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Weather Records on 16 December 1981

1,498 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 December 1981. Highest significance: Merriman, US.

Key Facts for 16 December 1981

  • On 16 December 1981, 1,498 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
  • 208 were record highs and 324 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
  • By timescale, 6 were all-time records, 43 monthly and 1,449 daily.
  • Merriman set a daily record snowfall of 15.2 cm (6.0 in) on 16 December 1981.
  • Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 476 records.

Record Map

1,498 stations
Weather records on 16 December 1981 1,498 station records on 16 December 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type.
1,498 station records on 16 December 1981 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.
Weather records on 16 December 1981: highest significance records shown on the map
StationCountryTypeValueSignificance
MerrimanUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)57 of 100 (Notable)
KloofendSouth AfricaRecord daily precipitation99.3 mm (3.9 in)56 of 100 (Notable)
Champaign 3SUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall14.2 cm (5.6 in)56 of 100 (Notable)
Hot SpringsUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall14.0 cm (5.5 in)56 of 100 (Notable)
Newton RiggUnited KingdomRecord low maximum temperature-5.6 C (21.9 F)53 of 100 (Notable)
OelrichsUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)53 of 100 (Notable)
VestervigDenmarkRecord low maximum temperature-9.1 C (15.6 F)52 of 100 (Notable)
MattoonUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall14.0 cm (5.5 in)52 of 100 (Notable)
TeuschnitzGermanyRecord snow depth74.0 cm (29.1 in)51 of 100 (Notable)
Chadron 3SWUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)51 of 100 (Notable)
HanoverUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)51 of 100 (Notable)
NewcastleUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall16.5 cm (6.5 in)51 of 100 (Notable)
Utsira FyrNorwayRecord snow depth52.0 cm (20.5 in)50 of 100 (Notable)
Broken Bow 2 WUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall7.6 cm (3.0 in)49 of 100 (Notable)
Nenzel 20 SUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)49 of 100 (Notable)
WymoreUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)49 of 100 (Notable)
Gillette 3SEUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall13.0 cm (5.1 in)49 of 100 (Notable)
Crete 4ESEUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)48 of 100 (Notable)
Frederick Police BrksUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall12.7 cm (5.0 in)47 of 100 (Notable)
BrewsterUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)47 of 100 (Notable)
Plattsmouth 1EUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)47 of 100 (Notable)
StaplehurstUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)47 of 100 (Notable)
ArvidaCanadaRecord daily precipitation30.0 mm (1.2 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
ArvidaCanadaRecord daily snowfall30.0 cm (11.8 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
WasserkuppeGermanyRecord snow depth103.0 cm (40.6 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
Hof (Stadt)GermanyRecord snow depth39.0 cm (15.4 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
Lautertal-OberlauterGermanyRecord snow depth39.0 cm (15.4 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
HardwickUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
CreightonUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall10.2 cm (4.0 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
Valentine NwrUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)46 of 100 (Notable)
HohenpeissenbergGermanyRecord daily precipitation26.1 mm (1.0 in)45 of 100 (Notable)
BuxtonUnited KingdomRecord low minimum temperature-9.4 C (15.1 F)45 of 100 (Notable)
HarrisonUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)45 of 100 (Notable)
BuckinghamUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall6.4 cm (2.5 in)45 of 100 (Notable)
HalmstadSwedenRecord low minimum temperature-21.9 C (-7.4 F)44 of 100 (Notable)
PaisleyUnited KingdomRecord low maximum temperature-6.2 C (20.8 F)44 of 100 (Notable)
David City 4EUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall10.2 cm (4.0 in)44 of 100 (Notable)
FullertonUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall10.2 cm (4.0 in)44 of 100 (Notable)
Hay SpringsUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)44 of 100 (Notable)
Hot SpringsUnited StatesRecord snow depth15.2 cm (6.0 in)44 of 100 (Notable)
DillingerUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)44 of 100 (Notable)
W Chester 2 NWUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)43 of 100 (Notable)
GoshenUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall5.1 cm (2.0 in)43 of 100 (Notable)
GumriArmeniaRecord high minimum temperature4.2 C (39.6 F)42 of 100 (Notable)
Nordby (Fano)DenmarkRecord low maximum temperature-4.8 C (23.4 F)42 of 100 (Notable)
WaldeckGermanyRecord snow depth34.0 cm (13.4 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
CarrolltonUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall12.7 cm (5.0 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
Auburn 5 ESEUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
GenevaUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
Blowing Rock 1NWUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall5.1 cm (2.0 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
Cedar ButteUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)42 of 100 (Notable)
Coatesville 1 SWUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall12.7 cm (5.0 in)41 of 100 (Notable)
Seward APUnited StatesRecord daily precipitation67.3 mm (2.6 in)41 of 100 (Notable)
Portage des RochesCanadaRecord daily precipitation33.2 mm (1.3 in)40 of 100 (Notable)
Port HastingsCanadaRecord high maximum temperature13.5 C (56.3 F)40 of 100 (Notable)
KemptenGermanyRecord daily precipitation32.2 mm (1.3 in)40 of 100 (Notable)
Essen-BredeneyGermanyRecord snow depth11.0 cm (4.3 in)40 of 100 (Notable)
RosenheimGermanyRecord daily precipitation26.7 mm (1.1 in)40 of 100 (Notable)
KarlshamnSwedenRecord low minimum temperature-18.7 C (-1.7 F)40 of 100 (Notable)
HeathUnited StatesRecord daily snowfall27.9 cm (11.0 in)40 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,498 records
Records on 16 December 1981 by type Records set or tied on 16 December 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 116, Lowest daily maximum 148, Highest daily minimum 92, Lowest daily minimum 176, Heaviest daily rainfall 384, Heaviest daily snowfall 336, Deepest snow cover 246. 0100200300400Highest daily maximum: 116Lowest daily maximum: 148Highest daily minimum: 92Lowest daily minimum: 176Heaviest daily rainfall: 384Heaviest daily snowfall: 336Deepest snow cover: 246Max highMax lowMin highMin lowRainSnowDepth
Records set or tied on 16 December 1981 by type: Highest daily maximum 116, Lowest daily maximum 148, Highest daily minimum 92, Lowest daily minimum 176, Heaviest daily rainfall 384, Heaviest daily snowfall 336, Deepest snow cover 246.
Records on 16 December 1981 by type
Record typeRecords
Highest daily maximum116
Lowest daily maximum148
Highest daily minimum92
Lowest daily minimum176
Heaviest daily rainfall384
Heaviest daily snowfall336
Deepest snow cover246
Records on 16 December 1981 by timescale Records on 16 December 1981 by timescale: all-time 6, monthly 43, daily 1,449. 05001,0001,500all-time: 6monthly: 43daily: 1,449all-timemonthlydaily
Records on 16 December 1981 by timescale: all-time 6, monthly 43, daily 1,449.
Records on 16 December 1981 by timescale
TimescaleRecords
all-time6
monthly43
daily1,449

