Weather Records on 20 August 1981

856 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 August 1981. Highest significance: Kozhikode, IN.

Key Facts for 20 August 1981

On 20 August 1981, 856 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
209 were record highs and 378 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 22 monthly and 832 daily.
Kozhikode set a daily record precipitation of 130.0 mm (5.1 in) on 20 August 1981.
Across 163 earlier years (1797 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 452 records.

Record Map

856 stations

856 station records on 20 August 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 August 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Kozhikode	India	Record daily precipitation	130.0 mm (5.1 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Karlshamn	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	38.7 mm (1.5 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Gronbaek-Allingskovgard	Denmark	Record daily precipitation	48.9 mm (1.9 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Rijeka	Croatia	Record daily precipitation	204.5 mm (8.1 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Elizabethtown	United States	Record daily precipitation	121.4 mm (4.8 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Broderup	Denmark	Record daily precipitation	69.5 mm (2.7 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Ibiapina	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Tranebjerg	Denmark	Record daily precipitation	92.3 mm (3.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
New Holland	United States	Record daily precipitation	132.1 mm (5.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Atoyac (Smn)	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	159.8 mm (6.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Greenville	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Vyborg	Russia	Record daily precipitation	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Schierke	Germany	Record daily precipitation	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Olands Sodra Udde	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Ross	United States	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Williamston 1 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	81.3 mm (3.2 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Hano_A	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Healdton 3 E	United States	Record low minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Bontfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Charleston	United States	Record low maximum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Carlos Chagas	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Brocken	Germany	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Roodepoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Griquatown (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	26.5 mm (1.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Grundsjon	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	37.4 mm (1.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Durham	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Progress	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Ronneby-Bredakra	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Hemsjo	Sweden	Record daily precipitation	28.5 mm (1.1 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Kinston 7 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	87.4 mm (3.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Georgetown 2 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	159.0 mm (6.3 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Greenwood	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Kingsville Naas	United States	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Haverhill	United States	Record low minimum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Waynesboro	United States	Record low maximum temperature	21.7 C (71.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bowie	United States	Record low minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Clausthal-Zellerfeld	Germany	Record daily precipitation	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Oneonta	United States	Record low maximum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Lebanon	United States	Record low maximum temperature	23.9 C (75.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Hallettsville 2 N	United States	Record low maximum temperature	30.0 C (86.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Mintaro	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Altastenberg	Germany	Record low maximum temperature	9.9 C (49.8 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Bira	Russia	Record daily precipitation	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Tuscaloosa Oliver Dam	United States	Record low maximum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Amherst	United States	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Clinton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Loris 2 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	96.8 mm (3.8 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Hatteras	United States	Record low minimum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Hatteras	United States	Record daily precipitation	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Boca del Cerro	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	75.4 mm (3.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Beloit	United States	Record low minimum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Plymouth-Kingston	United States	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Ekalaka	United States	Record high minimum temperature	21.1 C (70.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Moscow	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Lovell	United States	Record high maximum temperature	38.3 C (100.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Ft Myers Page Fld AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	77.2 mm (3.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Zevenfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Ripley	United States	Record low maximum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Henderson 2 NNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Morehead City 2 WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	80.8 mm (3.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

856 records

Records set or tied on 20 August 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 85, Lowest daily maximum 276, Highest daily minimum 124, Lowest daily minimum 102, Heaviest daily rainfall 269.

Records on 20 August 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	85
Lowest daily maximum	276
Highest daily minimum	124
Lowest daily minimum	102
Heaviest daily rainfall	269
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 20 August 1981 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 22, daily 832.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

671 broken records

Margins by which the 671 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 94.5. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 August 1981

