Weather Records on 17 October 1972

866 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 October 1972. Highest significance: South Solitary Island, AU.

Key Facts for 17 October 1972

On 17 October 1972, 866 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
301 were record highs and 243 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 30 monthly and 836 daily.
South Solitary Island set a daily record precipitation of 79.2 mm (3.1 in) on 17 October 1972.
Across 162 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 437 records.

Record Map

866 stations

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

Weather records on 17 October 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
South Solitary Island	Australia	Record daily precipitation	79.2 mm (3.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Bankstown (Condell Park)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	61.7 mm (2.4 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Turramurra (Kissing Point Road	Australia	Record daily precipitation	156.5 mm (6.2 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Wingen (Murrulla)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Kasilof 3 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Chatham Exp Fa	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Carrathool (Gum Creek)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
South West Rocks (Smoky Cape L	Australia	Record daily precipitation	132.6 mm (5.2 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Denman (Palace Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Chatham Exp Fa	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Coramba (Glenfiddich)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Ryde Pumping Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	120.1 mm (4.7 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Camden (Brownlow Hill)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Epping Chester Street	Australia	Record daily precipitation	125.5 mm (4.9 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Windsor Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Potts Hill Reservoir	Australia	Record daily precipitation	90.9 mm (3.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Wyalong Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Riverview Observatory	Australia	Record daily precipitation	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Bogan Gate Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Clouds Creek State Forest	Australia	Record daily precipitation	114.3 mm (4.5 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Bringelly (Maryland)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Ouagadougou	Burkina Faso	Record daily precipitation	48.5 mm (1.9 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Rouchel Brook	Australia	Record daily precipitation	84.3 mm (3.3 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Marsden (Merungle)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Coolesha	Australia	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Cobbity (Roseneath)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Murcia/Alcantarilla	Spain	Record daily precipitation	90.6 mm (3.6 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Bonnie Brae	Australia	Record daily precipitation	89.2 mm (3.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Narrabri Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Concord Golf Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.6 mm (4.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Nowra Treatment Works	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Milton Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Brucefield	Canada	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Bunnan (Milhaven)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Darlington Point (Tubbo)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Naco	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Braeside	Australia	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Lower Bucca	Australia	Record daily precipitation	57.9 mm (2.3 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Akuna	Australia	Record daily precipitation	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Dorrigo Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	116.1 mm (4.6 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Sydney Airport AMO	Australia	Record daily precipitation	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Inukjuak Ua	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Old Koreelah (White Swamp (Ede	Australia	Record daily precipitation	108.7 mm (4.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Brushgrove Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Penrith Ladbury Avenue	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Zametchino	Russia	Record daily precipitation	38.5 mm (1.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Pacelma	Russia	Record daily precipitation	36.7 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Lukojanov	Russia	Record daily precipitation	28.3 mm (1.1 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Boonah Stark Ave	Australia	Record daily precipitation	83.8 mm (3.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Kempsey (Wide Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	105.2 mm (4.1 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Gundy (Miller St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Nimbin Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Aberdeen (Main Rd)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Stewarts Brook Composite	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.3 mm (1.3 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ashfield Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	68.1 mm (2.7 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Camden Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Englesberg Village	Australia	Record daily precipitation	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Muscle Creek (Clendinning)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Owens Gap (T.O.K.)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	71.6 mm (2.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Stojba	Russia	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

866 records

Records set or tied on 17 October 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 170, Lowest daily maximum 142, Highest daily minimum 131, Lowest daily minimum 101, Heaviest daily rainfall 298, Heaviest daily snowfall 23, Deepest snow cover 1.