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,311 broken records
Histogram of margins by which records were beaten on 16 December 1981 Margins by which the 1,311 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 610.0. Ties are not counted. 05001,0001,5000 to 100: 1,200100 to 200: 98200 to 300: 7300 to 400: 2400 to 500: 3500 to 600: 0600 to 700: 10 to 100100 to 200200 to 300300 to 400400 to 500500 to 600600 to 700
Margins by which the 1,311 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 610.0. Ties are not counted.
Histogram of margins by which records were beaten on 16 December 1981
MarginRecords
0 to 1001,200
100 to 20098
200 to 3007
300 to 4002
400 to 5003
500 to 6000
600 to 7001

Top 20 by Significance

16 December 1981
Top 20 records on 16 December 1981 by significance
DateStationRecordValueBeat old record byOld record stoodSignificance
16 December 1981Merriman, USdaily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)12.7 cm (5.0 in)75 years57 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Kloofend, ZAdaily rain99.3 mm (3.9 in)75.2 mm (3.0 in)31 years56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Champaign 3S, USdaily snowfall14.2 cm (5.6 in)10.4 cm (4.1 in)76 years56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Hot Springs, USdaily snowfall14.0 cm (5.5 in)12.7 cm (5.0 in)72 years56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Newton Rigg, GBall-time low max-5.6 C (21.9 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)72 years53 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Oelrichs, USdaily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)10.2 cm (4.0 in)72 years53 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Vestervig, DKmonthly low max-9.1 C (15.6 F)0.9 C (1.6 F)104 years52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Mattoon, USdaily snowfall14.0 cm (5.5 in)8.9 cm (3.5 in)76 years52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Teuschnitz, DEdaily snow depth74.0 cm (29.1 in)44.0 cm (17.3 in)28 years51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Chadron 3SW, USdaily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)9.7 cm (3.8 in)66 years51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Hanover, USdaily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)14.8 cm (5.8 in)76 years51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Newcastle, USdaily snowfall16.5 cm (6.5 in)8.9 cm (3.5 in)72 years51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Utsira Fyr, NOdaily snow depth52.0 cm (20.5 in)47.0 cm (18.5 in)26 years50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Broken Bow 2 W, USdaily snowfall7.6 cm (3.0 in)7.6 cm (3.0 in)85 years49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Nenzel 20 S, USdaily snowfall17.8 cm (7.0 in)12.7 cm (5.0 in)60 years49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Wymore, USdaily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)7.6 cm (3.0 in)83 years49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Gillette 3SE, USdaily snowfall13.0 cm (5.1 in)7.9 cm (3.1 in)72 years49 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Crete 4ESE, USdaily snowfall15.2 cm (6.0 in)7.6 cm (3.0 in)76 years48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Frederick Police Brks, USdaily snowfall12.7 cm (5.0 in)11.4 cm (4.5 in)64 years47 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1981Brewster, USdaily snowfall20.3 cm (8.0 in)12.7 cm (5.0 in)66 years47 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 on 12-16 in each year Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1981. 1981 had 1,498 records. 01,0002,0003,0004,0001793: 21798: 21808: 11810: 11814: 21815: 21835: 11839: 11840: 11846: 31852: 11853: 11859: 31864: 11869: 11870: 11872: 11876: 11877: 11878: 21879: 11885: 21886: 21888: 21889: 11890: 41891: 21892: 31893: 11894: 11895: 11896: 71897: 41898: 11899: 21900: 21901: 41902: 171903: 61904: 81905: 41906: 51907: 301908: 111909: 51910: 381911: 261912: 311913: 121914: 261915: 551916: 311917: 601918: 331919: 521920: 611921: 351922: 621923: 2051924: 3471925: 931926: 1301927: 2181928: 3381929: 3831930: 3981931: 1681932: 8801933: 7161934: 1631935: 711936: 4291937: 3511938: 1421939: 1,0141940: 6331941: 3481942: 5501943: 4911944: 1891945: 4781946: 3571947: 5061948: 7751949: 1321950: 2721951: 9871952: 3491953: 2651954: 3051955: 3251956: 6501957: 4781958: 4971959: 6051960: 3931961: 8581962: 8591963: 4841964: 6391965: 5761966: 4171967: 8861968: 5571969: 2051970: 7261971: 1,5401972: 1,0201973: 8231974: 5461975: 4931976: 5261977: 9501978: 5321979: 5281980: 1,3221981: 1,4981982: 1,2081983: 1,1561984: 1,9441985: 9831986: 4851987: 1,3771988: 6051989: 3,1811990: 7531991: 6591992: 1,4081993: 6761994: 6981995: 7141996: 7971997: 1,2601998: 6981999: 8212000: 1,1602001: 1,1972002: 9902003: 6792004: 5102005: 1,0732006: 1,0202007: 1,3012008: 2,0492009: 1,0322010: 1,5852011: 7772012: 9122013: 7622014: 4652015: 9252016: 1,5882017: 3492018: 6242019: 7862020: 4152021: 1,4852022: 8362023: 8412024: 7552025: 1,8201793187618991916193319501967198420012018
Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1981. 1981 had 1,498 records.
Counts for years before the ledger starts come from the same station rules.
Records on 12-16 in each year
YearRecords
17932
17982
18081
18101
18142
18152
18351
18391
18401
18463
18521
18531
18593
18641
18691
18701
18721
18761
18771
18782
18791
18852
18862
18882
18891
18904
18912
18923
18931
18941
18951
18967
18974
18981
18992
19002
19014
190217
19036
19048
19054
19065
190730
190811
19095
191038
191126
191231
191312
191426
191555
191631
191760
191833
191952
192061
192135
192262
1923205
1924347
192593
1926130
1927218
1928338
1929383
1930398
1931168
1932880
1933716
1934163
193571
1936429
1937351
1938142
19391,014
1940633
1941348
1942550
1943491
1944189
1945478
1946357
1947506
1948775
1949132
1950272
1951987
1952349
1953265
1954305
1955325
1956650
1957478
1958497
1959605
1960393
1961858
1962859
1963484
1964639
1965576
1966417
1967886
1968557
1969205
1970726
19711,540
19721,020
1973823
1974546
1975493
1976526
1977950
1978532
1979528
19801,322
19811,498
19821,208
19831,156
19841,944
1985983
1986485
19871,377
1988605
19893,181
1990753
1991659
19921,408
1993676
1994698
1995714
1996797
19971,260
1998698
1999821
20001,160
20011,197
2002990
2003679
2004510
20051,073
20061,020
20071,301
20082,049
20091,032
20101,585
2011777
2012912
2013762
2014465
2015925
20161,588
2017349
2018624
2019786
2020415
20211,485
2022836
2023841
2024755
20251,820

Download the Data

  • Data for records on 1981-12-16: 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 . Last revised (2026-10-16).