Weather Records on 18 May 1954

498 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 18 May 1954. Highest significance: Royal Observatory, ZA.

Key Facts for 18 May 1954

On 18 May 1954, 498 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
344 were record highs and 35 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 26 monthly and 472 daily.
Royal Observatory set a daily record precipitation of 56.5 mm (2.2 in) on 18 May 1954.
Across 164 earlier years (1796 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 442 records.

Record Map

498 stations

498 station records on 18 May 1954 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 18 May 1954: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Royal Observatory	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Rawsonville (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	91.8 mm (3.6 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Reit Im Winkl	Germany	Record daily precipitation	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Hatch	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.2 mm (1.2 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Kazalinsk	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	26.8 mm (1.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Eersterivier (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Capitan	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.5 mm (1.9 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Cape Town Maitland (Cem)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Lebanon (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.3 mm (2.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Ancho	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Groot Constantia	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Cape York Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Aralskoe More	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	32.2 mm (1.3 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Robben Island (Vrt)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
La Motte (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Conceicao	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Moa Island Mission	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Bidwell	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.8 C (91.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Lakeview 2 NNW	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.7 C (89.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Kluitjeskraal (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.8 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Midland 4 ENE	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Winnemucca AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Balmorhea	United States	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
St Andrews	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Basirhat	India	Record daily precipitation	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Riggins	United States	Record high maximum temperature	36.7 C (98.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Dayville	United States	Record high maximum temperature	36.7 C (98.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Paisley	United States	Record high maximum temperature	33.9 C (93.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Weston 2 SE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Kailua 446	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Kremsmuenster	Austria	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Moscow U of I	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.1 C (88.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Carrizozo 1SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Edith Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.7 mm (1.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Eureka	United States	Record high maximum temperature	29.4 C (84.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Kukuihaele Hic 199	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Hooghly	India	Record daily precipitation	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Payette	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Virginia City	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.8 C (91.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Hobbs	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Lovington 2 WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	77.5 mm (3.1 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Orovada 3 W	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.7 C (89.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Cambridge	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Ft Benton	United States	Record high maximum temperature	30.0 C (86.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Colorado City	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Post	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Guildford Junction	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.1 mm (1.6 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Marseille Obs. Palais-Lonchamp	France	Record low maximum temperature	13.1 C (55.6 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Villiersdorp	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Malmesbury	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	48.4 mm (1.9 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Prineville	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.2 C (90.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Valley Falls	United States	Record high maximum temperature	33.3 C (91.9 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Tropic	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Davenport	United States	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Lacrosse	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Trinidad 2 SSE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	36.7 C (98.1 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Cedarville	United States	Record high maximum temperature	35.6 C (96.1 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Tonopah	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.2 C (90.0 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Ibapah	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

498 records

Records set or tied on 18 May 1954 by type: Highest daily maximum 267, Lowest daily maximum 23, Highest daily minimum 77, Lowest daily minimum 12, Heaviest daily rainfall 117, Heaviest daily snowfall 2.

Records on 18 May 1954 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	267
Lowest daily maximum	23
Highest daily minimum	77
Lowest daily minimum	12
Heaviest daily rainfall	117
Heaviest daily snowfall	2
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 18 May 1954 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 26, daily 472.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

398 broken records

Margins by which the 398 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 75.8. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

