Weather Records on 21 December 1939

140 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 December 1939. Highest significance: Tenterfield (Federation Park), AU.

Key Facts for 21 December 1939

On 21 December 1939, 140 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
43 were record highs and 6 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 6 monthly and 134 daily.
Tenterfield (Federation Park) set a monthly record daily precipitation of 124.2 mm (4.9 in) on 21 December 1939.
Across 158 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 492 records.

Record Map

140 stations

140 station records on 21 December 1939 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 December 1939: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Tenterfield (Federation Park)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	124.2 mm (4.9 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Saskatoon Diefenbaker Int'l A	Canada	Record daily snowfall	16.3 cm (6.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Maple Creek	Canada	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Gardiner	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Medicine Hat A	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Kunderang East (Kenebree)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Stratford	Canada	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Adel	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Bar Harbor 3 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Inverell Comparison	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Ilfracombe Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Dawson	Canada	Record high maximum temperature	5.6 C (42.1 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Passau-Maierhof	Germany	Record snow depth	15.0 cm (5.9 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Goldbutte 7 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	24.4 mm (1.0 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Saskatoon Diefenbaker Int'l A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	16.3 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Havre Wb City	United States	Record daily precipitation	10.7 mm (0.4 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Maple Creek	Canada	Record daily precipitation	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Medicine Hat A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Brome	Canada	Record daily precipitation	19.8 mm (0.8 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Holy Cross	United States	Record daily precipitation	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Sherburne	United States	Record daily precipitation	23.1 mm (0.9 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Poolaijelo	Australia	Record daily precipitation	11.9 mm (0.5 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Geilo	Norway	Record daily precipitation	15.1 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Adel	United States	Record daily precipitation	16.0 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Stratford	Canada	Record daily precipitation	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Ventspils	Latvia	Record daily precipitation	6.3 mm (0.25 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Goondiwindi Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Walcha Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	20 of 100 (Routine)
Moola Bulla	Australia	Record daily precipitation	19.3 mm (0.8 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Morven Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Tunnsjo	Norway	Record daily precipitation	12.5 mm (0.5 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Riksgransen	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Cascade 5 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	10.7 mm (0.4 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Holter Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	7.6 mm (0.30 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Saint Ignatius	United States	Record daily precipitation	6.9 mm (0.27 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Indian Lake 2SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	19 of 100 (Routine)
Wallangarra Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Hambantota	Sri Lanka	Record low maximum temperature	25.4 C (77.7 F)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Hovlandsdal	Norway	Record daily precipitation	56.2 mm (2.2 in)	18 of 100 (Routine)
Pine Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Boggabri (Kanownda)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Haparanda	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	9.9 mm (0.39 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Goldbutte 7 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	18.3 cm (7.2 in)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Dulce	United States	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	17 of 100 (Routine)
Garsebach Bei Meissen	Germany	Record snow depth	12.0 cm (4.7 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Roros	Norway	Record daily precipitation	7.7 mm (0.30 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Kjahta	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-20.4 C (-4.7 F)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Ekalaka	United States	Record daily precipitation	2.5 mm (0.10 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Norris Madison Pwr House	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Claysville 3 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Vernon	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Mannington 1 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	4.1 cm (1.6 in)	16 of 100 (Routine)
Alice Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	23.6 mm (0.9 in)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Coongan Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Milo Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Viljujsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-12.5 C (9.5 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Escondido	United States	Record high maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Eastport	United States	Record high maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Cle Elum	United States	Record high minimum temperature	2.2 C (36.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)
Parsons 3 SE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	15 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

140 records

Records set or tied on 21 December 1939 by type: Highest daily maximum 29, Lowest daily maximum 1, Highest daily minimum 14, Lowest daily minimum 5, Heaviest daily rainfall 66, Heaviest daily snowfall 23, Deepest snow cover 2.

