Weather Records on 24 January 1981

1,324 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 24 January 1981. Highest significance: Touws River, ZA.

Key Facts for 24 January 1981

On 24 January 1981, 1,324 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
751 were record highs and 132 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 10 were all-time records, 221 monthly and 1,093 daily.
Touws River set an all-time record daily precipitation of 105.0 mm (4.1 in) on 24 January 1981.
Across 160 earlier years (1796 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 479 records.

Record Map

1,324 stations

1,324 station records on 24 January 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 24 January 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Touws River	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	86 of 100 (Exceptional)
East London -Signal STN	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	104.0 mm (4.1 in)	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
Harkerville (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	79 of 100 (Major)
Grahamstown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	77.5 mm (3.1 in)	79 of 100 (Major)
Riversdale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	55.7 mm (2.2 in)	77 of 100 (Major)
Sarelsrivier	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	230.1 mm (9.1 in)	77 of 100 (Major)
Brunette Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	149.6 mm (5.9 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Oudtshoorn	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	51.5 mm (2.0 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Dumure	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	191.0 mm (7.5 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Berlin (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	89.0 mm (3.5 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Cwebe	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	307.0 mm (12.1 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Rawsonville (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Robertson	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Leeu Gamka (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Fort Cunynghame (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	109.5 mm (4.3 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Zeekoevlei	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Komga (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	87.5 mm (3.4 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Umzonia (Rsv)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	141.5 mm (5.6 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Kentani (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	178.5 mm (7.0 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Philipstown (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Lobatse	Botswana	Record daily precipitation	125.5 mm (4.9 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Heidelberg Cape (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
La Motte (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
The Towers	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Silverdales	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	135.0 mm (5.3 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Prince Albert Road (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Zamenkomst	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	96.0 mm (3.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Willowvale (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Jonkersberg (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Wolfridge (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Bakensrug	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.5 mm (2.8 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Grootfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	89.0 mm (3.5 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Kamferskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Lebanon (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	69.5 mm (2.7 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Kleinfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Swellendam (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	91.8 mm (3.6 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Kleinfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Indian Head Cda	Canada	Record daily snowfall	15.0 cm (5.9 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
De Rust (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.5 mm (2.1 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
East London	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Calitzdorp (Dam)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	59.0 mm (2.3 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Warrenton (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Stilbaai (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Montagu (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Humansdorp (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Matjiesrivier (Skl)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	114.0 mm (4.5 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Merweville	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	91.0 mm (3.6 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Isidinge (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	123.5 mm (4.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Twyfelspoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Swellendam (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.2 mm (2.2 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
George Airport	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	122.0 mm (4.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Brakfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Barkestad	Norway	Record snow depth	127.0 cm (50.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Kubusie (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Keilands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.2 mm (2.1 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Nququ (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Moola Bulla	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Albertinia (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	59.5 mm (2.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Sandhoogte (Pur)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	103.0 mm (4.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Barrydale (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,324 records

Records set or tied on 24 January 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 622, Lowest daily maximum 53, Highest daily minimum 129, Lowest daily minimum 79, Heaviest daily rainfall 365, Heaviest daily snowfall 28, Deepest snow cover 48.

Records on 24 January 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	622
Lowest daily maximum	53
Highest daily minimum	129
Lowest daily minimum	79
Heaviest daily rainfall	365
Heaviest daily snowfall	28
Deepest snow cover	48

Records on 24 January 1981 by timescale: all-time 10, monthly 221, daily 1,093.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,136 broken records

Margins by which the 1,136 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 550.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

