Weather Records on 20 May 1978

534 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 May 1978. Highest significance: Gabo Island Lighthouse, AU.

Key Facts for 20 May 1978

On 20 May 1978, 534 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
174 were record highs and 53 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 21 monthly and 511 daily.
Gabo Island Lighthouse set an all-time record daily precipitation of 207.2 mm (8.2 in) on 20 May 1978.
Across 162 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 455 records.

Record Map

534 stations

534 station records on 20 May 1978 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 May 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Gabo Island Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	207.2 mm (8.2 in)	81 of 100 (Exceptional)
Callignee South	Australia	Record daily precipitation	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Bombala (Nungatta)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	102.0 mm (4.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Stradbroke West (Inglenook)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.4 mm (3.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
East Sale Airport	Australia	Record daily precipitation	106.2 mm (4.2 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Snyder	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Walhalla	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.6 mm (4.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Gran Quivira Natl Mon	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Narracan East (Lynnsmere)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Troy 1 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.1 mm (2.6 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Yarram	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Golden	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Glenwood 3SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Eden (Timbillica)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	167.4 mm (6.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Siegen (Klaranlage)	Germany	Record daily precipitation	32.9 mm (1.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Green Cape Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Clydebank	Australia	Record daily precipitation	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Price	Canada	Record daily precipitation	39.9 mm (1.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Erica	Australia	Record daily precipitation	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Welshpool	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.6 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Yalwal	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Estancia 4N	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Imperial	United States	Record daily precipitation	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Cabbage Tree Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	99.8 mm (3.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Agartala	India	Record daily precipitation	150.1 mm (5.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Denison (Wandocka State School	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Dilley	United States	Record daily precipitation	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Ibirarema	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Yamma Pool	Australia	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bad Lippspringe	Germany	Record daily precipitation	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Jose Cardel	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Augusta	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Quanah 2 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Kula Sanatorium 267	United States	Record high minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Marilia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	68.1 mm (2.7 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Umea	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	21.6 C (70.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Canning River Weir	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Agnes River	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Ste Rose du Degelis	Canada	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Catemaco	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Cope Rch	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Willapa Harbor	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Lafayette Rgnl AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Hambantota	Sri Lanka	Record high maximum temperature	34.0 C (93.2 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Bad Salzuflen	Germany	Record daily precipitation	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Cacahoatan	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	25.6 C (78.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Mtn Grove 2 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Garden City	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Nicholson (Yendalock)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	91.0 mm (3.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Mont-Joli A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Case Rch 3 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.1 mm (2.7 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hagersville	Canada	Record daily precipitation	30.4 mm (1.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Clarendon	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Kanevskaja	Russia	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Orenburg	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Cloudskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Rockport 1 ESE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
The Cedars	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Pennyroyal Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.4 mm (1.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Colton Railway Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.8 mm (1.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

534 records

Records set or tied on 20 May 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 79, Lowest daily maximum 29, Highest daily minimum 95, Lowest daily minimum 24, Heaviest daily rainfall 303, Heaviest daily snowfall 3, Deepest snow cover 1.

Records on 20 May 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	79
Lowest daily maximum	29
Highest daily minimum	95
Lowest daily minimum	24
Heaviest daily rainfall	303
Heaviest daily snowfall	3
Deepest snow cover	1

Records on 20 May 1978 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 21, daily 511.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

464 broken records

Margins by which the 464 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 62.2. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 May 1978

