Weather Records on 15 December 1985

1,077 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 15 December 1985. Highest significance: Palmaryville, ZA.

Key Facts for 15 December 1985

On 15 December 1985, 1,077 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
186 were record highs and 481 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 5 were all-time records, 41 monthly and 1,031 daily.
Palmaryville set a monthly record daily precipitation of 217.9 mm (8.6 in) on 15 December 1985.
Across 168 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 452 records.

Record Map

1,077 stations

1,077 station records on 15 December 1985 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 15 December 1985: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Palmaryville	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	217.9 mm (8.6 in)	78 of 100 (Major)
Tsumeb - Pol	Namibia	Record daily precipitation	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Sterling	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Barkly West (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Britt 3E	United States	Record snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
De Smet	United States	Record snow depth	81.3 cm (32.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
White Lake	United States	Record snow depth	71.1 cm (28.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Green Cape Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Milesville 5 NE	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Mobridge 2NNW	United States	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Sibasa	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	195.0 mm (7.7 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Ardmore 1 NW	United States	Record snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Wessington Springs	United States	Record snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Warrenton (Mun)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Beulah	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Glad Valley 2 W	United States	Record snow depth	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Goedehoop (Bos)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Hankinson	United States	Record snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Hall 1 NNE	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Windsor	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Hampton	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Washington Is	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Bridgeport	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Bryant	United States	Record snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Cet Central England	United Kingdom	Record high minimum temperature	9.7 C (49.5 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Camp Crook	United States	Record snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Archer	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Grand Forks Intl AP	United States	Record snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Oxford	United Kingdom	Record high minimum temperature	10.1 C (50.2 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Sheffield	United Kingdom	Record high minimum temperature	10.7 C (51.3 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Bliss 4 NW	United States	Record snow depth	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Tower 2S	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-17.2 C (1.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Cottonwood 2 E	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Gann Valley 4NW	United States	Record snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Yoder 5 W	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Caledonia	United States	Record snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Redig 11 NE	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Leroy 5 WSW	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Conde	United States	Record snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Gettysburg	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Timber Lake	United States	Record snow depth	58.4 cm (23.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Sturgeon Bay Exp Farm	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Goulburn (Pomeroy)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Goodrich 1 E	United States	Record snow depth	68.6 cm (27.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Necedah	United States	Record snow depth	76.2 cm (30.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Rice Reservoir-Tomahawk	United States	Record snow depth	63.5 cm (25.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Cobar (Meryula)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Windsorton (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Newnan 7 WNW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-10.6 C (12.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Mc Intosh 6 SE	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Onaka	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Collins	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Covington 8 WNW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-6.7 C (19.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Ft Logan 4 ESE	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Madrid	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Brookings 2 NE	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Sanderson	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-8.3 C (17.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Wandering Comparison	Australia	Record low minimum temperature	4.4 C (39.9 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Lismore (Centre Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Bremen-Seefahrtschule	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,077 records

Records set or tied on 15 December 1985 by type: Highest daily maximum 41, Lowest daily maximum 203, Highest daily minimum 145, Lowest daily minimum 278, Heaviest daily rainfall 84, Heaviest daily snowfall 18, Deepest snow cover 308.

Records on 15 December 1985 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	41
Lowest daily maximum	203
Highest daily minimum	145
Lowest daily minimum	278
Heaviest daily rainfall	84
Heaviest daily snowfall	18
Deepest snow cover	308

Records on 15 December 1985 by timescale: all-time 5, monthly 41, daily 1,031.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

822 broken records

Margins by which the 822 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 457.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

15 December 1985

Top 20 records on 15 December 1985 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
15 December 1985	Palmaryville, ZA	monthly rain	217.9 mm (8.6 in)	95.5 mm (3.8 in)	70 years	78 of 100 (Major)
15 December 1985	Tsumeb - Pol, NA	monthly rain	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	30 years	66 of 100 (Major)
15 December 1985	Sterling, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	36 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Barkly West (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	22.0 mm (0.9 in)	89 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Britt 3E, US	daily snow depth	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	83 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	De Smet, US	daily snow depth	81.3 cm (32.0 in)	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	30 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	White Lake, US	daily snow depth	71.1 cm (28.0 in)	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	30 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Green Cape Lighthouse, AU	daily rain	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	71 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Milesville 5 NE, US	daily snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	34 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Mobridge 2NNW, US	daily snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	35.5 cm (14.0 in)	14 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Sibasa, ZA	daily rain	195.0 mm (7.7 in)	118.5 mm (4.7 in)	8 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Ardmore 1 NW, US	daily snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	30.4 cm (12.0 in)	7 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Wessington Springs, US	daily snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	30 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Warrenton (Mun), ZA	daily rain	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	55 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Beulah, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	83 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Glad Valley 2 W, US	daily snow depth	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	34 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Goedehoop (Bos), ZA	daily rain	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	61.5 mm (2.4 in)	19 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Hankinson, US	daily snow depth	48.3 cm (19.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	2 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Ft Hall 1 NNE, US	daily snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	56 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
15 December 1985	Windsor, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	34 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

1793 to 1985

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1985. 1985 had 1,077 records.

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

Records on 12-15 in each year
Year	Records
1793	1
1796	1
1798	1
1800	1
1808	3
1810	1
1814	3
1815	1
1825	1
1831	1
1840	2
1844	2
1846	3
1847	1
1854	3
1859	2
1863	1
1864	1
1866	1
1867	2
1868	1
1869	1
1870	1
1873	1
1874	1
1878	4
1879	2
1880	2
1881	3
1882	2
1883	1
1885	1
1886	1
1889	3
1890	1
1891	2
1892	4
1893	1
1894	4
1895	1
1896	5
1897	2
1899	12
1900	5
1901	21
1902	3
1903	7
1904	9
1905	6
1906	9
1907	10
1908	5
1909	5
1910	4
1911	23
1912	42
1913	13
1914	239
1915	180
1916	40
1917	40
1918	54
1919	28
1920	35
1921	26
1922	65
1923	132
1924	358
1925	187
1926	226
1927	235
1928	388
1929	500
1930	160
1931	284
1932	385
1933	796
1934	199
1935	140
1936	286
1937	310
1938	100
1939	637
1940	464
1941	373
1942	385
1943	486
1944	281
1945	420
1946	521
1947	634
1948	1,239
1949	135
1950	292
1951	962
1952	367
1953	270
1954	413
1955	371
1956	531
1957	304
1958	531
1959	560
1960	313
1961	883
1962	979
1963	670
1964	371
1965	759
1966	275
1967	948
1968	510
1969	352
1970	215
1971	1,739
1972	1,159
1973	615
1974	511
1975	1,230
1976	349
1977	963
1978	499
1979	560
1980	1,085
1981	1,243
1982	831
1983	1,229
1984	1,397
1985	1,077
1986	502
1987	1,740
1988	519
1989	2,753
1990	846
1991	636
1992	1,263
1993	734
1994	676
1995	848
1996	727
1997	1,521
1998	1,216
1999	621
2000	1,154
2001	1,026
2002	831
2003	846
2004	795
2005	953
2006	1,491
2007	973
2008	1,789
2009	930
2010	1,705
2011	780
2012	1,058
2013	701
2014	1,045
2015	1,398
2016	1,024
2017	332
2018	539
2019	547
2020	400
2021	1,182
2022	1,057
2023	794
2024	369
2025	2,115

Download the Data

Data for records on 1985-12-15: 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 2026-10-17 (17 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).

Histogram of margins by which records were beaten on 15 December 1985
Margin	Records
0 to 100	743
100 to 200	49
200 to 300	23
300 to 400	5
400 to 500	2