Weather Records on 20 August 1959

764 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 August 1959. Highest significance: Ellensfield, AU.

Key Facts for 20 August 1959

On 20 August 1959, 764 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
256 were record highs and 286 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 33 monthly and 729 daily.
Ellensfield set a monthly record daily precipitation of 47.0 mm (1.9 in) on 20 August 1959.
Across 163 earlier years (1797 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 453 records.

Record Map

764 stations

764 station records on 20 August 1959 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 August 1959: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Ellensfield	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Idaho City	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Hansboro 4 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.3 mm (1.9 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Hernando	United States	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Effingham	United States	Record daily precipitation	81.5 mm (3.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Keno	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Poitiers - Biard	France	Record daily precipitation	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Pichhore(Dabra)	India	Record daily precipitation	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Garden Valley	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Corinth 5 WSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Sandheads	India	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Bottineau	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.8 mm (1.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Hawthorne AP	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Bowman Dam	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Mescalero	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Rodeo	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Manouan Sanmaur	Canada	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Stockholm	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	28.8 C (83.8 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Dobbins Colgate Foreba	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Middlewater	United States	Record low maximum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Rhinelander	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Bishop AP	United States	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Susanville 2SW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Friend 3E	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.9 mm (2.3 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Umea	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Mackay Lost Rvr Rs	United States	Record low maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Bolgart	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Barrage Gouin	Canada	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Vastervik	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	28.2 C (82.8 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Deer Creek Ph	United States	Record low maximum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Sonora	United States	Record low maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Cottonwood	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Carrizozo 1SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Vasteras-Hasslo	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	29.6 C (85.3 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Electra P H	United States	Record low maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Hetch Hetchy	United States	Record low maximum temperature	18.3 C (64.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Oakdale Woodward Dam	United States	Record low maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Willows 6 W	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Columbus Dardc	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Lacrosse	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Watertown Rgnl AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Big Creek Ph 1	United States	Record low maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Colfax	United States	Record low maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
De Sabla	United States	Record low maximum temperature	20.6 C (69.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Le Grand	United States	Record low maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Detroit Lakes 1 NNE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Wells	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Hatton 9 SE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Kothapeta	India	Record daily precipitation	61.7 mm (2.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Tellichery	India	Record daily precipitation	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Ash Mtn	United States	Record low maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
East Park Rsvr	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Fairmont	United States	Record low minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Mineral	United States	Record low maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Wasco	United States	Record low maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Sisseton	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Giant Forest	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Huntington Lake	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

764 records

Records set or tied on 20 August 1959 by type: Highest daily maximum 65, Lowest daily maximum 247, Highest daily minimum 191, Lowest daily minimum 39, Heaviest daily rainfall 221, Heaviest daily snowfall 1.

Records on 20 August 1959 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	65
Lowest daily maximum	247
Highest daily minimum	191
Lowest daily minimum	39
Heaviest daily rainfall	221
Heaviest daily snowfall	1
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 20 August 1959 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 33, daily 729.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

615 broken records

Margins by which the 615 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 55.3. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 August 1959

Top 20 records on 20 August 1959 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 August 1959	Ellensfield, AU	monthly rain	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	28 years	63 of 100 (Major)
20 August 1959	Idaho City, US	daily rain	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	21.8 mm (0.9 in)	59 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Hansboro 4 NNE, US	daily rain	49.3 mm (1.9 in)	39.9 mm (1.6 in)	46 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Hernando, US	daily rain	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	44 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Effingham, US	daily rain	81.5 mm (3.2 in)	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	61 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Keno, US	monthly rain	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	13.2 mm (0.5 in)	11 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Poitiers - Biard, FR	monthly rain	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	14.1 mm (0.6 in)	32 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Pichhore(Dabra), IN	daily rain	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	55.3 mm (2.2 in)	50 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Garden Valley, US	daily rain	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	17.5 mm (0.7 in)	36 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Corinth 5 WSW, US	daily rain	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	57 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Sandheads, IN	daily rain	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	50 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Bottineau, US	daily rain	37.8 mm (1.5 in)	22.1 mm (0.9 in)	46 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Hawthorne AP, US	daily low max	22.2 C (72.0 F)	4.5 C (8.1 F)	56 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Klamath Falls 2 SSW, US	daily rain	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	22.8 mm (0.9 in)	0 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Bowman Dam, US	monthly low max	13.3 C (55.9 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	55 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Mescalero, US	daily rain	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	14 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Rodeo, US	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	22.6 mm (0.9 in)	24 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Manouan Sanmaur, CA	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	14.8 mm (0.6 in)	37 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Stockholm, SE	daily high max	28.8 C (83.8 F)	1.8 C (3.2 F)	76 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1959	Dobbins Colgate Foreba, US	daily low max	21.7 C (71.1 F)	7.2 C (13.0 F)	36 years	35 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

1797 to 1959

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1959. 1959 had 764 records.

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

Records on 08-20 in each year
Year	Records
1797	1
1807	1
1809	2
1816	1
1830	1
1832	1
1838	1
1840	1
1842	1
1846	1
1849	1
1850	1
1852	1
1858	3
1863	5
1867	4
1870	3
1871	1
1873	1
1875	2
1877	1
1883	2
1884	2
1885	6
1886	1
1888	1
1889	2
1890	2
1891	2
1892	6
1893	1
1894	1
1895	1
1896	5
1897	6
1898	1
1899	5
1900	7
1901	12
1902	3
1903	7
1904	30
1905	7
1906	26
1907	15
1908	21
1909	69
1910	7
1911	18
1912	25
1913	23
1914	15
1915	14
1916	74
1917	51
1918	69
1919	25
1920	47
1921	23
1922	52
1923	83
1924	132
1925	193
1926	187
1927	338
1928	101
1929	213
1930	318
1931	214
1932	299
1933	324
1934	376
1935	339
1936	543
1937	537
1938	250
1939	448
1940	695
1941	230
1942	429
1943	436
1944	355
1945	398
1946	349
1947	988
1948	403
1949	431
1950	1,341
1951	824
1952	425
1953	441
1954	476
1955	848
1956	678
1957	342
1958	281
1959	764
1960	465
1961	520
1962	684
1963	577
1964	629
1965	470
1966	1,094
1967	657
1968	862
1969	608
1970	414
1971	585
1972	522
1973	490
1974	565
1975	411
1976	894
1977	860
1978	563
1979	1,009
1980	991
1981	856
1982	620
1983	1,465
1984	696
1985	666
1986	819
1987	564
1988	991
1989	603
1990	1,262
1991	804
1992	1,168
1993	759
1994	719
1995	1,113
1996	900
1997	1,214
1998	802
1999	810
2000	989
2001	909
2002	1,208
2003	1,031
2004	1,333
2005	1,112
2006	851
2007	1,955
2008	1,170
2009	1,414
2010	1,028
2011	987
2012	1,086
2013	545
2014	582
2015	1,075
2016	872
2017	324
2018	657
2019	698
2020	1,051
2021	1,028
2022	1,038
2023	1,479
2024	589
2025	1,134
2026	985

Download the Data

Data for records on 1959-08-20: 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).