Records on 17 October 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	170
Lowest daily maximum	142
Highest daily minimum	131
Lowest daily minimum	101
Heaviest daily rainfall	298
Heaviest daily snowfall	23
Deepest snow cover	1

Records on 17 October 1972 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 30, daily 836.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

696 broken records

Margins by which the 696 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 127.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 October 1972

Top 20 records on 17 October 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 October 1972	South Solitary Island, AU	daily rain	79.2 mm (3.1 in)	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	58 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Bankstown (Condell Park), AU	daily rain	61.7 mm (2.4 in)	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	58 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Turramurra (Kissing Point Road, AU	monthly rain	156.5 mm (6.2 in)	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	11 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Wingen (Murrulla), AU	daily rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	90 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Kasilof 3 NW, US	daily rain	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	27.7 mm (1.1 in)	41 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Chatham Exp Fa, US	daily snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	71 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Carrathool (Gum Creek), AU	daily rain	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	28 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	South West Rocks (Smoky Cape L, AU	monthly rain	132.6 mm (5.2 in)	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	0 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Denman (Palace Street), AU	daily rain	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	79 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Chatham Exp Fa, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	71 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Coramba (Glenfiddich), AU	daily rain	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	79 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Ryde Pumping Station, AU	monthly rain	120.1 mm (4.7 in)	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	11 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Camden (Brownlow Hill), AU	daily rain	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	22.8 mm (0.9 in)	79 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Epping Chester Street, AU	daily rain	125.5 mm (4.9 in)	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	7 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Windsor Bowling Club, AU	daily rain	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	30.3 mm (1.2 in)	58 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Potts Hill Reservoir, AU	daily rain	90.9 mm (3.6 in)	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	7 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Wyalong Post Office, AU	monthly rain	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	7.1 mm (0.28 in)	77 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Riverview Observatory, AU	daily rain	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	7 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Bogan Gate Post Office, AU	daily rain	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	33.7 mm (1.3 in)	11 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
17 October 1972	Clouds Creek State Forest, AU	monthly rain	114.3 mm (4.5 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	22 years	47 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

1793 to 1972

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1972. 1972 had 866 records.

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

Records on 10-17 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1796	2
1808	2
1810	1
1811	1
1817	1
1820	1
1830	1
1836	1
1844	1
1845	1
1868	1
1869	2
1870	1
1872	1
1874	1
1875	1
1876	3
1877	1
1878	1
1879	7
1881	1
1882	1
1883	1
1884	2
1885	2
1886	1
1889	1
1890	3
1891	2
1892	6
1893	5
1894	2
1895	1
1897	3
1898	6
1899	3
1900	3
1901	3
1902	4
1903	9
1904	17
1905	12
1906	3
1907	16
1908	46
1909	18
1910	13
1911	24
1912	12
1913	26
1914	72
1915	7
1916	81
1917	29
1918	20
1919	34
1920	82
1921	64
1922	60
1923	149
1924	81
1925	324
1926	153
1927	163
1928	530
1929	119
1930	441
1931	431
1932	345
1933	190
1934	262
1935	337
1936	338
1937	865
1938	710
1939	424
1940	580
1941	194
1942	349
1943	1,173
1944	415
1945	289
1946	437
1947	744
1948	724
1949	442
1950	809
1951	274
1952	474
1953	463
1954	579
1955	562
1956	353
1957	245
1958	415
1959	403
1960	432
1961	525
1962	350
1963	513
1964	492
1965	920
1966	551
1967	576
1968	929
1969	714
1970	815
1971	1,053
1972	866
1973	542
1974	1,055
1975	605
1976	1,381
1977	1,060
1978	583
1979	468
1980	1,366
1981	555
1982	575
1983	526
1984	1,551
1985	585
1986	354
1987	828
1988	827
1989	1,163
1990	1,109
1991	1,352
1992	1,384
1993	1,001
1994	1,306
1995	1,076
1996	987
1997	1,114
1998	1,455
1999	815
2000	461
2001	878
2002	992
2003	764
2004	935
2005	643
2006	1,506
2007	690
2008	467
2009	1,606
2010	625
2011	734
2012	550
2013	516
2014	530
2015	843
2016	1,559
2017	743
2018	1,163
2019	504
2020	889
2021	294
2022	964
2023	544
2024	994
2025	363

Download the Data

Data for records on 1972-10-17: 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 20	623
20 to 40	54
40 to 60	13
60 to 80	2
80 to 100	1
100 to 120	2
120 to 140	1