Weather Records on 5 January 1981

1,136 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 5 January 1981. Highest significance: Low Isles Lighthouse, AU.

Key Facts for 5 January 1981

On 5 January 1981, 1,136 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
280 were record highs and 639 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 5 were all-time records, 30 monthly and 1,101 daily.
Low Isles Lighthouse set a daily record precipitation of 231.5 mm (9.1 in) on 5 January 1981.
Across 164 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 491 records.

Record Map

1,136 stations

1,136 station records on 5 January 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 5 January 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Low Isles Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	231.5 mm (9.1 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Eldorado	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	129.5 mm (5.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Kluitjeskraal (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Caduao	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Pariquera-Acu	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	107.6 mm (4.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Baddeck	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	-16.0 C (3.2 F)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Liberty 1 NE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Baddeck	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-21.0 C (-5.8 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Woodstock	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Farmington	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Bowling Green Wwtp	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Hartford Brainard Fld	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Huntingdon	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-27.5 C (-17.5 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Chestnut Hill	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Watertown	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cavendish	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cabo San Lucas	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Rangely 1E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Hyannis	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-12.2 C (10.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Lawrence	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Cheboygan	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Bucyrus	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.7 C (1.9 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Blue Hill Coop	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.1 C (3.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Clinton	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Rockport 1 ESE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Freehold-Marlboro	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Freehold-Marlboro	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-16.1 C (3.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Lowville	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-19.4 C (-2.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Everett	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-12.8 C (9.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Sumter	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Hastings	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-28.9 C (-20.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Roxboro 7 ESE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Coatesville 1 SW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
La Ribera	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Kent	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-19.4 C (-2.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Hyannis	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Charlotteburg Rsvr	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-12.2 C (10.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Roxboro 7 ESE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Chelsea	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-22.2 C (-8.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Hatteras	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-7.8 C (18.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Virden	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	-12.0 C (10.4 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Astrakan	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Angola	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-31.1 C (-24.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Gettysburg	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-11.1 C (12.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Creston	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-11.1 C (12.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Nuri	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Clinton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Plymouth-Kingston	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Newton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-28.3 C (-18.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Defiance	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-26.7 C (-16.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Norwalk Wwtp	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.7 C (1.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
State College	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-13.9 C (7.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Chelsea	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-35.0 C (-31.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Spencer	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-10.0 C (14.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Sete Barras	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	94.5 mm (3.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Santa Gertrudis	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	59.9 mm (2.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Maristova	Norway	Record snow depth	139.0 cm (54.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Mesa	United States	Record high minimum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
College Park	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-6.1 C (21.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Sandusky	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,136 records

Records set or tied on 5 January 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 133, Lowest daily maximum 246, Highest daily minimum 147, Lowest daily minimum 393, Heaviest daily rainfall 170, Heaviest daily snowfall 8, Deepest snow cover 39.

Records on 5 January 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	133
Lowest daily maximum	246
Highest daily minimum	147
Lowest daily minimum	393
Heaviest daily rainfall	170
Heaviest daily snowfall	8
Deepest snow cover	39

Records on 5 January 1981 by timescale: all-time 5, monthly 30, daily 1,101.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

937 broken records

Margins by which the 937 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 180.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

