Weather Records on 21 May 1981

1,550 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 May 1981. Highest significance: Moreton Telegraph Station, AU.

Key Facts for 21 May 1981

On 21 May 1981, 1,550 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
388 were record highs and 447 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 70 monthly and 1,479 daily.
Moreton Telegraph Station set a monthly record daily precipitation of 80.6 mm (3.2 in) on 21 May 1981.
Across 156 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 453 records.

Record Map

1,550 stations

1,550 station records on 21 May 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 May 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Moreton Telegraph Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.6 mm (3.2 in)	78 of 100 (Major)
Prairie Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	70.4 mm (2.8 in)	76 of 100 (Major)
Uanda	Australia	Record daily precipitation	74.2 mm (2.9 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Torrens Creek Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Lucinda Township	Australia	Record daily precipitation	128.4 mm (5.1 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Victoria Sugar Mill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	147.0 mm (5.8 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Bowen Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	73.4 mm (2.9 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
St Lawrence Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Betanga	Australia	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Bowen Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	73.6 mm (2.9 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Collaroy Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	78.0 mm (3.1 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Proserpine Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	82.8 mm (3.3 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Mount Morris	Australia	Record daily precipitation	63.2 mm (2.5 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Tibooburra (Fort Grey)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Macknade Sugar Mill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	122.8 mm (4.8 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Wellshot	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Valley of Lagoons	Australia	Record daily precipitation	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Yabulu Qld Nickel	Australia	Record daily precipitation	170.2 mm (6.7 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Corinda	Australia	Record daily precipitation	75.6 mm (3.0 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Palmerville	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Hughenden Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	66.6 mm (2.6 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Gunnawarra	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Te Kowai Exp STN	Australia	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Charters Towers Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	80.1 mm (3.2 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Trafalgar Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Bulliwallah	Australia	Record daily precipitation	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Twin Hills Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	73.0 mm (2.9 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Mt Garnet Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Blair Athol	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Clarke River Telecom	Australia	Record daily precipitation	78.4 mm (3.1 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Burdekin Shire Council	Australia	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Anakie Richardson St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Tiree	Australia	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Finch Hatton Cook St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	109.0 mm (4.3 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Koumala Hatfields Road	Australia	Record daily precipitation	91.0 mm (3.6 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
White Cliffs (Wonnaminta)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Kalamia Estate	Australia	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Woodhouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	115.0 mm (4.5 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Stevensville	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Dunbar Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.4 mm (1.9 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Pleystowe Sugar Mill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	101.3 mm (4.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Clermont Sirius St	Australia	Record daily precipitation	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Iffley Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Mount Molloy Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.8 mm (1.7 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Kangaroo Hills Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Upper Stone Exelby	Australia	Record daily precipitation	102.8 mm (4.0 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Angellala Downs Homestead	Australia	Record daily precipitation	72.6 mm (2.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Scheveningen	Netherlands	Record daily precipitation	31.9 mm (1.3 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Afton Downs Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Rosella Plains Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	62.8 mm (2.5 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Bayrick	Australia	Record daily precipitation	58.8 mm (2.3 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Wando Vale Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	53.8 mm (2.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Cardwell Marine Pde	Australia	Record daily precipitation	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Farleigh Co-Op Sugar Mill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	81.4 mm (3.2 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Nebo	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.0 mm (1.7 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Cape Cleveland Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Sarina Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Shirbourne Park	Australia	Record daily precipitation	115.2 mm (4.5 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Aalsmeer	Netherlands	Record daily precipitation	45.8 mm (1.8 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Byfield Childs Road	Australia	Record daily precipitation	135.0 mm (5.3 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,550 records

Records set or tied on 21 May 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 162, Lowest daily maximum 198, Highest daily minimum 226, Lowest daily minimum 249, Heaviest daily rainfall 708, Heaviest daily snowfall 5, Deepest snow cover 2.

