Weather Records on 5 December 1981

590 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 5 December 1981. Highest significance: Queenstown, ZA.

Key Facts for 5 December 1981

On 5 December 1981, 590 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
210 were record highs and 58 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 19 monthly and 569 daily.
Queenstown set a daily record precipitation of 77.4 mm (3.0 in) on 5 December 1981.
Across 170 earlier years (1796 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 475 records.

Record Map

590 stations

590 station records on 5 December 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 5 December 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Queenstown	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	77.4 mm (3.0 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Kareedoorn	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Newport	United States	Record daily precipitation	88.6 mm (3.5 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Oorlogshoek	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Salem AP (McNary Field)	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Ciudad Venustiano Carranza	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Oregon City	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
N Bend SW Oregon Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	142.2 mm (5.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Nambour Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Atoyac	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Mc Minnville	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Bourke Post Office	Australia	Record high maximum temperature	47.9 C (118.2 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Old Koreelah (McPherson)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Brockton	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Brockton	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Hof (Stadt)	Germany	Record snow depth	24.0 cm (9.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Quilcene 2 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	119.1 mm (4.7 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Pretoria-Waterkloof-Cntry	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Centralia	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Elma	United States	Record daily precipitation	65.8 mm (2.6 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Drain	United States	Record high maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Klipkop-Irr	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.4 mm (1.9 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Clatskanie	United States	Record daily precipitation	64.5 mm (2.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Rex 1 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Providence	United States	Record daily snowfall	13.0 cm (5.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Dallas 2 NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Elwha Rs	United States	Record daily precipitation	64.5 mm (2.5 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Portland Intl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Hedley	Canada	Record high maximum temperature	10.5 C (50.9 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Fichtelberg/Oberfranken-Huttst	Germany	Record snow depth	60.0 cm (23.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Babuskin	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-3.2 C (26.2 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Pot-the-Red	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Pretoria-New Cemetry	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Bandon 2 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	129.5 mm (5.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Gold Beach Rs	United States	Record daily precipitation	86.6 mm (3.4 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
N Bend SW Oregon Rgnl AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Selb/Oberfranken-Wildenau	Germany	Record snow depth	35.0 cm (13.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Sarna	Sweden	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Cottage Grove 2E	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Mt Adams Rs	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Heinersreuth-Vollhof	Germany	Record snow depth	17.0 cm (6.7 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Chaparaco	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Hafslo	Norway	Record snow depth	73.0 cm (28.7 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Petrun	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-1.9 C (28.6 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Bremerton	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.1 mm (2.1 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Wauna 3 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Teuschnitz	Germany	Record snow depth	45.0 cm (17.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Eugene-Mahlon Sweet Fld	United States	Record daily precipitation	124.2 mm (4.9 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Lichinga	Mozambique	Record low minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Hof	Germany	Record snow depth	29.0 cm (11.4 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Asuncion Nochixtlan	Mexico	Record low maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Ciudad del Maiz (Smn)	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Nooitgedacht	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.5 mm (2.4 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Aberdeen 20NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	91.7 mm (3.6 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
De Ridder	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Haskins Dam	United States	Record daily precipitation	87.4 mm (3.4 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Wallowa	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Leavenworth 3 S	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Metten	Germany	Record snow depth	40.0 cm (15.7 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Zwieselberg	Germany	Record snow depth	55.0 cm (21.7 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

590 records

Records set or tied on 5 December 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 61, Lowest daily maximum 22, Highest daily minimum 149, Lowest daily minimum 36, Heaviest daily rainfall 259, Heaviest daily snowfall 12, Deepest snow cover 51.

