Weather Records on 20 July 1979

1,249 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 July 1979. Highest significance: Grahamstown, ZA.

Key Facts for 20 July 1979

On 20 July 1979, 1,249 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
236 were record highs and 240 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 5 were all-time records, 67 monthly and 1,177 daily.
Grahamstown set a monthly record daily precipitation of 126.0 mm (5.0 in) on 20 July 1979.
Across 161 earlier years (1809 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 454 records.

Record Map

1,249 stations

1,249 station records on 20 July 1979 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 July 1979: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Grahamstown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
Port Alfred	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	160.6 mm (6.3 in)	76 of 100 (Major)
Philipstown (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Katberg (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Wolfridge (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Stolhoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	86.3 mm (3.4 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Wildeperdehoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Wheatlands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
De Hoop	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Cofimvaba (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Bushy Vales, Margate	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Alexandria (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Kologha (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Leeu Gamka (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Camoola Park	Australia	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Orenburg	Russia	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Queenstown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Stilbaai (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Fort Fordyce (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	101.5 mm (4.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Cwencwe (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Mill Holme	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Korana "Xorana"	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	72.0 mm (2.8 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Somerset East	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	76.0 mm (3.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Indio Fire STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Sernovodsk	Russia	Record daily precipitation	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Blackdown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Letjiebos (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
The Valleys	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	122.5 mm (4.8 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Fullarton	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Uitkomst	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.6 mm (1.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Fountain Head	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.0 mm (2.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Trompsburg (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.1 mm (2.6 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Purlewaugh (Byfield)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Grootvlakte	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.8 mm (1.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Bethesdaweg (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
The Meadows	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Lydenburg	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.9 mm (1.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Bredy	Russia	Record daily precipitation	39.2 mm (1.5 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Uitenhage	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Alicedale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Jansenville	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.5 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Van Staadens (Rsv)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	112.5 mm (4.4 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Alexandria (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	158.0 mm (6.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
The Grange, Umzimkul	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Montevallo	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Fort Cunynghame (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Lady Frere (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.7 mm (2.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Komga (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Santana Do Jacare	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	42.8 mm (1.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Zeekoevlei	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	58.5 mm (2.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Isidinge (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.5 mm (2.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Umzonia (Rsv)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	97.3 mm (3.8 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Doringkuil	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Boschkloof	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.3 mm (1.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Palm Springs	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Itumirim	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	37.2 mm (1.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Pinhalzinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Martuk	Kazakhstan	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Doornbosch	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	50.4 mm (2.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Eureka	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,249 records

Records set or tied on 20 July 1979 by type: Highest daily maximum 129, Lowest daily maximum 177, Highest daily minimum 107, Lowest daily minimum 63, Heaviest daily rainfall 773.

Records on 20 July 1979 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	129
Lowest daily maximum	177
Highest daily minimum	107
Lowest daily minimum	63
Heaviest daily rainfall	773
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 20 July 1979 by timescale: all-time 5, monthly 67, daily 1,177.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,097 broken records

Margins by which the 1,097 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 82.3. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 July 1979

Top 20 records on 20 July 1979 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 July 1979	Grahamstown, ZA	monthly rain	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	93 years	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
20 July 1979	Port Alfred, ZA	monthly rain	160.6 mm (6.3 in)	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	57 years	76 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Philipstown (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	100 years	73 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Katberg (Bos), ZA	daily rain	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	47.2 mm (1.9 in)	74 years	71 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Wolfridge (Bos), ZA	daily rain	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	45.4 mm (1.8 in)	74 years	70 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Stolhoek, ZA	monthly rain	86.3 mm (3.4 in)	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	48 years	69 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Wildeperdehoek, ZA	monthly rain	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	22.3 mm (0.9 in)	48 years	67 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Wheatlands, ZA	monthly rain	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	54 years	66 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	De Hoop, ZA	monthly rain	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	31 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Cofimvaba (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	56 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Bushy Vales, Margate, ZA	daily rain	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	82.3 mm (3.2 in)	72 years	63 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Alexandria (Pol), ZA	daily rain	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	56.6 mm (2.2 in)	44 years	62 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Kologha (Bos), ZA	daily rain	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	57.6 mm (2.3 in)	44 years	62 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Leeu Gamka (Sar), ZA	monthly rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	17 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 July 1979	Camoola Park, AU	daily rain	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	76 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
20 July 1979	Orenburg, RU	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	33 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
20 July 1979	Queenstown, ZA	daily rain	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	56 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
20 July 1979	Stilbaai (Bos), ZA	daily rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	42.7 mm (1.7 in)	44 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 July 1979	Fort Fordyce (Bos), ZA	monthly rain	101.5 mm (4.0 in)	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	20 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 July 1979	Cwencwe (Bos), ZA	daily rain	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	44 years	58 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

1809 to 1979

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1809 to 1979. 1979 had 1,249 records.

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

Records on 07-20 in each year
Year	Records
1809	1
1810	1
1811	2
1832	2
1844	2
1850	1
1859	2
1863	1
1865	4
1866	1
1867	1
1868	1
1870	1
1872	1
1874	2
1876	1
1877	2
1879	3
1880	1
1881	2
1882	1
1883	2
1885	1
1886	2
1887	1
1888	1
1889	2
1890	5
1892	7
1893	1
1894	1
1895	1
1897	4
1898	2
1899	4
1900	9
1901	3
1902	13
1903	6
1904	10
1905	6
1906	8
1907	12
1908	31
1909	6
1910	27
1911	12
1912	33
1913	28
1914	20
1915	163
1916	117
1917	57
1918	53
1919	40
1920	16
1921	55
1922	52
1923	173
1924	112
1925	125
1926	411
1927	106
1928	366
1929	480
1930	598
1931	362
1932	338
1933	201
1934	857
1935	386
1936	358
1937	213
1938	392
1939	336
1940	325
1941	270
1942	609
1943	326
1944	470
1945	278
1946	482
1947	635
1948	385
1949	807
1950	563
1951	448
1952	488
1953	316
1954	512
1955	377
1956	545
1957	351
1958	536
1959	605
1960	758
1961	338
1962	327
1963	457
1964	416
1965	1,110
1966	469
1967	455
1968	389
1969	649
1970	890
1971	619
1972	1,062
1973	804
1974	489
1975	470
1976	580
1977	899
1978	663
1979	1,249
1980	925
1981	1,048
1982	580
1983	1,117
1984	799
1985	604
1986	848
1987	1,156
1988	1,103
1989	1,183
1990	724
1991	1,024
1992	1,137
1993	901
1994	611
1995	961
1996	1,365
1997	903
1998	1,682
1999	815
2000	1,393
2001	755
2002	986
2003	1,313
2004	978
2005	1,266
2006	1,487
2007	1,124
2008	663
2009	1,533
2010	1,154
2011	1,339
2012	817
2013	850
2014	1,000
2015	812
2016	744
2017	398
2018	930
2019	867
2020	524
2021	683
2022	1,108
2023	812
2024	737
2025	680
2026	863

Download the Data

Data for records on 1979-07-20: 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).

Histogram of margins by which records were beaten on 20 July 1979
Margin	Records
0 to 20	929
20 to 40	137
40 to 60	25
60 to 80	5
80 to 100	1