Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020

Name: Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020
Start: 2019-12-17
End: 2020-01-05
Location: United States

Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020: 2,476 records at 1,478 stations, peak on 26 December 2019. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 set or tied 2,476 station records at 1,478 stations.
It ran from 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 (20 days) and its peak day was 26 December 2019.
Status: closed.
Riggins set a monthly record high minimum temperature of 9.4 C (48.9 F) on 21 December 2019.
The busiest day was 26 December 2019 with 356 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 129 years.

Footprint

17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020

The area covered by Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 is outlined, with 20 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Riggins	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	2019-12-21
Plant City	Record high maximum temperature	31.7 C (89.1 F)	2020-01-03
Houston	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	2019-12-29
Sewanee	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	2019-12-29
Robinson	Record high maximum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	2019-12-25
Vinton	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	2019-12-26
Elgin Water	Record high maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	2019-12-29
Tellico Plains	Record high maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	2019-12-28
Hohenwald	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	2019-12-29
Montpelier	Record high minimum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	2019-12-30
Hatton 9 SE	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	2019-12-21
Polebridge	Record high minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	2019-12-22
Pokegama Dam	Record high maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	2019-12-23
Rock Is L&D 15	Record high maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	2019-12-25
Streator 2SE	Record high maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	2019-12-26
Brunswick	Record high minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	2019-12-29
Elizabethton	Record high maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	2019-12-30
Hot Springs	Record high minimum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	2019-12-30
Flagler 1S	Record high minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	2019-12-21
Casey	Record high maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	2019-12-27

Records per Day

Peak day 356

Records set or tied each day from 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020. The most in one day was 356 on 26 December 2019.

Records per day during Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020
Date	Records
2019-12-17	1
2019-12-18	1
2019-12-19	3
2019-12-20	121
2019-12-21	227
2019-12-22	314
2019-12-23	263
2019-12-24	134
2019-12-25	196
2019-12-26	356
2019-12-27	140
2019-12-28	80
2019-12-29	263
2019-12-30	221
2019-12-31	20
2020-01-01	2
2020-01-02	15
2020-01-03	53
2020-01-04	60
2020-01-05	6

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 ranked by margin
Houston, 12-29	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Sewanee, 12-29	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Hatton 9 SE, 12-21	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Robinson, 12-25	4.4 C (7.9 F)
Elgin Water, 12-29	4.4 C (7.9 F)
Vinton, 12-26	4.4 C (7.9 F)
Hohenwald, 12-29	3.8 C (6.8 F)
Montpelier, 12-30	3.4 C (6.1 F)
Tellico Plains, 12-28	3.3 C (5.9 F)
Pokegama Dam, 12-23	3.3 C (5.9 F)
Rock Is L&D 15, 12-25	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Streator 2SE, 12-26	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Elizabethton, 12-30	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Hot Springs, 12-30	2.8 C (5.0 F)
Flagler 1S, 12-21	2.3 C (4.1 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

