Weather Records on 17 December 1938

118 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 December 1938. Highest significance: Bancroft, CA.

Key Facts for 17 December 1938

On 17 December 1938, 118 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
36 were record highs and 58 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 1 monthly and 117 daily.
Bancroft set a daily record snowfall of 10.2 cm (4.0 in) on 17 December 1938.
Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 465 records.

Record Map

118 stations

118 station records on 17 December 1938 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 17 December 1938: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Bancroft	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Mayaguez City	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record daily precipitation	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Douglas	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Berlin-Dahlem	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	-7.6 C (18.3 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Ai-Petri	Ukraine	Record daily precipitation	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Chemnitz	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	-6.7 C (19.9 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Calarasi	Romania	Record low minimum temperature	-14.1 C (6.6 F)	21 of 100 (Routine)
Odesa	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	21 of 100 (Routine)
Fergana	Uzbekistan	Record daily precipitation	4.6 mm (0.18 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Tartu	Estonia	Record low maximum temperature	-15.5 C (4.1 F)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Cherdyn'	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-38.1 C (-36.6 F)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Cheesman	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Tartu-Toravere	Estonia	Record low maximum temperature	-15.5 C (4.1 F)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Nikolaev	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-12.6 C (9.3 F)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Cheesman	United States	Record daily precipitation	12.4 mm (0.5 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Holy Cross	United States	Record high maximum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Odesa	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-14.7 C (5.5 F)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Simferopol	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-6.4 C (20.5 F)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Tuba City	United States	Record high maximum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Miranda Downs Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	16.5 mm (0.6 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Urandangi	Australia	Record daily precipitation	3.8 mm (0.15 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Lubeck-Werft	Germany	Record low minimum temperature	-10.3 C (13.5 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Semej	Kazakhstan	Record low minimum temperature	-45.8 C (-50.4 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Taganrog (Lighthouse)	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-17.7 C (0.1 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Kiev	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-15.5 C (4.1 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Poltava	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-15.8 C (3.6 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Uman	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-14.3 C (6.3 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Espanola	United States	Record high minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Schwerin	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Kon-Kolodez	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-18.1 C (-0.6 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Kon-Kolodez	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Kazan	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-28.1 C (-18.6 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Poretskoye	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Simferopol	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-10.5 C (13.1 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
St. Petersburg	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-15.0 C (5.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Bogoroditskoye-Fenino	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-18.8 C (-1.8 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Kamennaja-Step	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-18.9 C (-2.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Kamennaja-Step	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-23.8 C (-10.8 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Henichesk	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-14.3 C (6.3 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Lugansk	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-14.0 C (6.8 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Skagway	United States	Record high minimum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Vasilevici	Belarus	Record low minimum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	14 of 100 (Routine)
Barabinsk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-44.9 C (-48.8 F)	14 of 100 (Routine)
Molteno (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	8.1 mm (0.32 in)	14 of 100 (Routine)
Atlin	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Tartu-Toravere	Estonia	Record low minimum temperature	-18.2 C (-0.8 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Szombathely	Hungary	Record low minimum temperature	-12.4 C (9.7 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Astana	Kazakhstan	Record low minimum temperature	-42.1 C (-43.8 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Viljujsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Bezenchuk	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-26.3 C (-15.3 F)	13 of 100 (Routine)
Groningen	Netherlands	Record low minimum temperature	-9.2 C (15.4 F)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Kurgan	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-35.0 C (-31.0 F)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Tomsk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-46.9 C (-52.4 F)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Oktjabrskij-Gorodok	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-24.9 C (-12.8 F)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Amersfoort (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Paragonah	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	12 of 100 (Routine)
Angermunde	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	-9.6 C (14.7 F)	11 of 100 (Routine)
Yreka	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	11 of 100 (Routine)
Montello 2NE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	11 of 100 (Routine)
Southern Cross	Australia	Record high minimum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	10 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

118 records

Records set or tied on 17 December 1938 by type: Highest daily maximum 16, Lowest daily maximum 28, Highest daily minimum 20, Lowest daily minimum 30, Heaviest daily rainfall 16, Heaviest daily snowfall 7, Deepest snow cover 1.

