Weather Records on 23 May 1981

862 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 23 May 1981. Highest significance: Taree (Radio Station 2Re), AU.

Key Facts for 23 May 1981

On 23 May 1981, 862 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
220 were record highs and 199 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 10 monthly and 851 daily.
Taree (Radio Station 2Re) set a daily record precipitation of 160.6 mm (6.3 in) on 23 May 1981.
Across 158 earlier years (1793 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 460 records.

Record Map

862 stations

862 station records on 23 May 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 23 May 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Taree (Radio Station 2Re)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	160.6 mm (6.3 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Branxton (Dalwood Vineyard)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Nowendoc (Beaufort)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.4 mm (2.7 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Long Flat Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	119.8 mm (4.7 in)	69 of 100 (Major)
Bellingen Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	159.6 mm (6.3 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Jerrys Plains Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	89.2 mm (3.5 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Gresford Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Stroud Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Wingham (Lanark Close)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Raymond Terrace (Kinross)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	92.0 mm (3.6 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Mullumbimby (Fairview Farm)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	183.0 mm (7.2 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Nymboida (Armidale Road)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.6 mm (4.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Bowraville Recreation Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	150.0 mm (5.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Broke (Harrowby)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	95.6 mm (3.8 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Kempsey (Wide Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	131.6 mm (5.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Sedgefield (Bundajon)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Coramba (Glenfiddich)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	134.0 mm (5.3 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Richmond Raaf	Australia	Record daily precipitation	64.6 mm (2.5 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Bulby Brush (Blue Look-Out)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	112.6 mm (4.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Dungog Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	78.8 mm (3.1 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Glen Alice (Watervale)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	59.4 mm (2.3 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Muswellbrook (Edderton)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Gundy (Miller St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.4 mm (2.1 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Oberon (Jenolan State Forest)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	72.0 mm (2.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Lithgow (Newnes Forest Centre)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	74.1 mm (2.9 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Brushgrove Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Elderslie	Australia	Record daily precipitation	71.4 mm (2.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Sydney A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	88.0 mm (3.5 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Glen Morrison (Millbank)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Ebor (Glenowen)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Bundook (Glenhaugh)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	81.4 mm (3.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Wollar (Barrigan St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Kurrajong Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	85.6 mm (3.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Sprague	Canada	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Ingonish Beach	Canada	Record daily precipitation	105.2 mm (4.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Upper Orara (Aurania)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	126.0 mm (5.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
South West Rocks (Smoky Cape L	Australia	Record daily precipitation	87.6 mm (3.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Pokolbin (Ben Ean)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	118.0 mm (4.6 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Ulmarra (Newsagency)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	71.0 mm (2.8 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Federal Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	165.0 mm (6.5 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Harlingen	Netherlands	Record daily precipitation	32.9 mm (1.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Wijk_Aan_Zee_1	Netherlands	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Scone Scs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Wollomombi (Wallamumbi)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.2 mm (1.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Krambach (Bellevue)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	128.6 mm (5.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Wisemans Ferry (Old Po)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	92.0 mm (3.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Berambing	Australia	Record daily precipitation	101.0 mm (4.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Glenorie (Old Northern Rd)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	84.0 mm (3.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Emu Plains	Australia	Record daily precipitation	67.2 mm (2.6 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Sogndal - Selseng	Norway	Record snow depth	39.0 cm (15.4 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Thora Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.2 mm (3.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Cooranbong (Avondale)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	84.6 mm (3.3 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Kandos Cement Works	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Kurrajong Heights (Bells Line	Australia	Record daily precipitation	92.6 mm (3.6 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Kangaroo Creek (Hayfield)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	111.0 mm (4.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Tahlee (Carrington (Church St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	75.0 mm (3.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Wyee (Wyee Farms Rd)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	100.0 mm (3.9 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Cidra 1 E	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record daily precipitation	128.0 mm (5.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Nevertire (Clyde St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Lawrence Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

862 records

Records set or tied on 23 May 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 98, Lowest daily maximum 82, Highest daily minimum 122, Lowest daily minimum 117, Heaviest daily rainfall 442, Deepest snow cover 1.

