NEWS: 1980

As 1980 begins, it's mostly cloudy and 29 degrees F at Baltimore's weather station (at BWI Airport). The wind is from the west at 5 miles per hour.

Massachusetts becomes the last U.S. state to allow right turns on red after a stop, unless a sign prohibits it or unless right turns are controlled by a dedicated signal. Initially under this law, 90 percent of the intersections in Massachusetts have "No Turn On Red" signs.

Elin Nordegren is born in Stockholm, Sweden. She was married to professional golfer Tiger Woods from 2004 to 2010. She has worked as a model and nanny.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Mostly cloudy to partly cloudy, then cloudy, then mostly cloudy; High temp. 45 F; Low temp. 25 F; Precipitation: None.  No snow on the ground.

D'Arcy Carden is born Darcy Beth Erokan in Danville, California. She's an actress and comedian. She is best known for her starring role as Janet in the NBC sitcom The Good Place (2016–2020), for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also stars as Natalie Greer in the HBO dark comedy series Barry (beginning in 2018). Carden began her career performing improvisational comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. She went on to make appearances in several television series, including Inside Amy Schumer (2015), Broad City (2014–2019), Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2016), and Veep (2017). She also appeared in numerous films, such as Other People (2016), Let It Snow (2019), and Bombshell (2019).

Baltimore gets 1.8 inches of snow in an afternoon and evening snowfall.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy; light snow (1.8 inches) beginning about noon and lasting through the evening; High temp. 31 F; Low temp. 27 F; Precipitation: 0.29 inch (liquid). 2 inches of snow on the ground.

1.08 inches of precipitation falls in Baltimore, the largest-ever amount for Baltimore on any January 18th since recordkeeping began in 1871.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Cloudy; rain from mid-morning onward; High temp. 43 F; Low temp. 40 F; Precipitation: 1.08 inches.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: A trace of snow; High temp. 29° F; Low temp. 20° F, Precip.: Trace (liquid).  A trace of snow on the ground.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during January 1980 is 2.58 inches, including melted snow and ice, below the normal of 3.08 inches.  The average daily high temperature for Baltimore during January 1980 is 40.5 degrees F, below the normal of 43.2 degrees.  The average daily low temperature for Baltimore during January 1980 is 27.1 degrees F, above the normal of 25.4 degrees.  A total of 4.7 inches of snow falls at Baltimore's official weather station during January 1980, below the normal of 6.4 inches.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 9 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any February 29th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during February 1980 is 1.06 inches, including melted snow and ice. This amount is about 1/3 of the normal amount for February.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 11 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any March 1st (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

BWI Airport gets 3.0 inches of snow, the greatest snowfall on one day for BWI Airport in 1980.

The Orioles again lose to the White Sox, this time by a score of 9 to 6.

The Orioles defeat the Yankees, 7-4.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during April 1980 is 4.24 inches.

An all-White jury in Tampa, Florida, acquits four former Miami, Florida, police officers of fatally beating Black insurance executive Arthur McDuffie.

Protests against the Arthur McDuffie decision turn into riots in the evening in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood. Rioting continues through May 20, killing 18 people and injuring dozens more.

The Orioles' game at Detroit is postponed by rain.

An earthquake at 8:32 AM Pacific Time at volcanic Mt. St. Helens in Washington state causes the entire weakened north face of the mountain to slide away, creating the largest landslide in recorded history. This landslide allows partly-molten, high-pressure gas- and steam-rich rock in the volcano to suddenly explode outward toward Spirit Lake as a hot mix of lava and pulverized older rock, overtaking the collapsing north face of the mountain. The blast blows down trees, produces an eruption column that rises 80,000 feet into the air, and deposits ash in 11 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. At the same time, several entire glaciers on the mountain melt, creating volcanic mudslides that reach as far away as the Columbia River, nearly 50 miles to the southwest. At least 57 people die because of the eruption. Hundreds of square miles are reduced to wasteland.

The Orioles lose to the Tigers in Detroit, 6-4.

The Orioles again win against the Twins, this time 11-1, to sweep this 2-game series. Scott McGregor pitches a complete game.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during May 1980 is 3.58 inches.

Comedian Richard Pryor sets himeslf ablaze and suffers almost-fatal burns while freebasing cocaine at his home in Encino, California.

In Oakland, California, the Orioles defeat the Oakland Athletics, 3-2. Mike Flanagan pitches a complete game for the Orioles.

The Orioles defeat the Seattle Mariners, 9-3. Sammy Stewart pitches a complete game for the Orioles.

