Weather Records on 21 January 1981

972 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 January 1981. Highest significance: Parelhas (Dnocs), BR.

Key Facts for 21 January 1981

On 21 January 1981, 972 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
545 were record highs and 122 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 4 were all-time records, 66 monthly and 902 daily.
Parelhas (Dnocs) set a monthly record daily precipitation of 126.0 mm (5.0 in) on 21 January 1981.
Across 163 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 464 records.

Record Map

972 stations

972 station records on 21 January 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 January 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Parelhas (Dnocs)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Barkestad	Norway	Record snow depth	136.0 cm (53.5 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Spring Creek Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	108.4 mm (4.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Canobie	Australia	Record daily precipitation	123.0 mm (4.8 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Ashland	United States	Record daily snowfall	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record high minimum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Oak Park Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	111.2 mm (4.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Fazenda Aterradinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	87.7 mm (3.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Devoncourt Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Olga 2 SE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Dutton River Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	122.8 mm (4.8 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Mount Surprise Township	Australia	Record daily precipitation	129.0 mm (5.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Wilburra Downs Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	188.0 mm (7.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Mittenwald-Buckelwiesen	Germany	Record snow depth	130.0 cm (51.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Boremba Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Richmond Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	106.8 mm (4.2 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Bairro Do Pinheiro	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	63.9 mm (2.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Balfes Creek Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Juliana	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Adak AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.7 cm (6.2 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Chesterfield	Canada	Record daily snowfall	6.6 cm (2.6 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
El Cuarto	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Castle Dale	United States	Record high maximum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Bergville (Mag)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Elsinore	United States	Record high maximum temperature	30.0 C (86.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Undilla Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	54.0 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ilhota-Jusante	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	66.6 mm (2.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Premier Mine-Cullinan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	104.0 mm (4.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Elk City 1NE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Castlereagh (Castlereagh Road)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.2 mm (3.2 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Angatuba	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	76.6 mm (3.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Auberry 2 NW	United States	Record high minimum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Colfax	United States	Record high maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Pedro Avelino	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Miles City	United States	Record high maximum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Vernal	United States	Record high maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Clutha Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Big Creek	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	-1.5 C (29.3 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Freudenstadt	Germany	Record snow depth	136.0 cm (53.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Kern River Ph 1	United States	Record high maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Tejon Rancho	United States	Record high maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Carlyle	Canada	Record high maximum temperature	7.0 C (44.6 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Zugspitze	Germany	Record snow depth	560.0 cm (220.5 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Collegeville St John's	United States	Record high maximum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hutchinson 1 N	United States	Record high maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Leech Lake	United States	Record high maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Ekalaka	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Camp Crook	United States	Record high maximum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Ellensburg	United States	Record high minimum temperature	1.1 C (34.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Coronel Macedo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	59.1 mm (2.3 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Glen Alphen	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Haparanda	Sweden	Record snow depth	85.0 cm (33.5 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Vastervik	Sweden	Record low minimum temperature	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
N Bend SW Oregon Rgnl AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	20.6 C (69.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Kidston Gold Mine	Australia	Record daily precipitation	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Sao Vicente (Luiza)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	61.8 mm (2.4 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Oberstdorf	Germany	Record snow depth	135.0 cm (53.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Reit Im Winkl	Germany	Record snow depth	178.0 cm (70.1 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Klippeneck	Germany	Record snow depth	68.0 cm (26.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Garmisch-Partenkirchen	Germany	Record snow depth	110.0 cm (43.3 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

972 records

Records set or tied on 21 January 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 364, Lowest daily maximum 52, Highest daily minimum 181, Lowest daily minimum 70, Heaviest daily rainfall 215, Heaviest daily snowfall 29, Deepest snow cover 61.

