Weather Records on 21 May 1972

557 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 May 1972. Highest significance: Sunnyside, US.

Key Facts for 21 May 1972

On 21 May 1972, 557 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
203 were record highs and 195 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 15 monthly and 542 daily.
Sunnyside set a monthly record daily precipitation of 40.6 mm (1.6 in) on 21 May 1972.
Across 156 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 460 records.

Record Map

557 stations

557 station records on 21 May 1972 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 May 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Sunnyside	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Wahpeton 3 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Carlyle	Canada	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Garrigala	Turkmenistan	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Pao de Acucar	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Achisaj	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	45.1 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Hailey 3 NNW	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Milton Freewater	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Heppner	United States	Record daily precipitation	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Cooperstown	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Stehekin 4 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Oakridge Fish Hatchery	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Harrington 5 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Aiuaba (Bebedouro)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	41.8 mm (1.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Culakkurgan	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Fergus Falls	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Socorro	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Headworks Portland Wtr B	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Cachoeiro Itapemiri	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	89.6 mm (3.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Hankinson	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ukiah	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Itabaianinha	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	52.2 mm (2.1 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Matanuska Exp Farm	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
La Pocatiere Cda	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Nicosia	Cyprus	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Spencer 10 NE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Salekhard	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Brawley 2 SW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Elsinore	United States	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Quincy	United States	Record low maximum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Roundup	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Pendleton	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Beaverlodge Cda	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Tobolsk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-3.3 C (26.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Ludington 4 SE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Mina	United States	Record low maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Sierraville Rs	United States	Record low maximum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Mina	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Black Rock	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-2.8 C (27.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Feodosiia	Ukraine	Record high minimum temperature	18.1 C (64.6 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Gull Lake Dam	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Caliente	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Tamanrasset	Algeria	Record low maximum temperature	25.1 C (77.2 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Jakutsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	9.7 C (49.5 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Palatka	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Jordan	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Encinal	United States	Record low minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Forks 1 E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Olga 2 SE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Quincy	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Klintonel	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Porto	Portugal	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Winter Haven	United States	Record low maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Roy	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
So Entrance Yosemite Np	United States	Record low maximum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Trona	United States	Record low minimum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Hayden	United States	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Mio Hydro Plt	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.8 C (91.0 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Alexandria	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.3 C (64.9 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)
Beaver	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

557 records

Records set or tied on 21 May 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 104, Lowest daily maximum 112, Highest daily minimum 99, Lowest daily minimum 83, Heaviest daily rainfall 151, Heaviest daily snowfall 5, Deepest snow cover 3.

Records on 21 May 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	104
Lowest daily maximum	112
Highest daily minimum	99
Lowest daily minimum	83
Heaviest daily rainfall	151
Heaviest daily snowfall	5
Deepest snow cover	3

Records on 21 May 1972 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 15, daily 542.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

423 broken records

Margins by which the 423 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 406.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 May 1972

Top 20 records on 21 May 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 May 1972	Sunnyside, US	monthly rain	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	18.8 mm (0.7 in)	60 years	75 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1972	Wahpeton 3 N, US	monthly rain	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	8 years	60 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1972	Carlyle, CA	daily rain	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	36 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Garrigala, TM	daily rain	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	28 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Pao de Acucar, BR	daily rain	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	24.3 mm (1.0 in)	27 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Achisaj, KZ	daily rain	45.1 mm (1.8 in)	32.6 mm (1.3 in)	29 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Hailey 3 NNW, US	daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	72 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Milton Freewater, US	daily rain	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	17.0 mm (0.7 in)	10 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Heppner, US	monthly rain	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	2.3 mm (0.09 in)	65 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Cooperstown, US	daily rain	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	17.0 mm (0.7 in)	45 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Stehekin 4 NW, US	daily rain	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	12.9 mm (0.5 in)	33 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Oakridge Fish Hatchery, US	daily rain	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	9.4 mm (0.37 in)	58 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Harrington 5 S, US	daily rain	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	8.6 mm (0.34 in)	47 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1972	Aiuaba (Bebedouro), BR	daily rain	41.8 mm (1.6 in)	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	26 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Culakkurgan, KZ	daily rain	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	15.1 mm (0.6 in)	31 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Fergus Falls, US	daily rain	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	20.8 mm (0.8 in)	15 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Socorro, US	daily low min	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	64 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Headworks Portland Wtr B, US	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	14.0 mm (0.6 in)	42 years	34 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Cachoeiro Itapemiri, BR	monthly rain	89.6 mm (3.5 in)	11.4 mm (0.4 in)	25 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
21 May 1972	Hankinson, US	monthly rain	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	8.4 mm (0.33 in)	32 years	33 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

1793 to 1972

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1972. 1972 had 557 records.

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

Records on 05-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1811	1
1837	2
1842	1
1847	2
1854	1
1857	1
1858	1
1865	1
1866	1
1870	2
1875	1
1876	1
1880	2
1882	1
1885	1
1886	2
1887	3
1889	5
1890	3
1891	6
1892	1
1893	1
1894	4
1895	4
1896	5
1897	2
1898	1
1899	5
1900	1
1901	3
1902	4
1903	26
1904	8
1905	7
1906	12
1907	36
1908	13
1909	13
1910	14
1911	87
1912	24
1913	13
1914	26
1915	24
1916	13
1917	76
1918	51
1919	170
1920	39
1921	158
1922	39
1923	125
1924	148
1925	250
1926	221
1927	207
1928	173
1929	247
1930	133
1931	488
1932	343
1933	290
1934	590
1935	190
1936	328
1937	227
1938	348
1939	355
1940	456
1941	525
1942	482
1943	463
1944	310
1945	515
1946	324
1947	485
1948	312
1949	593
1950	403
1951	271
1952	385
1953	501
1954	961
1955	507
1956	409
1957	709
1958	511
1959	684
1960	615
1961	306
1962	553
1963	598
1964	788
1965	238
1966	296
1967	1,022
1968	549
1969	832
1970	449
1971	536
1972	557
1973	493
1974	847
1975	1,160
1976	393
1977	756
1978	575
1979	787
1980	857
1981	1,550
1982	599
1983	1,106
1984	950
1985	610
1986	908
1987	1,242
1988	819
1989	671
1990	947
1991	1,065
1992	1,143
1993	1,197
1994	656
1995	749
1996	1,461
1997	953
1998	1,200
1999	544
2000	897
2001	1,187
2002	2,048
2003	807
2004	898
2005	1,020
2006	810
2007	894
2008	740
2009	1,315
2010	962
2011	959
2012	848
2013	884
2014	522
2015	956
2016	567
2017	780
2018	525
2019	1,668
2020	707
2021	1,131
2022	1,512
2023	794
2024	751
2025	776
2026	356

Download the Data

Data for records on 1972-05-21: 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 2026-10-13 (13 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Margin	Records
0 to 100	422
100 to 200	0
200 to 300	0
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	1