Weather Records on 21 December 1978

517 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 December 1978. Highest significance: Spencer, US.

Key Facts for 21 December 1978

On 21 December 1978, 517 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
138 were record highs and 92 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 11 monthly and 506 daily.
Spencer set a daily record precipitation of 55.9 mm (2.2 in) on 21 December 1978.
Across 158 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 489 records.

Record Map

517 stations

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

Weather records on 21 December 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Spencer	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	66 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	109.2 cm (43.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Philippi	United States	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Harrismith (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	69.2 mm (2.7 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Belington	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Creston	United States	Record daily precipitation	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Mont-Aigoual	France	Record daily precipitation	113.0 mm (4.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Montpellier-Aeroport	France	Record daily precipitation	64.9 mm (2.6 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Kafferskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Weston	United States	Record daily precipitation	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Bloemfontein Airpor	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Glen Warren	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Marseille Obs. Palais-Lonchamp	France	Record daily precipitation	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Lima	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Clarksburg 1	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Ripley	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Heartsease	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Sutton Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Nicosia	Cyprus	Record high minimum temperature	10.3 C (50.5 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Prineville	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Oconto 4 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Van Reenen	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Minden	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Witsieshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Bridger 2 N	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Minden	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-10.0 C (14.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Pickens 1	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Pallinup	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.8 mm (1.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Bailey	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Confluence 1 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Winfield Locks	United States	Record daily precipitation	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Burdekin Shire Council	Australia	Record high minimum temperature	26.5 C (79.7 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Jaicos	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Parrsboro	Canada	Record daily snowfall	11.0 cm (4.3 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Reitz 36	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Buckatabon	United States	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Stanton	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Chiloquin 1 E	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-5.0 C (23.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Waupaca	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Boa Vista Do Tupim	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	77.4 mm (3.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Grayson 3 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Ironton	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Grantsville 1ESE	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Thomas	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.6 mm (2.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Lagoa Clara	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	55.6 mm (2.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Doaktown	Canada	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Moorside	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Botataboomen	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	70.5 mm (2.8 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Cherry Grove 2 S	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Summerside A	Canada	Record daily snowfall	21.8 cm (8.6 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Nagornyj	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-6.1 C (21.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Camden on Gauley 2 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Winter	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Sheridan AP	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Dolgeville	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Aroostook	Canada	Record daily snowfall	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Greylingstad (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Soria	Spain	Record low maximum temperature	-3.2 C (26.2 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

517 records

Records set or tied on 21 December 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 97, Lowest daily maximum 43, Highest daily minimum 41, Lowest daily minimum 49, Heaviest daily rainfall 181, Heaviest daily snowfall 60, Deepest snow cover 46.

Records on 21 December 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	97
Lowest daily maximum	43
Highest daily minimum	41
Lowest daily minimum	49
Heaviest daily rainfall	181
Heaviest daily snowfall	60
Deepest snow cover	46

Records on 21 December 1978 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 11, daily 506.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

419 broken records

Margins by which the 419 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 660.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 December 1978

Top 20 records on 21 December 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 December 1978	Spencer, US	daily rain	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	61 years	66 of 100 (Major)
21 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)
21 December 1978	Red Lodge, US	daily snow depth	109.2 cm (43.0 in)	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	52 years	63 of 100 (Major)
21 December 1978	Philippi, US	daily rain	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	64 years	61 of 100 (Major)
21 December 1978	Harrismith (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	69.2 mm (2.7 in)	31.6 mm (1.2 in)	60 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Belington, US	daily rain	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	32 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Creston, US	daily rain	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	21.8 mm (0.9 in)	64 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Mont-Aigoual, FR	daily rain	113.0 mm (4.4 in)	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	65 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Montpellier-Aeroport, FR	daily rain	64.9 mm (2.6 in)	47.8 mm (1.9 in)	28 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Kafferskraal, ZA	daily rain	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	38.7 mm (1.5 in)	28 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Weston, US	daily rain	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	4 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Bloemfontein Airpor, ZA	daily rain	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	21.3 mm (0.8 in)	63 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Glen Warren, AU	daily rain	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	12.8 mm (0.5 in)	49 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Marseille Obs. Palais-Lonchamp, FR	daily rain	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	48 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Lima, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	29 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Clarksburg 1, US	daily rain	40.4 mm (1.6 in)	20.6 mm (0.8 in)	27 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Ripley, US	daily rain	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	17 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Heartsease, ZA	monthly rain	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	24.0 mm (0.9 in)	23 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Sutton Lake, US	daily rain	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	27 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
21 December 1978	Nicosia, CY	daily high min	10.3 C (50.5 F)	1.4 C (2.5 F)	85 years	38 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 517 records.

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

Records on 12-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1794	1
1799	1
1801	2
1808	3
1825	1
1828	1
1839	1
1846	1
1850	1
1855	7
1859	1
1860	1
1868	1
1870	1
1871	2
1874	2
1875	3
1876	1
1877	1
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1884	1
1886	3
1889	1
1890	4
1893	4
1894	1
1895	5
1896	3
1897	3
1898	1
1900	8
1901	15
1902	5
1903	25
1904	3
1905	15
1906	15
1907	17
1908	19
1909	20
1910	29
1911	36
1912	23
1913	11
1914	107
1915	43
1916	40
1917	18
1918	41
1919	57
1920	30
1921	104
1922	34
1923	323
1924	377
1925	120
1926	178
1927	147
1928	70
1929	156
1930	66
1931	556
1932	150
1933	581
1934	230
1935	398
1936	323
1937	189
1938	145
1939	140
1940	622
1941	651
1942	968
1943	148
1944	762
1945	396
1946	495
1947	700
1948	297
1949	1,281
1950	504
1951	1,061
1952	197
1953	256
1954	444
1955	888
1956	672
1957	846
1958	516
1959	272
1960	585
1961	254
1962	563
1963	1,137
1964	613
1965	247
1966	400
1967	1,923
1968	818
1969	828
1970	547
1971	680
1972	651
1973	1,292
1974	374
1975	548
1976	446
1977	470
1978	517
1979	558
1980	726
1981	1,476
1982	702
1983	3,324
1984	1,012
1985	979
1986	404
1987	775
1988	717
1989	3,203
1990	2,701
1991	1,125
1992	751
1993	967
1994	793
1995	878
1996	1,114
1997	810
1998	1,142
1999	851
2000	944
2001	650
2002	579
2003	1,103
2004	675
2005	606
2006	1,443
2007	946
2008	1,062
2009	1,097
2010	2,039
2011	653
2012	759
2013	1,029
2014	878
2015	1,173
2016	543
2017	459
2018	742
2019	755
2020	965
2021	323
2022	528
2023	1,170
2024	778
2025	1,099

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-12-21: 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 2026-10-13 (13 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 100	401
100 to 200	17
200 to 300	0
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	0
500 to 600	0
600 to 700	1