Weather Records on 21 September 1988

557 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 21 September 1988. Highest significance: Palermo, IT.

Key Facts for 21 September 1988

On 21 September 1988, 557 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
250 were record highs and 154 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 10 monthly and 546 daily.
Palermo set a daily record precipitation of 63.4 mm (2.5 in) on 21 September 1988.
Across 155 earlier years (1805 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 450 records.

Record Map

557 stations

557 station records on 21 September 1988 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 21 September 1988: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Palermo	Italy	Record daily precipitation	63.4 mm (2.5 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Elida	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.7 mm (3.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Carlsbad	United States	Record daily precipitation	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Postville	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Buckhorn	United States	Record daily precipitation	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Valsugana Velha-Montante	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	85.2 mm (3.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Portales	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Artesia 6S	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Kanalohuluhulu 1075	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
St Petersburg	United States	Record daily precipitation	120.7 mm (4.8 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Friona	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Lares	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Happy Camp Rs	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-4.4 C (24.1 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Fundao	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	48.6 mm (1.9 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Ixtlahuacan del Rio	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Montello Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bishop AP	United States	Record low maximum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
San Simon	United States	Record low maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Larimore 4SW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Santa Clara Do Ingai	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Dyer 5S	United States	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Wisconsin Dells Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Clearwater	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Encantado	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Redrock 1 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.2 mm (1.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Attu	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.2 mm (2.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Garcia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	66.4 mm (2.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Lomba Alta	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Joinville (Rvpsc)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Har Kenaan	Israel	Record high minimum temperature	24.0 C (75.2 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Lake Arrowhead	United States	Record low maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Gila Hot Springs	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Fazenda Jucuruaba	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	59.4 mm (2.3 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Yautepec	Mexico	Record high maximum temperature	35.0 C (95.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Palomar Mtn Obsy	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Swainsboro	United States	Record high minimum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Major Gercino	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.6 mm (2.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Trombudo Central	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	61.8 mm (2.4 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Rinconada	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Goldfield	United States	Record low maximum temperature	12.2 C (54.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Flagstaff AP	United States	Record low maximum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Dubbo (Darling Street)	Australia	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Chaco Canyon Natl Mon	United States	Record high minimum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Ibapah	United States	Record low maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Cavalinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	45.6 mm (1.8 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Passo Major Zeferino	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	62.8 mm (2.5 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Russkij	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-14.5 C (5.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Lemon Cove	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Ft Lewis	United States	Record high minimum temperature	9.4 C (48.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Apalachicola AP	United States	Record high maximum temperature	33.9 C (93.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Kyancutta	Australia	Record high maximum temperature	33.3 C (91.9 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Passo Faxinal	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.3 mm (2.4 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Kantunilkin	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	25.0 C (77.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Imuris (Smn)	Mexico	Record low maximum temperature	22.8 C (73.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Victorville	United States	Record low maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Sublette 7WSW	United States	Record high minimum temperature	19.4 C (66.9 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Mt Locke	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Mauna Loa Slope Obs 39	United States	Record high minimum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Marechal Floriano (Dnos)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Nalut	Libya	Record low maximum temperature	22.5 C (72.5 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

557 records

Records set or tied on 21 September 1988 by type: Highest daily maximum 123, Lowest daily maximum 105, Highest daily minimum 127, Lowest daily minimum 49, Heaviest daily rainfall 153.

Records on 21 September 1988 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	123
Lowest daily maximum	105
Highest daily minimum	127
Lowest daily minimum	49
Heaviest daily rainfall	153
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 21 September 1988 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 10, daily 546.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

418 broken records

Margins by which the 418 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 68.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

21 September 1988

Top 20 records on 21 September 1988 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
21 September 1988	Palermo, IT	daily rain	63.4 mm (2.5 in)	26.7 mm (1.1 in)	175 years	68 of 100 (Major)
21 September 1988	Elida, US	daily rain	76.7 mm (3.0 in)	55.4 mm (2.2 in)	47 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Carlsbad, US	daily rain	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	47 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Postville, US	daily rain	41.1 mm (1.6 in)	21.8 mm (0.9 in)	94 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Buckhorn, US	daily rain	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	21 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Valsugana Velha-Montante, BR	daily rain	85.2 mm (3.4 in)	68.0 mm (2.7 in)	12 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Portales, US	daily rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	47 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Artesia 6S, US	daily rain	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	3 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Kanalohuluhulu 1075, US	daily low max	13.3 C (55.9 F)	5.6 C (10.1 F)	23 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	St Petersburg, US	daily rain	120.7 mm (4.8 in)	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	26 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Friona, US	daily rain	38.9 mm (1.5 in)	16.8 mm (0.7 in)	57 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Lares, PR	daily rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	64 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Happy Camp Rs, US	monthly low min	-4.4 C (24.1 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	61 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Fundao, BR	daily rain	48.6 mm (1.9 in)	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	10 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Ixtlahuacan del Rio, MX	daily rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	25 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Montello Wwtp, US	daily rain	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	42.5 mm (1.7 in)	23 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Bishop AP, US	daily low max	18.9 C (66.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	91 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	San Simon, US	daily low max	28.3 C (82.9 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	85 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Larimore 4SW, US	daily low max	8.9 C (48.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	75 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
21 September 1988	Santa Clara Do Ingai, BR	daily rain	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	29 years	35 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

1805 to 1988

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1805 to 1988. 1988 had 557 records.

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

Records on 09-21 in each year
Year	Records
1805	1
1812	1
1825	2
1840	1
1841	1
1842	1
1848	1
1854	1
1856	2
1868	1
1872	2
1873	1
1877	1
1878	1
1881	1
1882	1
1884	1
1886	1
1888	2
1889	1
1891	10
1892	1
1893	10
1894	2
1895	3
1896	2
1897	6
1898	6
1899	3
1900	2
1901	5
1902	5
1903	8
1904	20
1905	12
1906	17
1907	10
1908	17
1909	10
1910	8
1911	18
1912	26
1913	37
1914	29
1915	34
1916	48
1917	28
1918	43
1919	54
1920	29
1921	64
1922	35
1923	232
1924	291
1925	278
1926	178
1927	165
1928	81
1929	232
1930	82
1931	681
1932	242
1933	193
1934	492
1935	199
1936	329
1937	487
1938	508
1939	308
1940	908
1941	416
1942	291
1943	407
1944	413
1945	507
1946	176
1947	534
1948	301
1949	298
1950	334
1951	241
1952	430
1953	382
1954	453
1955	752
1956	1,100
1957	366
1958	588
1959	513
1960	418
1961	441
1962	1,085
1963	306
1964	374
1965	1,088
1966	565
1967	577
1968	790
1969	593
1970	708
1971	645
1972	599
1973	421
1974	652
1975	528
1976	694
1977	918
1978	818
1979	736
1980	990
1981	696
1982	1,484
1983	2,207
1984	707
1985	796
1986	671
1987	965
1988	557
1989	1,002
1990	716
1991	1,021
1992	752
1993	911
1994	713
1995	2,002
1996	1,233
1997	1,112
1998	1,481
1999	1,025
2000	884
2001	718
2002	696
2003	959
2004	888
2005	1,143
2006	920
2007	742
2008	740
2009	715
2010	1,290
2011	542
2012	595
2013	769
2014	716
2015	565
2016	989
2017	1,178
2018	1,051
2019	833
2020	580
2021	465
2022	1,049
2023	783
2024	470
2025	591
2026	478

Download the Data

Data for records on 1988-09-21: 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 10	358
10 to 20	30
20 to 30	14
30 to 40	6
40 to 50	6
50 to 60	3
60 to 70	1