Weather Records on 21 January 1949

452 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 January 1949. Highest significance: Hartington, US.

Key Facts for 21 January 1949

On 21 January 1949, 452 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
22 were record highs and 194 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 4 were all-time records, 8 monthly and 440 daily.
Hartington set a daily record snow depth of 50.8 cm (20.0 in) on 21 January 1949.
Across 163 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 467 records.

Record Map

452 stations

452 station records on 21 January 1949 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 January 1949: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Hartington	United States	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Ottawa	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Grinnell 3 SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Woudzicht	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Jemez Springs	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Sorel	Canada	Record daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Premier Mine-Cullinan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Georgetown Post Office	Australia	Record low minimum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Virginia	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Gordon 6N	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Cuero	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Middlekop (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	218.4 mm (8.6 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Government Creek	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Glenns Ferry	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Houston Wb City	United States	Record daily precipitation	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Saltspring Island	Canada	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Cumbres	United States	Record daily snowfall	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Danevang 1 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Industria	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Seligman	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Millerton	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Philipsburg	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Trenton 2	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Quantico 1 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	39.1 mm (1.5 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Philadelphia City	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Huron Rgnl AP	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-36.7 C (-34.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Knoxville	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Brainerd	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Jersey City	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Sealy	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Cypress River	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-31.7 C (-25.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
W Pt	United States	Record snow depth	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Mankayane	Swaziland	Record daily precipitation	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
New Milford	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Rimrock Tieton Dam	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-11.1 C (12.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Huron Rgnl AP	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-22.8 C (-9.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Wien	Austria	Record high minimum temperature	4.1 C (39.4 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Ficksburg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Aberdeen Exp STN	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Afton	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Two Harbors	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Winnibigoshish Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.3 cm (2.1 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Maryville 2E	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Chadron 3SW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-33.9 C (-29.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
O'Neill	United States	Record daily snowfall	6.4 cm (2.5 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Flatonia 4SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Roodepoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Woodcliff Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Lake Cle Elum	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Kealia 1112	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Milnes Landing	Canada	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Morris	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-42.2 C (-44.0 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
St Lin des Laurentides	Canada	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Regensburg	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	2.0 C (35.6 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Manati 2 E	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record low maximum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Crescent City 3 NNW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	5.6 C (42.1 F)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Indianola 1SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
St Joseph 3 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Kimball 2NE	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)
Long Branch-Oakhurst	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	22 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

452 records

Records set or tied on 21 January 1949 by type: Highest daily maximum 11, Lowest daily maximum 91, Highest daily minimum 11, Lowest daily minimum 103, Heaviest daily rainfall 116, Heaviest daily snowfall 81, Deepest snow cover 39.

Records on 21 January 1949 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	11
Lowest daily maximum	91
Highest daily minimum	11
Lowest daily minimum	103
Heaviest daily rainfall	116
Heaviest daily snowfall	81
Deepest snow cover	39

Records on 21 January 1949 by timescale: all-time 4, monthly 8, daily 440.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

365 broken records

Margins by which the 365 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 508.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 January 1949

Top 20 records on 21 January 1949 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 January 1949	Hartington, US	daily snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	55 years	61 of 100 (Major)
21 January 1949	Ottawa, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	48 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Grinnell 3 SW, US	daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	55 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Woudzicht, ZA	daily rain	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	42.4 mm (1.7 in)	36 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Jemez Springs, US	daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	11.5 cm (4.5 in)	33 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Sorel, CA	daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	29 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Premier Mine-Cullinan, ZA	daily rain	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	27.7 mm (1.1 in)	40 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Georgetown Post Office, AU	daily low min	16.1 C (61.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	51 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Virginia, US	daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	32 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Gordon 6N, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	46 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Cuero, US	daily rain	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	19 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Middlekop (Bos), ZA	all-time rain	218.4 mm (8.6 in)	13.4 mm (0.5 in)	29 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Government Creek, US	daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	38 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1949	Glenns Ferry, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	10.1 cm (4.0 in)	35 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Houston Wb City, US	daily rain	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	57 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Saltspring Island, CA	daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	33 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Cumbres, US	daily snowfall	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	16 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Danevang 1 W, US	daily rain	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	21.4 mm (0.8 in)	43 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Industria, ZA	daily rain	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	8 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
21 January 1949	Seligman, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	16 years	30 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 1949

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1949. 1949 had 452 records.

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

Records on 01-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	2
1796	1
1798	1
1800	2
1803	1
1804	2
1829	1
1838	3
1840	2
1845	2
1846	1
1850	2
1864	2
1866	4
1867	1
1869	1
1871	1
1873	2
1876	1
1878	4
1880	3
1881	4
1884	1
1885	1
1886	1
1888	3
1890	2
1891	3
1892	2
1893	1
1894	3
1895	2
1896	2
1897	3
1898	3
1899	15
1900	5
1901	4
1902	8
1903	18
1904	30
1905	3
1906	53
1907	10
1908	11
1909	25
1910	11
1911	8
1912	7
1913	23
1914	37
1915	47
1916	38
1917	83
1918	49
1919	14
1920	75
1921	54
1922	35
1923	62
1924	535
1925	103
1926	157
1927	447
1928	206
1929	132
1930	616
1931	112
1932	167
1933	572
1934	255
1935	771
1936	314
1937	852
1938	250
1939	305
1940	562
1941	205
1942	522
1943	1,168
1944	324
1945	290
1946	339
1947	205
1948	387
1949	452
1950	643
1951	367
1952	436
1953	325
1954	1,094
1955	399
1956	653
1957	527
1958	506
1959	936
1960	319
1961	746
1962	741
1963	761
1964	771
1965	251
1966	636
1967	511
1968	1,179
1969	927
1970	1,770
1971	672
1972	598
1973	573
1974	992
1975	496
1976	860
1977	549
1978	1,301
1979	1,675
1980	425
1981	972
1982	1,339
1983	1,179
1984	2,132
1985	2,457
1986	883
1987	934
1988	771
1989	511
1990	927
1991	559
1992	447
1993	1,763
1994	1,195
1995	1,276
1996	528
1997	950
1998	606
1999	1,387
2000	686
2001	736
2002	796
2003	690
2004	535
2005	1,111
2006	1,116
2007	1,955
2008	1,061
2009	788
2010	1,166
2011	836
2012	1,148
2013	455
2014	522
2015	426
2016	580
2017	1,248
2018	664
2019	526
2020	894
2021	626
2022	430
2023	517
2024	1,015
2025	1,386
2026	201

Download the Data

Data for records on 1949-01-21: 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 100	345
100 to 200	14
200 to 300	5
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	0
500 to 600	1