Fort Steilacoom had two very long runs in 1861. The first was 25 consecutive days and then another that was 23. Totally insane summer! We will probably never know what caused everything to go so haywire in 1861 and 1862. I also know that a place in India set the world record for rainfall in one month in July 1861. That fact is on my 2010 weather calendar, so the record may still stand.
Any theories Phil? All I know is everything was way out of whack and I don't know of any volcanoes or odd solar phenomenon that year.