January 03

On January 3, 1913, a fierce Atlantic coast storm recorded a barometric pressure of 955.0 mb, the lowest confirmed for a non-tropical system in the continental United States. The storm brought hurricane-force winds and widespread coastal damage from New England to the Mid-Atlantic. Storm surges flooded towns and disrupted shipping along major ports. Meteorologists studied the event to improve understanding of extratropical cyclones. The record low pressure highlighted the potential severity of winter storms. Communications and travel were severely impacted, delaying relief efforts. This extraordinary weather event remains a benchmark for assessing powerful coastal storms.

On January 3, 2018, the Netherlands activated all five of its principal storm surge barriers at once in response to a powerful North Sea storm. The closures included the Oosterscheldekering, Maeslantkering, Hartelkering, Hollandse IJsselkering, and Philipsdam as part of the Delta Works flood defense system. This unprecedented measure protected low-lying regions and major ports from potentially devastating storm surges. The Dutch have long been global leaders in water management and engineered these movable gates to balance environmental preservation with safety. The simultaneous closure demonstrated the robustness of their flood protection strategy. Experts cited the event as a testament to long-term planning in safeguarding communities against the impacts of climate change.