Weather Records on 16 January 1974

1,957 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 January 1974. Highest significance: Waverley, ZA.

Key Facts for 16 January 1974

On 16 January 1974, 1,957 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
1,360 were record highs and 57 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 4 were all-time records, 204 monthly and 1,749 daily.
Waverley set a monthly record daily precipitation of 111.5 mm (4.4 in) on 16 January 1974.
Across 161 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 491 records.

Record Map

1,957 stations

1,957 station records on 16 January 1974 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 January 1974: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Waverley	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	111.5 mm (4.4 in)	76 of 100 (Major)
Rocklands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	68.0 mm (2.7 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Yreka	United States	Record daily precipitation	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Mnt Frere (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Greenview	United States	Record daily precipitation	152.4 mm (6.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Maranguape	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	117.5 mm (4.6 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Van Reenen	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Windhoek	Namibia	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Superior	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Yarrie	Australia	Record daily precipitation	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Oulton	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Sousa	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Isidinge (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Lady Elliot Island	Australia	Record daily precipitation	110.4 mm (4.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Insizwa (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Cedara	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Mc Minnville	United States	Record daily precipitation	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Waterloo	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.1 mm (2.7 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Izeleni (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Keno	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.1 mm (2.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Fazenda Jardim	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	81.5 mm (3.2 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Callahan	United States	Record daily precipitation	64.3 mm (2.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Forest Grove	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Timber	United States	Record daily precipitation	87.9 mm (3.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Paranapiacaba (Alto da Serra)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	177.0 mm (7.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Acude Riachao	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	71.2 mm (2.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Daniel de Queiroz (Muxiopo)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	92.0 mm (3.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Uruque	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	59.0 mm (2.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Umlaas Waterworks	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Barringun	Australia	Record daily precipitation	127.0 mm (5.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Jua	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	65.6 mm (2.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Qacu (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Freiburg	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	11.8 C (53.2 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Augsburg (Sankt Stephan)	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	8.5 C (47.3 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Wamakersvlei	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.2 mm (2.1 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Vancouver 4 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Moira State Forest	Australia	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Meringur	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.3 mm (1.7 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Trawalla	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Palhano	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Longvale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.5 mm (1.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Pirie (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Tsomo (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Elandsfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.5 mm (2.7 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Three Lynx	United States	Record daily precipitation	80.8 mm (3.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Zakatala	Azerbaijan	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Natividade da Serra	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	148.7 mm (5.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Fazenda Feijao	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	53.1 mm (2.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Houd Constant	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Reedsport	United States	Record daily precipitation	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Wenatchee	United States	Record daily precipitation	62.5 mm (2.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Muttaburra	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.2 mm (2.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Drake (Village Resource Centre	Australia	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Pereque	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	140.0 mm (5.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Tejucuoca	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Great Brak River	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Steytlerville (Mag)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Fort Cunynghame (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Aquiraz	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Biesjiesfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,957 records

Records set or tied on 16 January 1974 by type: Highest daily maximum 634, Lowest daily maximum 39, Highest daily minimum 726, Lowest daily minimum 18, Heaviest daily rainfall 516, Heaviest daily snowfall 7, Deepest snow cover 17.

Records on 16 January 1974 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	634
Lowest daily maximum	39
Highest daily minimum	726
Lowest daily minimum	18
Heaviest daily rainfall	516
Heaviest daily snowfall	7
Deepest snow cover	17

Records on 16 January 1974 by timescale: all-time 4, monthly 204, daily 1,749.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,602 broken records

Margins by which the 1,602 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 175.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 January 1974

