 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1965 WEATHER
1965 was just a horrendous year for weather. It started in March, when it was declared the second coldest March on Record, with temperatures averaging 19.4 degrees - 8 below normal. [The coldest March was in 1899, with an average of 17.1 degrees.] It was also declared the snowiest month in Minnesota history.
On March 17, a blizzard shut down schools for first time
since 1950. Although the forecast the previous day called
for light snow, 12 inches of snow fell in 24 hours, leaving
20 inches on the ground. Winds were clocked at 30-75 mph,
and temperatures plunged below zero in the days after. The
Star reported that a minor collision jammed up traffic on
Highway 100 for more than an hour, from Cedar Lake Road to
36th Street. The Ambassador Motel
on Excelsior Blvd.
reported that it was full, with many from Minneapolis. Some
called it the worst blizzard in a decade, perhaps in
history, in terms of driving conditions. Only one (heart
attack while shoveling) fatality was reported. Accounts of
the blizzard shared headlines with the March on Selma.
As early as March 25, St. Louis Park engineer Ray Folland
expressed concern about flooding if all that snow melted too
fast. Specifically vulnerable were the areas without storm
sewers, and although the residents had voted them down, an
April 6 news account reported Mayor Wolfe ready to put them
in “for the good of the residents, whether or not they want
them.”
A 672-mile stretch of the Mississippi River experienced the
worst flooding in history, lasting for the entire month of
April. In St. Paul, the crest was four feet higher than the
previous record. On April 14, the flood hit the Cities,
flooding local streets and making it possible to paddle
Niemeyers' canoes down Excelsior Blvd. In some places the
flooding went on for up to 43 days. 16 people were killed.
On May 3, the City Council authorized the City Manager to
apply for Federal financial assistance under the Federal
Disaster Act.
On May 5-6, as many as six F-4 tornadoes struck the northern and
western portions of the twin cities, killing 16 people an
injuring 685.
Fridley, Moundsview, Deephaven, Navarre, Blaine and
Shoreview were all badly hit. The first funnel cloud was
reported at 6:25 pm, moving in from the southwest. Five
other twisters followed. WCCO announcers Dick Chapman and
Charlie Boone won a Peabody Award for their work keeping
viewers informed of what was going on. Tri-County
Publications published a special tabloid publication
called "Suburbia's Longest Night" which described the
terrors of that night in words and pictures. It was the
costliest on record, with the damage coming in at $57
million. It has been called the worst disaster ever to
befall the Twin Cities Metropolitan area.
Home St. Louis Park History History
Index About the Society
Research Resources
Brookside Timeline
Something In The Water The Re-Echo Contact Us
This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.