18 May 1954

Top 20 records on 18 May 1954 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
18 May 1954	Royal Observatory, ZA	daily rain	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	25.5 mm (1.0 in)	81 years	60 of 100 (Major)
18 May 1954	Rawsonville (Pol), ZA	daily rain	91.8 mm (3.6 in)	75.8 mm (3.0 in)	48 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Reit Im Winkl, DE	daily rain	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	67.8 mm (2.7 in)	43 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Hatch, US	monthly rain	30.2 mm (1.2 in)	14.2 mm (0.6 in)	16 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Kazalinsk, KZ	daily rain	26.8 mm (1.1 in)	17.4 mm (0.7 in)	49 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Eersterivier (Bos), ZA	daily rain	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	42.0 mm (1.7 in)	12 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Capitan, US	daily rain	48.5 mm (1.9 in)	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	16 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Cape Town Maitland (Cem), ZA	daily rain	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	15 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Lebanon (Bos), ZA	daily rain	60.3 mm (2.4 in)	53.4 mm (2.1 in)	13 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Ancho, US	daily rain	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	17 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Groot Constantia, ZA	daily rain	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	47.8 mm (1.9 in)	12 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Cape York Post Office, AU	daily rain	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	44 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Aralskoe More, KZ	monthly rain	32.2 mm (1.3 in)	9.8 mm (0.39 in)	14 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Robben Island (Vrt), ZA	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	22.8 mm (0.9 in)	13 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	La Motte (Bos), ZA	daily rain	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	12 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Conceicao, BR	daily rain	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	39.8 mm (1.6 in)	36 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Moa Island Mission, AU	daily rain	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	37 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
18 May 1954	Ft Bidwell, US	daily high max	32.8 C (91.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	67 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
18 May 1954	Lakeview 2 NNW, US	daily high max	31.7 C (89.1 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	59 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
18 May 1954	Kluitjeskraal (Bos), ZA	daily rain	39.8 mm (1.6 in)	28.6 mm (1.1 in)	13 years	32 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

1796 to 1954

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1796 to 1954. 1954 had 498 records.

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

Records on 05-18 in each year
Year	Records
1796	1
1798	1
1802	2
1832	1
1833	1
1845	1
1847	1
1848	1
1855	1
1859	1
1861	2
1863	3
1864	1
1866	2
1868	2
1869	1
1870	1
1871	2
1872	1
1874	2
1877	4
1878	1
1879	1
1881	1
1883	2
1884	2
1885	1
1887	1
1888	4
1889	2
1891	1
1893	2
1894	4
1895	5
1896	2
1897	2
1898	1
1899	1
1900	13
1901	6
1902	9
1903	7
1904	11
1905	2
1906	24
1907	18
1908	5
1909	12
1910	50
1911	64
1912	5
1913	11
1914	45
1915	55
1916	74
1917	30
1918	42
1919	30
1920	26
1921	41
1922	33
1923	61
1924	92
1925	220
1926	133
1927	180
1928	160
1929	193
1930	475
1931	191
1932	460
1933	380
1934	390
1935	400
1936	282
1937	348
1938	382
1939	169
1940	315
1941	334
1942	421
1943	744
1944	496
1945	706
1946	651
1947	231
1948	426
1949	597
1950	473
1951	279
1952	493
1953	393
1954	498
1955	848
1956	795
1957	595
1958	334
1959	435
1960	404
1961	187
1962	1,199
1963	477
1964	329
1965	345
1966	438
1967	410
1968	817
1969	865
1970	703
1971	666
1972	499
1973	1,233
1974	1,097
1975	383
1976	733
1977	1,126
1978	1,090
1979	399
1980	614
1981	1,218
1982	452
1983	1,093
1984	717
1985	498
1986	1,131
1987	823
1988	1,154
1989	721
1990	753
1991	1,218
1992	921
1993	707
1994	1,015
1995	1,849
1996	1,767
1997	1,115
1998	1,060
1999	584
2000	922
2001	898
2002	1,833
2003	1,270
2004	847
2005	630
2006	1,493
2007	1,133
2008	999
2009	1,368
2010	894
2011	1,406
2012	523
2013	816
2014	609
2015	785
2016	597
2017	1,855
2018	557
2019	810
2020	706
2021	418
2022	711
2023	554
2024	551
2025	619
2026	1,131

Download the Data

Data for records on 1954-05-18: 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 2026-10-16. Last revised 16 October 2026 (2026-10-16).

Margin	Records
0 to 10	352
10 to 20	22
20 to 30	10
30 to 40	6
40 to 50	4
50 to 60	2
60 to 70	1
70 to 80	1