Weather Records on 31 December 1977

641 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 31 December 1977. Highest significance: Snydersfontein, ZA.

Key Facts for 31 December 1977

On 31 December 1977, 641 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
110 were record highs and 17 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 3 were all-time records, 31 monthly and 607 daily.
Snydersfontein set a monthly record daily precipitation of 62.5 mm (2.5 in) on 31 December 1977.
Across 157 earlier years (1797 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 486 records.

Record Map

641 stations

641 station records on 31 December 1977 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 31 December 1977: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Snydersfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	62.5 mm (2.5 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Dunedin	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Roodepoort (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Vrede-Mun	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Esplanada	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Sawoti	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	84.0 mm (3.3 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Springs-Olympia Park	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	73.0 mm (2.9 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Cologne	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Dewetsdorp (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Ottosdal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Devon (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Yalta	Ukraine	Record daily precipitation	62.4 mm (2.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Minneapolis-St Paul Intl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	18.3 cm (7.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Petrusville (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Buffelshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Durban Roodepoort Deep Gm	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Springs (Rwb)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Oskaloosa	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Pierre Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.8 cm (6.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Ico	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	141.0 mm (5.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Mellette 4 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Jhb-Turffontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Clear Lake	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Morpara	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Jhb-Royal Golf Club	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Cramond, Albert Fall	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.1 mm (2.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Montevideo 1SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Langsloot	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Castlewood	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Coutinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	68.0 mm (2.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Qacha's Nek	Lesotho	Record daily precipitation	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Granta	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	80.4 mm (3.2 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Prinshof	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Mandan Exp STN	United States	Record snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Mellette 4 W	United States	Record snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Novorossijsk	Russia	Record daily precipitation	60.9 mm (2.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Vermillion 2 SE	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Suassurana	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	79.2 mm (3.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Heilbron "Smoordrif"	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Vectis, Winterton	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Droogefontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Bowman	United States	Record snow depth	73.7 cm (29.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Alexandria	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Clark	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Forquilhinha	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Tororo	Uganda	Record daily precipitation	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cochetopa Creek	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Creston 2 SW	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.9 cm (4.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Heilbron (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Leeupoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	64.5 mm (2.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Sanborn	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Sheldon	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.9 cm (4.7 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Miller	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Cody	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Komga (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Elderslie, Tweedie	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Berlin 91	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Randfontein (Gm)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Dawson	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Canistota 2 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

641 records

Records set or tied on 31 December 1977 by type: Highest daily maximum 38, Lowest daily maximum 6, Highest daily minimum 72, Lowest daily minimum 11, Heaviest daily rainfall 354, Heaviest daily snowfall 135, Deepest snow cover 25.

Records on 31 December 1977 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	38
Lowest daily maximum	6
Highest daily minimum	72
Lowest daily minimum	11
Heaviest daily rainfall	354
Heaviest daily snowfall	135
Deepest snow cover	25

Records on 31 December 1977 by timescale: all-time 3, monthly 31, daily 607.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

546 broken records

Margins by which the 546 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 203.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

31 December 1977

Top 20 records on 31 December 1977 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
31 December 1977	Snydersfontein, ZA	monthly rain	62.5 mm (2.5 in)	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	46 years	66 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1977	Dunedin, ZA	daily rain	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	64 years	65 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1977	Roodepoort (Mun), ZA	daily rain	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	73.1 mm (2.9 in)	60 years	65 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1977	Vrede-Mun, ZA	daily rain	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	61.3 mm (2.4 in)	60 years	64 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1977	Esplanada, BR	daily rain	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	81.5 mm (3.2 in)	59 years	63 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1977	Sawoti, ZA	daily rain	84.0 mm (3.3 in)	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	46 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Springs-Olympia Park, ZA	daily rain	73.0 mm (2.9 in)	46.6 mm (1.8 in)	44 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Cologne, ZA	daily rain	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	61.9 mm (2.4 in)	44 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Dewetsdorp (Pol), ZA	daily rain	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	42 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Ottosdal, ZA	daily rain	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	59 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Devon (Pol), ZA	monthly rain	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	54 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Yalta, UA	daily rain	62.4 mm (2.5 in)	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	32 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Minneapolis-St Paul Intl AP, US	daily snowfall	18.3 cm (7.2 in)	14.5 cm (5.7 in)	39 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Petrusville (Pol), ZA	daily rain	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	46 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Buffelshoek, ZA	daily rain	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	59 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Durban Roodepoort Deep Gm, ZA	daily rain	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	60 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Springs (Rwb), ZA	daily rain	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	31.4 mm (1.2 in)	44 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Oskaloosa, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	11.7 cm (4.6 in)	59 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Pierre Rgnl AP, US	daily snowfall	16.8 cm (6.6 in)	11.2 cm (4.4 in)	18 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1977	Ico, BR	all-time rain	141.0 mm (5.6 in)	21.0 mm (0.8 in)	36 years	49 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

1797 to 1977

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1977. 1977 had 641 records.

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

Records on 12-31 in each year
Year	Records
1797	1
1799	2
1826	1
1836	1
1842	2
1850	3
1853	1
1854	1
1859	1
1860	1
1867	1
1870	2
1872	2
1874	4
1875	2
1876	2
1878	2
1879	2
1880	2
1882	1
1884	2
1885	1
1886	3
1887	1
1888	2
1890	2
1891	8
1892	4
1895	4
1897	6
1898	5
1899	4
1900	3
1901	16
1902	3
1903	3
1904	11
1905	9
1906	31
1907	11
1908	7
1909	5
1910	25
1911	14
1912	17
1913	46
1914	34
1915	32
1916	25
1917	239
1918	24
1919	38
1920	64
1921	130
1922	83
1923	280
1924	113
1925	183
1926	77
1927	491
1928	53
1929	224
1930	58
1931	543
1932	394
1933	409
1934	181
1935	309
1936	567
1937	500
1938	247
1939	298
1940	467
1941	159
1942	352
1943	159
1944	259
1945	210
1946	707
1947	461
1948	591
1949	384
1950	310
1951	1,421
1952	377
1953	410
1954	286
1955	429
1956	216
1957	724
1958	584
1959	414
1960	389
1961	309
1962	810
1963	1,015
1964	388
1965	1,371
1966	326
1967	1,023
1968	1,371
1969	825
1970	579
1971	568
1972	836
1973	1,370
1974	590
1975	791
1976	1,306
1977	641
1978	2,791
1979	448
1980	1,448
1981	786
1982	639
1983	2,220
1984	942
1985	593
1986	616
1987	845
1988	600
1989	506
1990	1,379
1991	703
1992	1,062
1993	718
1994	878
1995	1,151
1996	2,202
1997	988
1998	739
1999	524
2000	1,575
2001	748
2002	1,232
2003	523
2004	1,278
2005	959
2006	2,089
2007	652
2008	656
2009	867
2010	1,544
2011	739
2012	803
2013	606
2014	903
2015	748
2016	678
2017	1,589
2018	620
2019	593
2020	489
2021	1,739
2022	1,497
2023	474
2024	460
2025	760

Download the Data

Data for records on 1977-12-31: 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	484
50 to 100	43
100 to 150	15
150 to 200	3
200 to 250	1