Jorge Orta of the Cleveland Indians gets six hits, including a double and five singles, and scores four times in a 14-5 win over the Minnesota Twins. Toby Harrah bats in 7 runs.

The Orioles again defeat the Angels, this time 5 to 3, to complete a 2-game sweep of this home series. Steve Stone pitches a complete game. The Orioles have a win-loss record above .500 (31-30) and will never again have a running win-loss record of .500 or below this season.

Helen Gahagan Douglas dies at age 79 in New York, NY. She was an actress and a U.S. Representative for California from 1945 to 1951, best remembered for her Senate race against Richard Nixon in 1950. She was born Helen Mary Gahagan on November 25, 1900 in Boonton, New Jersey.

The Orioles defeat the Red Sox, 8-4.

At Toronto, the Orioles defeat the Blue Jays, 9 to 7.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during June 1980 is 3.04 inches.

"O Canada" is officially designated by the Canadian government to be Canada's national anthem.

The Orioles again win against the Blue Jays, this time 2 to 0.

The low temperature in Baltimore reaches 53 degrees F, the lowest temperature ever recorded for Baltimore on any July 7th (up to this point) since recordkeeping began in 1871.

It's the All-Star break, so most of the Orioles have the day off.

Ronald Reagan tells the Republican national convention that he and his supporters are determined to "make America great again."

The Orioles again lose to the Royals, this time by a score of 8 to 4.

The Moscow Summer Olympics begin, minus dozens of countries (including the U.S.) that are boycotting the games because of the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan.

The Orioles lose to the Rangers, 11-8 in 10 innings.

United States military draft registration begins for 19- and 20-year-old men.

In the first game of a doubleheader at Minnesota, the Orioles lose to the Twins, 8-7 in 11 innings. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Orioles win, 12-5, as Steve Stone improves his win-loss record to 15-3.

The Orioles again defeat the Rangers, this time 3 to 2. Jim palmer improves his win-loss record to 10-8.

Houston Astros pitcher J.R. Richard has a stroke during a workout at the Astrodome and undergoes surgery to remove a blood clot behind his right collarbone.

The Texas Rangers defeat the Orioles, 7-4. Steve Stone's win-loss record drops to 16-4.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during July 1980 is 3.25 inches.

The Orioles defeat the Yankees, 1-0. Scott McGregor pitches a complete game and improves his win-loss record to 14-6.

George Brett of the Kansas City Royals goes 4-for-4 and raises his batting average to .401 in an 8-3 win against the Toronto Blue Jays. He drives in 5 runs and extends his hititng streak to 29 consecutive games.

In a doubleheader, Al Oliver of the Texas Rangers hits four home runs -- one in the first game and three in the second game -- as the Rangers sweep the Detroit Tigers 9-3 and 12-6. Oliver also has a double and a triple in the first game, giving him 21 total bases which ties the American League record for a doubleheader.

Saudia Flight 163, a scheduled passenger flight, catches fire after takeoff from Riyadh International Airport (now the Riyadh Air Base) in Saudi Arabia en route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All 287 passengers and 14 crew on board the Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar die from smoke inhalation after the aircraft makes a successful emergency landing at Riyadh

At Anaheim, California, the Orioles defeat the California Angels, 5-2. Steve Stone pitches a 2-hitter and improves his win-loss record to 20-4.

The Orioles defeat the Angels, 5-0. Scott McGregor pitches a 3-hit shutout and improves his win-loss record to 16-7.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during August 1980 is 4.00 inches.

The Persian Golf conflict becomes a full-scale war.

In Baltimore, the Orioles lose to the Boston Red Sox, 5-3.

The Orioles again defeat the Red Sox, this time by a score of 11 to 6.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during September 1980 is 1.00 inch, about 1/3 of the normal amount for September.

The new Amtrak train station at Baltimore-Washington International (now BWI Marshall) Airport is dedicated.

Charles Adler Jr., a Baltimore-born inventor, dies.  He created or perfected the flashing railroad signal, the horn-activated traffic light (of the 1920s), the police-car rooftop revolving light, and other signal devices.

Baltimore weather at BWI Airport: Clear, then becoming cloudy; High temp. 29 F; Low temp. 21 F; Precipitation: None.

The total precipitation for Baltimore during December 1980 is 0.70 of an inch, including melted snow and ice. This amount is less than 1/4 of the normal amount for December.

Total precipitation for Baltimore in 1980 is 34.71 inches, about 8 inches below normal.