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Science & Nature
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The Day It Rained a Foot in 42 Minutes: The Unbelievable Story of Holt, Missouri
On June 22, 1947, Holt, Missouri, experienced a world-record rainfall, receiving an astonishing 12 inches (304.8 mm) in just 42 minutes. This unprecedented deluge, equivalent to a quarter of the state's annual rainfall, caused catastrophic flash flooding and remains an extreme meteorological event.
It's difficult to truly comprehend some world records. They often represent feats so far beyond our daily experience that they sound like fiction. But on June 22, 1947, the residents of Holt, a small town in Missouri, witnessed a meteorological event that wasn't just unbelievable—it was biblical. They experienced the most intense rainfall ever recorded, a deluge that still holds the Guinness World Record today.
A Waterfall from the Sky
The official record is staggering: 12 inches (304.8 mm) of rain fell in a mere 42 minutes. That's a foot of water from the sky in less time than it takes to watch an episode of a TV show. This wasn't just a heavy downpour; it was a torrent so extreme that it's difficult to visualize. Imagine a standard 12-inch ruler. Now imagine the sky filling that ruler with water from bottom to top in three-quarters of an hour. The storm produced rain at a rate of over 17 inches per hour.
Putting the Deluge in Perspective
To understand the sheer volume of this event, consider this: the average annual precipitation for Missouri is around 40-45 inches. In just 42 minutes, Holt received roughly a quarter of its entire yearly rainfall. Even the most intense hurricanes rarely produce such a concentrated downpour. They might drop 12 inches of rain, but it typically happens over a period of 12 to 24 hours, not minutes. One scientist calculated the intensity of the rainfall as follows:
“The intensity of rainfall is... almost 30 times the threshold for a “heavy” rain shower.” - Dr. Mark Wysocki, Cornell University's Northeast Regional Climate Center
The downpour was the result of a severe, slow-moving thunderstorm that stalled over the area, unleashing all its moisture in one catastrophic burst. The storm's localized nature meant that while Holt was being inundated, nearby towns experienced far less severe weather.
The Aftermath of a Record Flood
The consequences were immediate and devastating. The massive volume of water overwhelmed the landscape, turning creeks and streams into raging rivers. The nearby Crooked River reportedly rose an incredible 20 feet in just two hours, sweeping away bridges, livestock, and sections of the railroad. Farmland was submerged, crops were destroyed, and homes were flooded. The official record wasn't a guess or an estimate; it was captured by a recording rain gauge operated by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, lending scientific credibility to an event that otherwise sounds impossible. For over 75 years, this record has stood as a powerful and humbling reminder of nature's awesome, and sometimes terrifying, power.