Records on 23 May 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	98
Lowest daily maximum	82
Highest daily minimum	122
Lowest daily minimum	117
Heaviest daily rainfall	442
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	1

Records on 23 May 1981 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 10, daily 851.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

759 broken records

Margins by which the 759 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 340.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

23 May 1981

Top 20 records on 23 May 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
23 May 1981	Taree (Radio Station 2Re), AU	daily rain	160.6 mm (6.3 in)	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	80 years	74 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Branxton (Dalwood Vineyard), AU	daily rain	83.0 mm (3.3 in)	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	80 years	74 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Nowendoc (Beaufort), AU	daily rain	67.4 mm (2.7 in)	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	84 years	72 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Long Flat Post Office, AU	daily rain	119.8 mm (4.7 in)	96.9 mm (3.8 in)	75 years	69 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Bellingen Post Office, AU	daily rain	159.6 mm (6.3 in)	105.2 mm (4.1 in)	75 years	68 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Jerrys Plains Post Office, AU	daily rain	89.2 mm (3.5 in)	72.2 mm (2.8 in)	59 years	66 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Gresford Post Office, AU	daily rain	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	42.9 mm (1.7 in)	80 years	64 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Stroud Post Office, AU	daily rain	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	45.1 mm (1.8 in)	80 years	64 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Wingham (Lanark Close), AU	daily rain	94.0 mm (3.7 in)	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	80 years	63 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Raymond Terrace (Kinross), AU	daily rain	92.0 mm (3.6 in)	48.1 mm (1.9 in)	80 years	63 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Mullumbimby (Fairview Farm), AU	daily rain	183.0 mm (7.2 in)	76.3 mm (3.0 in)	80 years	62 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Nymboida (Armidale Road), AU	daily rain	100.6 mm (4.0 in)	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	50 years	62 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Bowraville Recreation Club, AU	daily rain	150.0 mm (5.9 in)	74.6 mm (2.9 in)	80 years	61 of 100 (Major)
23 May 1981	Broke (Harrowby), AU	daily rain	95.6 mm (3.8 in)	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	68 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Kempsey (Wide Street), AU	daily rain	131.6 mm (5.2 in)	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	80 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Sedgefield (Bundajon), AU	daily rain	77.0 mm (3.0 in)	58.7 mm (2.3 in)	38 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Coramba (Glenfiddich), AU	daily rain	134.0 mm (5.3 in)	111.1 mm (4.4 in)	43 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Richmond Raaf, AU	daily rain	64.6 mm (2.5 in)	62.1 mm (2.4 in)	44 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Bulby Brush (Blue Look-Out), AU	daily rain	112.6 mm (4.4 in)	89.7 mm (3.5 in)	38 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
23 May 1981	Dungog Post Office, AU	daily rain	78.8 mm (3.1 in)	49.8 mm (2.0 in)	38 years	56 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 862 records.

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

Records on 05-23 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1794	1
1798	1
1817	1
1818	1
1837	3
1845	1
1847	2
1857	1
1863	1
1865	2
1866	5
1867	7
1870	2
1871	1
1875	1
1877	1
1878	1
1880	1
1884	2
1885	2
1886	4
1887	1
1889	2
1891	11
1893	3
1894	1
1895	3
1896	4
1897	3
1898	8
1899	3
1900	12
1901	3
1902	12
1903	6
1904	14
1905	10
1906	23
1907	11
1908	13
1909	23
1910	26
1911	39
1912	31
1913	29
1914	33
1915	13
1916	44
1917	58
1918	36
1919	120
1920	37
1921	92
1922	82
1923	99
1924	230
1925	325
1926	204
1927	243
1928	177
1929	221
1930	199
1931	719
1932	358
1933	443
1934	203
1935	369
1936	568
1937	156
1938	390
1939	415
1940	324
1941	676
1942	235
1943	342
1944	784
1945	241
1946	311
1947	285
1948	273
1949	612
1950	490
1951	400
1952	597
1953	777
1954	496
1955	650
1956	498
1957	653
1958	744
1959	486
1960	395
1961	412
1962	677
1963	1,153
1964	964
1965	477
1966	391
1967	1,055
1968	578
1969	437
1970	314
1971	659
1972	449
1973	371
1974	678
1975	855
1976	556
1977	596
1978	703
1979	730
1980	1,202
1981	862
1982	717
1983	1,123
1984	1,027
1985	608
1986	626
1987	745
1988	662
1989	1,106
1990	1,660
1991	1,244
1992	1,423
1993	845
1994	690
1995	1,106
1996	1,114
1997	983
1998	947
1999	705
2000	1,372
2001	1,441
2002	1,537
2003	954
2004	1,275
2005	908
2006	1,122
2007	1,170
2008	1,472
2009	805
2010	1,275
2011	1,001
2012	1,006
2013	929
2014	858
2015	667
2016	679
2017	602
2018	552
2019	1,044
2020	631
2021	837
2022	807
2023	316
2024	760
2025	865
2026	804

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-05-23: 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 2026-10-16 (16 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-16. Last revised 16 October 2026 (2026-10-16).

Margin	Records
0 to 50	718
50 to 100	36
100 to 150	4
150 to 200	0
200 to 250	0
250 to 300	0
300 to 350	1