Top 20 records on 20 May 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 May 1978	Gabo Island Lighthouse, AU	all-time rain	207.2 mm (8.2 in)	42.1 mm (1.7 in)	67 years	81 of 100 (Exceptional)
20 May 1978	Callignee South, AU	monthly rain	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	33.9 mm (1.3 in)	33 years	60 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1978	Bombala (Nungatta), AU	monthly rain	102.0 mm (4.0 in)	23.3 mm (0.9 in)	78 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Stradbroke West (Inglenook), AU	monthly rain	80.4 mm (3.2 in)	12.1 mm (0.5 in)	78 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	East Sale Airport, AU	monthly rain	106.2 mm (4.2 in)	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	15 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Snyder, US	daily rain	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	49 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Walhalla, AU	daily rain	100.6 mm (4.0 in)	56.7 mm (2.2 in)	24 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Gran Quivira Natl Mon, US	daily rain	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	48 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Narracan East (Lynnsmere), AU	daily rain	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	31.1 mm (1.2 in)	24 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Troy 1 SE, US	daily rain	67.1 mm (2.6 in)	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	32 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Yarram, AU	daily rain	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	24.4 mm (1.0 in)	11 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Golden, US	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	13 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Glenwood 3SW, US	daily rain	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	78 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Eden (Timbillica), AU	monthly rain	167.4 mm (6.6 in)	37.9 mm (1.5 in)	25 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Siegen (Klaranlage), DE	daily rain	32.9 mm (1.3 in)	22.2 mm (0.9 in)	16 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Green Cape Lighthouse, AU	monthly rain	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	3 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Clydebank, AU	monthly rain	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	21.2 mm (0.8 in)	15 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Price, CA	daily rain	39.9 mm (1.6 in)	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	16 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Erica, AU	monthly rain	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	24.6 mm (1.0 in)	15 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1978	Welshpool, AU	daily rain	44.6 mm (1.8 in)	21.7 mm (0.9 in)	24 years	46 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

1802 to 1978

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1978. 1978 had 534 records.

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

Records on 05-20 in each year
Year	Records
1802	1
1803	1
1804	1
1815	1
1825	1
1837	1
1844	1
1845	3
1847	1
1854	1
1858	3
1861	1
1862	1
1865	1
1867	1
1868	2
1870	3
1871	2
1876	2
1877	3
1879	1
1880	2
1884	2
1885	1
1887	2
1889	3
1890	3
1891	5
1892	3
1893	1
1894	6
1895	3
1896	3
1897	3
1898	4
1899	4
1900	1
1901	5
1902	11
1903	19
1904	4
1905	4
1906	22
1907	35
1908	23
1909	10
1910	20
1911	82
1912	20
1913	10
1914	16
1915	42
1916	29
1917	46
1918	92
1919	56
1920	44
1921	234
1922	40
1923	125
1924	189
1925	251
1926	128
1927	118
1928	138
1929	323
1930	129
1931	451
1932	689
1933	449
1934	582
1935	259
1936	207
1937	270
1938	331
1939	266
1940	337
1941	378
1942	337
1943	802
1944	315
1945	498
1946	339
1947	358
1948	514
1949	586
1950	327
1951	288
1952	615
1953	518
1954	822
1955	421
1956	565
1957	728
1958	378
1959	785
1960	612
1961	333
1962	773
1963	732
1964	517
1965	200
1966	416
1967	587
1968	743
1969	885
1970	310
1971	653
1972	612
1973	419
1974	893
1975	1,332
1976	837
1977	553
1978	534
1979	683
1980	751
1981	1,540
1982	554
1983	1,307
1984	867
1985	426
1986	790
1987	1,036
1988	805
1989	764
1990	722
1991	925
1992	1,200
1993	1,208
1994	778
1995	734
1996	1,749
1997	1,106
1998	1,124
1999	673
2000	991
2001	847
2002	2,299
2003	1,201
2004	746
2005	929
2006	1,006
2007	565
2008	999
2009	1,529
2010	1,011
2011	1,117
2012	604
2013	919
2014	629
2015	1,001
2016	692
2017	1,214
2018	460
2019	1,483
2020	784
2021	904
2022	1,643
2023	1,106
2024	478
2025	969
2026	696

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-05-20: 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 10	360
10 to 20	60
20 to 30	24
30 to 40	8
40 to 50	7
50 to 60	4
60 to 70	1