Weather Records on 3 January 1981

1,401 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 3 January 1981. Highest significance: Port Hope, CA.

Key Facts for 3 January 1981

On 3 January 1981, 1,401 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
528 were record highs and 532 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 36 were all-time records, 47 monthly and 1,318 daily.
Port Hope set an all-time record low maximum temperature of -21.0 C (-5.8 F) on 3 January 1981.
Across 163 earlier years (1794 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 485 records.

Record Map

1,401 stations

1,401 station records on 3 January 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 3 January 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Port Hope	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-21.0 C (-5.8 F)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Chatillon-Coligny	France	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Gore Bay	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-26.0 C (-14.8 F)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Lakeview 3 NE	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Pine Islet Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	144.6 mm (5.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Cochrane	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-46.0 C (-50.8 F)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Marquette	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.1 C (3.0 F)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Wornitz-Bottenweiler	Germany	Record daily precipitation	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Durham	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-29.5 C (-21.1 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Chatillon-Sur-Seine	France	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Belleville	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-24.0 C (-11.2 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Ekaterinburg	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	1.0 C (33.8 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Canton 4 SE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-38.9 C (-38.0 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Schwabisch Hall-Bibersfeld	Germany	Record daily precipitation	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Southampton	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Farnham	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Huntingdon	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-26.0 C (-14.8 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Montreal McGill	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-28.0 C (-18.4 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
New Liskeard	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-48.0 C (-54.4 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Bancroft	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-26.5 C (-15.7 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Richmond	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Oderen	France	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Walden	United States	Record high maximum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Bowling Green Wwtp	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Escanaba	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.7 C (1.9 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Erie Intl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	24.1 cm (9.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Shawinigan	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-27.8 C (-18.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Huntingdon	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-33.0 C (-27.4 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Montreal McGill	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-31.0 C (-23.8 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Barkestad	Norway	Record snow depth	80.0 cm (31.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Trenton A	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-24.2 C (-11.6 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Minden	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
St Jerome	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-29.4 C (-20.9 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Eureka	United States	Record high minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Ogdensburg 4 NE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-33.3 C (-27.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Earlton A	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-32.3 C (-26.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bancroft	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-38.5 C (-37.3 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Barrage Temiscamingue	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-29.0 C (-20.2 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Westfield 2 SSE	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.8 cm (7.8 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Madawaska	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-45.5 C (-49.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Petawawa Nat Forestry	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Cambridge Galt Moe	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-14.0 C (6.8 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Shawinigan	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-33.9 C (-29.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Whitefish Pt	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-18.3 C (-0.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Plattsburgh AFB	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-12.2 C (10.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Gore Bay	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-33.5 C (-28.3 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Belleville	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-29.0 C (-20.2 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Haliburton A	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-41.0 C (-41.8 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
St Tite	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-28.0 C (-18.4 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Scott	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-29.5 C (-21.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
St Pamphile	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-32.0 C (-25.6 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Gagetown 2	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-21.5 C (-6.7 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Watertown	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-31.7 C (-25.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Flagstaff AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Ottawa Cda	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-34.0 C (-29.2 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Moncton	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-18.0 C (-0.4 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Schulenberg	Germany	Record daily precipitation	29.1 mm (1.1 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Biser	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-3.0 C (26.6 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Cheboygan	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Mio Hydro Plt	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,401 records

Records set or tied on 3 January 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 321, Lowest daily maximum 264, Highest daily minimum 207, Lowest daily minimum 268, Heaviest daily rainfall 273, Heaviest daily snowfall 34, Deepest snow cover 34.

Records on 3 January 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	321
Lowest daily maximum	264
Highest daily minimum	207
Lowest daily minimum	268
Heaviest daily rainfall	273
Heaviest daily snowfall	34
Deepest snow cover	34

Records on 3 January 1981 by timescale: all-time 36, monthly 47, daily 1,318.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,206 broken records

Margins by which the 1,206 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 260.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