Top 20 records on 16 January 1974 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 January 1974	Waverley, ZA	monthly rain	111.5 mm (4.4 in)	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	58 years	76 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Rocklands, ZA	daily rain	68.0 mm (2.7 in)	54.0 mm (2.1 in)	70 years	69 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Yreka, US	daily rain	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	68 years	63 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Mnt Frere (Tnk), ZA	monthly rain	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	46.9 mm (1.8 in)	29 years	62 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Greenview, US	all-time rain	152.4 mm (6.0 in)	42.9 mm (1.7 in)	27 years	62 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Maranguape, BR	daily rain	117.5 mm (4.6 in)	83.4 mm (3.3 in)	51 years	61 of 100 (Major)
16 January 1974	Van Reenen, ZA	daily rain	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	63.2 mm (2.5 in)	44 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Windhoek, NA	daily rain	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	40 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Superior, US	daily rain	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	17.2 mm (0.7 in)	44 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Yarrie, AU	daily rain	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	47.8 mm (1.9 in)	60 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Oulton, ZA	daily rain	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	44 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Sousa, BR	daily rain	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	64.6 mm (2.5 in)	48 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Isidinge (Bos), ZA	daily rain	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	19.8 mm (0.8 in)	84 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Lady Elliot Island, AU	daily rain	110.4 mm (4.3 in)	99.2 mm (3.9 in)	31 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Insizwa (Bos), ZA	daily rain	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	47.7 mm (1.9 in)	43 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Cedara, ZA	daily rain	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	28 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Mc Minnville, US	daily rain	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	39.8 mm (1.6 in)	23 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Waterloo, US	daily rain	68.1 mm (2.7 in)	41.2 mm (1.6 in)	20 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Izeleni (Bos), ZA	daily rain	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	36.2 mm (1.4 in)	46 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 January 1974	Keno, US	daily rain	51.1 mm (2.0 in)	35.4 mm (1.4 in)	20 years	50 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

1795 to 1974

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1974. 1974 had 1,957 records.

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

Records on 01-16 in each year
Year	Records
1795	1
1799	1
1804	1
1818	1
1820	2
1826	2
1836	1
1838	1
1839	1
1845	3
1847	1
1849	2
1851	1
1852	2
1858	1
1864	1
1866	1
1867	1
1868	1
1869	1
1871	1
1873	2
1875	3
1877	1
1878	2
1881	4
1886	1
1890	2
1891	1
1892	1
1893	8
1895	5
1896	4
1897	2
1898	2
1899	17
1900	1
1901	1
1902	5
1904	6
1905	22
1906	26
1907	17
1908	14
1909	19
1910	21
1911	15
1912	38
1913	52
1914	16
1915	29
1916	28
1917	30
1918	89
1919	50
1920	249
1921	36
1922	29
1923	47
1924	277
1925	237
1926	69
1927	250
1928	327
1929	130
1930	680
1931	160
1932	605
1933	343
1934	99
1935	426
1936	349
1937	186
1938	549
1939	539
1940	284
1941	601
1942	585
1943	628
1944	252
1945	434
1946	430
1947	597
1948	299
1949	933
1950	855
1951	679
1952	614
1953	1,040
1954	882
1955	318
1956	519
1957	795
1958	459
1959	462
1960	349
1961	864
1962	387
1963	996
1964	577
1965	910
1966	464
1967	516
1968	536
1969	630
1970	729
1971	628
1972	1,724
1973	1,134
1974	1,957
1975	717
1976	593
1977	1,430
1978	1,399
1979	1,043
1980	965
1981	815
1982	1,121
1983	759
1984	1,376
1985	846
1986	785
1987	1,465
1988	597
1989	835
1990	1,692
1991	897
1992	1,150
1993	1,351
1994	2,003
1995	1,381
1996	995
1997	1,016
1998	884
1999	816
2000	1,073
2001	753
2002	605
2003	691
2004	1,446
2005	654
2006	746
2007	1,962
2008	777
2009	1,328
2010	739
2011	996
2012	569
2013	990
2014	534
2015	424
2016	453
2017	1,104
2018	1,045
2019	512
2020	1,098
2021	544
2022	576
2023	646
2024	2,401
2025	684
2026	506

Download the Data

Data for records on 1974-01-16: 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 25	1,477
25 to 50	100
50 to 75	15
75 to 100	5
100 to 125	2
125 to 150	2
150 to 175	1