500 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	101
0.6	122
5.0	122
5.0	112
4.4	123
4.4	120
4.4	113
3.4	110
3.8	112
3.3	112
2.2	104
2.8	129
2.8	113
3.3	119
1.1	85
2.8	120
2.8	112
5.0	85
2.3	100
2.2	112
2.8	96
2.2	112
2.2	124
2.2	114
4.5	92
2.2	122
5.0	82
2.2	112
2.2	110
2.2	125
2.7	117
1.6	116
1.7	125
2.3	106
2.2	112
1.6	119
6.1	82
2.2	116
2.3	124
1.6	112
1.6	120
1.7	104
0.6	72
1.7	101
3.3	92
1.6	112
5.0	82
1.6	125
1.6	110
1.7	122
1.1	122
1.6	122
4.5	82
1.7	112
1.7	112
1.6	125
1.1	122
1.7	110
1.1	112
1.1	122
3.4	92
1.1	112
1.1	100
1.1	100
1.1	101
3.9	92
1.1	106
1.1	112
1.1	122
0.6	118
3.4	85
2.8	92
2.8	92
0.6	125
1.1	125
1.1	100
1.1	119
0.5	108
0.5	98
0.5	104
2.8	85
1.1	96
0.6	123
1.7	96
3.9	82
2.2	92
0.5	122
0.5	125
0.5	110
0.5	114
0.5	110
0.5	108
2.8	86
2.8	86
3.3	82
1.7	96
0.6	100
3.4	85
0.5	125
0.5	113
0.5	100
0.5	114
0.5	112
0.6	108
0.6	112
0.5	114
3.4	82
0.6	116
0.6	104
2.3	86
0.6	96
0.6	96
2.2	86
1.7	92
3.4	82
3.4	82
2.8	88
2.8	82
0.6	96
1.7	92
2.2	86
0.6	96
3.4	81
3.3	82
2.3	89
1.1	92
1.1	90
3.3	76
2.8	82
2.8	82
2.8	82
3.4	82
2.8	82
1.1	90
2.2	82
3.4	82
1.7	86
1.6	86
2.7	82
0.5	93
2.8	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.8	78
2.8	76
2.2	82
2.3	82
2.3	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.3	82
1.1	86
0.6	92
1.1	88
1.1	88
2.3	82
2.2	82
1.6	85
1.1	86
2.2	82
0.5	92
2.7	78
2.8	77
1.2	88
1.7	78
0.6	69
4.5	68
1.6	80
1.2	82
1.1	82
1.7	82
2.2	78
2.2	76
1.6	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.8	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.2	80
1.1	85
2.2	82
1.7	82
0.6	85
1.7	82
3.9	69
1.7	82
1.7	82
0.5	86
0.6	85
0.6	85
1.1	81
1.7	82
0.6	88
1.1	85

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 2024	9,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 2026	6,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 2020	5,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 2021	3,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 2022	3,626 records
Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020 (this event)	2,476 records

Every Record Set

20 of 2,476

Every record set or tied during Heat wave in United States, 17 December 2019 to 5 January 2020, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2019-12-21	Riggins	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	101	52 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-21	Hatton 9 SE	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	85	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-21	Flagler 1S	Record high minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	100	43 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-22	Polebridge	Record high minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	85	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-23	Pokegama Dam	Record high maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	119	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-25	Robinson	Record high maximum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	123	47 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-25	Rock Is L&D 15	Record high maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	129	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-26	Vinton	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	113	46 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-26	Streator 2SE	Record high maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	113	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-27	Casey	Record high maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	112	43 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-28	Tellico Plains	Record high maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	112	45 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-29	Houston	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	122	48 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-29	Sewanee	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	112	48 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-29	Elgin Water	Record high maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	120	46 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-29	Hohenwald	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	3.8 C (6.8 F)	112	45 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-29	Brunswick	Record high minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	104	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-30	Montpelier	Record high minimum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	3.4 C (6.1 F)	110	45 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-30	Elizabethton	Record high maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	120	44 of 100 (Notable)
2019-12-30	Hot Springs	Record high minimum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	112	44 of 100 (Notable)
2020-01-03	Plant City	Record high maximum temperature	31.7 C (89.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	122	51 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 2,476 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	101
0.6	122
5.0	122
5.0	112
4.4	123
4.4	120
4.4	113
3.4	110
3.8	112
3.3	112
2.2	104
2.8	129
2.8	113
3.3	119
1.1	85
2.8	120
2.8	112
5.0	85
2.3	100
2.2	112
2.8	96
2.2	112
2.2	124
2.2	114
4.5	92
2.2	122
5.0	82
2.2	112
2.2	110
2.2	125
2.7	117
1.6	116
1.7	125
2.3	106
2.2	112
1.6	119
6.1	82
2.2	116
2.3	124
1.6	112
1.6	120
1.7	104
0.6	72
1.7	101
3.3	92
1.6	112
5.0	82
1.6	125
1.6	110
1.7	122
1.1	122
1.6	122
4.5	82
1.7	112
1.7	112
1.6	125
1.1	122
1.7	110
1.1	112
1.1	122
3.4	92
1.1	112
1.1	100
1.1	100
1.1	101
3.9	92
1.1	106
1.1	112
1.1	122
0.6	118
3.4	85
2.8	92
2.8	92
0.6	125
1.1	125
1.1	100
1.1	119
0.5	108
0.5	98
0.5	104
2.8	85
1.1	96
0.6	123
1.7	96
3.9	82
2.2	92
0.5	122
0.5	125
0.5	110
0.5	114
0.5	110
0.5	108
2.8	86
2.8	86
3.3	82
1.7	96
0.6	100
3.4	85
0.5	125
0.5	113
0.5	100
0.5	114
0.5	112
0.6	108
0.6	112
0.5	114
3.4	82
0.6	116
0.6	104
2.3	86
0.6	96
0.6	96
2.2	86
1.7	92
3.4	82
3.4	82
2.8	88
2.8	82
0.6	96
1.7	92
2.2	86
0.6	96
3.4	81
3.3	82
2.3	89
1.1	92
1.1	90
3.3	76
2.8	82
2.8	82
2.8	82
3.4	82
2.8	82
1.1	90
2.2	82
3.4	82
1.7	86
1.6	86
2.7	82
0.5	93
2.8	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.8	78
2.8	76
2.2	82
2.3	82
2.3	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.3	82
1.1	86
0.6	92
1.1	88
1.1	88
2.3	82
2.2	82
1.6	85
1.1	86
2.2	82
0.5	92
2.7	78
2.8	77
1.2	88
1.7	78
0.6	69
4.5	68
1.6	80
1.2	82
1.1	82
1.7	82
2.2	78
2.2	76
1.6	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.8	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.2	80
1.1	85
2.2	82
1.7	82
0.6	85
1.7	82
3.9	69
1.7	82
1.7	82
0.5	86
0.6	85
0.6	85
1.1	81
1.7	82
0.6	88
1.1	85

