DeForrest A. Mattison, a park forest supervisor and unpaid observer for the U.S. Weather Bureau, established the park's first weather station in September 1924. First located in the Quaker area, it was moved to this site in 1929. In later years, park rangers, and most recently park police, kept daily records of maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall. The rain gauge's wide, funnel-shaped top collects precipitation, and a smaller diameter inner tube concentrates it to make measurement easier, so that two inches of rain translates as 0.2 in. on the measuring scale. Special thermometers record maximum and minimum temperatures, and equipment in use includes a rain gauge, max/min thermometers, and a barometer. The records also document destructive weather in the park, including two severe windstorms, a tornado, and a microburst during the 1990s. The August 28, 1990, tornado damaged the Cain Hollow Campground, destroyed 200 acres of forest on Mt. Onondaga, and flattened eight smaller stands of trees across the park's southern side. The July 1998 microburst uprooted or snapped many trees on Red House Lake dam, at the beach, and behind the Administration building, and a July 8, 1998, microburst destroyed trees near Red Jacket trailhead. A June 14, 1994, flash flood extensively damaged park roads, bridges, and recreation areas, and debris from numerous beaver ponds floated in Red House Lake. A second flash flood in January 1996 damaged the boathouse so badly that it had to be moved to a new site. A storm on January 19, 1996, began as heavy rain totaling 1.61 inches after temperatures in the 40s had been recorded for the previous two days, with a high of 55°F. on January 19, and water from the rain and melting snow overflowed from the ice-covered lake and creeks. Recorded extremes included hottest summer temperatures of 99°F, 100°F, and 101°F four days running in July 1936, the hottest summer overall in 1949, the wettest summer in 1972 during Hurricane Agnes from June 16-25, the longest dry spell of 23 days in July 1936, the latest frost on July 9, 1963, the coldest winter temperature of -36°F. on January 13, 1977, the coldest winter overall from Dec. 1976-Feb. 1977 with an average of 17.8°F., the mildest winter overall from Dec. 2001-Feb. 2002 with an average of 30.9°F., the highest annual snowfall of 162 inches in 1978, the most snow in 24 hours with 18 inches on December 25, 1978, and the driest winter from Dec. 1979-Feb. 1980.