Weather Records on 21 May 1978

575 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 May 1978. Highest significance: Tabou, CI.

Key Facts for 21 May 1978

On 21 May 1978, 575 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
151 were record highs and 84 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 13 monthly and 560 daily.
Tabou set an all-time record daily precipitation of 345.7 mm (13.6 in) on 21 May 1978.
Across 156 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 460 records.

Record Map

575 stations

575 station records on 21 May 1978 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 May 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Tabou	Cote D'Ivoire	Record daily precipitation	345.7 mm (13.6 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Baroda	India	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Chatsbury (Maryland)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Bushy Park	Australia	Record daily precipitation	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Marseille Obs. Palais-Lonchamp	France	Record daily precipitation	41.3 mm (1.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Zhalpaktal	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	59.5 mm (2.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Fremont	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Mount Wilson (Nooroo)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.6 mm (1.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Lugano	Switzerland	Record daily precipitation	85.5 mm (3.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Mount Fairy (Merigan)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Rangely 1E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Waxahachie	United States	Record daily precipitation	71.1 mm (2.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Rockport 1 ESE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Avai	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Parau	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Humansdorp (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Santo Amaro	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Engenheiro Maia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Atibaia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Nerriga Composite	Australia	Record daily precipitation	68.2 mm (2.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Itapira	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	42.7 mm (1.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Natashquan A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	70.9 mm (2.8 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Perus	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	40.2 mm (1.6 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Harrington Harbour	Canada	Record daily precipitation	50.9 mm (2.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Janaul	Russia	Record daily precipitation	27.1 mm (1.1 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Walters	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Captains Flat (Foxlow St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.2 mm (1.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Majors Creek (the Old School)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	141.0 mm (5.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Cathcart (Old Post Office)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Mittagong (Beatrice Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ourinhos	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	54.8 mm (2.2 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Quata	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	69.7 mm (2.7 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Huichapan	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	85.3 mm (3.4 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Cape St. Francis	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Kaufman 3 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	52.6 mm (2.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Umea	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	22.3 C (72.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Calhoun 2 N	United States	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Standish 4NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Grapevine Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.5 mm (1.9 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Braidwood (Wallace Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Vila Prosperidade (Gm)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	34.7 mm (1.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Presa Venustiano Carranza	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Harkerville (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Caledonia	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Toms River	United States	Record high maximum temperature	32.2 C (90.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Moorefield 1 SSE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	18.3 C (64.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Bodalla Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	68.2 mm (2.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ponte Melo Peixoto	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	40.2 mm (1.6 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Dialville 2 W	United States	Record high minimum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Mount Victoria (Mt Victoria (S	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Kameruka (Kameruka Estate)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	76.0 mm (3.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Franco da Rocha (Hosp.Juqueri)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	27.6 mm (1.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Boesmansrivier	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Floresville	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Saint Paul Is AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Caucaia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Buffelsnek (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Cairo 3 S	United States	Record high minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Presidente Alves	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Vestervig	Denmark	Record high maximum temperature	23.1 C (73.6 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

575 records

Records set or tied on 21 May 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 61, Lowest daily maximum 48, Highest daily minimum 90, Lowest daily minimum 36, Heaviest daily rainfall 335, Heaviest daily snowfall 5.

Records on 21 May 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	61
Lowest daily maximum	48
Highest daily minimum	90
Lowest daily minimum	36
Heaviest daily rainfall	335
Heaviest daily snowfall	5
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 21 May 1978 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 13, daily 560.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

497 broken records

Margins by which the 497 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 114.7. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 May 1978

Top 20 records on 21 May 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 May 1978	Tabou, CI	all-time rain	345.7 mm (13.6 in)	114.7 mm (4.5 in)	22 years	69 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1978	Baroda, IN	daily rain	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	44 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Chatsbury (Maryland), AU	daily rain	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	28.6 mm (1.1 in)	69 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Bushy Park, AU	daily rain	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	28 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Marseille Obs. Palais-Lonchamp, FR	daily rain	41.3 mm (1.6 in)	16.3 mm (0.6 in)	84 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Zhalpaktal, KZ	all-time rain	59.5 mm (2.3 in)	7.8 mm (0.31 in)	36 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Fremont, US	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	57 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Mount Wilson (Nooroo), AU	daily rain	41.6 mm (1.6 in)	17.2 mm (0.7 in)	101 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Lugano, CH	daily rain	85.5 mm (3.4 in)	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	33 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Mount Fairy (Merigan), AU	daily rain	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	29.3 mm (1.2 in)	45 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Rangely 1E, US	monthly high min	17.2 C (63.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	79 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Waxahachie, US	daily rain	71.1 mm (2.8 in)	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	64 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Rockport 1 ESE, US	daily high min	20.0 C (68.0 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	60 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Avai, BR	daily rain	41.9 mm (1.6 in)	37.8 mm (1.5 in)	21 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Parau, BR	daily rain	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	37 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Humansdorp (Pol), ZA	daily rain	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	11.7 mm (0.5 in)	84 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Santo Amaro, BR	monthly rain	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	23.6 mm (0.9 in)	10 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Engenheiro Maia, BR	daily rain	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	38.2 mm (1.5 in)	24 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Atibaia, BR	daily rain	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	19 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 May 1978	Nerriga Composite, AU	daily rain	68.2 mm (2.7 in)	52.5 mm (2.1 in)	11 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

1793 to 1978

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1978. 1978 had 575 records.

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

Records on 05-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1811	1
1837	2
1842	1
1847	2
1854	1
1857	1
1858	1
1865	1
1866	1
1870	2
1875	1
1876	1
1880	2
1882	1
1885	1
1886	2
1887	3
1889	5
1890	3
1891	6
1892	1
1893	1
1894	4
1895	4
1896	5
1897	2
1898	1
1899	5
1900	1
1901	3
1902	4
1903	26
1904	8
1905	7
1906	12
1907	36
1908	13
1909	13
1910	14
1911	87
1912	24
1913	13
1914	26
1915	24
1916	13
1917	76
1918	51
1919	170
1920	39
1921	158
1922	39
1923	125
1924	148
1925	250
1926	221
1927	207
1928	173
1929	247
1930	133
1931	488
1932	343
1933	290
1934	590
1935	190
1936	328
1937	227
1938	348
1939	355
1940	456
1941	525
1942	482
1943	463
1944	310
1945	515
1946	324
1947	485
1948	312
1949	593
1950	403
1951	271
1952	385
1953	501
1954	961
1955	507
1956	409
1957	709
1958	511
1959	684
1960	615
1961	306
1962	553
1963	598
1964	788
1965	238
1966	296
1967	1,022
1968	549
1969	832
1970	449
1971	536
1972	557
1973	493
1974	847
1975	1,160
1976	393
1977	756
1978	575
1979	787
1980	857
1981	1,550
1982	599
1983	1,106
1984	950
1985	610
1986	908
1987	1,242
1988	819
1989	671
1990	947
1991	1,065
1992	1,143
1993	1,197
1994	656
1995	749
1996	1,461
1997	953
1998	1,200
1999	544
2000	897
2001	1,187
2002	2,048
2003	807
2004	898
2005	1,020
2006	810
2007	894
2008	740
2009	1,315
2010	962
2011	959
2012	848
2013	884
2014	522
2015	956
2016	567
2017	780
2018	525
2019	1,668
2020	707
2021	1,131
2022	1,512
2023	794
2024	751
2025	776
2026	356

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-05-21: 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 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Margin	Records
0 to 20	439
20 to 40	47
40 to 60	10
60 to 80	0
80 to 100	0
100 to 120	1