5 January 1981

Top 20 records on 5 January 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
5 January 1981	Low Isles Lighthouse, AU	daily rain	231.5 mm (9.1 in)	136.5 mm (5.4 in)	51 years	63 of 100 (Major)
5 January 1981	Eldorado, BR	daily rain	129.5 mm (5.1 in)	77.5 mm (3.1 in)	22 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Kluitjeskraal (Bos), ZA	daily rain	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	24.3 mm (1.0 in)	54 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Caduao, MX	daily rain	45.5 mm (1.8 in)	44.7 mm (1.8 in)	18 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Pariquera-Acu, BR	daily rain	107.6 mm (4.2 in)	86.9 mm (3.4 in)	34 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Baddeck, CA	daily low max	-16.0 C (3.2 F)	4.9 C (8.8 F)	97 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Liberty 1 NE, US	daily low max	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	8.3 C (14.9 F)	77 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Baddeck, CA	daily low min	-21.0 C (-5.8 F)	3.2 C (5.8 F)	97 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Woodstock, US	monthly low max	-21.7 C (-7.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	73 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Farmington, US	daily low max	-21.1 C (-6.0 F)	7.2 C (13.0 F)	71 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Bowling Green Wwtp, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	7.7 cm (3.0 in)	77 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Hartford Brainard Fld, US	daily low max	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	9.5 C (17.1 F)	61 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Huntingdon, CA	daily low min	-27.5 C (-17.5 F)	1.4 C (2.5 F)	97 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Chestnut Hill, US	daily low max	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	77 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Watertown, US	daily low max	-20.0 C (-4.0 F)	7.2 C (13.0 F)	76 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Cavendish, US	daily low max	-17.8 C (0.0 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	77 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Cabo San Lucas, MX	daily rain	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	22 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Rangely 1E, US	daily high min	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	5.6 C (10.1 F)	80 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Hyannis, US	daily low max	-12.2 C (10.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	77 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
5 January 1981	Lawrence, US	daily low max	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	84 years	39 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

1795 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1981. 1981 had 1,136 records.

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

Records on 01-05 in each year
Year	Records
1795	2
1803	2
1838	1
1850	1
1853	1
1855	2
1857	1
1860	2
1861	2
1862	1
1863	1
1864	3
1869	2
1870	1
1871	1
1872	2
1873	5
1874	1
1875	1
1878	1
1879	1
1881	1
1882	1
1883	2
1884	2
1886	3
1887	1
1888	2
1889	4
1890	2
1891	5
1892	5
1894	10
1895	7
1896	2
1897	2
1898	5
1899	9
1900	4
1901	6
1902	14
1903	9
1904	24
1905	9
1906	15
1907	7
1908	12
1909	52
1910	21
1911	27
1912	54
1913	19
1914	34
1915	21
1916	95
1917	59
1918	41
1919	53
1920	122
1921	87
1922	160
1923	97
1924	408
1925	110
1926	328
1927	417
1928	112
1929	308
1930	203
1931	176
1932	370
1933	241
1934	294
1935	755
1936	280
1937	238
1938	200
1939	736
1940	654
1941	276
1942	828
1943	355
1944	274
1945	571
1946	1,218
1947	496
1948	537
1949	948
1950	1,400
1951	200
1952	345
1953	291
1954	389
1955	770
1956	699
1957	276
1958	506
1959	1,043
1960	463
1961	305
1962	359
1963	340
1964	191
1965	488
1966	607
1967	545
1968	1,037
1969	844
1970	463
1971	1,355
1972	695
1973	566
1974	986
1975	338
1976	744
1977	613
1978	672
1979	1,781
1980	997
1981	1,136
1982	1,787
1983	929
1984	1,163
1985	970
1986	856
1987	1,031
1988	1,389
1989	1,463
1990	471
1991	1,409
1992	1,001
1993	1,604
1994	1,481
1995	956
1996	1,084
1997	2,254
1998	1,426
1999	2,443
2000	786
2001	1,251
2002	833
2003	760
2004	1,731
2005	1,947
2006	813
2007	1,844
2008	1,114
2009	671
2010	1,386
2011	620
2012	1,307
2013	501
2014	746
2015	652
2016	517
2017	1,053
2018	1,075
2019	422
2020	395
2021	366
2022	700
2023	683
2024	458
2025	607
2026	736

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-01-05: 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 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-12. Last revised 12 October 2026 (2026-10-12).

Margin	Records
0 to 25	894
25 to 50	21
50 to 75	4
75 to 100	7
100 to 125	2
125 to 150	4
150 to 175	3
175 to 200	2