Weather Records on 31 December 1988

600 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 31 December 1988. Highest significance: Boolardy, AU.

Key Facts for 31 December 1988

On 31 December 1988, 600 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
227 were record highs and 118 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 4 were all-time records, 18 monthly and 578 daily.
Boolardy set a daily record precipitation of 26.6 mm (1.0 in) on 31 December 1988.
Across 157 earlier years (1797 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 486 records.

Record Map

600 stations

600 station records on 31 December 1988 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 31 December 1988: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Boolardy	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.6 mm (1.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Yuna	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Vinton	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Volta Ph	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
McComb AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	125.7 mm (4.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Shanwei	China	Record daily precipitation	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Upington Agr.	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Gidgee Gold Mine	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Yungaburra	Australia	Record daily precipitation	75.8 mm (3.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Ross	United States	Record low maximum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Glenns Ferry	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Summit Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Colonia Valle de la Trinidad	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Olekminsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-8.2 C (17.2 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Pine Grove Fire Twr	United States	Record daily precipitation	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Waynesboro 2 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	89.9 mm (3.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Nanping	China	Record daily precipitation	30.9 mm (1.2 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Wolhaarkop	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Lovelock	United States	Record snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Karlshamn	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	9.0 C (48.2 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Los Angeles Downtown/Usc	United States	Record low maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Gunnison 3SW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	-16.7 C (1.9 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Grand Coteau	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.6 mm (2.7 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Daysdale (Dennison Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Downieville	United States	Record snow depth	71.1 cm (28.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Glenns Ferry	United States	Record snow depth	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Estacao Experimental	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	60.1 mm (2.4 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
San Agustin	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-8.3 C (17.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Atengo (Smn)	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-7.2 C (19.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Larimore 4SW	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Yautepec	Mexico	Record high maximum temperature	35.0 C (95.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Saentis	Switzerland	Record high minimum temperature	-2.2 C (28.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Casa Grande Nm	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-7.2 C (19.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Shasta Dam	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hazelton	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Ewing	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Medina	United States	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Valdez WSO	United States	Record daily snowfall	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Jubilee Pocket	Australia	Record daily precipitation	122.8 mm (4.8 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Jakutsk	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-17.6 C (0.3 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Mtn Dell Dam	United States	Record snow depth	76.2 cm (30.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Nampula	Mozambique	Record daily precipitation	107.1 mm (4.2 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Rocklands	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
New Roads 5 NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Wagner	United States	Record high maximum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Ely AP	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Dhahran	Saudi Arabia	Record low minimum temperature	1.2 C (34.2 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Bellrock	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Groblershoop;Boegoeb	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Belzoni	United States	Record daily precipitation	71.1 mm (2.8 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Sumrall	United States	Record daily precipitation	103.9 mm (4.1 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Nueva Esperanza	Mexico	Record high maximum temperature	38.9 C (102.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Stony Gorge Rsvr	United States	Record low maximum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Deseret	United States	Record snow depth	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Fuzhou	China	Record daily precipitation	26.6 mm (1.0 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Mulege	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Namiquipa	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-13.3 C (8.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Atlatlahuacan	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Ust-Maja	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-10.1 C (13.8 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Ust-Maja	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-25.0 C (-13.0 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

600 records

Records set or tied on 31 December 1988 by type: Highest daily maximum 145, Lowest daily maximum 50, Highest daily minimum 82, Lowest daily minimum 68, Heaviest daily rainfall 181, Heaviest daily snowfall 26, Deepest snow cover 48.

