Weather Records on 23 August 1981

663 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 23 August 1981. Highest significance: Molteno (Mun), ZA.

Key Facts for 23 August 1981

On 23 August 1981, 663 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
163 were record highs and 159 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 20 monthly and 642 daily.
Molteno (Mun) set a daily record precipitation of 44.5 mm (1.8 in) on 23 August 1981.
Across 164 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 443 records.

Record Map

663 stations

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

Weather records on 23 August 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Molteno (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Sterkstroom (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	42.0 mm (1.7 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Brandon Cda	Canada	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Virden	Canada	Record daily precipitation	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Prince Albert Road (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Lagarto	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Lady Grey (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Ebenhaezer	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Witsieshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.0 mm (2.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Hannah 2 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Groenvlei	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Ploegfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Buffelsfontein 14	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Desoto City 8 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	156.2 mm (6.1 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Sovetskaja Gavan	Russia	Record daily precipitation	69.9 mm (2.8 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Weltevrede	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Bothaville (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Adams 7 SSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	79.2 mm (3.1 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Quilimane	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Geluk	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	59.0 mm (2.3 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Tecolotlan (Dge)	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	52.8 mm (2.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Noupoort	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Bellrock	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Leeuwfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Hansboro 4 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Hartbeesfontein (Skl)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Merweville	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.1 mm (1.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Korsakov	Russia	Record daily precipitation	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Glenwood 2WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Haleakala Exp Farm 434	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Avoca	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	54.5 mm (2.1 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Sweetwater	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Sapporo	Japan	Record daily precipitation	207.0 mm (8.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Viljoenskroon (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.5 mm (1.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Brandon A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Yamagata	Japan	Record daily precipitation	88.0 mm (3.5 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Lillydale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Zolotoj	Russia	Record daily precipitation	77.5 mm (3.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Georgievsk	Russia	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Middelplaats	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Waterford	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.6 mm (1.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Zastron (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Swartkoppies	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Valley Head	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Lebanon	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Gresham 3W	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.3 mm (1.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Bodajbo	Russia	Record daily precipitation	35.2 mm (1.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Trompsburg (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Ellesmere	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Mooredale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ladysdale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Whitewood	Canada	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Groot-Arendskraal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Rocco	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Port Townsend	United States	Record high maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Kumagaya	Japan	Record daily precipitation	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Grapevale	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Goedemoed (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Welgedacht	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Myers Page Fld AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	35.6 C (96.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

663 records

Records set or tied on 23 August 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 66, Lowest daily maximum 91, Highest daily minimum 97, Lowest daily minimum 68, Heaviest daily rainfall 341.

Records on 23 August 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	66
Lowest daily maximum	91
Highest daily minimum	97
Lowest daily minimum	68
Heaviest daily rainfall	341
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 23 August 1981 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 20, daily 642.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

559 broken records

Margins by which the 559 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 99.6. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

23 August 1981

Top 20 records on 23 August 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
23 August 1981	Molteno (Mun), ZA	daily rain	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	30.8 mm (1.2 in)	81 years	64 of 100 (Major)
23 August 1981	Sterkstroom (Pol), ZA	daily rain	42.0 mm (1.7 in)	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	80 years	62 of 100 (Major)
23 August 1981	Brandon Cda, CA	daily rain	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	48 years	60 of 100 (Major)
23 August 1981	Virden, CA	daily rain	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	46 years	60 of 100 (Major)
23 August 1981	Prince Albert Road (Sar), ZA	daily rain	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	24.2 mm (1.0 in)	42 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Lagarto, BR	daily rain	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	26.5 mm (1.0 in)	42 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Lady Grey (Pol), ZA	daily rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	76 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Ebenhaezer, ZA	daily rain	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	49.1 mm (1.9 in)	46 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Witsieshoek, ZA	daily rain	56.0 mm (2.2 in)	43.3 mm (1.7 in)	72 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Hannah 2 N, US	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	38 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Groenvlei, ZA	monthly rain	53.5 mm (2.1 in)	23.8 mm (0.9 in)	37 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Ploegfontein, ZA	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	33.9 mm (1.3 in)	42 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Buffelsfontein 14, ZA	daily rain	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	22.5 mm (0.9 in)	80 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Desoto City 8 SW, US	daily rain	156.2 mm (6.1 in)	99.6 mm (3.9 in)	34 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Sovetskaja Gavan, RU	daily rain	69.9 mm (2.8 in)	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	32 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Weltevrede, ZA	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	31.1 mm (1.2 in)	31 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Bothaville (Mun), ZA	daily rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	72 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Adams 7 SSW, US	monthly rain	79.2 mm (3.1 in)	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	2 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Quilimane, ZA	daily rain	41.5 mm (1.6 in)	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	52 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
23 August 1981	Geluk, ZA	daily rain	59.0 mm (2.3 in)	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	24 years	52 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

1802 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1981. 1981 had 663 records.

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

Records on 08-23 in each year
Year	Records
1802	1
1805	1
1813	2
1816	2
1817	1
1818	1
1829	1
1839	3
1840	1
1846	1
1847	1
1848	1
1853	2
1857	1
1858	1
1864	1
1867	1
1869	1
1870	1
1871	1
1874	2
1877	2
1881	1
1882	2
1883	1
1884	2
1886	1
1887	2
1890	3
1891	4
1892	4
1893	4
1894	2
1895	3
1896	6
1897	1
1898	8
1899	8
1900	2
1901	10
1902	9
1903	9
1904	6
1905	8
1906	27
1907	15
1908	18
1909	10
1910	15
1911	23
1912	44
1913	9
1914	23
1915	63
1916	23
1917	26
1918	91
1919	24
1920	102
1921	280
1922	58
1923	284
1924	127
1925	182
1926	99
1927	198
1928	196
1929	240
1930	432
1931	412
1932	211
1933	342
1934	308
1935	220
1936	980
1937	522
1938	654
1939	439
1940	535
1941	375
1942	540
1943	505
1944	578
1945	338
1946	416
1947	1,071
1948	594
1949	456
1950	461
1951	347
1952	456
1953	292
1954	438
1955	375
1956	501
1957	645
1958	402
1959	494
1960	806
1961	644
1962	364
1963	380
1964	724
1965	357
1966	802
1967	541
1968	1,384
1969	728
1970	518
1971	610
1972	614
1973	650
1974	612
1975	627
1976	703
1977	557
1978	577
1979	459
1980	552
1981	663
1982	713
1983	1,264
1984	862
1985	1,187
1986	839
1987	1,119
1988	1,604
1989	902
1990	661
1991	697
1992	1,291
1993	796
1994	738
1995	1,212
1996	1,161
1997	1,599
1998	1,138
1999	802
2000	936
2001	834
2002	931
2003	1,103
2004	862
2005	786
2006	728
2007	1,513
2008	966
2009	1,241
2010	1,244
2011	1,412
2012	688
2013	397
2014	960
2015	673
2016	595
2017	543
2018	479
2019	445
2020	1,093
2021	629
2022	781
2023	1,287
2024	1,150
2025	1,295
2026	592

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-08-23: 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 2026-10-14 (14 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	488
20 to 40	54
40 to 60	15
60 to 80	1
80 to 100	1