Weather Records on 31 October 1979

1,130 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 31 October 1979. Highest significance: McPherson, US.

Key Facts for 31 October 1979

On 31 October 1979, 1,130 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
89 were record highs and 283 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 164 monthly and 966 daily.
McPherson set a daily record precipitation of 98.3 mm (3.9 in) on 31 October 1979.
Across 163 earlier years (1805 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 468 records.

Record Map

1,130 stations

1,130 station records on 31 October 1979 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 31 October 1979: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
McPherson	United States	Record daily precipitation	98.3 mm (3.9 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Minneapolis	United States	Record daily precipitation	69.9 mm (2.8 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
W Pt	United States	Record daily precipitation	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Winnibigoshish Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
York	United States	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Elkhart	United States	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Fergus Falls	United States	Record daily precipitation	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Fairmont	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.6 mm (2.8 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Hebron	United States	Record daily precipitation	79.5 mm (3.1 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Jasper	United States	Record daily precipitation	84.3 mm (3.3 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Beloit	United States	Record daily precipitation	108.0 mm (4.3 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Fort Frances	Canada	Record daily precipitation	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Richfield	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Bruning	United States	Record daily precipitation	81.3 mm (3.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Lyons	United States	Record daily precipitation	102.6 mm (4.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Lincoln 1 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Lindsborg 3E	United States	Record daily precipitation	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Itasca UNIV of Minn	United States	Record daily precipitation	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Bemidji	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Canby	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Grand Rapids Forestry Lab	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Luverne	United States	Record daily precipitation	104.6 mm (4.1 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Leakesville 6 WSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	129.5 mm (5.1 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Sedgwick	United States	Record daily precipitation	78.7 mm (3.1 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Milan 1NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Stephan 2 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Bird City 10S	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Wakefield 4 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	99.1 mm (3.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Pokegama Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Gregory	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Ellsworth	United States	Record daily precipitation	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Pine Rvr Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Wessington Springs	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Tracy	United States	Record daily precipitation	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Aurora	United States	Record daily precipitation	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Friend 3E	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.9 mm (2.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Winner	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Inman 5SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	80.3 mm (3.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Superior	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.4 mm (2.8 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Tekamah	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.2 mm (2.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Oksoey Fyr	Norway	Record daily precipitation	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Askaniia Nova	Ukraine	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Leech Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Wheaton	United States	Record daily precipitation	52.3 mm (2.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Valparaiso	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Kherson	Ukraine	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Abilene	United States	Record daily precipitation	111.0 mm (4.4 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Walker	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.6 mm (2.8 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Waynesboro 2 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.5 mm (3.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Centerville 6 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.9 mm (2.2 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Harlingen	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.8 mm (2.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Chapman	United States	Record daily precipitation	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Clay Ctr	United States	Record daily precipitation	79.0 mm (3.1 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Mt Hope	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Warroad	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Great Salt Plains Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	83.1 mm (3.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Spearman	United States	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Patos	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	55.5 mm (2.2 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Cawker City	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Lynch	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,130 records

Records set or tied on 31 October 1979 by type: Highest daily maximum 28, Lowest daily maximum 141, Highest daily minimum 61, Lowest daily minimum 142, Heaviest daily rainfall 628, Heaviest daily snowfall 86, Deepest snow cover 44.

Records on 31 October 1979 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	28
Lowest daily maximum	141
Highest daily minimum	61
Lowest daily minimum	142
Heaviest daily rainfall	628
Heaviest daily snowfall	86
Deepest snow cover	44

Records on 31 October 1979 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 164, daily 966.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

990 broken records

Margins by which the 990 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 152.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

