shows it exactly with the west coast being wet following north into Canada and sinking down into the east coast and out to the Atlantic, with everything in the middle completely rain starved. Even the middle of Florida being in a drought was a correct attribute as the block switched the winds to blow from east to west starving the center of the state of rain. This is exactly what happened this year in north America, same omega block and same weather patterns only far more potent.

[@_KRose]

Thank you for providing Celsius as well. Can't understand the other one; other than it's f'ing hot 😆

[@donnaharvey6293]

I live in Lubbock Texas and this summer we've had over 105 every day sometimes over 110 we are expecting a cool down because of the hurricanes.

[@William_Charles_Baker]

My wife and I were married on July 12, 1980 and we remember how bad this really was.

[@davidbarr8394]

18 record high temperatures in Dallas-Ft Worth, June through September, 1980: so far, in 2023, 8.

[@floycewhite6991]

I don't remember people whining so much back then, or looking for someone to blame either.

[@bestboy138]

It’s only 102 today in Little Elm Texas

[@davidprince1138]

I lived in Austin, TX at the time (I was 21) and remember the record setting streak.

[@orangehoof]

My younger brother was admitted to (what was then) North Texas State University in Denton, a bit north of Dallas. We were a few days early and decided to visit Six Flags Over Texas. While the temperatures were above 110-F, it was a dry heat so you felt it less, plus the lines for the rides were short. For my experience, the Central Texas heat wave of 2011 was the worst I have experienced. Highs exceeded 100 degrees for at least a month and a half while newly-paved roads buckled due to the underground water tables evaporating. Texas summers are God's way of telling Yankees to go back home where they came from.

[@aquachonk]

Or His way of culling the Texas herd.

[@joshjones3408]

Feels 90 88 humidity petal MS

[@Bees4NoReason]

I'm from D/FW. I turned 5 that summer, so I don't remember how hot it was, but my parents house did not have A/C. I don't know how we made it.

[@angelanapier4248]

I live in kY and our temperatures were in 100s everyday for weeks, I was lucky because I had a pool but I was also very pregnant at the time. That was the most miserable summer I have ever lived through. Our temperature today is 96 and for tomorrow as well. I am just living for fall and blessed relief, I hate summer!

[@madmissmim4211]

I live in one of the states in the U.S. that is going thru the heatwave at the moment, and it is BRUTAL. Temperatures during the day haven't been lower than 105 degrees Fahrenheit in over a week. The humidity prevalent where I live makes it feel even worse. My health isn't great, and my asthma has been going nuts, so I don't dare go out in this. To make matters worse, there was a power outage today. Luckily, I wasn't caught up in the outage this time, but I can only imagine the suffering of those that were.

[@Eric_Hutton.1980]

I was born in August of that particular year

[@newshodgepodge6329]

Ironic that you would upload this today of all days. I'm in Ohio and we are under a heat advisory today. To make matters worse, we had storms early this morning and when for whatever reason our power went out at around noon it took the AC with it. Thankfully there is at least a nice breeze blowing.

[@CivilEngineerWroxton]

Ummmmm…..the heat right now is why they uploaded this video. It’s what is on everyone’s mind, so why not make a video about it?

[@newshodgepodge6329]

@@CivilEngineerWroxton Why not make a video about the polar vortex to remind people that at least they're not freezing to death? 🙄 Got anything else you would like to add?

[@Pfsif]

Back then it was called a mini-Ice age,

[@johnnytownsend4204]

I remember it. New Orleans hit a record high of 102, which doesn't sound high to some people, but it was also humid miserable.

[@stee8345]

We tied with the temp at 102 yesterday here in New orleans. It was a scorcher yesterday and the humidity makes it so much worse

[@dragongeraldb]

So why does every media outlet act like this is new and never happened before?

[@psyxypher3881]

Because it breaks the narrative of apocalyptic climate change that they want to use in order to control people.

[@kevinfoley8105]

Its what they do best. Gotta get those clicks.

[@sergeantpeppers8858]

I remember at least one day the temperature reached 115 in Atlanta, GA. And we had no A/C that year.

[@htos1av]

I was there! You can FORGET about sleeping at night!

[@Whomobile]

Not looking forward to Summer in Australia this year :(

[@scarpfish]

😕 People in 1980: "Man oh man, can you imagine if it was this hot every summer?" 😬 People in 2023: "Oh, shut up."

