From NWS
1964: An area of high pressure moved across Iowa on August 13-14 bringing clear skies and light winds that allowed temperatures to plummet across portions of the state two nights in a row, resulting in record lows at many locations. On the morning of the 13th reported low temperatures included 38 F at Bedford, Independence, Le Mars, and Sibley, 37 F at Cherokee, Ida Grove, and Oelwein, and 36 F at Carroll and Storm Lake.

1911: Severe flooding occurred along the Upper Iowa River in far northeastern Iowa on August 13-14. The flooding was caused by two heavy rain events, the first affecting the entire river basin on the 13th and the second affecting northern portions of the basin in far southeastern Minnesota overnight into the 14th. On the 13th reported rainfall amounts included 3.26 inches at Decorah, 2.41 inches at Ridgeway, and 2.20 inches at Elma. The Decorah Republican newspaper reported that “bridges, houses, barns, farm animals and grain are wrecked, burned, killed, or washed away.” A postmaster at New Albin wrote that “crops are damaged through the valley very materially” and that “no lives were lost, but horses, cattle, and hogs were swept down the stream.” Several bridges were also reported washed out by the floods.

13 August 1950 → Hurricane Able was the first Atlantic hurricane to be given a “phonetic” name. The first storm was named with an “A”, the second with a “B”, and so on. It was not until 1953 that actual names were given to tropical storms. 13 August 1982 → A thunderstorm struck Barrow, AK with pea-sized hail and 43mph winds. 13 August 1986 → 3.04 inches of rain fell in Flagstaff, AZ, the most ever for a single day in August in the city. 13 August 2004 → After passing just west of Key West with 110mph winds, Hurricane Charley intensified rapidly and possessed 145mph gusts just three hours later as it made landfall on the west coast of Florida. The storm crossed the state, bringing 100mph winds to Walt Disney World, re-emerged over the Atlantic Ocean still as a Category 1 hurricane, and then curved northward into the Carolinas. There were 15 fatalities. 13 August 2011 → Powerful thunderstorm winds caused a large concert stage to collapse at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, killing seven people and injuring 48.

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