Weather Records on 16 December 1972

1,020 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 December 1972. Highest significance: Port Stanley, CA.

Key Facts for 16 December 1972

On 16 December 1972, 1,020 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
85 were record highs and 314 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 21 monthly and 998 daily.
Port Stanley set a monthly record daily snowfall of 43.2 cm (17.0 in) on 16 December 1972.
Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 479 records.

Record Map

1,020 stations

1,020 station records on 16 December 1972 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 December 1972: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Port Stanley	Canada	Record daily snowfall	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Port Stanley	Canada	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Lake City Exp Farm	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Botlih	Russia	Record daily precipitation	26.8 mm (1.1 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Lennoxville	Canada	Record daily snowfall	22.1 cm (8.7 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Upper Sandusky	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Siler City 2 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Grindstone Island	Canada	Record daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Hiram	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.3 cm (6.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Rogers City 3 S	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Tiffin	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
St Thomas	Canada	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Little Falls Mill St	United States	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Milford	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Enosburg Falls	United States	Record daily snowfall	29.2 cm (11.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Forbes (Camp Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Traverse Cy Cherry Capital AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Dresden	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Newberry-Luce Co Rd Commission	United States	Record daily snowfall	31.8 cm (12.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Macdonald College	Canada	Record daily snowfall	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Paoli	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Dansville	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Clarion 3 SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Batavia	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Penn Yan	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Vale	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Gladwin	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Winnemucca AP	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Macdonald College	Canada	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Price	Canada	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Eau Claire 4 NE	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Harbor Beach 1 SSE	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Nevada Wtp	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Chasm Falls	United States	Record daily snowfall	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Roxboro 7 ESE	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Norwalk Wwtp	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Bar Harbor 3 NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Little Falls City Rsch	United States	Record snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Middletown	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Moro	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Ocozocoautla	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	32.8 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Mt Vernon	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Albion	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Harbor Beach 1 SSE	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Vanderbilt 11ENE	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Grafton	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Chapel Hill 2 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Sidney 2 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Saint Johnsbury	United States	Record daily snowfall	24.1 cm (9.5 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
New Hazelton	Canada	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Drummondville	Canada	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Lakeview 3 NE	United States	Record daily snowfall	13.5 cm (5.3 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Mansfield 5 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Traverse Cy Cherry Capital AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	36.6 cm (14.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ste Rose du Degelis	Canada	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Hambantota	Sri Lanka	Record high minimum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Rangely 1E	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-15.0 C (5.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Sonora	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Amherst	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Michie	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,020 records

Records set or tied on 16 December 1972 by type: Highest daily maximum 29, Lowest daily maximum 123, Highest daily minimum 56, Lowest daily minimum 191, Heaviest daily rainfall 276, Heaviest daily snowfall 235, Deepest snow cover 110.

Records on 16 December 1972 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	29
Lowest daily maximum	123
Highest daily minimum	56
Lowest daily minimum	191
Heaviest daily rainfall	276
Heaviest daily snowfall	235
Deepest snow cover	110

Records on 16 December 1972 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 21, daily 998.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

870 broken records

Margins by which the 870 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 355.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 December 1972

Top 20 records on 16 December 1972 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 December 1972	Port Stanley, CA	monthly snowfall	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	13.2 cm (5.2 in)	74 years	74 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1972	Port Stanley, CA	daily rain	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	22.6 mm (0.9 in)	83 years	69 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1972	Lake City Exp Farm, US	daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	78 years	64 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1972	Botlih, RU	monthly rain	26.8 mm (1.1 in)	14.1 mm (0.6 in)	31 years	62 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1972	Lennoxville, CA	daily snowfall	22.1 cm (8.7 in)	17.0 cm (6.7 in)	56 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Upper Sandusky, US	daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	69 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Siler City 2 N, US	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	36 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Grindstone Island, CA	daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	79 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Hiram, US	daily snowfall	17.3 cm (6.8 in)	12.2 cm (4.8 in)	53 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Rogers City 3 S, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	16.7 cm (6.6 in)	27 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Tiffin, US	daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	69 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	St Thomas, CA	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	6.3 cm (2.5 in)	89 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Little Falls Mill St, US	daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	22 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Milford, US	daily snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	32 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Enosburg Falls, US	daily snowfall	29.2 cm (11.5 in)	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	41 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Forbes (Camp Street), AU	daily rain	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	83 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Traverse Cy Cherry Capital AP, US	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	14.3 mm (0.6 in)	32 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Dresden, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	70 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Newberry-Luce Co Rd Commission, US	daily snowfall	31.8 cm (12.5 in)	10.7 cm (4.2 in)	32 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1972	Macdonald College, CA	monthly snowfall	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	7.7 cm (3.0 in)	44 years	43 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 1,020 records.

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

Records on 12-16 in each year
Year	Records
1793	2
1798	2
1808	1
1810	1
1814	2
1815	2
1835	1
1839	1
1840	1
1846	3
1852	1
1853	1
1859	3
1864	1
1869	1
1870	1
1872	1
1876	1
1877	1
1878	2
1879	1
1885	2
1886	2
1888	2
1889	1
1890	4
1891	2
1892	3
1893	1
1894	1
1895	1
1896	7
1897	4
1898	1
1899	2
1900	2
1901	4
1902	17
1903	6
1904	8
1905	4
1906	5
1907	30
1908	11
1909	5
1910	38
1911	26
1912	31
1913	12
1914	26
1915	55
1916	31
1917	60
1918	33
1919	52
1920	61
1921	35
1922	62
1923	205
1924	347
1925	93
1926	130
1927	218
1928	338
1929	383
1930	398
1931	168
1932	880
1933	716
1934	163
1935	71
1936	429
1937	351
1938	142
1939	1,014
1940	633
1941	348
1942	550
1943	491
1944	189
1945	478
1946	357
1947	506
1948	775
1949	132
1950	272
1951	987
1952	349
1953	265
1954	305
1955	325
1956	650
1957	478
1958	497
1959	605
1960	393
1961	858
1962	859
1963	484
1964	639
1965	576
1966	417
1967	886
1968	557
1969	205
1970	726
1971	1,540
1972	1,020
1973	823
1974	546
1975	493
1976	526
1977	950
1978	532
1979	528
1980	1,322
1981	1,498
1982	1,208
1983	1,156
1984	1,944
1985	983
1986	485
1987	1,377
1988	605
1989	3,181
1990	753
1991	659
1992	1,408
1993	676
1994	698
1995	714
1996	797
1997	1,260
1998	698
1999	821
2000	1,160
2001	1,197
2002	990
2003	679
2004	510
2005	1,073
2006	1,020
2007	1,301
2008	2,049
2009	1,032
2010	1,585
2011	777
2012	912
2013	762
2014	465
2015	925
2016	1,588
2017	349
2018	624
2019	786
2020	415
2021	1,485
2022	836
2023	841
2024	755
2025	1,820

Download the Data

Data for records on 1972-12-16: 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	705
50 to 100	105
100 to 150	38
150 to 200	15
200 to 250	4
250 to 300	1
300 to 350	1
350 to 400	1