Weather Records on 20 December 1973

1,184 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 December 1973. Highest significance: Walterhall, AU.

Key Facts for 20 December 1973

On 20 December 1973, 1,184 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
55 were record highs and 219 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 33 were all-time records, 113 monthly and 1,038 daily.
Walterhall set a monthly record daily precipitation of 258.3 mm (10.2 in) on 20 December 1973.
Across 163 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 463 records.

Record Map

1,184 stations

1,184 station records on 20 December 1973 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 December 1973: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Walterhall	Australia	Record daily precipitation	258.3 mm (10.2 in)	79 of 100 (Major)
Stanwell Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	256.0 mm (10.1 in)	79 of 100 (Major)
Ashgrove	Australia	Record daily precipitation	279.9 mm (11.0 in)	77 of 100 (Major)
Bluff Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	253.2 mm (10.0 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Gracemere Russell St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	274.3 mm (10.8 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Montreal McGill	Canada	Record daily precipitation	54.9 mm (2.2 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Emu Park Hill St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	259.1 mm (10.2 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Dingo Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	207.0 mm (8.1 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Greenville	United States	Record snow depth	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Marlborough Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	186.2 mm (7.3 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Rolla Missouri S&T	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.5 cm (6.1 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Mt Vernon 3 NE	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Rockhampton Aero	Australia	Record daily precipitation	271.5 mm (10.7 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Shawneetown Old Town	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Marion 2 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Marble Hill	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
St Lawrence Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	228.1 mm (9.0 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Clermont Sirius St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Comet Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	134.6 mm (5.3 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Bajool Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	165.1 mm (6.5 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Voewood	Australia	Record daily precipitation	189.0 mm (7.4 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Greenville	United States	Record daily snowfall	26.7 cm (10.5 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Nashville 1 E	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.6 cm (8.9 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Farmland 5 NNW	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Greenfield	United States	Record daily snowfall	27.4 cm (10.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
W Lafayette 6 NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Huntington	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Lockwood	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Springfield Abraham Lincoln Ca	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Carthage	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Balmoral Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	198.1 mm (7.8 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Mannersley	Australia	Record daily precipitation	208.3 mm (8.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Edwardsville 2 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.9 cm (10.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Effingham 3SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	36.8 cm (14.5 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Mt Carmel 4 NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Carbondale Sewage Plt	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Angola	United States	Record daily snowfall	26.2 cm (10.3 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Westwood Store	Australia	Record daily precipitation	159.0 mm (6.3 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Morrisburg	Canada	Record daily snowfall	31.0 cm (12.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Durham	Canada	Record daily snowfall	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Jackson	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Brockport	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Byfield Childs Road	Australia	Record daily precipitation	406.4 mm (16.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Yaamba	Australia	Record daily precipitation	193.5 mm (7.6 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Memooloo	Australia	Record daily precipitation	105.2 mm (4.1 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Kabra Railway STN	Australia	Record daily precipitation	292.1 mm (11.5 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Kalapa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	239.8 mm (9.4 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Moonmera	Australia	Record daily precipitation	323.1 mm (12.7 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Decatur Wtp	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Chicoutimi	Canada	Record daily snowfall	22.6 cm (8.9 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Marshfield 4 WSW	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Capella Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Melmoth	Australia	Record daily precipitation	250.2 mm (9.9 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Barcombe	Australia	Record daily precipitation	188.5 mm (7.4 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Elgin Water	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Waterloo 6SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Kokomo 3 WSW	United States	Record daily snowfall	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Whitestown	United States	Record daily snowfall	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Licking 4N	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Rolla Missouri S&T	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,184 records

Records set or tied on 20 December 1973 by type: Highest daily maximum 29, Lowest daily maximum 82, Highest daily minimum 26, Lowest daily minimum 137, Heaviest daily rainfall 528, Heaviest daily snowfall 247, Deepest snow cover 135.

