Weather Records on 21 May 1940

456 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 May 1940. Highest significance: Markapur, IN.

Key Facts for 21 May 1940

On 21 May 1940, 456 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
61 were record highs and 33 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 34 monthly and 420 daily.
Markapur set an all-time record daily precipitation of 193.0 mm (7.6 in) on 21 May 1940.
Across 156 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 460 records.

Record Map

456 stations

456 station records on 21 May 1940 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 May 1940: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Markapur	India	Record daily precipitation	193.0 mm (7.6 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Macharla	India	Record daily precipitation	99.1 mm (3.9 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Jimbour State School	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Cumbam	India	Record daily precipitation	119.4 mm (4.7 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Kampli	India	Record daily precipitation	137.2 mm (5.4 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Cuddapah	India	Record daily precipitation	89.9 mm (3.5 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Nalgonda	India	Record daily precipitation	127.8 mm (5.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Krishnapatnam	India	Record daily precipitation	151.1 mm (5.9 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Dras	India	Record daily precipitation	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Salur	India	Record daily precipitation	78.2 mm (3.1 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Gurjala(Gurujala)	India	Record daily precipitation	52.3 mm (2.1 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Nandikottur	India	Record daily precipitation	86.9 mm (3.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Narasannapeta	India	Record daily precipitation	117.6 mm (4.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Nellore	India	Record daily precipitation	171.5 mm (6.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Chidavaram	India	Record daily precipitation	89.4 mm (3.5 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Russelkonda	India	Record daily precipitation	133.6 mm (5.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
De Ruyter 4 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Kalingapatam	India	Record daily precipitation	125.7 mm (4.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Molakmura	India	Record daily precipitation	97.8 mm (3.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Stanton	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Bobbili	India	Record daily precipitation	88.4 mm (3.5 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Kalyandrug	India	Record daily precipitation	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Giddalore	India	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Proddatur	India	Record daily precipitation	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Begumpet Obsy	India	Record daily precipitation	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Manginapudi	India	Record daily precipitation	91.9 mm (3.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Elkins	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Sultan Bazar	India	Record daily precipitation	86.4 mm (3.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Bhadrachalam	India	Record daily precipitation	93.0 mm (3.7 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Saunur(Savnur)	India	Record daily precipitation	60.5 mm (2.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Kamalapuram	India	Record daily precipitation	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Mahbubnagar	India	Record daily precipitation	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Dolphin@S Nose Obsy	India	Record daily precipitation	78.2 mm (3.1 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Srungavarapukota	India	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Surada	India	Record daily precipitation	71.9 mm (2.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Saint Johnsbury	United States	Record daily precipitation	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Dalby Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Dharmavaram	India	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Kurnool	India	Record daily precipitation	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Parvatipur	India	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Dhone	India	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Anakapalli	India	Record daily precipitation	85.6 mm (3.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Pulivendla	India	Record daily precipitation	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Tuni	India	Record daily precipitation	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Hospet	India	Record daily precipitation	42.7 mm (1.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Badvel	India	Record daily precipitation	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Narsipatnam	India	Record daily precipitation	124.7 mm (4.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Rajampet	India	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Pithapuram	India	Record daily precipitation	78.7 mm (3.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Kovvur	India	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cheltenham 1 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Yellavaram	India	Record daily precipitation	106.7 mm (4.2 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Baheri	India	Record daily precipitation	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Condamine Plains	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Jondaryan Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Urvakonda	India	Record daily precipitation	83.8 mm (3.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Peapalli(Pyapali)	India	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Bell Store	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Tanuku	India	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Sakri	India	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

456 records

Records set or tied on 21 May 1940 by type: Highest daily maximum 29, Lowest daily maximum 24, Highest daily minimum 32, Lowest daily minimum 9, Heaviest daily rainfall 361, Heaviest daily snowfall 1.