Records on 31 December 1988 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	145
Lowest daily maximum	50
Highest daily minimum	82
Lowest daily minimum	68
Heaviest daily rainfall	181
Heaviest daily snowfall	26
Deepest snow cover	48

Records on 31 December 1988 by timescale: all-time 4, monthly 18, daily 578.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

467 broken records

Margins by which the 467 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

31 December 1988

Top 20 records on 31 December 1988 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
31 December 1988	Boolardy, AU	daily rain	26.6 mm (1.0 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	74 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Yuna, AU	monthly rain	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	8.1 mm (0.32 in)	63 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Vinton, US	daily snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	34 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Volta Ph, US	daily snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	24 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	McComb AP, US	daily rain	125.7 mm (4.9 in)	69.6 mm (2.7 in)	15 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Shanwei, CN	daily rain	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	27 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Upington Agr., ZA	daily rain	25.0 mm (1.0 in)	24.0 mm (0.9 in)	30 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Gidgee Gold Mine, AU	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	24.5 mm (1.0 in)	27 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Yungaburra, AU	daily rain	75.8 mm (3.0 in)	39.7 mm (1.6 in)	55 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Ft Ross, US	daily low max	6.7 C (44.1 F)	2.7 C (4.9 F)	83 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Glenns Ferry, US	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	77 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Summit Lake, US	daily rain	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	8 years	43 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Colonia Valle de la Trinidad, MX	all-time low min	-14.4 C (6.1 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	27 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Olekminsk, RU	daily high min	-8.2 C (17.2 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	84 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Pine Grove Fire Twr, US	daily rain	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	68.3 mm (2.7 in)	7 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Waynesboro 2 W, US	daily rain	89.9 mm (3.5 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	28 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Nanping, CN	daily rain	30.9 mm (1.2 in)	21.8 mm (0.9 in)	11 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Wolhaarkop, ZA	daily rain	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	17.9 mm (0.7 in)	56 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Lovelock, US	daily snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	47 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
31 December 1988	Karlshamn, SE	daily high max	9.0 C (48.2 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	87 years	37 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

1797 to 1988

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1797 to 1988. 1988 had 600 records.

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

Records on 12-31 in each year
Year	Records
1797	1
1799	2
1826	1
1836	1
1842	2
1850	3
1853	1
1854	1
1859	1
1860	1
1867	1
1870	2
1872	2
1874	4
1875	2
1876	2
1878	2
1879	2
1880	2
1882	1
1884	2
1885	1
1886	3
1887	1
1888	2
1890	2
1891	8
1892	4
1895	4
1897	6
1898	5
1899	4
1900	3
1901	16
1902	3
1903	3
1904	11
1905	9
1906	31
1907	11
1908	7
1909	5
1910	25
1911	14
1912	17
1913	46
1914	34
1915	32
1916	25
1917	239
1918	24
1919	38
1920	64
1921	130
1922	83
1923	280
1924	113
1925	183
1926	77
1927	491
1928	53
1929	224
1930	58
1931	543
1932	394
1933	409
1934	181
1935	309
1936	567
1937	500
1938	247
1939	298
1940	467
1941	159
1942	352
1943	159
1944	259
1945	210
1946	707
1947	461
1948	591
1949	384
1950	310
1951	1,421
1952	377
1953	410
1954	286
1955	429
1956	216
1957	724
1958	584
1959	414
1960	389
1961	309
1962	810
1963	1,015
1964	388
1965	1,371
1966	326
1967	1,023
1968	1,371
1969	825
1970	579
1971	568
1972	836
1973	1,370
1974	590
1975	791
1976	1,306
1977	641
1978	2,791
1979	448
1980	1,448
1981	786
1982	639
1983	2,220
1984	942
1985	593
1986	616
1987	845
1988	600
1989	506
1990	1,379
1991	703
1992	1,062
1993	718
1994	878
1995	1,151
1996	2,202
1997	988
1998	739
1999	524
2000	1,575
2001	748
2002	1,232
2003	523
2004	1,278
2005	959
2006	2,089
2007	652
2008	656
2009	867
2010	1,544
2011	739
2012	803
2013	606
2014	903
2015	748
2016	678
2017	1,589
2018	620
2019	593
2020	489
2021	1,739
2022	1,497
2023	474
2024	460
2025	760

Download the Data

Data for records on 1988-12-31: 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	442
50 to 100	17
100 to 150	5
150 to 200	2
200 to 250	0
250 to 300	0
300 to 350	1