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
1.1	101
0.6	122
5.0	122
5.0	112
4.4	123
4.4	120
4.4	113
3.4	110
3.8	112
3.3	112
2.2	104
2.8	129
2.8	113
3.3	119
1.1	85
2.8	120
2.8	112
5.0	85
2.3	100
2.2	112
2.8	96
2.2	112
2.2	124
2.2	114
4.5	92
2.2	122
5.0	82
2.2	112
2.2	110
2.2	125
2.7	117
1.6	116
1.7	125
2.3	106
2.2	112
1.6	119
6.1	82
2.2	116
2.3	124
1.6	112
1.6	120
1.7	104
0.6	72
1.7	101
3.3	92
1.6	112
5.0	82
1.6	125
1.6	110
1.7	122
1.1	122
1.6	122
4.5	82
1.7	112
1.7	112
1.6	125
1.1	122
1.7	110
1.1	112
1.1	122
3.4	92
1.1	112
1.1	100
1.1	100
1.1	101
3.9	92
1.1	106
1.1	112
1.1	122
0.6	118
3.4	85
2.8	92
2.8	92
0.6	125
1.1	125
1.1	100
1.1	119
0.5	108
0.5	98
0.5	104
2.8	85
1.1	96
0.6	123
1.7	96
3.9	82
2.2	92
0.5	122
0.5	125
0.5	110
0.5	114
0.5	110
0.5	108
2.8	86
2.8	86
3.3	82
1.7	96
0.6	100
3.4	85
0.5	125
0.5	113
0.5	100
0.5	114
0.5	112
0.6	108
0.6	112
0.5	114
3.4	82
0.6	116
0.6	104
2.3	86
0.6	96
0.6	96
2.2	86
1.7	92
3.4	82
3.4	82
2.8	88
2.8	82
0.6	96
1.7	92
2.2	86
0.6	96
3.4	81
3.3	82
2.3	89
1.1	92
1.1	90
3.3	76
2.8	82
2.8	82
2.8	82
3.4	82
2.8	82
1.1	90
2.2	82
3.4	82
1.7	86
1.6	86
2.7	82
0.5	93
2.8	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.8	78
2.8	76
2.2	82
2.3	82
2.3	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.2	82
2.3	82
1.1	86
0.6	92
1.1	88
1.1	88
2.3	82
2.2	82
1.6	85
1.1	86
2.2	82
0.5	92
2.7	78
2.8	77
1.2	88
1.7	78
0.6	69
4.5	68
1.6	80
1.2	82
1.1	82
1.7	82
2.2	78
2.2	76
1.6	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.8	82
1.7	82
1.7	82
2.2	80
1.1	85
2.2	82
1.7	82
0.6	85
1.7	82
3.9	69
1.7	82
1.7	82
0.5	86
0.6	85
0.6	85
1.1	81
1.7	82
0.6	88
1.1	85