Weather Records on 20 August 1972

522 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 August 1972. Highest significance: Maceio (Aeroporto), BR.

Key Facts for 20 August 1972

On 20 August 1972, 522 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
237 were record highs and 130 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 14 monthly and 508 daily.
Maceio (Aeroporto) set a monthly record daily precipitation of 87.0 mm (3.4 in) on 20 August 1972.
Across 163 earlier years (1797 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 454 records.

Record Map

522 stations

522 station records on 20 August 1972 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 August 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Maceio (Aeroporto)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Wildrose 3NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Sertania (Alagoa de Baixo)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Pesqueira	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	44.8 mm (1.8 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Lencois	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Sao Luiz Do Quitunde	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Gospic	Croatia	Record low maximum temperature	11.6 C (52.9 F)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Tioga 1E	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Monroeville 1 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Stanley 3 NNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Mohall	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Uniao Dos Palmares	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Szeged	Hungary	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cluj Napoca	Romania	Record daily precipitation	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Col du Grand St-Bernard	Switzerland	Record low maximum temperature	0.5 C (32.9 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Pascagoula 3 NE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	38.3 C (100.9 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Deal Island	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Winnipeg Richardson Int'l A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Saentis	Switzerland	Record low minimum temperature	-7.6 C (18.3 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Crookston NW Exp STN	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Falfurrias	United States	Record low minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Pierson	Canada	Record daily precipitation	38.4 mm (1.5 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Aberdeen	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Princesa Isabel	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	30.2 mm (1.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Great Falls	Canada	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Biloxi	United States	Record high maximum temperature	37.8 C (100.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Col du Grand St-Bernard	Switzerland	Record low minimum temperature	-3.8 C (25.2 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Berkeley	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Pecs Pogany	Hungary	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Truxton Canyon	United States	Record low minimum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ft Ross	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Alamogordo	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ipswich	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Brooks Ahrc	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hillsboro 3 N	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Minnedosa	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Osijek	Croatia	Record low maximum temperature	14.6 C (58.3 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Algona	United States	Record high minimum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Willmar Wwtp	United States	Record high maximum temperature	35.0 C (95.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Willmar Wwtp	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Sonnblick	Austria	Record low maximum temperature	-4.6 C (23.7 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Sarajevo	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Record low maximum temperature	11.8 C (53.2 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Milan 1NW	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Pipestone	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Britton	United States	Record high minimum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Virden	Canada	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Southport 5 N	United States	Record high maximum temperature	36.7 C (98.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Bowbells	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Arteaga (Smn)	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Belgrade (Observatory)	Serbia	Record daily precipitation	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Grenora	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Turtle Lake	United States	Record high minimum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
La Delle 7 NE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Sarajevo	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Record daily precipitation	34.4 mm (1.4 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Ninette	Canada	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Zugspitze	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	-4.6 C (23.7 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Saentis	Switzerland	Record low maximum temperature	-1.6 C (29.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Stillmore	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.3 mm (1.5 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Grand Forks UNIV (NWS)	United States	Record high minimum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Eureka	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

522 records

Records set or tied on 20 August 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 75, Lowest daily maximum 54, Highest daily minimum 162, Lowest daily minimum 76, Heaviest daily rainfall 155.

Records on 20 August 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	75
Lowest daily maximum	54
Highest daily minimum	162
Lowest daily minimum	76
Heaviest daily rainfall	155
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 20 August 1972 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 14, daily 508.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

407 broken records

Margins by which the 407 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 58.9. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 August 1972

Top 20 records on 20 August 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 August 1972	Maceio (Aeroporto), BR	monthly rain	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	58 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 August 1972	Wildrose 3NW, US	daily rain	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	42 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Sertania (Alagoa de Baixo), BR	monthly rain	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	13.5 mm (0.5 in)	49 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Pesqueira, BR	daily rain	44.8 mm (1.8 in)	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	33 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Lencois, BR	daily rain	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	29.1 mm (1.1 in)	28 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Sao Luiz Do Quitunde, BR	daily rain	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	50.9 mm (2.0 in)	22 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Gospic, HR	monthly low max	11.6 C (52.9 F)	1.4 C (2.5 F)	92 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Tioga 1E, US	daily rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	4 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Monroeville 1 NW, US	daily rain	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	58.9 mm (2.3 in)	12 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Stanley 3 NNW, US	daily rain	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	24 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Mohall, US	daily rain	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	15.8 mm (0.6 in)	68 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Uniao Dos Palmares, BR	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	13.7 mm (0.5 in)	54 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Szeged, HU	daily rain	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	22.3 mm (0.9 in)	14 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Cluj Napoca, RO	daily rain	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	17.2 mm (0.7 in)	49 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Col du Grand St-Bernard, CH	daily low max	0.5 C (32.9 F)	2.3 C (4.1 F)	84 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Pascagoula 3 NE, US	daily high max	38.3 C (100.9 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	51 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Deal Island, AU	daily rain	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	14.4 mm (0.6 in)	12 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Winnipeg Richardson Int'l A, CA	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	32.6 mm (1.3 in)	21 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Saentis, CH	monthly low min	-7.6 C (18.3 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	47 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1972	Crookston NW Exp STN, US	daily high min	23.3 C (73.9 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	72 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 522 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 1972-08-20: 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).

Margin	Records
0 to 10	361
10 to 20	32
20 to 30	6
30 to 40	4
40 to 50	1
50 to 60	3