24 January 1981

Top 20 records on 24 January 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
24 January 1981	Touws River, ZA	all-time rain	105.0 mm (4.1 in)	40.7 mm (1.6 in)	59 years	86 of 100 (Exceptional)
24 January 1981	East London -Signal STN, ZA	monthly rain	104.0 mm (4.1 in)	40.5 mm (1.6 in)	77 years	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
24 January 1981	Harkerville (Bos), ZA	monthly rain	160.0 mm (6.3 in)	93.7 mm (3.7 in)	67 years	79 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Grahamstown, ZA	daily rain	77.5 mm (3.1 in)	53.9 mm (2.1 in)	96 years	79 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Riversdale, ZA	daily rain	55.7 mm (2.2 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	92 years	77 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Sarelsrivier, ZA	all-time rain	230.1 mm (9.1 in)	151.1 mm (5.9 in)	40 years	77 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Brunette Downs, AU	daily rain	149.6 mm (5.9 in)	93.7 mm (3.7 in)	86 years	75 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Oudtshoorn, ZA	daily rain	51.5 mm (2.0 in)	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	96 years	75 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Dumure, ZA	all-time rain	191.0 mm (7.5 in)	113.5 mm (4.5 in)	35 years	75 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Berlin (Sar), ZA	daily rain	89.0 mm (3.5 in)	61.1 mm (2.4 in)	86 years	75 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Cwebe, ZA	all-time rain	307.0 mm (12.1 in)	79.5 mm (3.1 in)	19 years	73 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Rawsonville (Pol), ZA	daily rain	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	82.5 mm (3.2 in)	78 years	71 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Robertson, ZA	daily rain	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	26.3 mm (1.0 in)	96 years	68 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Leeu Gamka (Sar), ZA	daily rain	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	34.4 mm (1.4 in)	85 years	67 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Fort Cunynghame (Bos), ZA	monthly rain	109.5 mm (4.3 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	76 years	67 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Zeekoevlei, ZA	daily rain	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	39.5 mm (1.6 in)	67 years	66 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Komga (Pol), ZA	monthly rain	87.5 mm (3.4 in)	24.5 mm (1.0 in)	68 years	66 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Umzonia (Rsv), ZA	monthly rain	141.5 mm (5.6 in)	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	30 years	65 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Kentani (Bos), ZA	daily rain	178.5 mm (7.0 in)	149.8 mm (5.9 in)	55 years	65 of 100 (Major)
24 January 1981	Philipstown (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	32.1 mm (1.3 in)	85 years	65 of 100 (Major)

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

1796 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1796 to 1981. 1981 had 1,324 records.

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

Records on 01-24 in each year
Year	Records
1796	1
1800	1
1817	1
1823	2
1828	2
1834	2
1845	1
1846	1
1849	1
1855	1
1858	1
1864	1
1866	1
1869	1
1871	1
1872	1
1873	1
1875	1
1879	2
1881	6
1882	2
1883	1
1884	1
1887	1
1888	1
1890	1
1891	4
1892	1
1893	2
1894	3
1895	3
1896	15
1897	2
1899	7
1900	4
1901	2
1902	7
1903	6
1904	11
1905	8
1906	20
1907	24
1908	12
1909	69
1910	20
1911	11
1912	11
1913	27
1914	27
1915	30
1916	28
1917	63
1918	52
1919	55
1920	34
1921	45
1922	89
1923	78
1924	116
1925	67
1926	100
1927	172
1928	215
1929	396
1930	639
1931	436
1932	245
1933	605
1934	361
1935	731
1936	1,085
1937	600
1938	545
1939	198
1940	827
1941	987
1942	634
1943	715
1944	634
1945	130
1946	355
1947	788
1948	1,257
1949	1,123
1950	1,342
1951	466
1952	383
1953	815
1954	368
1955	536
1956	366
1957	305
1958	381
1959	702
1960	348
1961	508
1962	478
1963	1,710
1964	461
1965	537
1966	553
1967	1,249
1968	711
1969	1,049
1970	834
1971	534
1972	756
1973	472
1974	636
1975	523
1976	631
1977	532
1978	1,427
1979	1,436
1980	782
1981	1,324
1982	759
1983	786
1984	677
1985	583
1986	415
1987	842
1988	766
1989	673
1990	929
1991	1,034
1992	894
1993	1,433
1994	634
1995	578
1996	1,150
1997	822
1998	524
1999	1,745
2000	1,135
2001	750
2002	1,724
2003	1,485
2004	719
2005	1,078
2006	928
2007	1,136
2008	973
2009	1,046
2010	1,225
2011	810
2012	503
2013	768
2014	926
2015	617
2016	887
2017	958
2018	721
2019	627
2020	789
2021	517
2022	434
2023	657
2024	1,018
2025	715
2026	1,625

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-01-24: 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 100	1,118
100 to 200	11
200 to 300	2
300 to 400	2
400 to 500	1
500 to 600	2