31 October 1979

Top 20 records on 31 October 1979 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
31 October 1979	McPherson, US	daily rain	98.3 mm (3.9 in)	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	78 years	71 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Minneapolis, US	daily rain	69.9 mm (2.8 in)	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	77 years	70 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	W Pt, US	monthly rain	91.4 mm (3.6 in)	32.2 mm (1.3 in)	61 years	67 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Winnibigoshish Dam, US	daily rain	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	44.4 mm (1.7 in)	56 years	65 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	York, US	daily rain	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	58 years	65 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Elkhart, US	monthly snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	68 years	63 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Fergus Falls, US	daily rain	65.5 mm (2.6 in)	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	49 years	62 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Fairmont, US	daily rain	70.6 mm (2.8 in)	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	58 years	62 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Hebron, US	daily rain	79.5 mm (3.1 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	58 years	61 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Jasper, US	daily rain	84.3 mm (3.3 in)	56.4 mm (2.2 in)	78 years	61 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Beloit, US	monthly rain	108.0 mm (4.3 in)	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	8 years	60 of 100 (Major)
31 October 1979	Fort Frances, CA	daily rain	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	31.4 mm (1.2 in)	44 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Richfield, US	monthly snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	10.1 cm (4.0 in)	68 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Bruning, US	daily rain	81.3 mm (3.2 in)	40.7 mm (1.6 in)	58 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Lyons, US	monthly rain	102.6 mm (4.0 in)	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	11 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Lincoln 1 SE, US	daily rain	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	47.7 mm (1.9 in)	50 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Lindsborg 3E, US	daily rain	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	75.9 mm (3.0 in)	56 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Itasca UNIV of Minn, US	daily rain	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	53.6 mm (2.1 in)	38 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Bemidji, US	daily rain	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	56 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
31 October 1979	Canby, US	monthly rain	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	11 years	56 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

1805 to 1979

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1805 to 1979. 1979 had 1,130 records.

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

Records on 10-31 in each year
Year	Records
1805	1
1811	2
1828	1
1836	1
1838	1
1839	1
1841	1
1845	1
1847	2
1848	1
1852	2
1856	1
1865	1
1868	1
1869	3
1873	2
1875	2
1876	1
1877	1
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1881	6
1883	1
1884	3
1886	1
1887	2
1888	3
1889	5
1891	3
1892	4
1893	3
1894	5
1895	4
1896	10
1897	1
1898	5
1899	4
1900	5
1901	4
1902	5
1903	5
1904	7
1905	21
1906	38
1907	22
1908	13
1909	15
1910	18
1911	32
1912	14
1913	39
1914	33
1915	11
1916	72
1917	67
1918	72
1919	112
1920	63
1921	22
1922	72
1923	359
1924	244
1925	405
1926	153
1927	183
1928	120
1929	234
1930	240
1931	178
1932	260
1933	796
1934	410
1935	981
1936	307
1937	335
1938	399
1939	415
1940	248
1941	536
1942	578
1943	213
1944	611
1945	287
1946	530
1947	371
1948	695
1949	831
1950	1,237
1951	527
1952	393
1953	303
1954	460
1955	427
1956	1,086
1957	392
1958	314
1959	484
1960	296
1961	511
1962	344
1963	631
1964	538
1965	340
1966	630
1967	748
1968	605
1969	531
1970	412
1971	992
1972	1,234
1973	581
1974	1,192
1975	827
1976	655
1977	616
1978	538
1979	1,130
1980	657
1981	497
1982	560
1983	782
1984	1,054
1985	632
1986	396
1987	1,002
1988	1,058
1989	857
1990	990
1991	3,294
1992	1,324
1993	2,926
1994	1,004
1995	1,051
1996	1,074
1997	1,553
1998	1,410
1999	997
2000	1,114
2001	1,218
2002	1,613
2003	1,167
2004	870
2005	1,048
2006	842
2007	613
2008	1,256
2009	1,030
2010	931
2011	746
2012	884
2013	623
2014	547
2015	691
2016	1,012
2017	437
2018	414
2019	2,501
2020	542
2021	469
2022	497
2023	960
2024	1,133
2025	314

Download the Data

Data for records on 1979-10-31: 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 20	743
20 to 40	147
40 to 60	61
60 to 80	19
80 to 100	2
100 to 120	12
120 to 140	3
140 to 160	3