Weather Records on 18 August 1972

493 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 18 August 1972. Highest significance: Dickinson Exp STN, US.

Key Facts for 18 August 1972

On 18 August 1972, 493 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
154 were record highs and 164 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 7 monthly and 484 daily.
Dickinson Exp STN set a daily record precipitation of 51.3 mm (2.0 in) on 18 August 1972.
Across 171 earlier years (1797 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 441 records.

Record Map

493 stations

493 station records on 18 August 1972 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 18 August 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Dickinson Exp STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Delaware	United States	Record daily precipitation	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Dunn Ctr 1E	United States	Record daily precipitation	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Ubiracu	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Washburn	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
London Locks	United States	Record daily precipitation	72.9 mm (2.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Alagoa Nova (Laranjeiras)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	56.7 mm (2.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Burkes Garden	United States	Record daily precipitation	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Gary	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Carson	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Tierra Blanca (Smn)	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	199.9 mm (7.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
El Morro Natl Mon	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Krapivino	Russia	Record daily precipitation	41.8 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Richardton Abbey	United States	Record daily precipitation	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Hvar	Croatia	Record daily precipitation	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Mountainair	United States	Record low minimum temperature	5.6 C (42.1 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Amidon	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Creekside	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Center 4SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Berlin-Dahlem	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	14.7 C (58.5 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Caledonia	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Fond du Lac Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Heinersreuth-Vollhof	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	15.2 C (59.4 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Charlottesville 2W	United States	Record low minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Esplanada	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Svetlograd	Russia	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Montrose	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Coldwater	United States	Record high minimum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Fremont	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Newark Wtr Wks	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Sutton Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Monmouth	United States	Record high minimum temperature	26.1 C (79.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Mt Sterling	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Cape May 2 NW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Arlington	United States	Record low minimum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Georgetown Post Office	Australia	Record low minimum temperature	5.3 C (41.5 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Ocala	United States	Record low minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Salisbury	United States	Record daily precipitation	42.4 mm (1.7 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Bernalillo	United States	Record low maximum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Flat Top	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Ewa Plantation 741	United States	Record high minimum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Rantoul	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Kayenta	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Norwich	United States	Record low maximum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
W Chester 2 NW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Williamson	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Hayward Rs	United States	Record daily precipitation	65.3 mm (2.6 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Kukaiau 222	United States	Record daily precipitation	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Mercedes	Uruguay	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Caron	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Pelee Island	Canada	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Astana	Kazakhstan	Record low maximum temperature	15.4 C (59.7 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Presa la Angostura	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Hinckley	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.3 mm (1.3 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Moorestown 4 E	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Lexington	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Milton Freewater	United States	Record low minimum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Lewisburg 3 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Umikoa 118	United States	Record daily precipitation	183.4 mm (7.2 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Petrun	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-4.8 C (23.4 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

493 records

Records set or tied on 18 August 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 33, Lowest daily maximum 103, Highest daily minimum 121, Lowest daily minimum 61, Heaviest daily rainfall 175.

Records on 18 August 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	33
Lowest daily maximum	103
Highest daily minimum	121
Lowest daily minimum	61
Heaviest daily rainfall	175
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 18 August 1972 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 7, daily 484.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

371 broken records

Margins by which the 371 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 124.5. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

18 August 1972

Top 20 records on 18 August 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
18 August 1972	Dickinson Exp STN, US	daily rain	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	58 years	65 of 100 (Major)
18 August 1972	Delaware, US	daily rain	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	46 years	60 of 100 (Major)
18 August 1972	Dunn Ctr 1E, US	daily rain	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	69.6 mm (2.7 in)	37 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Ubiracu, BR	monthly rain	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	4 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Washburn, US	daily rain	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	72 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	London Locks, US	daily rain	72.9 mm (2.9 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	28 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Alagoa Nova (Laranjeiras), BR	daily rain	56.7 mm (2.2 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	58 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Burkes Garden, US	all-time rain	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	2.1 mm (0.08 in)	67 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Gary, US	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	54 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Carson, US	daily rain	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	58 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Tierra Blanca (Smn), MX	daily rain	199.9 mm (7.9 in)	124.5 mm (4.9 in)	17 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	El Morro Natl Mon, US	all-time rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	14.2 mm (0.6 in)	8 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Krapivino, RU	daily rain	41.8 mm (1.6 in)	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	1 year	43 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Richardton Abbey, US	daily rain	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	20 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Hvar, HR	daily rain	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	3.0 mm (0.12 in)	112 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Mountainair, US	daily low min	5.6 C (42.1 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	67 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Amidon, US	daily rain	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	18.8 mm (0.7 in)	46 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Creekside, US	daily rain	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	33.1 mm (1.3 in)	26 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Center 4SE, US	daily rain	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	19 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
18 August 1972	Berlin-Dahlem, DE	daily low max	14.7 C (58.5 F)	0.8 C (1.4 F)	86 years	37 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 1972

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1972. 1972 had 493 records.

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

Records on 08-18 in each year
Year	Records
1797	2
1805	1
1816	1
1827	1
1829	1
1830	1
1833	1
1841	1
1844	1
1845	3
1846	1
1847	1
1849	1
1851	1
1852	1
1853	1
1854	2
1855	1
1856	1
1861	1
1864	2
1866	1
1868	2
1869	1
1870	2
1872	1
1873	1
1875	3
1876	1
1878	1
1879	2
1883	3
1885	3
1886	3
1887	3
1888	2
1889	1
1890	1
1891	2
1892	6
1893	4
1894	4
1895	1
1898	4
1899	6
1900	2
1901	10
1902	8
1903	6
1904	8
1905	10
1906	40
1907	7
1908	21
1909	24
1910	16
1911	11
1912	21
1913	43
1914	37
1915	60
1916	71
1917	70
1918	53
1919	34
1920	51
1921	39
1922	129
1923	90
1924	225
1925	300
1926	168
1927	269
1928	141
1929	181
1930	150
1931	241
1932	382
1933	431
1934	638
1935	424
1936	766
1937	308
1938	243
1939	381
1940	434
1941	467
1942	333
1943	738
1944	325
1945	400
1946	416
1947	958
1948	315
1949	393
1950	683
1951	355
1952	405
1953	323
1954	622
1955	795
1956	580
1957	380
1958	580
1959	537
1960	599
1961	415
1962	428
1963	760
1964	443
1965	525
1966	573
1967	623
1968	795
1969	530
1970	597
1971	381
1972	493
1973	734
1974	639
1975	844
1976	917
1977	1,112
1978	854
1979	1,309
1980	771
1981	1,386
1982	563
1983	1,420
1984	600
1985	765
1986	861
1987	1,609
1988	1,351
1989	952
1990	920
1991	533
1992	1,497
1993	706
1994	1,027
1995	1,882
1996	760
1997	1,191
1998	923
1999	888
2000	1,183
2001	1,036
2002	1,306
2003	860
2004	1,050
2005	865
2006	842
2007	1,116
2008	1,265
2009	839
2010	1,167
2011	1,239
2012	1,247
2013	752
2014	751
2015	880
2016	704
2017	565
2018	462
2019	615
2020	1,541
2021	1,118
2022	1,237
2023	1,094
2024	696
2025	455
2026	545

Download the Data

Data for records on 1972-08-18: 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	345
20 to 40	22
40 to 60	2
60 to 80	1
80 to 100	0
100 to 120	0
120 to 140	1