Records on 20 December 1973 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	29
Lowest daily maximum	82
Highest daily minimum	26
Lowest daily minimum	137
Heaviest daily rainfall	528
Heaviest daily snowfall	247
Deepest snow cover	135

Records on 20 December 1973 by timescale: all-time 33, monthly 113, daily 1,038.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,035 broken records

Margins by which the 1,035 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 290.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 December 1973

Top 20 records on 20 December 1973 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 December 1973	Walterhall, AU	monthly rain	258.3 mm (10.2 in)	85.6 mm (3.4 in)	73 years	79 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Stanwell Post Office, AU	monthly rain	256.0 mm (10.1 in)	137.9 mm (5.4 in)	73 years	79 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Ashgrove, AU	all-time rain	279.9 mm (11.0 in)	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	45 years	77 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Bluff Post Office, AU	all-time rain	253.2 mm (10.0 in)	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	45 years	74 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Gracemere Russell St, AU	monthly rain	274.3 mm (10.8 in)	153.6 mm (6.0 in)	51 years	73 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Montreal McGill, CA	daily rain	54.9 mm (2.2 in)	22.1 mm (0.9 in)	100 years	71 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Emu Park Hill St, AU	daily rain	259.1 mm (10.2 in)	207.8 mm (8.2 in)	72 years	69 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Dingo Post Office, AU	monthly rain	207.0 mm (8.1 in)	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	40 years	69 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Greenville, US	monthly snow depth	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	57 years	69 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Marlborough Post Office, AU	daily rain	186.2 mm (7.3 in)	146.8 mm (5.8 in)	60 years	68 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Rolla Missouri S&T, US	daily snowfall	15.5 cm (6.1 in)	14.2 cm (5.6 in)	67 years	68 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Mt Vernon 3 NE, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	20.4 cm (8.0 in)	68 years	67 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Rockhampton Aero, AU	all-time rain	271.5 mm (10.7 in)	88.4 mm (3.5 in)	12 years	66 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Shawneetown Old Town, US	daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	80 years	66 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Marion 2 N, US	daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	16.0 cm (6.3 in)	67 years	66 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Marble Hill, US	daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	78 years	66 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	St Lawrence Post Office, AU	daily rain	228.1 mm (9.0 in)	120.7 mm (4.8 in)	51 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Clermont Sirius St, AU	daily rain	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	51 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Comet Post Office, AU	daily rain	134.6 mm (5.3 in)	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	60 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1973	Bajool Post Office, AU	daily rain	165.1 mm (6.5 in)	124.5 mm (4.9 in)	60 years	64 of 100 (Major)

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 1,184 records.

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

Records on 12-20 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1804	1
1805	2
1808	1
1815	1
1828	1
1837	1
1846	1
1855	8
1858	1
1860	1
1866	1
1867	1
1868	1
1869	1
1871	2
1874	3
1875	1
1877	2
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1881	1
1882	1
1884	4
1885	1
1886	4
1889	4
1890	2
1891	2
1892	1
1894	2
1895	8
1896	1
1897	4
1898	2
1899	1
1900	7
1901	8
1902	14
1903	17
1904	9
1905	5
1906	5
1907	11
1908	5
1909	22
1910	17
1911	24
1912	27
1913	7
1914	43
1915	18
1916	45
1917	33
1918	18
1919	25
1920	22
1921	101
1922	88
1923	215
1924	332
1925	96
1926	163
1927	200
1928	93
1929	256
1930	67
1931	536
1932	170
1933	492
1934	265
1935	152
1936	416
1937	181
1938	240
1939	308
1940	965
1941	633
1942	817
1943	193
1944	340
1945	430
1946	327
1947	385
1948	345
1949	1,141
1950	758
1951	926
1952	394
1953	385
1954	416
1955	726
1956	471
1957	1,354
1958	382
1959	142
1960	354
1961	369
1962	475
1963	875
1964	499
1965	353
1966	555
1967	1,370
1968	482
1969	514
1970	518
1971	441
1972	448
1973	1,184
1974	328
1975	610
1976	382
1977	484
1978	910
1979	600
1980	667
1981	1,681
1982	712
1983	2,995
1984	1,411
1985	1,035
1986	321
1987	1,179
1988	760
1989	1,812
1990	1,885
1991	1,172
1992	1,134
1993	1,266
1994	813
1995	1,128
1996	1,448
1997	651
1998	1,110
1999	938
2000	1,150
2001	523
2002	943
2003	1,315
2004	836
2005	515
2006	1,387
2007	986
2008	1,356
2009	1,502
2010	2,055
2011	846
2012	1,131
2013	584
2014	524
2015	1,238
2016	603
2017	688
2018	592
2019	731
2020	554
2021	442
2022	567
2023	1,242
2024	897
2025	1,166

Download the Data

Data for records on 1973-12-20: 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 50	794
50 to 100	141
100 to 150	59
150 to 200	30
200 to 250	8
250 to 300	3