Weather Almanac

July 4, 1776

Philadelphia, PA: Thomas Jefferson paid for his first thermometer and signed the Declaration of Independence; weather at 1400 hours was cloudy, temperature 76 degrees, wind from the southwest.
July 4, 1975

Las Vegas, NV: Flash flooding stranded more than 100 motorists on the strip. Cars were swept from casino parking lots, killing 2 persons and creating $1 million worth of damage. In spite of the flooding most casinos remained open and one owner exclaimed: "We'll have to have floating crap games before we interrupt any of the gamblers!"

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