Weather Records on 16 December 1987

1,377 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 December 1987. Highest significance: Belfast, US.

Key Facts for 16 December 1987

On 16 December 1987, 1,377 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
270 were record highs and 347 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 57 monthly and 1,318 daily.
Belfast set a daily record snowfall of 25.4 cm (10.0 in) on 16 December 1987.
Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 477 records.

Record Map

1,377 stations

1,377 station records on 16 December 1987 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 December 1987: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Belfast	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Nevada Wtp	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Pawhuska	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Shawano 2SSW	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Madison	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Fall Rvr Lake	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Anahola 1114	United States	Record daily precipitation	185.4 mm (7.3 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Appleton City	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Independence	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Howard 2SE	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Charlevoix	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Leedey	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Yates Ctr	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Rolla Missouri S&T	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Maramec	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Ponca City Muni AP	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Grayling	United States	Record daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Mutual	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Oshkosh	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.0 cm (6.7 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Nueva Esperanza	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	28.9 C (84.0 F)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Mound City	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Tulia	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Union	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Newkirk 5NE	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Borger	United States	Record snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Claude	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Hereford	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Youngstown-Warren Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	24.6 cm (9.7 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Stephenson 5WSW	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Oconto 4 W	United States	Record daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Koloko Rsvr 1137	United States	Record daily precipitation	129.8 mm (5.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Miami	United States	Record snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Dubuque L&D 11	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Fern Ridge-Veneta	United States	Record daily snowfall	14.0 cm (5.5 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Amarillo	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
El Alamo	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Banderlierkop (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
La Harpe	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
New Franklin 1W	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Shelbina	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Barnsdall	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Panhandle	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
San Diego Miramar NAS	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Besonderheid"Byzonderhd."	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Climax	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-27.8 C (-18.0 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Mt Hope	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Olathe 3E	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Clinton	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Lexington 3E	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Louisiana	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Fargo 3ENE	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Klamath Falls 2 SSW	United States	Record snow depth	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Perryton	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Bradshaw Homestead	Australia	Record daily precipitation	81.0 mm (3.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Santo Tomas	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Sedan	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Presa Rodriguez	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Butler 4W	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Osceola	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Regnier	United States	Record snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,377 records

Records set or tied on 16 December 1987 by type: Highest daily maximum 167, Lowest daily maximum 142, Highest daily minimum 103, Lowest daily minimum 205, Heaviest daily rainfall 374, Heaviest daily snowfall 129, Deepest snow cover 257.

Records on 16 December 1987 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	167
Lowest daily maximum	142
Highest daily minimum	103
Lowest daily minimum	205
Heaviest daily rainfall	374
Heaviest daily snowfall	129
Deepest snow cover	257

Records on 16 December 1987 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 57, daily 1,318.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,139 broken records

Margins by which the 1,139 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 305.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 December 1987

Top 20 records on 16 December 1987 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 December 1987	Belfast, US	daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	84 years	68 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1987	Nevada Wtp, US	monthly snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	90 years	64 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1987	Pawhuska, US	daily snow depth	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	80 years	63 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1987	Shawano 2SSW, US	daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	19.8 cm (7.8 in)	46 years	63 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1987	Madison, US	daily snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	84 years	60 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1987	Fall Rvr Lake, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	38 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Anahola 1114, US	monthly rain	185.4 mm (7.3 in)	71.6 mm (2.8 in)	19 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Appleton City, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	87 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Independence, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	15.3 cm (6.0 in)	69 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Howard 2SE, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	25 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Charlevoix, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	93 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Leedey, US	daily snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	38 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Yates Ctr, US	daily snow depth	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	69 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Rolla Missouri S&T, US	daily snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	89 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Maramec, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	28 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Ponca City Muni AP, US	daily snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	28 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Grayling, US	daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	14 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Mutual, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	28.0 cm (11.0 in)	14 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Oshkosh, US	daily snowfall	17.0 cm (6.7 in)	9.4 cm (3.7 in)	70 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1987	Nueva Esperanza, MX	daily high min	28.9 C (84.0 F)	7.8 C (14.0 F)	26 years	50 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 1987

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1987. 1987 had 1,377 records.

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

Records on 12-16 in each year
Year	Records
1793	2
1798	2
1808	1
1810	1
1814	2
1815	2
1835	1
1839	1
1840	1
1846	3
1852	1
1853	1
1859	3
1864	1
1869	1
1870	1
1872	1
1876	1
1877	1
1878	2
1879	1
1885	2
1886	2
1888	2
1889	1
1890	4
1891	2
1892	3
1893	1
1894	1
1895	1
1896	7
1897	4
1898	1
1899	2
1900	2
1901	4
1902	17
1903	6
1904	8
1905	4
1906	5
1907	30
1908	11
1909	5
1910	38
1911	26
1912	31
1913	12
1914	26
1915	55
1916	31
1917	60
1918	33
1919	52
1920	61
1921	35
1922	62
1923	205
1924	347
1925	93
1926	130
1927	218
1928	338
1929	383
1930	398
1931	168
1932	880
1933	716
1934	163
1935	71
1936	429
1937	351
1938	142
1939	1,014
1940	633
1941	348
1942	550
1943	491
1944	189
1945	478
1946	357
1947	506
1948	775
1949	132
1950	272
1951	987
1952	349
1953	265
1954	305
1955	325
1956	650
1957	478
1958	497
1959	605
1960	393
1961	858
1962	859
1963	484
1964	639
1965	576
1966	417
1967	886
1968	557
1969	205
1970	726
1971	1,540
1972	1,020
1973	823
1974	546
1975	493
1976	526
1977	950
1978	532
1979	528
1980	1,322
1981	1,498
1982	1,208
1983	1,156
1984	1,944
1985	983
1986	485
1987	1,377
1988	605
1989	3,181
1990	753
1991	659
1992	1,408
1993	676
1994	698
1995	714
1996	797
1997	1,260
1998	698
1999	821
2000	1,160
2001	1,197
2002	990
2003	679
2004	510
2005	1,073
2006	1,020
2007	1,301
2008	2,049
2009	1,032
2010	1,585
2011	777
2012	912
2013	762
2014	465
2015	925
2016	1,588
2017	349
2018	624
2019	786
2020	415
2021	1,485
2022	836
2023	841
2024	755
2025	1,820

Download the Data

Data for records on 1987-12-16: 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 2026-10-17 (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).

Margin	Records
0 to 50	939
50 to 100	108
100 to 150	60
150 to 200	20
200 to 250	7
250 to 300	4
300 to 350	1