Weather Records on 28 December 1978

865 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 28 December 1978. Highest significance: Sidney, US.

Key Facts for 28 December 1978

On 28 December 1978, 865 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
89 were record highs and 304 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 3 were all-time records, 34 monthly and 828 daily.
Sidney set a daily record snowfall of 12.7 cm (5.0 in) on 28 December 1978.
Across 161 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 486 records.

Record Map

865 stations

865 station records on 28 December 1978 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 28 December 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Sidney	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Hawkestone, Howick	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Wedderburn (Post Office)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Plant City	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.9 mm (2.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Mc Clusky	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
St Petersburg	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Esens	Germany	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Savage	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Olean	United States	Record snow depth	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Napoleon	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Turtle Lake	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Isleworth	United States	Record daily precipitation	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Lindsay	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Bederkesa	Germany	Record daily precipitation	31.3 mm (1.2 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Madras/Minambakkam	India	Record daily precipitation	130.0 mm (5.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Poplar 2 E	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Naples	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.6 mm (2.2 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Lakeland Linder Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.7 mm (2.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Jever	Germany	Record daily precipitation	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Tiruchchirapalli	India	Record daily precipitation	70.1 mm (2.8 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Butte 5SE	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Arhangelsk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-40.8 C (-41.4 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Alfred Exp STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.5 mm (2.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Angelica	United States	Record snow depth	58.4 cm (23.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Grenora	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
New Salem 5NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Minnedosa	Canada	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Emerson	Canada	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Bradford	United Kingdom	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Winter Haven	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.1 mm (2.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Lowville	United States	Record snow depth	71.1 cm (28.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Weyburn	Canada	Record daily snowfall	10.0 cm (3.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Vilsandi	Estonia	Record low minimum temperature	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Desoto City 8 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Ashland	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Ponte Guatapara	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	64.4 mm (2.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Crescent City	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Melbourne WFO	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.1 mm (2.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Epping	United States	Record daily snowfall	6.4 cm (2.5 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Altastenberg	Germany	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Porto	Portugal	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Edmore 4NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Kaycee	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Newport	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Parnu	Estonia	Record low maximum temperature	-17.9 C (-0.2 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Velikie Luki	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-28.2 C (-18.8 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
De Jong Ranch, Howic	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.1 mm (1.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Hillsborough Rvr Sp	United States	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Garden Valley	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-27.2 C (-17.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Lustre 4 NNW	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Williston Sloulin Fld	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.6 cm (7.7 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Pikes Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.2 mm (2.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Graysville	Canada	Record daily snowfall	14.2 cm (5.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Heppner	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Salem AP (McNary Field)	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-8.9 C (16.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Amparo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	55.4 mm (2.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Deloraine	Canada	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Parnu	Estonia	Record low minimum temperature	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Indiga	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-42.5 C (-44.5 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Bailey	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

865 records

Records set or tied on 28 December 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 24, Lowest daily maximum 141, Highest daily minimum 65, Lowest daily minimum 163, Heaviest daily rainfall 325, Heaviest daily snowfall 91, Deepest snow cover 56.

Records on 28 December 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	24
Lowest daily maximum	141
Highest daily minimum	65
Lowest daily minimum	163
Heaviest daily rainfall	325
Heaviest daily snowfall	91
Deepest snow cover	56

Records on 28 December 1978 by timescale: all-time 3, monthly 34, daily 828.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

751 broken records

Margins by which the 751 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 356.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

28 December 1978

Top 20 records on 28 December 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
28 December 1978	Sidney, US	daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	67 years	62 of 100 (Major)
28 December 1978	Hawkestone, Howick, ZA	daily rain	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	51 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Wedderburn (Post Office), AU	daily rain	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	25.5 mm (1.0 in)	71 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Plant City, US	daily rain	54.9 mm (2.2 in)	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	68 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Mc Clusky, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	55 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	St Petersburg, US	daily rain	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	57 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Esens, DE	daily rain	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	24 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Savage, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	40 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Olean, US	daily snow depth	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	15 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Napoleon, US	daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	43 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Turtle Lake, US	daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	9.7 cm (3.8 in)	55 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Isleworth, US	daily rain	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	60 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Lindsay, US	daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	63 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Bederkesa, DE	daily rain	31.3 mm (1.2 in)	13.0 mm (0.5 in)	32 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Madras/Minambakkam, IN	daily rain	130.0 mm (5.1 in)	101.5 mm (4.0 in)	12 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Poplar 2 E, US	daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	8.8 cm (3.5 in)	41 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Naples, US	daily rain	56.6 mm (2.2 in)	46.4 mm (1.8 in)	11 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Lakeland Linder Rgnl AP, US	daily rain	60.7 mm (2.4 in)	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	23 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Jever, DE	daily rain	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	15.1 mm (0.6 in)	24 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
28 December 1978	Tiruchchirapalli, IN	daily rain	70.1 mm (2.8 in)	38.3 mm (1.5 in)	49 years	44 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 865 records.

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

Records on 12-28 in each year
Year	Records
1793	2
1794	2
1803	1
1806	2
1810	1
1822	2
1824	2
1829	1
1839	3
1842	1
1849	1
1852	1
1853	1
1858	1
1859	2
1864	1
1866	1
1871	2
1872	3
1876	1
1879	3
1880	2
1881	2
1882	6
1885	1
1889	1
1890	3
1891	1
1892	2
1893	2
1894	5
1895	4
1896	6
1897	3
1898	3
1899	4
1900	10
1901	5
1902	6
1903	14
1904	13
1905	19
1906	14
1907	71
1908	19
1909	19
1910	10
1911	9
1912	43
1913	18
1914	41
1915	37
1916	60
1917	73
1918	24
1919	238
1920	52
1921	139
1922	114
1923	159
1924	478
1925	293
1926	236
1927	426
1928	310
1929	489
1930	96
1931	224
1932	246
1933	322
1934	295
1935	371
1936	681
1937	284
1938	161
1939	237
1940	836
1941	159
1942	660
1943	311
1944	240
1945	463
1946	1,328
1947	248
1948	482
1949	421
1950	340
1951	287
1952	102
1953	233
1954	867
1955	521
1956	674
1957	333
1958	489
1959	850
1960	379
1961	361
1962	480
1963	267
1964	614
1965	344
1966	998
1967	756
1968	1,258
1969	713
1970	468
1971	936
1972	425
1973	535
1974	661
1975	642
1976	504
1977	887
1978	865
1979	787
1980	1,303
1981	773
1982	2,226
1983	2,343
1984	2,118
1985	725
1986	553
1987	1,589
1988	1,575
1989	630
1990	1,275
1991	547
1992	915
1993	1,129
1994	1,128
1995	1,214
1996	1,762
1997	898
1998	812
1999	1,102
2000	1,873
2001	514
2002	846
2003	1,228
2004	912
2005	908
2006	842
2007	1,014
2008	1,435
2009	1,070
2010	1,423
2011	754
2012	514
2013	579
2014	525
2015	2,085
2016	732
2017	1,560
2018	811
2019	712
2020	394
2021	1,439
2022	538
2023	959
2024	810
2025	841

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-12-28: 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 2026-10-18. Last revised 18 October 2026 (2026-10-18).

Margin	Records
0 to 50	686
50 to 100	39
100 to 150	18
150 to 200	3
200 to 250	3
250 to 300	1
300 to 350	0
350 to 400	1