Records on 5 December 1981 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	61
Lowest daily maximum	22
Highest daily minimum	149
Lowest daily minimum	36
Heaviest daily rainfall	259
Heaviest daily snowfall	12
Deepest snow cover	51

Records on 5 December 1981 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 19, daily 569.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

480 broken records

Margins by which the 480 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

5 December 1981

Top 20 records on 5 December 1981 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
5 December 1981	Queenstown, ZA	daily rain	77.4 mm (3.0 in)	37.5 mm (1.5 in)	89 years	65 of 100 (Major)
5 December 1981	Kareedoorn, ZA	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	68 years	64 of 100 (Major)
5 December 1981	Newport, US	daily rain	88.6 mm (3.5 in)	37.8 mm (1.5 in)	66 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Oorlogshoek, ZA	daily rain	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	38.4 mm (1.5 in)	68 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Salem AP (McNary Field), US	daily rain	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	22.6 mm (0.9 in)	66 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Ciudad Venustiano Carranza, MX	daily rain	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	35 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Oregon City, US	daily rain	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	63 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	N Bend SW Oregon Rgnl AP, US	all-time rain	142.2 mm (5.6 in)	11.1 mm (0.4 in)	44 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Nambour Bowling Club, AU	daily rain	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	31 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Atoyac, MX	daily rain	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	38 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Mc Minnville, US	daily rain	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	18.1 mm (0.7 in)	66 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Bourke Post Office, AU	daily high max	47.9 C (118.2 F)	4.0 C (7.2 F)	82 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Old Koreelah (McPherson), AU	daily rain	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	40 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Brockton, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	85 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Brockton, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	10.1 cm (4.0 in)	74 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Hof (Stadt), DE	daily snow depth	24.0 cm (9.4 in)	13.0 cm (5.1 in)	38 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Quilcene 2 SW, US	daily rain	119.1 mm (4.7 in)	42.1 mm (1.7 in)	27 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Pretoria-Waterkloof-Cntry, ZA	daily rain	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	27.3 mm (1.1 in)	44 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Centralia, US	daily rain	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	15.8 mm (0.6 in)	48 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
5 December 1981	Elma, US	daily rain	65.8 mm (2.6 in)	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	11 years	37 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

1796 to 1981

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1796 to 1981. 1981 had 590 records.

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

Records on 12-05 in each year
Year	Records
1796	1
1797	2
1808	1
1812	1
1820	1
1823	1
1824	1
1825	2
1827	1
1829	3
1833	2
1841	1
1842	1
1844	2
1846	2
1852	1
1853	1
1856	4
1859	1
1863	1
1866	2
1867	4
1868	4
1869	1
1870	1
1871	1
1872	1
1874	1
1875	2
1876	1
1877	2
1878	1
1879	3
1880	1
1884	1
1885	2
1886	2
1888	3
1891	5
1892	2
1893	1
1895	13
1896	1
1897	1
1898	7
1900	11
1901	1
1902	13
1903	8
1904	4
1905	4
1906	15
1907	6
1908	7
1909	55
1910	10
1911	97
1912	40
1913	35
1914	22
1915	95
1916	81
1917	35
1918	32
1919	48
1920	89
1921	56
1922	99
1923	168
1924	106
1925	220
1926	370
1927	82
1928	168
1929	111
1930	247
1931	224
1932	235
1933	566
1934	164
1935	273
1936	409
1937	336
1938	279
1939	691
1940	244
1941	899
1942	583
1943	276
1944	320
1945	418
1946	552
1947	283
1948	529
1949	139
1950	887
1951	780
1952	324
1953	459
1954	425
1955	568
1956	1,229
1957	348
1958	465
1959	287
1960	898
1961	415
1962	834
1963	326
1964	909
1965	534
1966	1,038
1967	253
1968	766
1969	594
1970	845
1971	690
1972	2,240
1973	910
1974	527
1975	859
1976	533
1977	1,227
1978	960
1979	863
1980	1,054
1981	590
1982	1,577
1983	1,024
1984	1,141
1985	1,324
1986	798
1987	829
1988	581
1989	1,317
1990	887
1991	1,384
1992	1,743
1993	871
1994	1,481
1995	1,094
1996	987
1997	718
1998	2,489
1999	1,060
2000	973
2001	2,046
2002	2,027
2003	1,031
2004	805
2005	1,475
2006	1,646
2007	992
2008	807
2009	1,229
2010	1,237
2011	1,472
2012	1,081
2013	1,763
2014	476
2015	721
2016	636
2017	568
2018	338
2019	463
2020	529
2021	679
2022	454
2023	1,402
2024	796
2025	872

Download the Data

Data for records on 1981-12-05: 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	448
50 to 100	18
100 to 150	7
150 to 200	3
200 to 250	1
250 to 300	2
300 to 350	1