Weather Records on 17 May 1959

488 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 May 1959. Highest significance: Umzimkulu (Tnk), ZA.

Key Facts for 17 May 1959

On 17 May 1959, 488 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
72 were record highs and 112 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 13 were all-time records, 21 monthly and 454 daily.
Umzimkulu (Tnk) set an all-time record daily precipitation of 239.5 mm (9.4 in) on 17 May 1959.
Across 167 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 434 records.

Record Map

488 stations

488 station records on 17 May 1959 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 17 May 1959: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Umzimkulu (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	239.5 mm (9.4 in)	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
Kokstad	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	171.5 mm (6.8 in)	77 of 100 (Major)
Bizana (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	278.0 mm (10.9 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Fort Donald (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	167.0 mm (6.6 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Snowhill	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	189.0 mm (7.4 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Flagstaff (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Camperdown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	215.6 mm (8.5 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Sawoti	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	314.0 mm (12.4 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Inchanga (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	257.0 mm (10.1 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Ben Lomond	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	190.0 mm (7.5 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Harrismith (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
The Meadows	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	93.0 mm (3.7 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Flitwick Grange	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	142.0 mm (5.6 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Ntsubane (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	273.0 mm (10.7 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Eureka 1E	United States	Record daily precipitation	124.5 mm (4.9 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Boschkloof	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	89.3 mm (3.5 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Vouziers	France	Record daily precipitation	34.1 mm (1.3 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Insikeni (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Machadodorp	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Tonti (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	177.0 mm (7.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Sturt Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Steynsrus (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Port Shepstone	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	144.0 mm (5.7 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Cromleigh,Ixopo	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Mankayane	Swaziland	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Cegcuana (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Colwana (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	99.5 mm (3.9 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Impendle (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	78.0 mm (3.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Intake	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	117.0 mm (4.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Eerstegeluk	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Newgate	Canada	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Tabankulu (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	178.5 mm (7.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Puthendam	India	Record daily precipitation	137.2 mm (5.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Elandshoek, Boston	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Witsieshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	69.0 mm (2.7 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Moorside	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Wasa	Canada	Record daily precipitation	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Baynesfield Estate	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Botanic Gardens - Pmb	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	99.6 mm (3.9 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Knight L C,Balgowan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	85.3 mm (3.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Tasiilaq	Greenland [Denmark]	Record daily precipitation	45.4 mm (1.8 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Clifford Chambers	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	68.0 mm (2.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Old Halls Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Malayattur	India	Record daily precipitation	136.4 mm (5.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Durban-Botanical Gardens	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Abilene	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Mbabane	Swaziland	Record daily precipitation	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Meycode Adandai	India	Record daily precipitation	130.0 mm (5.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Bencuti (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Mvenyane (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Kilmashogue,Lowlands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Creston	Canada	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Noyyatinkara	India	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Emgcewe (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Mkambati	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Heritage	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.9 mm (1.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Idalia	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bidyadanga	Australia	Record daily precipitation	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Amsterdam (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Engcobo (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.6 mm (2.4 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

488 records

Records set or tied on 17 May 1959 by type: Highest daily maximum 40, Lowest daily maximum 56, Highest daily minimum 32, Lowest daily minimum 56, Heaviest daily rainfall 300, Heaviest daily snowfall 4.

Records on 17 May 1959 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	40
Lowest daily maximum	56
Highest daily minimum	32
Lowest daily minimum	56
Heaviest daily rainfall	300
Heaviest daily snowfall	4
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 17 May 1959 by timescale: all-time 13, monthly 21, daily 454.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

426 broken records

Margins by which the 426 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 161.6. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 May 1959

