Weather Records on 31 December 1979

448 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 31 December 1979. Highest significance: Curramulka, AU.

Key Facts for 31 December 1979

On 31 December 1979, 448 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
146 were record highs and 44 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 8 monthly and 438 daily.
Curramulka set a daily record precipitation of 46.0 mm (1.8 in) on 31 December 1979.
Across 157 earlier years (1797 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 487 records.

Record Map

448 stations

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

Weather records on 31 December 1979: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Curramulka	Australia	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison	Australia	Record daily precipitation	125.0 mm (4.9 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Marree (Farina)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Farrell Flat	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Wandearah East Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Port Germein (Telowie)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.4 mm (2.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Stonington	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Port Kenny (Yandra)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Macumba	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.2 mm (1.5 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Iron Knob (Gilles Downs)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Wirrabara	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Morawa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Pimba	Australia	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Beltana Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.4 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Holly	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Coober Pedy	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Sao Raimundo Nonato	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	82.5 mm (3.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Goedemoed	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	58.5 mm (2.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Iron Knob	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Zugspitze	Germany	Record daily precipitation	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Riverton	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Eads	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Beulah	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Burra (Basin Farm)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Cheyenne Wells 2NE	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Newport	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.7 mm (2.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Glendambo (Millers Creek)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Wheaton 3 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.7 mm (1.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Napa State Hospital	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Webster	United States	Record high minimum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Quilcene 2 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Carpa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.8 mm (1.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Berkeley	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Sacramento 5 ESE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Ash Mtn	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Denair 3 NNE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	18.3 C (64.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Merced	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Placerville	United States	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Tiger Creek Ph	United States	Record high minimum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Pesaro	Italy	Record daily precipitation	42.3 mm (1.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Stockton AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Mount Mary Pumping Station 2	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Lencois	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Kentfield	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Priest Valley	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Santa Juliana	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.7 mm (2.4 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Lakeport	United States	Record high minimum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Lemon Cove	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Santa Rosa	United States	Record high minimum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Fowler 1 SE	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Salinas AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Modesto AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Cheyenne	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Mount Bryan	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Formosa Do Rio Preto (Pcd)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	56.7 mm (2.2 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Skovorodino	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-46.1 C (-51.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Electra P H	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Colorado Springs Muni AP	United States	Record snow depth	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Point Arena	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Cape Don	Australia	Record daily precipitation	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	23 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

448 records

Records set or tied on 31 December 1979 by type: Highest daily maximum 46, Lowest daily maximum 26, Highest daily minimum 100, Lowest daily minimum 18, Heaviest daily rainfall 233, Heaviest daily snowfall 2, Deepest snow cover 23.

Records on 31 December 1979 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	46
Lowest daily maximum	26
Highest daily minimum	100
Lowest daily minimum	18
Heaviest daily rainfall	233
Heaviest daily snowfall	2
Deepest snow cover	23

Records on 31 December 1979 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 8, daily 438.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

394 broken records

Margins by which the 394 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 178.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

31 December 1979

Top 20 records on 31 December 1979 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
31 December 1979	Curramulka, AU	daily rain	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	38.4 mm (1.5 in)	77 years	72 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1979	Port Pirie Nyrstar Comparison, AU	all-time rain	125.0 mm (4.9 in)	20.9 mm (0.8 in)	33 years	66 of 100 (Major)
31 December 1979	Marree (Farina), AU	daily rain	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	90 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Farrell Flat, AU	daily rain	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	22.7 mm (0.9 in)	61 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Wandearah East Post Office, AU	monthly rain	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	13 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Port Germein (Telowie), AU	daily rain	50.4 mm (2.0 in)	39.7 mm (1.6 in)	8 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Stonington, US	daily snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	30 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Port Kenny (Yandra), AU	all-time rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	2.0 mm (0.08 in)	73 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Macumba, AU	daily rain	39.2 mm (1.5 in)	30.3 mm (1.2 in)	33 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Iron Knob (Gilles Downs), AU	daily rain	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	23.2 mm (0.9 in)	18 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Wirrabara, AU	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	27.1 mm (1.1 in)	5 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Morawa, AU	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	16.9 mm (0.7 in)	50 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Pimba, AU	monthly rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	23.9 mm (0.9 in)	13 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Beltana Station, AU	daily rain	33.4 mm (1.3 in)	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	44 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Holly, US	daily snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	68 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Coober Pedy, AU	monthly rain	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	14.0 mm (0.6 in)	0 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Sao Raimundo Nonato, BR	daily rain	82.5 mm (3.2 in)	52.5 mm (2.1 in)	18 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Goedemoed, ZA	daily rain	58.5 mm (2.3 in)	30.6 mm (1.2 in)	44 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Iron Knob, AU	daily rain	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	17.6 mm (0.7 in)	21 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1979	Zugspitze, DE	daily rain	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	1 year	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

1797 to 1979

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1979. 1979 had 448 records.

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

Records on 12-31 in each year
Year	Records
1797	1
1799	2
1826	1
1836	1
1842	2
1850	3
1853	1
1854	1
1859	1
1860	1
1867	1
1870	2
1872	2
1874	4
1875	2
1876	2
1878	2
1879	2
1880	2
1882	1
1884	2
1885	1
1886	3
1887	1
1888	2
1890	2
1891	8
1892	4
1895	4
1897	6
1898	5
1899	4
1900	3
1901	16
1902	3
1903	3
1904	11
1905	9
1906	31
1907	11
1908	7
1909	5
1910	25
1911	14
1912	17
1913	46
1914	34
1915	32
1916	25
1917	239
1918	24
1919	38
1920	64
1921	130
1922	83
1923	280
1924	113
1925	183
1926	77
1927	491
1928	53
1929	224
1930	58
1931	543
1932	394
1933	409
1934	181
1935	309
1936	567
1937	500
1938	247
1939	298
1940	467
1941	159
1942	352
1943	159
1944	259
1945	210
1946	707
1947	461
1948	591
1949	384
1950	310
1951	1,421
1952	377
1953	410
1954	286
1955	429
1956	216
1957	724
1958	584
1959	414
1960	389
1961	309
1962	810
1963	1,015
1964	388
1965	1,371
1966	326
1967	1,023
1968	1,371
1969	825
1970	579
1971	568
1972	836
1973	1,370
1974	590
1975	791
1976	1,306
1977	641
1978	2,791
1979	448
1980	1,448
1981	786
1982	639
1983	2,220
1984	942
1985	593
1986	616
1987	845
1988	600
1989	506
1990	1,379
1991	703
1992	1,062
1993	718
1994	878
1995	1,151
1996	2,202
1997	988
1998	739
1999	524
2000	1,575
2001	748
2002	1,232
2003	523
2004	1,278
2005	959
2006	2,089
2007	652
2008	656
2009	867
2010	1,544
2011	739
2012	803
2013	606
2014	903
2015	748
2016	678
2017	1,589
2018	620
2019	593
2020	489
2021	1,739
2022	1,497
2023	474
2024	460
2025	760

Download the Data

Data for records on 1979-12-31: 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 25	364
25 to 50	17
50 to 75	4
75 to 100	4
100 to 125	2
125 to 150	1
150 to 175	1
175 to 200	1