Weather Records on 20 December 1978

910 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 December 1978. Highest significance: Riverdale, US.

Key Facts for 20 December 1978

On 20 December 1978, 910 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
447 were record highs and 119 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 10 monthly and 900 daily.
Riverdale set a daily record snowfall of 20.3 cm (8.0 in) on 20 December 1978.
Across 163 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 464 records.

Record Map

910 stations

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

Weather records on 20 December 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Riverdale	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Kaycee	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Red Lodge	United States	Record snow depth	111.8 cm (44.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Barrage Angliers	Canada	Record daily snowfall	23.1 cm (9.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Bailey	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Hayward Rs	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Elliotdale (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	90.0 mm (3.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Spooner Ag Rsch STN	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.7 cm (5.8 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Cass Lake	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Earlton A	Canada	Record daily snowfall	22.4 cm (8.8 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Winnibigoshish Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Claremore 2 ENE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Brule Island	United States	Record daily snowfall	18.3 cm (7.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Brady	United States	Record high maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Rocksprings	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ebor (Kotupna)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Montpellier-Aeroport	France	Record daily precipitation	68.8 mm (2.7 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Maple Plain	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Pokegama Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Windsor	United States	Record high maximum temperature	20.0 C (68.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Elkins- Randolph Co AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Eagle FAA AP	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Canegrass	Australia	Record daily precipitation	37.5 mm (1.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Bream Creek (Stroud)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Vladikavkaz	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-17.0 C (1.4 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Bridger 2 N	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Haskell	United States	Record high maximum temperature	26.1 C (79.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Brinkley	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Mt Sterling	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Merriman	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Vandalia	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Madison Sewage Plt	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Britt 3E	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Beaufort Wwtp	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ashland Exp Farm	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Monticello Muni AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	24.4 C (75.9 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Dequeen	United States	Record high maximum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Douglas	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Vevay	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Emmetsburg	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Carrollton Lock 1	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Cambridge	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Minden	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Ravenswood Lock Park	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Park Falls Dnr HQ	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Weyerhaeuser 1N	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Turbine	Canada	Record daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Tortosa - Observatorio del Ebr	Spain	Record low maximum temperature	3.7 C (38.7 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Plain Dealing	United States	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Red Lake Indian Agcy	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Sandy Lake Dam Libby	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Bay Saint Louis	United States	Record high maximum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Ellsworth 2W	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Stanton	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Buckhannon	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.2 mm (1.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Madeline Is	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Rest Lake	United States	Record daily snowfall	23.9 cm (9.4 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Minneapolis-St Paul Intl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.2 cm (4.4 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Munising	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.7 cm (6.2 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Hillsboro	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.8 cm (2.3 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

910 records

Records set or tied on 20 December 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 237, Lowest daily maximum 50, Highest daily minimum 210, Lowest daily minimum 69, Heaviest daily rainfall 191, Heaviest daily snowfall 100, Deepest snow cover 53.

Records on 20 December 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	237
Lowest daily maximum	50
Highest daily minimum	210
Lowest daily minimum	69
Heaviest daily rainfall	191
Heaviest daily snowfall	100
Deepest snow cover	53

Records on 20 December 1978 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 10, daily 900.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

726 broken records

Margins by which the 726 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 661.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 December 1978

Top 20 records on 20 December 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 December 1978	Riverdale, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	64 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1978	Kaycee, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	15.3 cm (6.0 in)	71 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1978	Red Lodge, US	daily snow depth	111.8 cm (44.0 in)	66.1 cm (26.0 in)	52 years	63 of 100 (Major)
20 December 1978	Barrage Angliers, CA	daily snowfall	23.1 cm (9.1 in)	11.7 cm (4.6 in)	56 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Bailey, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	27 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Hayward Rs, US	daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	65 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Elliotdale (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	90.0 mm (3.5 in)	43.5 mm (1.7 in)	3 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Spooner Ag Rsch STN, US	daily snowfall	14.7 cm (5.8 in)	9.6 cm (3.8 in)	44 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Cass Lake, US	daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	12 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Earlton A, CA	daily snowfall	22.4 cm (8.8 in)	9.7 cm (3.8 in)	31 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Winnibigoshish Dam, US	daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	28 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Claremore 2 ENE, US	daily high min	15.0 C (59.0 F)	7.8 C (14.0 F)	60 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Brule Island, US	daily snowfall	18.3 cm (7.2 in)	11.9 cm (4.7 in)	25 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Brady, US	daily high max	26.7 C (80.1 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	83 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Rocksprings, US	daily high min	12.2 C (54.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	83 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Ebor (Kotupna), AU	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	7.6 mm (0.30 in)	73 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Montpellier-Aeroport, FR	daily rain	68.8 mm (2.7 in)	40.7 mm (1.6 in)	12 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Maple Plain, US	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	68 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Pokegama Dam, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	75 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
20 December 1978	Windsor, US	daily high max	20.0 C (68.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	83 years	36 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 910 records.

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

Records on 12-20 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1804	1
1805	2
1808	1
1815	1
1828	1
1837	1
1846	1
1855	8
1858	1
1860	1
1866	1
1867	1
1868	1
1869	1
1871	2
1874	3
1875	1
1877	2
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1881	1
1882	1
1884	4
1885	1
1886	4
1889	4
1890	2
1891	2
1892	1
1894	2
1895	8
1896	1
1897	4
1898	2
1899	1
1900	7
1901	8
1902	14
1903	17
1904	9
1905	5
1906	5
1907	11
1908	5
1909	22
1910	17
1911	24
1912	27
1913	7
1914	43
1915	18
1916	45
1917	33
1918	18
1919	25
1920	22
1921	101
1922	88
1923	215
1924	332
1925	96
1926	163
1927	200
1928	93
1929	256
1930	67
1931	536
1932	170
1933	492
1934	265
1935	152
1936	416
1937	181
1938	240
1939	308
1940	965
1941	633
1942	817
1943	193
1944	340
1945	430
1946	327
1947	385
1948	345
1949	1,141
1950	758
1951	926
1952	394
1953	385
1954	416
1955	726
1956	471
1957	1,354
1958	382
1959	142
1960	354
1961	369
1962	475
1963	875
1964	499
1965	353
1966	555
1967	1,370
1968	482
1969	514
1970	518
1971	441
1972	448
1973	1,184
1974	328
1975	610
1976	382
1977	484
1978	910
1979	600
1980	667
1981	1,681
1982	712
1983	2,995
1984	1,411
1985	1,035
1986	321
1987	1,179
1988	760
1989	1,812
1990	1,885
1991	1,172
1992	1,134
1993	1,266
1994	813
1995	1,128
1996	1,448
1997	651
1998	1,110
1999	938
2000	1,150
2001	523
2002	943
2003	1,315
2004	836
2005	515
2006	1,387
2007	986
2008	1,356
2009	1,502
2010	2,055
2011	846
2012	1,131
2013	584
2014	524
2015	1,238
2016	603
2017	688
2018	592
2019	731
2020	554
2021	442
2022	567
2023	1,242
2024	897
2025	1,166

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-12-20: 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 100	709
100 to 200	14
200 to 300	2
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	0
500 to 600	0
600 to 700	1