Top 20 records on 17 May 1959 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 May 1959	Umzimkulu (Tnk), ZA	all-time rain	239.5 mm (9.4 in)	125.2 mm (4.9 in)	53 years	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
17 May 1959	Kokstad, ZA	all-time rain	171.5 mm (6.8 in)	66.1 mm (2.6 in)	35 years	77 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Bizana (Bos), ZA	all-time rain	278.0 mm (10.9 in)	115.2 mm (4.5 in)	35 years	74 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Fort Donald (Bos), ZA	all-time rain	167.0 mm (6.6 in)	43.8 mm (1.7 in)	35 years	73 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Snowhill, ZA	all-time rain	189.0 mm (7.4 in)	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	34 years	73 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Flagstaff (Tnk), ZA	monthly rain	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	50 years	71 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Camperdown, ZA	all-time rain	215.6 mm (8.5 in)	71.3 mm (2.8 in)	19 years	69 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Sawoti, ZA	all-time rain	314.0 mm (12.4 in)	161.6 mm (6.4 in)	19 years	68 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Inchanga (Sar), ZA	all-time rain	257.0 mm (10.1 in)	117.0 mm (4.6 in)	19 years	68 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Ben Lomond, ZA	all-time rain	190.0 mm (7.5 in)	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	11 years	67 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Harrismith (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	44.9 mm (1.8 in)	67 years	67 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	The Meadows, ZA	monthly rain	93.0 mm (3.7 in)	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	37 years	66 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Flitwick Grange, ZA	all-time rain	142.0 mm (5.6 in)	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	31 years	63 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1959	Ntsubane (Bos), ZA	monthly rain	273.0 mm (10.7 in)	155.7 mm (6.1 in)	19 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Eureka 1E, US	monthly rain	124.5 mm (4.9 in)	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	61 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Boschkloof, ZA	monthly rain	89.3 mm (3.5 in)	48.2 mm (1.9 in)	19 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Vouziers, FR	daily rain	34.1 mm (1.3 in)	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	36 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Insikeni (Bos), ZA	monthly rain	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	40.2 mm (1.6 in)	24 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Machadodorp, ZA	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	26.1 mm (1.0 in)	48 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1959	Tonti (Bos), ZA	all-time rain	177.0 mm (7.0 in)	32.2 mm (1.3 in)	35 years	55 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

1802 to 1959

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1959. 1959 had 488 records.

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

Records on 05-17 in each year
Year	Records
1802	2
1803	1
1808	1
1816	1
1834	1
1837	1
1839	1
1847	2
1848	1
1851	1
1853	1
1855	1
1858	1
1859	1
1861	2
1862	2
1863	2
1864	1
1871	2
1872	2
1873	2
1874	4
1877	1
1878	1
1879	2
1880	1
1881	1
1882	2
1883	3
1885	1
1887	1
1888	2
1889	3
1891	8
1892	4
1893	3
1895	8
1896	2
1897	3
1898	6
1899	7
1900	12
1901	2
1902	3
1903	9
1904	12
1905	10
1906	22
1907	10
1908	5
1909	33
1910	16
1911	30
1912	16
1913	24
1914	24
1915	53
1916	49
1917	18
1918	56
1919	35
1920	46
1921	50
1922	30
1923	95
1924	80
1925	326
1926	133
1927	264
1928	127
1929	168
1930	421
1931	201
1932	288
1933	365
1934	373
1935	341
1936	270
1937	183
1938	340
1939	285
1940	338
1941	408
1942	589
1943	855
1944	521
1945	799
1946	586
1947	249
1948	412
1949	544
1950	371
1951	373
1952	777
1953	441
1954	298
1955	570
1956	1,166
1957	469
1958	331
1959	488
1960	402
1961	291
1962	1,325
1963	368
1964	417
1965	462
1966	489
1967	644
1968	564
1969	638
1970	711
1971	723
1972	610
1973	1,016
1974	1,302
1975	365
1976	426
1977	1,078
1978	872
1979	459
1980	768
1981	940
1982	476
1983	1,326
1984	925
1985	561
1986	921
1987	1,054
1988	1,096
1989	1,307
1990	1,135
1991	1,237
1992	1,025
1993	495
1994	858
1995	1,734
1996	1,706
1997	1,619
1998	1,080
1999	795
2000	825
2001	960
2002	964
2003	1,127
2004	769
2005	784
2006	1,522
2007	742
2008	1,309
2009	1,050
2010	880
2011	1,483
2012	711
2013	739
2014	1,062
2015	824
2016	741
2017	1,302
2018	726
2019	686
2020	496
2021	443
2022	479
2023	385
2024	566
2025	928
2026	745

Download the Data

Data for records on 1959-05-17: 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 25	349
25 to 50	49
50 to 75	15
75 to 100	6
100 to 125	4
125 to 150	1
150 to 175	2