Weather Records on 17 March 1972

1,013 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 March 1972. Highest significance: Ghanzi, BW.

Key Facts for 17 March 1972

On 17 March 1972, 1,013 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
745 were record highs and 14 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 22 monthly and 990 daily.
Ghanzi set a daily record precipitation of 66.0 mm (2.6 in) on 17 March 1972.
Across 161 earlier years (1825 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 472 records.

Record Map

1,013 stations

1,013 station records on 17 March 1972 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 17 March 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Ghanzi	Botswana	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Disraeli	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Kamiesberg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Sherbrooke	Canada	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Clarke City	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
St Andrews	Canada	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Dunedin	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Beauceville	Canada	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
La Pocatiere Cda	Canada	Record daily precipitation	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Annapolis US Naval Aca	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Price	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Pointe Au Pere	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Ste Rose du Degelis	Canada	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Granja	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Parelhas (Dnocs)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	145.0 mm (5.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Pocinhos (Joffily)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Estevan Point	Canada	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Lennoxville	Canada	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
East Angus	Canada	Record daily precipitation	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Sorel	Canada	Record daily precipitation	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Nordby (Fano)	Denmark	Record high maximum temperature	13.6 C (56.5 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Regensburg	Germany	Record high maximum temperature	19.6 C (67.3 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Hyannis	United States	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Aroostook	Canada	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Griquatown (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.3 mm (1.6 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Wexford	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Lewiston	United States	Record daily precipitation	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Kalispell Glacier AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Grafton	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Cet Central England	United Kingdom	Record high maximum temperature	16.4 C (61.5 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Middletown 4 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
W Chester 2 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.3 mm (1.3 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Causapscal	Canada	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Woodstock	Canada	Record daily precipitation	39.1 mm (1.5 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Fullerton 1 ESE	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Purcell 2 SW	United States	Record high maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Rust-En-Vrede	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Willows 6 W	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.1 C (88.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Towson	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Dyer 5S	United States	Record high maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Bonrook	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
McAdam	Canada	Record daily precipitation	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Groblershoop;Boegoeb	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	88.5 mm (3.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Friant Government Camp	United States	Record high maximum temperature	30.6 C (87.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Independence	United States	Record high maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Holyoke	United States	Record high minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hawthorne AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	27.8 C (82.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Anadarko 3 E	United States	Record high maximum temperature	29.4 C (84.9 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Cambridge Galt Moe	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	1.1 C (34.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
La Plata 1 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Tres Piedras	United States	Record high minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Ashley	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
New England	United States	Record high minimum temperature	3.3 C (37.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Coatesville 1 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Danevang 1 W	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.7 C (89.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Beaver	United States	Record high maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Julatten	Australia	Record daily precipitation	161.5 mm (6.4 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Medicine Hat A	Canada	Record high maximum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Beatrix	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Merced	United States	Record high maximum temperature	31.1 C (88.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,013 records

Records set or tied on 17 March 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 491, Lowest daily maximum 5, Highest daily minimum 254, Lowest daily minimum 9, Heaviest daily rainfall 239, Heaviest daily snowfall 6, Deepest snow cover 9.

Records on 17 March 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	491
Lowest daily maximum	5
Highest daily minimum	254
Lowest daily minimum	9
Heaviest daily rainfall	239
Heaviest daily snowfall	6
Deepest snow cover	9

Records on 17 March 1972 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 22, daily 990.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

818 broken records

Margins by which the 818 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 204.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 March 1972

Top 20 records on 17 March 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 March 1972	Ghanzi, BW	daily rain	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	36 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Disraeli, CA	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	19.9 mm (0.8 in)	55 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Kamiesberg, ZA	daily rain	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	57 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Sherbrooke, CA	daily rain	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	51 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Clarke City, CA	daily rain	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	65 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	St Andrews, CA	daily rain	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	11.7 mm (0.5 in)	96 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Dunedin, ZA	daily rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	45 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Beauceville, CA	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	18.5 mm (0.7 in)	31 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	La Pocatiere Cda, CA	daily rain	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	21.3 mm (0.8 in)	31 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Annapolis US Naval Aca, US	monthly rain	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	63 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Price, CA	daily rain	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	9 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Pointe Au Pere, CA	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	14.8 mm (0.6 in)	21 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Ste Rose du Degelis, CA	daily rain	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	19.1 mm (0.8 in)	31 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Granja, BR	daily rain	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	49 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Parelhas (Dnocs), BR	monthly rain	145.0 mm (5.7 in)	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	25 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Pocinhos (Joffily), BR	daily rain	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	37 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Estevan Point, CA	daily rain	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	46.7 mm (1.8 in)	19 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Lennoxville, CA	daily rain	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	31 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	East Angus, CA	daily rain	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	15.3 mm (0.6 in)	31 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
17 March 1972	Sorel, CA	daily rain	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	20.9 mm (0.8 in)	12 years	38 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

1825 to 1972

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1825 to 1972. 1972 had 1,013 records.

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

Records on 03-17 in each year
Year	Records
1825	2
1839	1
1845	1
1850	2
1852	1
1853	1
1856	1
1857	1
1863	1
1866	2
1867	1
1869	1
1870	1
1872	1
1874	3
1876	1
1877	2
1878	3
1879	1
1881	1
1882	4
1883	1
1884	3
1885	3
1886	1
1887	3
1888	2
1889	3
1890	2
1892	1
1895	5
1896	2
1897	9
1898	14
1899	5
1900	5
1901	4
1902	16
1903	10
1904	11
1905	10
1906	15
1907	14
1908	20
1909	20
1910	17
1911	7
1912	7
1913	31
1914	28
1915	22
1916	40
1917	52
1918	26
1919	86
1920	50
1921	96
1922	49
1923	130
1924	78
1925	143
1926	185
1927	369
1928	230
1929	85
1930	306
1931	124
1932	484
1933	198
1934	368
1935	259
1936	601
1937	455
1938	394
1939	583
1940	250
1941	689
1942	783
1943	500
1944	288
1945	1,345
1946	810
1947	332
1948	340
1949	178
1950	1,105
1951	489
1952	527
1953	236
1954	365
1955	385
1956	573
1957	327
1958	535
1959	471
1960	814
1961	679
1962	321
1963	738
1964	241
1965	1,115
1966	970
1967	856
1968	849
1969	651
1970	768
1971	361
1972	1,013
1973	943
1974	837
1975	475
1976	534
1977	479
1978	787
1979	507
1980	658
1981	679
1982	1,315
1983	912
1984	599
1985	662
1986	551
1987	1,362
1988	1,325
1989	1,082
1990	1,916
1991	756
1992	740
1993	1,608
1994	822
1995	989
1996	689
1997	895
1998	972
1999	688
2000	792
2001	1,349
2002	1,210
2003	1,244
2004	1,406
2005	1,475
2006	579
2007	1,470
2008	955
2009	717
2010	584
2011	926
2012	2,715
2013	723
2014	1,039
2015	1,145
2016	545
2017	847
2018	891
2019	738
2020	454
2021	502
2022	452
2023	875
2024	668
2025	722
2026	2,522

Download the Data

Data for records on 1972-03-17: 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 50	809
50 to 100	6
100 to 150	0
150 to 200	2
200 to 250	1