Weather Records on 16 December 1973

823 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 December 1973. Highest significance: Gum Lake (Albemarle), AU.

Key Facts for 16 December 1973

On 16 December 1973, 823 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
173 were record highs and 56 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 5 monthly and 818 daily.
Gum Lake (Albemarle) set a daily record precipitation of 38.9 mm (1.5 in) on 16 December 1973.
Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 480 records.

Record Map

823 stations

823 station records on 16 December 1973 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 December 1973: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Gum Lake (Albemarle)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Rokeby (the Mall)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Swansea (Kelvedon)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Tarpon Spgs Sewage Plt	United States	Record daily precipitation	59.9 mm (2.4 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Canowindra (Canowindra Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Lindisfarne	Australia	Record daily precipitation	49.3 mm (1.9 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Laurel 3 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Reading Wb City	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Bakara	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Carrajung Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Purcellville	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Mangalore (Mangalore Farm)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Walgett (Dungalear)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Bigga (Woolbrook)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Nariel Creek (Simpson)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Cranbrook (Cranbrook House)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Monkira	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Menindee (Weinteriga)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
La Plata 1 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.7 cm (5.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Owings Ferry Landing	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Wilbar 4 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	73.9 mm (2.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Eildon	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Swansea (the Grange)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	86.4 mm (3.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Port Arthur	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Ashland	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Golspie (Ayrston)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Jamieson	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Kisinev	Moldova	Record daily precipitation	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Chestertown	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Wilcannia (Mount Murchison)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Grenfell (Quondong Rd)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Benalla (Shadforth Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Dunedin	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Sandfontein (Irr)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.4 mm (2.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Federal Pt	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.3 mm (1.3 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Lancaster 2 NE Pump St	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Goolgowi (Moira St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Alexandra (Acheron)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.6 mm (1.5 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Little Swanport (Lisdillon)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Sandford (Maydena)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.7 mm (1.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Louth (Bloxham Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Albemarle	United States	Record daily snowfall	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Goulburn (Kippilaw)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	59.9 mm (2.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Callaghan Creek Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	65.8 mm (2.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Jonkersdam	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	54.0 mm (2.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
New Bern 3 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Licola Rwc	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Glenburn	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Welland	Canada	Record daily snowfall	6.9 cm (2.7 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Leslie (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Marengo	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Retreat (Barcoo River)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Martinsville Fltr Plt	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Bombala (Nungatta)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Euroa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Aberfeldy	Australia	Record daily precipitation	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Swansea Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Sorell (Whitlea)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Cambridge Galt Moe	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-9.4 C (15.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Monticello 5 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.1 mm (2.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

823 records

Records set or tied on 16 December 1973 by type: Highest daily maximum 63, Lowest daily maximum 18, Highest daily minimum 110, Lowest daily minimum 38, Heaviest daily rainfall 463, Heaviest daily snowfall 99, Deepest snow cover 32.

Records on 16 December 1973 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	63
Lowest daily maximum	18
Highest daily minimum	110
Lowest daily minimum	38
Heaviest daily rainfall	463
Heaviest daily snowfall	99
Deepest snow cover	32

Records on 16 December 1973 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 5, daily 818.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

710 broken records

Margins by which the 710 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 230.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 December 1973

Top 20 records on 16 December 1973 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 December 1973	Gum Lake (Albemarle), AU	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	86 years	64 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1973	Rokeby (the Mall), AU	daily rain	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	52 years	63 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1973	Swansea (Kelvedon), AU	daily rain	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	52 years	61 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1973	Tarpon Spgs Sewage Plt, US	daily rain	59.9 mm (2.4 in)	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	79 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Canowindra (Canowindra Street), AU	daily rain	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	84 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Lindisfarne, AU	daily rain	49.3 mm (1.9 in)	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	44 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Laurel 3 W, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	76 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Reading Wb City, US	daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	10.4 cm (4.1 in)	100 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Bakara, AU	daily rain	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	46 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Carrajung Post Office, AU	daily rain	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	50 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Purcellville, US	daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	68 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Mangalore (Mangalore Farm), AU	daily rain	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	52 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Walgett (Dungalear), AU	daily rain	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	27.7 mm (1.1 in)	76 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Bigga (Woolbrook), AU	daily rain	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	23.9 mm (0.9 in)	78 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Nariel Creek (Simpson), AU	daily rain	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	20.8 mm (0.8 in)	84 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Cranbrook (Cranbrook House), AU	daily rain	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	7 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Monkira, AU	daily rain	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	66 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Menindee (Weinteriga), AU	daily rain	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	31.7 mm (1.2 in)	15 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	La Plata 1 W, US	daily snowfall	14.7 cm (5.8 in)	13.4 cm (5.3 in)	47 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1973	Owings Ferry Landing, US	daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	55 years	48 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 1973

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1973. 1973 had 823 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 1973-12-16: 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	658
50 to 100	37
100 to 150	9
150 to 200	4
200 to 250	2