Weather Records on 4 January 1978

656 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 4 January 1978. Highest significance: Altamura, ZA.

Key Facts for 4 January 1978

On 4 January 1978, 656 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
135 were record highs and 144 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 5 were all-time records, 16 monthly and 635 daily.
Altamura set an all-time record daily precipitation of 117.8 mm (4.6 in) on 4 January 1978.
Across 162 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 505 records.

Record Map

656 stations

656 station records on 4 January 1978 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 4 January 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Altamura	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	117.8 mm (4.6 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Powell River	Canada	Record daily snowfall	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Randwick Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Molepolole	Botswana	Record daily precipitation	113.3 mm (4.5 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Flagstaff (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Amsterdam (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Gosford (Gertrude Place)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	65.2 mm (2.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Ibitiuva	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Alliance	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.9 cm (4.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Powell River	Canada	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Waskada	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Ficksburg;Kersieproe	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.7 mm (2.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Powell Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Ribeiro Dos Santos	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	80.1 mm (3.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Icem (Usina Marimbondo)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	106.4 mm (4.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Nashlyn	Canada	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Puerto Madero	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Browning	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Buntine	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Trunkey Creek (Trunkey (Black	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Smithfield (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Lewiston	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Paulista	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	84.0 mm (3.3 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Pomona/Fairplex	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Big Creek	Canada	Record daily snowfall	11.8 cm (4.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bondi Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Clark	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Woonona (Popes Rd)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	83.2 mm (3.3 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Stockport (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.5 mm (1.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Lodi	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Beulah 1 W	United States	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
St George	United States	Record high minimum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Nakusp	Canada	Record daily snowfall	15.6 cm (6.1 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Flagstaff AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Wattle Flat General Store	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Francistown	Botswana	Record daily precipitation	45.3 mm (1.8 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Echo Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Harris	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Markovo	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-5.2 C (22.6 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Forsyth 6 NNW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-9.4 C (15.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Heber	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Diablo Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Garibaldi	Canada	Record daily snowfall	57.4 cm (22.6 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Banff	Canada	Record daily snowfall	18.9 cm (7.4 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Wilgerivier (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.9 mm (1.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Boogardie	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Garibaldi	Canada	Record daily precipitation	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
New Denver	Canada	Record daily snowfall	21.2 cm (8.3 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Ashley (the Prairies)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Comox A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	59.9 mm (2.4 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Kaslo	Canada	Record daily snowfall	32.0 cm (12.6 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Deloraine	Canada	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Carrollton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-9.4 C (15.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Forks 4 NNE	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Bowman	United States	Record snow depth	76.2 cm (30.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Stehekin 4 NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Pindathuna	Australia	Record daily precipitation	30.1 mm (1.2 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
The Entrance (Eloora Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	61.9 mm (2.4 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Kaslo	Canada	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Nongoma	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	64.5 mm (2.5 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

656 records

Records set or tied on 4 January 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 39, Lowest daily maximum 31, Highest daily minimum 96, Lowest daily minimum 113, Heaviest daily rainfall 273, Heaviest daily snowfall 58, Deepest snow cover 46.

Records on 4 January 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	39
Lowest daily maximum	31
Highest daily minimum	96
Lowest daily minimum	113
Heaviest daily rainfall	273
Heaviest daily snowfall	58
Deepest snow cover	46

Records on 4 January 1978 by timescale: all-time 5, monthly 16, daily 635.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

550 broken records

Margins by which the 550 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 330.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

4 January 1978

Top 20 records on 4 January 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
4 January 1978	Altamura, ZA	all-time rain	117.8 mm (4.6 in)	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	57 years	73 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1978	Powell River, CA	all-time snowfall	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	27 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Randwick Bowling Club, AU	daily rain	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	88 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Molepolole, BW	daily rain	113.3 mm (4.5 in)	56.1 mm (2.2 in)	35 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Flagstaff (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	15 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Amsterdam (Pol), ZA	daily rain	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	40.2 mm (1.6 in)	66 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Gosford (Gertrude Place), AU	daily rain	65.2 mm (2.6 in)	44.1 mm (1.7 in)	56 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Ibitiuva, BR	daily rain	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	80.1 mm (3.2 in)	23 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Alliance, CA	daily snowfall	10.9 cm (4.3 in)	9.6 cm (3.8 in)	56 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Powell River, CA	daily rain	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	50 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Waskada, CA	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	52 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Ficksburg;Kersieproe, ZA	daily rain	53.7 mm (2.1 in)	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	22 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Powell Creek, AU	daily rain	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	19.0 mm (0.7 in)	78 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Ribeiro Dos Santos, BR	daily rain	80.1 mm (3.2 in)	62.1 mm (2.4 in)	22 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Icem (Usina Marimbondo), BR	daily rain	106.4 mm (4.2 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	36 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Nashlyn, CA	monthly snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	2.6 cm (1.0 in)	59 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Puerto Madero, MX	daily low min	10.0 C (50.0 F)	6.7 C (12.1 F)	24 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Browning, US	daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	68 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Buntine, AU	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	21.4 mm (0.8 in)	31 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
4 January 1978	Trunkey Creek (Trunkey (Black, AU	daily rain	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	12.2 mm (0.5 in)	82 years	40 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 1978

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1978. 1978 had 656 records.

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

Records on 01-04 in each year
Year	Records
1795	2
1803	2
1824	1
1845	1
1855	1
1860	2
1864	4
1866	1
1867	2
1869	2
1871	2
1872	1
1873	2
1874	3
1876	1
1877	3
1878	3
1879	1
1880	1
1881	3
1882	2
1884	2
1886	5
1887	2
1888	4
1889	4
1890	2
1891	4
1892	1
1893	2
1894	9
1895	8
1896	2
1897	1
1898	2
1899	4
1900	6
1901	9
1902	7
1903	16
1904	51
1905	21
1906	15
1907	13
1908	8
1909	23
1910	20
1911	17
1912	30
1913	27
1914	45
1915	21
1916	59
1917	59
1918	78
1919	34
1920	113
1921	121
1922	56
1923	54
1924	184
1925	128
1926	310
1927	185
1928	150
1929	96
1930	134
1931	94
1932	200
1933	231
1934	319
1935	207
1936	394
1937	251
1938	136
1939	647
1940	332
1941	1,010
1942	1,191
1943	453
1944	300
1945	194
1946	371
1947	858
1948	391
1949	1,261
1950	2,015
1951	394
1952	349
1953	267
1954	249
1955	659
1956	462
1957	262
1958	448
1959	1,124
1960	358
1961	378
1962	359
1963	559
1964	349
1965	403
1966	798
1967	319
1968	661
1969	645
1970	497
1971	1,191
1972	728
1973	667
1974	957
1975	394
1976	534
1977	524
1978	656
1979	1,606
1980	643
1981	1,430
1982	2,261
1983	953
1984	996
1985	1,049
1986	705
1987	1,172
1988	903
1989	1,205
1990	509
1991	1,016
1992	1,201
1993	1,538
1994	1,418
1995	922
1996	1,389
1997	3,256
1998	1,246
1999	1,842
2000	1,486
2001	1,350
2002	1,151
2003	1,229
2004	1,611
2005	1,581
2006	1,167
2007	2,045
2008	845
2009	824
2010	1,183
2011	586
2012	1,357
2013	797
2014	770
2015	715
2016	618
2017	997
2018	1,096
2019	616
2020	497
2021	427
2022	698
2023	1,236
2024	562
2025	477
2026	1,013

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-01-04: 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	510
50 to 100	27
100 to 150	8
150 to 200	2
200 to 250	1
250 to 300	0
300 to 350	2