Weather Records on 20 May 1988

805 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 May 1988. Highest significance: Ft Morgan, US.

Key Facts for 20 May 1988

On 20 May 1988, 805 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
209 were record highs and 189 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 2 were all-time records, 22 monthly and 781 daily.
Ft Morgan set a daily record precipitation of 59.4 mm (2.3 in) on 20 May 1988.
Across 162 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 453 records.

Record Map

805 stations

805 station records on 20 May 1988 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 May 1988: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Ft Morgan	United States	Record daily precipitation	59.4 mm (2.3 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Keith	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	123.2 mm (4.9 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Kassler	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Gulnare	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Potter	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Montrose	United States	Record daily precipitation	80.8 mm (3.2 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Roseworthy	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Jamestown	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Deal Island	Australia	Record daily precipitation	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Sidney 6NNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Koolunga	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Redhill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.4 mm (1.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Leroy 5 WSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Byers 5 ENE	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Jamestown Dpi	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Angaston	Australia	Record daily precipitation	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Sterling	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Cape Grim (Woolnorth)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	66.6 mm (2.6 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Dalton	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Marree Comparison	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.8 mm (1.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Susquehanna	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Archer	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Gordon 6N	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Harrison	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Freeland	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Harrisburg 12WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Rhynie (Salters Springs)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.8 mm (1.1 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Holyoke	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Carpenter 3N	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Sandheads	India	Record daily precipitation	60.5 mm (2.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Nuriootpa Comparison	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Parker 6 E	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Paupack 1 WSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.2 mm (1.8 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Rushville	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.4 mm (1.5 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Chadron 3SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	65.0 mm (2.6 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Ghost Rch	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Chambarak	Armenia	Record daily precipitation	28.9 mm (1.1 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Spalding (Bundaleer Reservoir)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Mundoora	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.4 mm (1.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Sandilands	Australia	Record daily precipitation	44.6 mm (1.8 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Hamley Bridge	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Tanunda	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.6 mm (1.2 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Osage	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Caniambo	Australia	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Oshkosh	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Oshkosh 8 SW	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Nuriootpa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Woodhouse	Australia	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Rosedale (Turretfield Research	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Uglegorsk	Russia	Record daily precipitation	27.6 mm (1.1 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Midland	United States	Record low maximum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Melrose	United States	Record low maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Wilkes Barre	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.6 mm (2.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Kersbrook (Mabenjo)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Dunolly	Australia	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Akron 4 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Bartlett 1W	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Uniontown 1 NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Ouray	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

805 records

Records set or tied on 20 May 1988 by type: Highest daily maximum 117, Lowest daily maximum 113, Highest daily minimum 92, Lowest daily minimum 76, Heaviest daily rainfall 399, Heaviest daily snowfall 6, Deepest snow cover 2.

Records on 20 May 1988 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	117
Lowest daily maximum	113
Highest daily minimum	92
Lowest daily minimum	76
Heaviest daily rainfall	399
Heaviest daily snowfall	6
Deepest snow cover	2

Records on 20 May 1988 by timescale: all-time 2, monthly 22, daily 781.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

691 broken records

Margins by which the 691 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 102.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 May 1988

Top 20 records on 20 May 1988 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 May 1988	Ft Morgan, US	daily rain	59.4 mm (2.3 in)	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	90 years	75 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Keith, AU	monthly rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	12.0 mm (0.5 in)	81 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse, AU	all-time rain	123.2 mm (4.9 in)	7.1 mm (0.28 in)	87 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Kassler, US	daily rain	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	57 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Gulnare, AU	daily rain	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	21.5 mm (0.8 in)	64 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Potter, US	daily rain	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	43 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Montrose, US	monthly rain	80.8 mm (3.2 in)	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	41 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 1988	Roseworthy, AU	daily rain	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	11.2 mm (0.4 in)	98 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Jamestown, AU	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	81 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Deal Island, AU	daily rain	57.4 mm (2.3 in)	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	25 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Sidney 6NNW, US	daily rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	23.3 mm (0.9 in)	72 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Koolunga, AU	daily rain	29.6 mm (1.2 in)	16.1 mm (0.6 in)	64 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Redhill, AU	daily rain	34.4 mm (1.4 in)	11.8 mm (0.5 in)	98 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Leroy 5 WSW, US	daily rain	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	18.3 mm (0.7 in)	90 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Byers 5 ENE, US	daily rain	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	32.3 mm (1.3 in)	50 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Jamestown Dpi, AU	daily rain	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	35 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Angaston, AU	daily rain	39.0 mm (1.5 in)	16.6 mm (0.7 in)	65 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Sterling, US	daily rain	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	21 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Cape Grim (Woolnorth), AU	monthly rain	66.6 mm (2.6 in)	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	31 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 1988	Dalton, US	daily rain	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	72 years	51 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 1988

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1988. 1988 had 805 records.

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

Records on 05-20 in each year
Year	Records
1802	1
1803	1
1804	1
1815	1
1825	1
1837	1
1844	1
1845	3
1847	1
1854	1
1858	3
1861	1
1862	1
1865	1
1867	1
1868	2
1870	3
1871	2
1876	2
1877	3
1879	1
1880	2
1884	2
1885	1
1887	2
1889	3
1890	3
1891	5
1892	3
1893	1
1894	6
1895	3
1896	3
1897	3
1898	4
1899	4
1900	1
1901	5
1902	11
1903	19
1904	4
1905	4
1906	22
1907	35
1908	23
1909	10
1910	20
1911	82
1912	20
1913	10
1914	16
1915	42
1916	29
1917	46
1918	92
1919	56
1920	44
1921	234
1922	40
1923	125
1924	189
1925	251
1926	128
1927	118
1928	138
1929	323
1930	129
1931	451
1932	689
1933	449
1934	582
1935	259
1936	207
1937	270
1938	331
1939	266
1940	337
1941	378
1942	337
1943	802
1944	315
1945	498
1946	339
1947	358
1948	514
1949	586
1950	327
1951	288
1952	615
1953	518
1954	822
1955	421
1956	565
1957	728
1958	378
1959	785
1960	612
1961	333
1962	773
1963	732
1964	517
1965	200
1966	416
1967	587
1968	743
1969	885
1970	310
1971	653
1972	612
1973	419
1974	893
1975	1,332
1976	837
1977	553
1978	534
1979	683
1980	751
1981	1,540
1982	554
1983	1,307
1984	867
1985	426
1986	790
1987	1,036
1988	805
1989	764
1990	722
1991	925
1992	1,200
1993	1,208
1994	778
1995	734
1996	1,749
1997	1,106
1998	1,124
1999	673
2000	991
2001	847
2002	2,299
2003	1,201
2004	746
2005	929
2006	1,006
2007	565
2008	999
2009	1,529
2010	1,011
2011	1,117
2012	604
2013	919
2014	629
2015	1,001
2016	692
2017	1,214
2018	460
2019	1,483
2020	784
2021	904
2022	1,643
2023	1,106
2024	478
2025	969
2026	696

Download the Data

Data for records on 1988-05-20: 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 20	638
20 to 40	44
40 to 60	6
60 to 80	2
80 to 100	0
100 to 120	1