Top 20 records on 20 August 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 August 1981	Kozhikode, IN	daily rain	130.0 mm (5.1 in)	69.0 mm (2.7 in)	78 years	62 of 100 (Major)
20 August 1981	Karlshamn, SE	daily rain	38.7 mm (1.5 in)	12.7 mm (0.5 in)	111 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Gronbaek-Allingskovgard, DK	daily rain	48.9 mm (1.9 in)	13.7 mm (0.5 in)	103 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Rijeka, HR	all-time rain	204.5 mm (8.1 in)	44.8 mm (1.8 in)	14 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Elizabethtown, US	monthly rain	121.4 mm (4.8 in)	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	63 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Broderup, DK	daily rain	69.5 mm (2.7 in)	54.0 mm (2.1 in)	39 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Ibiapina, BR	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	23.0 mm (0.9 in)	52 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Tranebjerg, DK	all-time rain	92.3 mm (3.6 in)	6.3 mm (0.25 in)	47 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	New Holland, US	daily rain	132.1 mm (5.2 in)	86.9 mm (3.4 in)	20 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Atoyac (Smn), MX	daily rain	159.8 mm (6.3 in)	94.5 mm (3.7 in)	16 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Greenville, US	daily rain	74.4 mm (2.9 in)	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	55 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Vyborg, RU	daily rain	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	18 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Schierke, DE	daily rain	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	16.4 mm (0.6 in)	48 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Olands Sodra Udde, SE	daily rain	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	8.3 mm (0.33 in)	86 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Ft Ross, US	monthly high min	16.7 C (62.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	80 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Williamston 1 E, US	daily rain	81.3 mm (3.2 in)	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	32 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Hano_A, SE	daily rain	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	5.4 mm (0.21 in)	89 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Healdton 3 E, US	daily low min	12.8 C (55.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	83 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Bontfontein, ZA	daily rain	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	35.5 mm (1.4 in)	15 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
20 August 1981	Charleston, US	daily low max	23.3 C (73.9 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	66 years	43 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

1797 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1981. 1981 had 856 records.

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

Records on 08-20 in each year
Year	Records
1797	1
1807	1
1809	2
1816	1
1830	1
1832	1
1838	1
1840	1
1842	1
1846	1
1849	1
1850	1
1852	1
1858	3
1863	5
1867	4
1870	3
1871	1
1873	1
1875	2
1877	1
1883	2
1884	2
1885	6
1886	1
1888	1
1889	2
1890	2
1891	2
1892	6
1893	1
1894	1
1895	1
1896	5
1897	6
1898	1
1899	5
1900	7
1901	12
1902	3
1903	7
1904	30
1905	7
1906	26
1907	15
1908	21
1909	69
1910	7
1911	18
1912	25
1913	23
1914	15
1915	14
1916	74
1917	51
1918	69
1919	25
1920	47
1921	23
1922	52
1923	83
1924	132
1925	193
1926	187
1927	338
1928	101
1929	213
1930	318
1931	214
1932	299
1933	324
1934	376
1935	339
1936	543
1937	537
1938	250
1939	448
1940	695
1941	230
1942	429
1943	436
1944	355
1945	398
1946	349
1947	988
1948	403
1949	431
1950	1,341
1951	824
1952	425
1953	441
1954	476
1955	848
1956	678
1957	342
1958	281
1959	764
1960	465
1961	520
1962	684
1963	577
1964	629
1965	470
1966	1,094
1967	657
1968	862
1969	608
1970	414
1971	585
1972	522
1973	490
1974	565
1975	411
1976	894
1977	860
1978	563
1979	1,009
1980	991
1981	856
1982	620
1983	1,465
1984	696
1985	666
1986	819
1987	564
1988	991
1989	603
1990	1,262
1991	804
1992	1,168
1993	759
1994	719
1995	1,113
1996	900
1997	1,214
1998	802
1999	810
2000	989
2001	909
2002	1,208
2003	1,031
2004	1,333
2005	1,112
2006	851
2007	1,955
2008	1,170
2009	1,414
2010	1,028
2011	987
2012	1,086
2013	545
2014	582
2015	1,075
2016	872
2017	324
2018	657
2019	698
2020	1,051
2021	1,028
2022	1,038
2023	1,479
2024	589
2025	1,134
2026	985

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-08-20: 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 20	634
20 to 40	25
40 to 60	9
60 to 80	1
80 to 100	2