3 January 1981

Top 20 records on 3 January 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
3 January 1981	Port Hope, CA	all-time low max	-21.0 C (-5.8 F)	1.0 C (1.8 F)	76 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Chatillon-Coligny, FR	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	20.0 mm (0.8 in)	26 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Gore Bay, CA	all-time low max	-26.0 C (-14.8 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	60 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Lakeview 3 NE, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	16.5 cm (6.5 in)	28 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Pine Islet Lighthouse, AU	daily rain	144.6 mm (5.7 in)	78.1 mm (3.1 in)	33 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Cochrane, CA	all-time low min	-46.0 C (-50.8 F)	0.4 C (0.7 F)	68 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Marquette, US	daily low max	-16.1 C (3.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	101 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Wornitz-Bottenweiler, DE	daily rain	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	17.1 mm (0.7 in)	27 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Durham, CA	daily low min	-29.5 C (-21.1 F)	6.2 C (11.2 F)	87 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Chatillon-Sur-Seine, FR	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	14.8 mm (0.6 in)	26 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Belleville, CA	monthly low max	-24.0 C (-11.2 F)	0.7 C (1.3 F)	77 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Ekaterinburg, RU	monthly high min	1.0 C (33.8 F)	1.5 C (2.7 F)	78 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Canton 4 SE, US	daily low min	-38.9 C (-38.0 F)	11.1 C (20.0 F)	82 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Schwabisch Hall-Bibersfeld, DE	daily rain	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	12.7 mm (0.5 in)	37 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Southampton, CA	daily low min	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	99 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Farnham, CA	all-time low max	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	46 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Huntingdon, CA	daily low max	-26.0 C (-14.8 F)	3.2 C (5.8 F)	93 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Montreal McGill, CA	monthly low max	-28.0 C (-18.4 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	66 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	New Liskeard, CA	all-time low min	-48.0 C (-54.4 F)	1.3 C (2.3 F)	52 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
3 January 1981	Bancroft, CA	daily low max	-26.5 C (-15.7 F)	8.7 C (15.7 F)	63 years	41 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

1794 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1794 to 1981. 1981 had 1,401 records.

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

Records on 01-03 in each year
Year	Records
1794	1
1798	1
1800	1
1823	2
1825	1
1830	2
1839	1
1848	1
1853	1
1860	2
1861	1
1864	1
1867	2
1868	2
1871	2
1873	1
1874	2
1876	2
1877	3
1878	1
1879	2
1882	2
1883	3
1884	1
1886	4
1887	5
1888	3
1889	4
1890	3
1891	4
1892	1
1893	1
1894	1
1895	3
1896	1
1897	3
1899	2
1900	15
1901	4
1902	15
1903	17
1904	51
1905	12
1906	13
1907	26
1908	8
1909	11
1910	23
1911	40
1912	26
1913	83
1914	33
1915	29
1916	60
1917	52
1918	80
1919	54
1920	31
1921	139
1922	80
1923	46
1924	222
1925	139
1926	268
1927	235
1928	412
1929	58
1930	160
1931	100
1932	167
1933	160
1934	208
1935	249
1936	404
1937	291
1938	139
1939	498
1940	312
1941	595
1942	505
1943	508
1944	361
1945	148
1946	171
1947	662
1948	462
1949	910
1950	2,025
1951	459
1952	587
1953	241
1954	370
1955	443
1956	188
1957	177
1958	326
1959	861
1960	431
1961	543
1962	802
1963	494
1964	513
1965	492
1966	885
1967	247
1968	582
1969	516
1970	749
1971	1,280
1972	313
1973	623
1974	1,010
1975	710
1976	524
1977	790
1978	745
1979	2,417
1980	470
1981	1,401
1982	1,380
1983	921
1984	983
1985	739
1986	676
1987	843
1988	1,034
1989	740
1990	467
1991	1,077
1992	1,200
1993	910
1994	902
1995	726
1996	2,085
1997	3,676
1998	1,434
1999	1,568
2000	2,063
2001	1,385
2002	1,307
2003	981
2004	1,406
2005	1,157
2006	1,472
2007	1,396
2008	948
2009	682
2010	1,337
2011	681
2012	956
2013	496
2014	1,029
2015	869
2016	605
2017	1,053
2018	1,444
2019	474
2020	772
2021	476
2022	989
2023	1,318
2024	734
2025	653
2026	902

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-01-03: 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 2026-10-15 (15 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-15. Last revised 15 October 2026 (2026-10-15).

Margin	Records
0 to 50	1,181
50 to 100	14
100 to 150	6
150 to 200	4
200 to 250	0
250 to 300	1