Records on 21 December 1939 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	29
Lowest daily maximum	1
Highest daily minimum	14
Lowest daily minimum	5
Heaviest daily rainfall	66
Heaviest daily snowfall	23
Deepest snow cover	2

Records on 21 December 1939 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 6, daily 134.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

106 broken records

Margins by which the 106 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 127.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 December 1939

Top 20 records on 21 December 1939 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 December 1939	Tenterfield (Federation Park), AU	monthly rain	124.2 mm (4.9 in)	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	66 years	72 of 100 (Major)
21 December 1939	Saskatoon Diefenbaker Int'l A, CA	daily snowfall	16.3 cm (6.4 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	5 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1939	Maple Creek, CA	monthly snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	7.7 cm (3.0 in)	7 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1939	Gardiner, US	daily rain	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	33 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1939	Medicine Hat A, CA	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	8.2 cm (3.2 in)	24 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1939	Kunderang East (Kenebree), AU	daily rain	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	36 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Stratford, CA	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	60 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Adel, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	20 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Bar Harbor 3 NW, US	daily rain	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	32 years	29 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Inverell Comparison, AU	daily rain	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	11.5 mm (0.5 in)	41 years	28 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Ilfracombe Post Office, AU	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	20 years	24 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Dawson, CA	daily high max	5.6 C (42.1 F)	10.6 C (19.1 F)	28 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Passau-Maierhof, DE	daily snow depth	15.0 cm (5.9 in)	2.0 cm (0.8 in)	49 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Goldbutte 7 N, US	monthly rain	24.4 mm (1.0 in)	11.7 mm (0.5 in)	13 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Saskatoon Diefenbaker Int'l A, CA	daily rain	16.3 mm (0.6 in)	12.7 mm (0.5 in)	5 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Havre Wb City, US	daily rain	10.7 mm (0.4 in)	9.7 mm (0.38 in)	18 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Maple Creek, CA	monthly rain	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	7.7 mm (0.30 in)	7 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Medicine Hat A, CA	daily rain	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	8.2 mm (0.32 in)	24 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Brome, CA	daily rain	19.8 mm (0.8 in)	6.8 mm (0.27 in)	63 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 December 1939	Holy Cross, US	daily rain	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	8.8 mm (0.35 in)	44 years	20 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 1939

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1939. 1939 had 140 records.

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

Records on 12-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1794	1
1799	1
1801	2
1808	3
1825	1
1828	1
1839	1
1846	1
1850	1
1855	7
1859	1
1860	1
1868	1
1870	1
1871	2
1874	2
1875	3
1876	1
1877	1
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1884	1
1886	3
1889	1
1890	4
1893	4
1894	1
1895	5
1896	3
1897	3
1898	1
1900	8
1901	15
1902	5
1903	25
1904	3
1905	15
1906	15
1907	17
1908	19
1909	20
1910	29
1911	36
1912	23
1913	11
1914	107
1915	43
1916	40
1917	18
1918	41
1919	57
1920	30
1921	104
1922	34
1923	323
1924	377
1925	120
1926	178
1927	147
1928	70
1929	156
1930	66
1931	556
1932	150
1933	581
1934	230
1935	398
1936	323
1937	189
1938	145
1939	140
1940	622
1941	651
1942	968
1943	148
1944	762
1945	396
1946	495
1947	700
1948	297
1949	1,281
1950	504
1951	1,061
1952	197
1953	256
1954	444
1955	888
1956	672
1957	846
1958	516
1959	272
1960	585
1961	254
1962	563
1963	1,137
1964	613
1965	247
1966	400
1967	1,923
1968	818
1969	828
1970	547
1971	680
1972	651
1973	1,292
1974	374
1975	548
1976	446
1977	470
1978	517
1979	558
1980	726
1981	1,476
1982	702
1983	3,324
1984	1,012
1985	979
1986	404
1987	775
1988	717
1989	3,203
1990	2,701
1991	1,125
1992	751
1993	967
1994	793
1995	878
1996	1,114
1997	810
1998	1,142
1999	851
2000	944
2001	650
2002	579
2003	1,103
2004	675
2005	606
2006	1,443
2007	946
2008	1,062
2009	1,097
2010	2,039
2011	653
2012	759
2013	1,029
2014	878
2015	1,173
2016	543
2017	459
2018	742
2019	755
2020	965
2021	323
2022	528
2023	1,170
2024	778
2025	1,099

Download the Data

Data for records on 1939-12-21: 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 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Margin	Records
0 to 20	88
20 to 40	11
40 to 60	3
60 to 80	1
80 to 100	1
100 to 120	0
120 to 140	2