Records on 21 May 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	162
Lowest daily maximum	198
Highest daily minimum	226
Lowest daily minimum	249
Heaviest daily rainfall	708
Heaviest daily snowfall	5
Deepest snow cover	2

Records on 21 May 1981 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 70, daily 1,479.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,369 broken records

Margins by which the 1,369 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 350.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 May 1981

Top 20 records on 21 May 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 May 1981	Moreton Telegraph Station, AU	monthly rain	80.6 mm (3.2 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	65 years	78 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Prairie Post Office, AU	daily rain	70.4 mm (2.8 in)	70.4 mm (2.8 in)	92 years	76 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Uanda, AU	daily rain	74.2 mm (2.9 in)	74.2 mm (2.9 in)	86 years	75 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Torrens Creek Post Office, AU	daily rain	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	87 years	74 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Lucinda Township, AU	daily rain	128.4 mm (5.1 in)	103.0 mm (4.1 in)	83 years	74 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Victoria Sugar Mill, AU	daily rain	147.0 mm (5.8 in)	116.5 mm (4.6 in)	83 years	73 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Bowen Post Office, AU	daily rain	73.4 mm (2.9 in)	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	75 years	72 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	St Lawrence Post Office, AU	daily rain	110.0 mm (4.3 in)	83.8 mm (3.3 in)	75 years	72 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Betanga, AU	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	80 years	72 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Bowen Downs, AU	daily rain	73.6 mm (2.9 in)	68.5 mm (2.7 in)	80 years	72 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Collaroy Station, AU	daily rain	78.0 mm (3.1 in)	63.8 mm (2.5 in)	75 years	71 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Proserpine Post Office, AU	daily rain	82.8 mm (3.3 in)	62.5 mm (2.5 in)	75 years	71 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Mount Morris, AU	daily rain	63.2 mm (2.5 in)	44.4 mm (1.7 in)	84 years	71 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Tibooburra (Fort Grey), AU	daily rain	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	80 years	71 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Macknade Sugar Mill, AU	daily rain	122.8 mm (4.8 in)	80.9 mm (3.2 in)	71 years	70 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Wellshot, AU	daily rain	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	83 years	70 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Valley of Lagoons, AU	daily rain	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	64.9 mm (2.6 in)	62 years	68 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Yabulu Qld Nickel, AU	monthly rain	170.2 mm (6.7 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	61 years	68 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Corinda, AU	daily rain	75.6 mm (3.0 in)	74.1 mm (2.9 in)	75 years	68 of 100 (Major)
21 May 1981	Palmerville, AU	daily rain	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	47.6 mm (1.9 in)	60 years	67 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

1793 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1981. 1981 had 1,550 records.

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

Records on 05-21 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1795	1
1811	1
1837	2
1842	1
1847	2
1854	1
1857	1
1858	1
1865	1
1866	1
1870	2
1875	1
1876	1
1880	2
1882	1
1885	1
1886	2
1887	3
1889	5
1890	3
1891	6
1892	1
1893	1
1894	4
1895	4
1896	5
1897	2
1898	1
1899	5
1900	1
1901	3
1902	4
1903	26
1904	8
1905	7
1906	12
1907	36
1908	13
1909	13
1910	14
1911	87
1912	24
1913	13
1914	26
1915	24
1916	13
1917	76
1918	51
1919	170
1920	39
1921	158
1922	39
1923	125
1924	148
1925	250
1926	221
1927	207
1928	173
1929	247
1930	133
1931	488
1932	343
1933	290
1934	590
1935	190
1936	328
1937	227
1938	348
1939	355
1940	456
1941	525
1942	482
1943	463
1944	310
1945	515
1946	324
1947	485
1948	312
1949	593
1950	403
1951	271
1952	385
1953	501
1954	961
1955	507
1956	409
1957	709
1958	511
1959	684
1960	615
1961	306
1962	553
1963	598
1964	788
1965	238
1966	296
1967	1,022
1968	549
1969	832
1970	449
1971	536
1972	557
1973	493
1974	847
1975	1,160
1976	393
1977	756
1978	575
1979	787
1980	857
1981	1,550
1982	599
1983	1,106
1984	950
1985	610
1986	908
1987	1,242
1988	819
1989	671
1990	947
1991	1,065
1992	1,143
1993	1,197
1994	656
1995	749
1996	1,461
1997	953
1998	1,200
1999	544
2000	897
2001	1,187
2002	2,048
2003	807
2004	898
2005	1,020
2006	810
2007	894
2008	740
2009	1,315
2010	962
2011	959
2012	848
2013	884
2014	522
2015	956
2016	567
2017	780
2018	525
2019	1,668
2020	707
2021	1,131
2022	1,512
2023	794
2024	751
2025	776
2026	356

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-05-21: 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 50	1,275
50 to 100	84
100 to 150	8
150 to 200	1
200 to 250	0
250 to 300	0
300 to 350	1