Weather Records on 17 May 1990

1,135 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 May 1990. Highest significance: Hillsboro, US.

Key Facts for 17 May 1990

On 17 May 1990, 1,135 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
435 were record highs and 128 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 1 were all-time records, 18 monthly and 1,116 daily.
Hillsboro set a daily record precipitation of 72.4 mm (2.9 in) on 17 May 1990.
Across 167 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 430 records.

Record Map

1,135 stations

1,135 station records on 17 May 1990 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 17 May 1990: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Hillsboro	United States	Record daily precipitation	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Quorn (Olive Grove)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Irymple (Arlington)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Wentworth (Burtundy)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Carbondale Sewage Plt	United States	Record daily precipitation	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Shoals 8 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Balranald (Tillara)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	49.6 mm (2.0 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Wanganella (Zara)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Tallangatta (Bullioh)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Jasper	United States	Record daily precipitation	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Kerrabee (Murrumbo)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	90.0 mm (3.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Columbus	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Carthage	United States	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Quorn (Depot Flat)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Red Cliffs (Post Office)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	54.8 mm (2.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Victoria Storage	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Deniliquin (Wilkinson St)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Wakool (Calimo)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Mt Vernon 3 NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	127.8 mm (5.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
E Stroudsburg	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.7 mm (2.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Koonamore	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
1 N McLeansboro	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Scottsburg	United States	Record daily precipitation	76.5 mm (3.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Hawker (Holowilena)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.8 mm (1.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Hay (Corrong)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Benton 2 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.8 mm (2.7 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Marion 4 NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	97.0 mm (3.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Newport 1 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Seymour 1 WSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.5 mm (2.4 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Detour Village	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Balldale Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Cradock	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Yunta	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Lockport Lock 2	United States	Record daily precipitation	78.2 mm (3.1 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Cradock (Kanyaka)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Hawker	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Cradock (Yednalue)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.6 mm (1.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Mildura SE	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.4 mm (1.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Murray Lock Number 9	Australia	Record daily precipitation	30.4 mm (1.2 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Mt Vernon	United States	Record daily precipitation	66.8 mm (2.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Petersburg 61 Brg	United States	Record daily precipitation	122.7 mm (4.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Quorn	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.4 mm (1.2 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Manna Hill (Four Brothers)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Finley Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Robinvale (Kyndalyn Park)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	46.6 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Shawneetown Old Town	United States	Record daily precipitation	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Port Augusta West	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Lafayette	United States	Record daily precipitation	80.5 mm (3.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Tuppal (Warragoon)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Bannerton	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Monterey	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.5 mm (1.9 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Hoyleton	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Narrabri Bowling Club	Australia	Record daily precipitation	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Wanganella (Bundyulumblah)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Chewelah	United States	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Morchard (the Rocks)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.6 mm (1.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Dutton	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Gest Lock 3	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.8 mm (2.7 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Maysville Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Piketon	United States	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,135 records

Records set or tied on 17 May 1990 by type: Highest daily maximum 91, Lowest daily maximum 52, Highest daily minimum 344, Lowest daily minimum 76, Heaviest daily rainfall 572.

Records on 17 May 1990 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	91
Lowest daily maximum	52
Highest daily minimum	344
Lowest daily minimum	76
Heaviest daily rainfall	572
Heaviest daily snowfall	0
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 17 May 1990 by timescale: all-time 1, monthly 18, daily 1,116.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

943 broken records

Margins by which the 943 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 78.5. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 May 1990