Records on 21 January 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	364
Lowest daily maximum	52
Highest daily minimum	181
Lowest daily minimum	70
Heaviest daily rainfall	215
Heaviest daily snowfall	29
Deepest snow cover	61

Records on 21 January 1981 by timescale: all-time 4, monthly 66, daily 902.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

811 broken records

Margins by which the 811 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 580.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 January 1981

Top 20 records on 21 January 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 January 1981	Parelhas (Dnocs), BR	monthly rain	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	56 years	67 of 100 (Major)
21 January 1981	Barkestad, NO	daily snow depth	136.0 cm (53.5 in)	56.0 cm (22.0 in)	79 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Spring Creek Station, AU	daily rain	108.4 mm (4.3 in)	52.5 mm (2.1 in)	61 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Canobie, AU	daily rain	123.0 mm (4.8 in)	64.6 mm (2.5 in)	54 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Ashland, US	daily snowfall	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	8.9 cm (3.5 in)	86 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Klamath Falls 2 SSW, US	monthly high min	8.3 C (46.9 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	81 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Oak Park Station, AU	daily rain	111.2 mm (4.4 in)	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	56 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Fazenda Aterradinho, BR	daily rain	87.7 mm (3.5 in)	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	11 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Devoncourt Station, AU	daily rain	58.0 mm (2.3 in)	31.6 mm (1.2 in)	56 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Olga 2 SE, US	monthly high min	12.8 C (55.0 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	63 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Dutton River Station, AU	daily rain	122.8 mm (4.8 in)	63.8 mm (2.5 in)	7 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Mount Surprise Township, AU	daily rain	129.0 mm (5.1 in)	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	7 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Wilburra Downs Station, AU	all-time rain	188.0 mm (7.4 in)	13.8 mm (0.5 in)	29 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Mittenwald-Buckelwiesen, DE	daily snow depth	130.0 cm (51.2 in)	58.0 cm (22.8 in)	29 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Boremba Station, AU	daily rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	59.6 mm (2.3 in)	4 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Richmond Post Office, AU	daily rain	106.8 mm (4.2 in)	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	15 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Bairro Do Pinheiro, BR	daily rain	63.9 mm (2.5 in)	33.9 mm (1.3 in)	33 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Balfes Creek Post Office, AU	daily rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	56 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Juliana, ZA	all-time rain	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	1.2 mm (0.05 in)	48 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
21 January 1981	Adak AP, US	daily snowfall	15.7 cm (6.2 in)	8.8 cm (3.5 in)	34 years	40 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

1793 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1981. 1981 had 972 records.

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

Records on 01-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	2
1796	1
1798	1
1800	2
1803	1
1804	2
1829	1
1838	3
1840	2
1845	2
1846	1
1850	2
1864	2
1866	4
1867	1
1869	1
1871	1
1873	2
1876	1
1878	4
1880	3
1881	4
1884	1
1885	1
1886	1
1888	3
1890	2
1891	3
1892	2
1893	1
1894	3
1895	2
1896	2
1897	3
1898	3
1899	15
1900	5
1901	4
1902	8
1903	18
1904	30
1905	3
1906	53
1907	10
1908	11
1909	25
1910	11
1911	8
1912	7
1913	23
1914	37
1915	47
1916	38
1917	83
1918	49
1919	14
1920	75
1921	54
1922	35
1923	62
1924	535
1925	103
1926	157
1927	447
1928	206
1929	132
1930	616
1931	112
1932	167
1933	572
1934	255
1935	771
1936	314
1937	852
1938	250
1939	305
1940	562
1941	205
1942	522
1943	1,168
1944	324
1945	290
1946	339
1947	205
1948	387
1949	452
1950	643
1951	367
1952	436
1953	325
1954	1,094
1955	399
1956	653
1957	527
1958	506
1959	936
1960	319
1961	746
1962	741
1963	761
1964	771
1965	251
1966	636
1967	511
1968	1,179
1969	927
1970	1,770
1971	672
1972	598
1973	573
1974	992
1975	496
1976	860
1977	549
1978	1,301
1979	1,675
1980	425
1981	972
1982	1,339
1983	1,179
1984	2,132
1985	2,457
1986	883
1987	934
1988	771
1989	511
1990	927
1991	559
1992	447
1993	1,763
1994	1,195
1995	1,276
1996	528
1997	950
1998	606
1999	1,387
2000	686
2001	736
2002	796
2003	690
2004	535
2005	1,111
2006	1,116
2007	1,955
2008	1,061
2009	788
2010	1,166
2011	836
2012	1,148
2013	455
2014	522
2015	426
2016	580
2017	1,248
2018	664
2019	526
2020	894
2021	626
2022	430
2023	517
2024	1,015
2025	1,386
2026	201

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-01-21: 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 2026-10-13 (13 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 100	793
100 to 200	13
200 to 300	1
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	1
500 to 600	3