Weather Records on 12 May 1959

740 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 12 May 1959. Highest significance: Luckhoff (Pol), ZA.

Key Facts for 12 May 1959

On 12 May 1959, 740 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
342 were record highs and 58 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 27 monthly and 713 daily.
Luckhoff (Pol) set a monthly record daily precipitation of 83.0 mm (3.3 in) on 12 May 1959.
Across 164 earlier years (1814 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 451 records.

Record Map

740 stations

740 station records on 12 May 1959 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 12 May 1959: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Luckhoff (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Douglas	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Eureka	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Venterstad	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Bleskop	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
De Aar	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Groenfontein "Montagu"	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Twyfelspoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Trekpad	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Riversdale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Petrusville (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Middletown	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Penedo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	77.2 mm (3.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Clermont-Ferrand	France	Record daily precipitation	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Franklinton	United States	Record daily precipitation	137.2 mm (5.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Calvinia	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Hopetown (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.3 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Franklin 2 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Middelpos (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Keble	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.5 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Witsieshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Nuwejaarskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.5 mm (1.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
London State Fish Hatchery	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Hyannis	United States	Record high maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Belmont (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	54.5 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Lobatse	Botswana	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Heidelberg Cape (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.5 mm (1.7 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Daniels Hope	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Tevredenheid	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Swartkoppies	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Theunissen (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Leliefontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Doornkom	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Ocala	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Middleburg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
New Iberia AP - Acadiana Rgnl	United States	Record daily precipitation	81.3 mm (3.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Belmont	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Vryburg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Vryburg (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Morgan City	United States	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Acude Ipaguassu	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Acude Forquilha	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Groot-Arendskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.5 mm (1.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Grootkuil	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Inverness 3 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Junqueiro	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	96.8 mm (3.8 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Eerstegeluk	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Middletown 4 W	United States	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Stoneville Exp STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	85.1 mm (3.4 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Grapevale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Hamelfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Woodfort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Umari	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Hillmoor	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Dinokana	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Reserve	United States	Record daily precipitation	82.8 mm (3.3 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Keene	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Kingston	United States	Record high maximum temperature	29.4 C (84.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Groenvlei	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	42.0 mm (1.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Nazareth House Farm	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	26.5 mm (1.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

740 records

Records set or tied on 12 May 1959 by type: Highest daily maximum 188, Lowest daily maximum 26, Highest daily minimum 154, Lowest daily minimum 32, Heaviest daily rainfall 331, Heaviest daily snowfall 9.

Records on 12 May 1959 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	188
Lowest daily maximum	26
Highest daily minimum	154
Lowest daily minimum	32
Heaviest daily rainfall	331
Heaviest daily snowfall	9
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 12 May 1959 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 27, daily 713.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

603 broken records

Margins by which the 603 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 104.7. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

12 May 1959

Top 20 records on 12 May 1959 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
12 May 1959	Luckhoff (Pol), ZA	monthly rain	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	50 years	70 of 100 (Major)
12 May 1959	Douglas, ZA	monthly rain	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	60 years	64 of 100 (Major)
12 May 1959	Eureka, ZA	monthly rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	24 years	61 of 100 (Major)
12 May 1959	Venterstad, ZA	daily rain	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	27.7 mm (1.1 in)	74 years	60 of 100 (Major)
12 May 1959	Bleskop, ZA	monthly rain	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	22.1 mm (0.9 in)	33 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	De Aar, ZA	daily rain	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	24 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Groenfontein "Montagu", ZA	monthly rain	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	28.8 mm (1.1 in)	13 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Twyfelspoort, ZA	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	27.1 mm (1.1 in)	48 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Trekpad, ZA	daily rain	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	45 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Riversdale, ZA	daily rain	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	19.4 mm (0.8 in)	57 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Petrusville (Pol), ZA	monthly rain	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	21.9 mm (0.9 in)	23 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Middletown, US	daily rain	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	29 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Penedo, BR	daily rain	77.2 mm (3.0 in)	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	41 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Clermont-Ferrand, FR	daily rain	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	28.3 mm (1.1 in)	28 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Franklinton, US	daily rain	137.2 mm (5.4 in)	104.7 mm (4.1 in)	12 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Calvinia, ZA	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	20 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Hopetown (Tnk), ZA	monthly rain	45.3 mm (1.8 in)	7.2 mm (0.28 in)	67 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Franklin 2 NNE, US	daily rain	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	53 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Middelpos (Pol), ZA	daily rain	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	17.3 mm (0.7 in)	20 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
12 May 1959	Keble, ZA	daily rain	36.5 mm (1.4 in)	30.1 mm (1.2 in)	20 years	42 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

1814 to 1959

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1814 to 1959. 1959 had 740 records.

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

Records on 05-12 in each year
Year	Records
1814	2
1823	1
1825	1
1827	1
1834	1
1837	1
1838	1
1845	1
1847	1
1848	1
1849	2
1851	1
1855	2
1860	2
1862	2
1863	1
1867	1
1868	1
1872	2
1874	1
1877	1
1878	1
1879	1
1881	4
1882	5
1884	3
1885	2
1886	3
1887	1
1888	1
1889	1
1890	1
1891	4
1894	1
1895	1
1896	1
1897	7
1898	3
1900	3
1901	6
1902	5
1903	7
1904	11
1905	10
1906	20
1907	53
1908	12
1909	4
1910	9
1911	37
1912	46
1913	6
1914	36
1915	50
1916	42
1917	54
1918	113
1919	42
1920	19
1921	64
1922	43
1923	109
1924	245
1925	275
1926	121
1927	167
1928	192
1929	172
1930	500
1931	350
1932	199
1933	476
1934	293
1935	404
1936	329
1937	214
1938	394
1939	233
1940	440
1941	568
1942	418
1943	803
1944	368
1945	389
1946	653
1947	286
1948	390
1949	414
1950	283
1951	427
1952	711
1953	891
1954	305
1955	265
1956	1,568
1957	454
1958	714
1959	740
1960	1,583
1961	381
1962	713
1963	777
1964	401
1965	196
1966	909
1967	810
1968	890
1969	506
1970	698
1971	668
1972	641
1973	393
1974	702
1975	418
1976	541
1977	855
1978	802
1979	763
1980	684
1981	855
1982	763
1983	1,281
1984	887
1985	1,199
1986	473
1987	1,295
1988	619
1989	856
1990	617
1991	1,177
1992	1,022
1993	1,208
1994	738
1995	1,190
1996	1,420
1997	921
1998	1,576
1999	881
2000	1,486
2001	1,015
2002	1,027
2003	861
2004	1,054
2005	1,369
2006	797
2007	630
2008	858
2009	687
2010	1,250
2011	1,119
2012	660
2013	689
2014	949
2015	958
2016	421
2017	529
2018	819
2019	784
2020	1,338
2021	712
2022	1,930
2023	429
2024	447
2025	940
2026	1,110

Download the Data

Data for records on 1959-05-12: 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	551
20 to 40	43
40 to 60	8
60 to 80	0
80 to 100	0
100 to 120	1