Records on 21 May 1940 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	29
Lowest daily maximum	24
Highest daily minimum	32
Lowest daily minimum	9
Heaviest daily rainfall	361
Heaviest daily snowfall	1
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 21 May 1940 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 34, daily 420.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

418 broken records

Margins by which the 418 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 121.1. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 May 1940

Top 20 records on 21 May 1940 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 May 1940	Markapur, IN	all-time rain	193.0 mm (7.6 in)	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	8 years	66 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1940	Macharla, IN	monthly rain	99.1 mm (3.9 in)	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	38 years	65 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1940	Jimbour State School, AU	daily rain	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	50 years	61 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1940	Cumbam, IN	monthly rain	119.4 mm (4.7 in)	56.7 mm (2.2 in)	23 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Kampli, IN	monthly rain	137.2 mm (5.4 in)	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	15 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Cuddapah, IN	daily rain	89.9 mm (3.5 in)	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	37 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Nalgonda, IN	monthly rain	127.8 mm (5.0 in)	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	4 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Krishnapatnam, IN	daily rain	151.1 mm (5.9 in)	102.3 mm (4.0 in)	37 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Dras, IN	daily rain	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	39 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Salur, IN	daily rain	78.2 mm (3.1 in)	59.1 mm (2.3 in)	34 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Gurjala(Gurujala), IN	daily rain	52.3 mm (2.1 in)	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	37 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Nandikottur, IN	monthly rain	86.9 mm (3.4 in)	34.1 mm (1.3 in)	22 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Narasannapeta, IN	daily rain	117.6 mm (4.6 in)	104.4 mm (4.1 in)	31 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Nellore, IN	monthly rain	171.5 mm (6.8 in)	64.6 mm (2.5 in)	10 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Chidavaram, IN	daily rain	89.4 mm (3.5 in)	73.9 mm (2.9 in)	29 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Russelkonda, IN	monthly rain	133.6 mm (5.3 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	15 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	De Ruyter 4 N, US	daily rain	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	30 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Kalingapatam, IN	daily rain	125.7 mm (4.9 in)	121.1 mm (4.8 in)	29 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Molakmura, IN	monthly rain	97.8 mm (3.9 in)	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	31 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1940	Ft Stanton, US	daily rain	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	40 years	51 of 100 (Notable)

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 1940

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1940. 1940 had 456 records.

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

Records on 05-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1811	1
1837	2
1842	1
1847	2
1854	1
1857	1
1858	1
1865	1
1866	1
1870	2
1875	1
1876	1
1880	2
1882	1
1885	1
1886	2
1887	3
1889	5
1890	3
1891	6
1892	1
1893	1
1894	4
1895	4
1896	5
1897	2
1898	1
1899	5
1900	1
1901	3
1902	4
1903	26
1904	8
1905	7
1906	12
1907	36
1908	13
1909	13
1910	14
1911	87
1912	24
1913	13
1914	26
1915	24
1916	13
1917	76
1918	51
1919	170
1920	39
1921	158
1922	39
1923	125
1924	148
1925	250
1926	221
1927	207
1928	173
1929	247
1930	133
1931	488
1932	343
1933	290
1934	590
1935	190
1936	328
1937	227
1938	348
1939	355
1940	456
1941	525
1942	482
1943	463
1944	310
1945	515
1946	324
1947	485
1948	312
1949	593
1950	403
1951	271
1952	385
1953	501
1954	961
1955	507
1956	409
1957	709
1958	511
1959	684
1960	615
1961	306
1962	553
1963	598
1964	788
1965	238
1966	296
1967	1,022
1968	549
1969	832
1970	449
1971	536
1972	557
1973	493
1974	847
1975	1,160
1976	393
1977	756
1978	575
1979	787
1980	857
1981	1,550
1982	599
1983	1,106
1984	950
1985	610
1986	908
1987	1,242
1988	819
1989	671
1990	947
1991	1,065
1992	1,143
1993	1,197
1994	656
1995	749
1996	1,461
1997	953
1998	1,200
1999	544
2000	897
2001	1,187
2002	2,048
2003	807
2004	898
2005	1,020
2006	810
2007	894
2008	740
2009	1,315
2010	962
2011	959
2012	848
2013	884
2014	522
2015	956
2016	567
2017	780
2018	525
2019	1,668
2020	707
2021	1,131
2022	1,512
2023	794
2024	751
2025	776
2026	356

Download the Data

Data for records on 1940-05-21: 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	293
20 to 40	83
40 to 60	28
60 to 80	10
80 to 100	1
100 to 120	2
120 to 140	1