Records on 17 December 1938 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	16
Lowest daily maximum	28
Highest daily minimum	20
Lowest daily minimum	30
Heaviest daily rainfall	16
Heaviest daily snowfall	7
Deepest snow cover	1

Records on 17 December 1938 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 1, daily 117.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

92 broken records

Margins by which the 92 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 102.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 December 1938

Top 20 records on 17 December 1938 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 December 1938	Bancroft, CA	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	55 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
17 December 1938	Mayaguez City, PR	daily rain	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	8 years	32 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Douglas, ZA	daily rain	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	11.2 mm (0.4 in)	51 years	32 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Berlin-Dahlem, DE	daily low max	-7.6 C (18.3 F)	1.5 C (2.7 F)	47 years	23 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Ai-Petri, UA	daily rain	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	19.2 mm (0.8 in)	12 years	23 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Chemnitz, DE	daily low max	-6.7 C (19.9 F)	1.3 C (2.3 F)	47 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Calarasi, RO	daily low min	-14.1 C (6.6 F)	3.5 C (6.3 F)	36 years	21 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Odesa, UA	daily low max	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	6.2 C (11.2 F)	16 years	21 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Fergana, UZ	daily rain	4.6 mm (0.18 in)	2.1 mm (0.08 in)	41 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Tartu, EE	daily low max	-15.5 C (4.1 F)	4.0 C (7.2 F)	31 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Cherdyn', RU	daily low min	-38.1 C (-36.6 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	44 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Cheesman, US	daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	8 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Tartu-Toravere, EE	daily low max	-15.5 C (4.1 F)	4.0 C (7.2 F)	31 years	19 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Nikolaev, UA	daily low max	-12.6 C (9.3 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	36 years	19 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Cheesman, US	daily rain	12.4 mm (0.5 in)	6.8 mm (0.27 in)	20 years	19 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Holy Cross, US	daily high max	6.1 C (43.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	40 years	19 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Odesa, UA	daily low min	-14.7 C (5.5 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	36 years	18 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Simferopol, UA	daily low max	-6.4 C (20.5 F)	5.8 C (10.4 F)	19 years	18 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Tuba City, US	daily high max	18.9 C (66.0 F)	4.5 C (8.1 F)	20 years	18 of 100 (Routine)
17 December 1938	Miranda Downs Station, AU	daily rain	16.5 mm (0.6 in)	7.6 mm (0.30 in)	33 years	17 of 100 (Routine)

Significance is a score from 0 to 100 combining margin, the age of the old record and the length of the station's record. How it is computed.

The Same Date in Other Years

1793 to 1938

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1938. 1938 had 118 records.

Counts for years before the ledger starts come from the same station rules.

Records on 12-17 in each year
Year	Records
1793	2
1796	1
1806	2
1808	2
1814	1
1815	1
1839	1
1845	1
1846	4
1847	1
1848	1
1859	3
1866	1
1867	1
1868	1
1869	2
1873	2
1876	3
1877	2
1878	1
1879	2
1881	2
1885	1
1886	1
1888	2
1889	2
1890	4
1892	4
1893	2
1894	4
1895	3
1896	4
1897	4
1898	2
1899	1
1900	6
1901	5
1902	47
1903	2
1904	14
1905	2
1906	17
1907	9
1908	13
1909	5
1910	37
1911	12
1912	15
1913	21
1914	17
1915	31
1916	21
1917	21
1918	21
1919	109
1920	97
1921	94
1922	120
1923	170
1924	505
1925	79
1926	172
1927	143
1928	359
1929	221
1930	362
1931	217
1932	684
1933	710
1934	200
1935	87
1936	504
1937	379
1938	118
1939	1,126
1940	248
1941	261
1942	507
1943	444
1944	189
1945	621
1946	207
1947	258
1948	316
1949	296
1950	294
1951	773
1952	277
1953	283
1954	409
1955	419
1956	448
1957	686
1958	540
1959	548
1960	492
1961	911
1962	676
1963	531
1964	1,239
1965	482
1966	516
1967	1,121
1968	338
1969	238
1970	820
1971	781
1972	601
1973	1,016
1974	390
1975	474
1976	507
1977	1,024
1978	710
1979	951
1980	1,116
1981	1,354
1982	569
1983	1,264
1984	1,618
1985	1,210
1986	743
1987	1,191
1988	481
1989	2,905
1990	866
1991	577
1992	1,461
1993	761
1994	685
1995	956
1996	1,212
1997	1,279
1998	695
1999	901
2000	1,566
2001	1,262
2002	858
2003	751
2004	554
2005	806
2006	1,307
2007	1,100
2008	1,354
2009	926
2010	1,405
2011	430
2012	942
2013	718
2014	370
2015	1,378
2016	1,521
2017	408
2018	498
2019	917
2020	768
2021	908
2022	595
2023	931
2024	560
2025	1,198

Download the Data

Data for records on 1938-12-17: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

Sources: 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)) Made with Natural Earth. Public domain map data. Borders are Natural Earth's de facto depiction. Data as of 2026-10-17 (17 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-15. Last revised 15 October 2026 (2026-10-15).

Margin	Records
0 to 20	89
20 to 40	1
40 to 60	0
60 to 80	0
80 to 100	0
100 to 120	2