Weather Records on 3 May 1959

817 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 3 May 1959. Highest significance: Dialville 2 W, US.

Key Facts for 3 May 1959

On 3 May 1959, 817 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
505 were record highs and 118 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 17 monthly and 799 daily.
Dialville 2 W set a daily record precipitation of 148.6 mm (5.9 in) on 3 May 1959.
Across 168 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 431 records.

Record Map

817 stations

817 station records on 3 May 1959 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 3 May 1959: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Dialville 2 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	148.6 mm (5.9 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Henderson	United States	Record daily precipitation	257.0 mm (10.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Plattsmouth 1E	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Superior	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Kangela, Mtubatuba	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Longview	United States	Record daily precipitation	109.2 mm (4.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Flitwick Grange	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Heavitree, Estcourt	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Marshall	United States	Record daily precipitation	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Ficksburg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Attabari	India	Record daily precipitation	122.2 mm (4.8 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Kilmashogue,Lowlands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Syracuse	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.9 mm (2.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Snowhill	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Overdene	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Georgetown Post Office	Australia	Record high minimum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
The Meadows	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.5 mm (1.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ben Lomond	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Elandshoek, Boston	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.1 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Knight L C,Balgowan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Gyshgy	Turkmenistan	Record low maximum temperature	11.0 C (51.8 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-7.2 C (19.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Nelson Bay (Nelson Head)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Pine Bluff	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Sparta 1 W	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
White Hall 1 E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Singimari	India	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Caguas	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record low maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Glen Morgan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Brinkley	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Jacksonville 2E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
McGill	United States	Record low maximum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Red Deer	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-11.1 C (12.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Perumpavur	India	Record daily precipitation	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Senekal (Agr)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Dixon Wwtp	United States	Record high minimum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Havana	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Bear Creek	Canada	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Lacombe Cda	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-12.2 C (10.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Pasighat	India	Record daily precipitation	112.6 mm (4.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Karunagapalli	India	Record daily precipitation	73.7 mm (2.9 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Sviland	Norway	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Trona	United States	Record low minimum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Eldon	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.6 C (69.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Louisiana Starks Nurse	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.6 C (69.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Jefferson 3SE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Dawson	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Insikeni (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	26.5 mm (1.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Botanic Gardens - Pmb	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Rocky Ford 2 SE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Bloomington Normal	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Decatur Wtp	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Glenwood 3SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.1 mm (1.6 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Washington	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Cottonwood Falls	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Grand Meadow	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.3 C (64.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Mexico	United States	Record high minimum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Alva 1W	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Bend	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-7.8 C (18.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Laurier	United States	Record low maximum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

817 records

Records set or tied on 3 May 1959 by type: Highest daily maximum 183, Lowest daily maximum 64, Highest daily minimum 322, Lowest daily minimum 54, Heaviest daily rainfall 185, Heaviest daily snowfall 9.

Records on 3 May 1959 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	183
Lowest daily maximum	64
Highest daily minimum	322
Lowest daily minimum	54
Heaviest daily rainfall	185
Heaviest daily snowfall	9
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 3 May 1959 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 17, daily 799.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

598 broken records

Margins by which the 598 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 85.1. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

3 May 1959

Top 20 records on 3 May 1959 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
3 May 1959	Dialville 2 W, US	daily rain	148.6 mm (5.9 in)	85.1 mm (3.4 in)	44 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Henderson, US	all-time rain	257.0 mm (10.1 in)	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	18 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Plattsmouth 1E, US	daily rain	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	41.6 mm (1.6 in)	53 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Superior, US	daily rain	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	14 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Kangela, Mtubatuba, ZA	daily rain	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	57.1 mm (2.2 in)	26 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Longview, US	daily rain	109.2 mm (4.3 in)	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	24 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Flitwick Grange, ZA	daily rain	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	30 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Heavitree, Estcourt, ZA	daily rain	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	19.0 mm (0.7 in)	53 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Marshall, US	daily rain	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	14 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Ficksburg, ZA	daily rain	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	14.6 mm (0.6 in)	42 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Attabari, IN	daily rain	122.2 mm (4.8 in)	60.7 mm (2.4 in)	10 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Kilmashogue,Lowlands, ZA	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	44 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Syracuse, US	daily rain	58.9 mm (2.3 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	45 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Snowhill, ZA	daily rain	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	29 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
3 May 1959	Overdene, ZA	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	14.2 mm (0.6 in)	33 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
3 May 1959	Georgetown Post Office, AU	monthly high min	27.2 C (81.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	52 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
3 May 1959	The Meadows, ZA	daily rain	25.5 mm (1.0 in)	17.4 mm (0.7 in)	18 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
3 May 1959	Ben Lomond, ZA	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	18 years	32 of 100 (Routine)
3 May 1959	Elandshoek, Boston, ZA	daily rain	40.1 mm (1.6 in)	32.7 mm (1.3 in)	0 years	32 of 100 (Routine)
3 May 1959	Knight L C,Balgowan, ZA	daily rain	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	18 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

1795 to 1959

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1959. 1959 had 817 records.

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

Records on 05-03 in each year
Year	Records
1795	1
1796	1
1799	1
1820	1
1832	1
1836	2
1837	1
1845	1
1849	1
1850	5
1851	2
1852	1
1855	1
1861	1
1864	2
1866	1
1868	1
1869	1
1870	1
1871	1
1873	1
1874	1
1875	1
1877	1
1878	4
1879	2
1881	1
1883	1
1884	1
1885	1
1886	3
1887	3
1888	1
1889	3
1891	2
1892	4
1893	1
1894	4
1896	2
1897	3
1898	5
1899	3
1900	2
1901	4
1902	5
1903	7
1904	7
1905	23
1906	10
1907	25
1908	8
1909	22
1910	17
1911	31
1912	17
1913	125
1914	10
1915	28
1916	52
1917	36
1918	28
1919	77
1920	37
1921	42
1922	292
1923	69
1924	55
1925	126
1926	250
1927	78
1928	255
1929	329
1930	279
1931	141
1932	136
1933	376
1934	353
1935	644
1936	356
1937	240
1938	527
1939	331
1940	550
1941	456
1942	1,161
1943	417
1944	728
1945	486
1946	353
1947	879
1948	919
1949	761
1950	854
1951	336
1952	447
1953	373
1954	1,210
1955	811
1956	590
1957	292
1958	485
1959	817
1960	280
1961	389
1962	243
1963	360
1964	908
1965	372
1966	850
1967	1,122
1968	324
1969	404
1970	464
1971	600
1972	380
1973	486
1974	323
1975	475
1976	760
1977	426
1978	1,046
1979	1,217
1980	573
1981	898
1982	564
1983	1,768
1984	807
1985	1,152
1986	965
1987	1,122
1988	782
1989	563
1990	1,715
1991	987
1992	792
1993	824
1994	703
1995	1,050
1996	1,058
1997	933
1998	910
1999	872
2000	1,056
2001	1,541
2002	1,312
2003	934
2004	1,562
2005	1,570
2006	633
2007	693
2008	981
2009	650
2010	1,565
2011	970
2012	1,318
2013	1,562
2014	553
2015	466
2016	505
2017	458
2018	1,004
2019	562
2020	506
2021	491
2022	570
2023	846
2024	627
2025	475
2026	879

Download the Data

Data for records on 1959-05-03: 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 20	568
20 to 40	19
40 to 60	8
60 to 80	2
80 to 100	1