[@mikemccutcheon8372]

No it’s worst today lol.THANK YOUY for showing some history ACCURATELY.Oh don’t forget about 1988 thankyou

[@cosmosrunner2468]

Rewatching this September 2024. I’m in LA and we’ve had a week of 105 to 116 the past week. The sun feels radioactive and there are fires everywhere. It’s terrible. I feel for anyone suffering from the heat.

[@driffter1976]

This is Phoenix every year. It’s total misery. This year we had 110 days over 100. Without shelter it’s over.

[@visualverbs]

...over 100 degrees and never got below 80 degrees. I lived in D/FW through that summer. First time most of us had ever heard of "EL NINO."

[@JamesBarometer-jv9kk]

It was a very rainy dark summer with lots of lightning in Ireland in 1980.....precursor of lots of lousy summers in that decade!!😎😶

[@oby1wildman764]

Heatwave???. Laughs in Australian.

[@stuartgmk]

❤

[@bigdaddydaddy3203]

And u forgot the mighty JOHN BONHAM OF THE MIGHTY LED ZEPPELIN died 9/25/80 very sad day long live LED ZEPPELIN ♥️✌🏼

[@JR9979]

Hello Raven's Eye. Long time subscriber here from Canada. Found you when you posted the 1979 Mississauga Train derailment vid. I have a new Canadian Disaster/Outbreak incident you may be interested in covering on your channel. 'The Walkerton Water Bacteria Outbreak', 2000 people got sick with hundreds forced into hospital. 27 major cases with organ damage and 7 deaths. You should setup a suggestion email as I could provide you with more local knowledge of these types of things as I live in SW Ontario.

[@josi4251]

We had a few days of 113F temps in S. Illinois, but we didn't have so many days in a row as TX. I was taking a summer class in Shakespeare's tragedies, and the university had just happened to have installed a new blacktop parking lot. My car was a small economy model ... with no A/C and a black interior. The entire summer was a tragedy.

[@brendanquinn6894]

When you're hot you're hot and when you're not, you have solved Climate change.

[@suomenpresidentti]

43. Crazy. Hottest ever where I live has been 37,4. This summers peak in my country was 33,7 , what happened just nicely in my town. Greetings From Finland!

[@htos1av]

Oh, don't get me started...1980 SUCKED it was SOOO frikin' hot in Atlanta and Jacksonville as I was working both towns. In the Atlanta scene, no a/c, and my car's a/c was the only respite from the heat. We'd "cruise" for HOURS in my '77 Cordoba with a bi-amped 250w Audiovox sound system-WHEW!!!

[@angelswalking3839]

I live in Australia,in the state South Australia our summers are very hot top temperatures can be 45C but never have l seen it exceed months in that temperature maybe a week at most ,my home has one very cool A/C in the living room,that would go on early set up mattresses on the floor in the living room,pre cook meals for the following days ,curtains drawn,ice water in the fridge and that’s where we would stay

[@multipletanksyndrome]

At least it's only 20% humidity where you are. I've experienced 115°f with 95% humidity. You sneeze and it rains.

[@jeremykinsey7877]

Im currently in SE Oklahoma. Heat index 120+ with100% humidity

[@jovanweismiller7114]

Oh, I've heard of it. In fact, I lived through it in Wichita, KS with no air conditioning. Luckily, I was in my 30s so I survived.

[@donaldlyons537]

Great job on this subject. Just watched your experience from home in 2017.... This Global Warming is surreal. You are going to have Plenty of material to cover in the future, Sadly ! Just an idea for a historical video you might wish to do is the St Francis Dam Catastrophe.... Just a thought. Be well and be safe....

[@darkage5]

Wasn't it 3 months ago you only had 10k Subscribers? Now you are sneaking up on 100k already? WOW!

[@ExplodingMummies]

"Imagine a month and a half where every single day is over 100f..." So basically every single July-to-August where I live, with incredibly high humidity on some days as an extra, AND terrible air pollution. Joy! (Please get me out of here...)

[@carrioncrow13]

This reminds me of 2003. Summer was hell here in Europe and 70 000+ people died. I was eight at the time and in retrospect I'm grateful, that my grandparents were still feisty and healthy at the time.