Top 20 records on 17 May 1990 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 May 1990	Hillsboro, US	daily rain	72.4 mm (2.9 in)	47.5 mm (1.9 in)	80 years	73 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Quorn (Olive Grove), AU	daily rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	63 years	68 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Irymple (Arlington), AU	daily rain	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	64 years	67 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Wentworth (Burtundy), AU	daily rain	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	26.6 mm (1.0 in)	103 years	63 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Carbondale Sewage Plt, US	daily rain	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	69 years	63 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Shoals 8 S, US	daily rain	100.1 mm (3.9 in)	55.9 mm (2.2 in)	44 years	61 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Balranald (Tillara), AU	daily rain	49.6 mm (2.0 in)	30.8 mm (1.2 in)	37 years	60 of 100 (Major)
17 May 1990	Wanganella (Zara), AU	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	17.2 mm (0.7 in)	117 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Tallangatta (Bullioh), AU	daily rain	59.2 mm (2.3 in)	19.1 mm (0.8 in)	95 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Jasper, US	daily rain	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	67.5 mm (2.7 in)	27 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Kerrabee (Murrumbo), AU	monthly rain	90.0 mm (3.5 in)	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	8 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Columbus, US	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	77 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Carthage, US	daily rain	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	29.8 mm (1.2 in)	71 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Quorn (Depot Flat), AU	daily rain	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	19.1 mm (0.8 in)	80 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Red Cliffs (Post Office), AU	daily rain	54.8 mm (2.2 in)	49.2 mm (1.9 in)	35 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Lake Victoria Storage, AU	daily rain	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	20.6 mm (0.8 in)	44 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Deniliquin (Wilkinson St), AU	daily rain	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	11.1 mm (0.4 in)	122 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Wakool (Calimo), AU	daily rain	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	37 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	Mt Vernon 3 NE, US	monthly rain	127.8 mm (5.0 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	29 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 May 1990	E Stroudsburg, US	daily rain	61.7 mm (2.4 in)	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	48 years	54 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 1990

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1990. 1990 had 1,135 records.

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

Records on 05-17 in each year
Year	Records
1802	2
1803	1
1808	1
1816	1
1834	1
1837	1
1839	1
1847	2
1848	1
1851	1
1853	1
1855	1
1858	1
1859	1
1861	2
1862	2
1863	2
1864	1
1871	2
1872	2
1873	2
1874	4
1877	1
1878	1
1879	2
1880	1
1881	1
1882	2
1883	3
1885	1
1887	1
1888	2
1889	3
1891	8
1892	4
1893	3
1895	8
1896	2
1897	3
1898	6
1899	7
1900	12
1901	2
1902	3
1903	9
1904	12
1905	10
1906	22
1907	10
1908	5
1909	33
1910	16
1911	30
1912	16
1913	24
1914	24
1915	53
1916	49
1917	18
1918	56
1919	35
1920	46
1921	50
1922	30
1923	95
1924	80
1925	326
1926	133
1927	264
1928	127
1929	168
1930	421
1931	201
1932	288
1933	365
1934	373
1935	341
1936	270
1937	183
1938	340
1939	285
1940	338
1941	408
1942	589
1943	855
1944	521
1945	799
1946	586
1947	249
1948	412
1949	544
1950	371
1951	373
1952	777
1953	441
1954	298
1955	570
1956	1,166
1957	469
1958	331
1959	488
1960	402
1961	291
1962	1,325
1963	368
1964	417
1965	462
1966	489
1967	644
1968	564
1969	638
1970	711
1971	723
1972	610
1973	1,016
1974	1,302
1975	365
1976	426
1977	1,078
1978	872
1979	459
1980	768
1981	940
1982	476
1983	1,326
1984	925
1985	561
1986	921
1987	1,054
1988	1,096
1989	1,307
1990	1,135
1991	1,237
1992	1,025
1993	495
1994	858
1995	1,734
1996	1,706
1997	1,619
1998	1,080
1999	795
2000	825
2001	960
2002	964
2003	1,127
2004	769
2005	784
2006	1,522
2007	742
2008	1,309
2009	1,050
2010	880
2011	1,483
2012	711
2013	739
2014	1,062
2015	824
2016	741
2017	1,302
2018	726
2019	686
2020	496
2021	443
2022	479
2023	385
2024	566
2025	928
2026	745

Download the Data

Data for records on 1990-05-17: 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 10	723
10 to 20	125
20 to 30	52
30 to 40	26
40 to 50	13
50 to 60	1
60 to 70	2
70 to 80	1