Weather Records on 16 December 1997

1,260 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 December 1997. Highest significance: Halfway, US.

Key Facts for 16 December 1997

On 16 December 1997, 1,260 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
328 were record highs and 761 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 16 were all-time records, 85 monthly and 1,159 daily.
Halfway set a daily record precipitation of 48.8 mm (1.9 in) on 16 December 1997.
Across 160 earlier years (1793 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 477 records.

Record Map

1,260 stations

1,260 station records on 16 December 1997 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 December 1997: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Halfway	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Moscow U of I	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Oakville	United States	Record daily precipitation	88.4 mm (3.5 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Mount McConnell	Australia	Record daily precipitation	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
El Palote	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Astrakan	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-18.6 C (-1.5 F)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Naselle 2 ENE	United States	Record daily precipitation	136.4 mm (5.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Kislovodsk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-21.6 C (-6.9 F)	48 of 100 (Notable)
San Juanillo	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Rodrigues	Mauritius	Record daily precipitation	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Los Castillos	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Bogoroditskoye-Fenino	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Kamennaja-Step	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-32.2 C (-26.0 F)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Mount Spencer 2	Australia	Record daily precipitation	82.2 mm (3.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Vilnius	Lithuania	Record low minimum temperature	-24.7 C (-12.5 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Zamora	Spain	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Barcelona -Fabra Observatory	Spain	Record daily precipitation	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Kiev	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-19.4 C (-2.9 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Lugansk	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-24.7 C (-12.5 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Titusville	United States	Record low maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Kon-Kolodez	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-31.3 C (-24.3 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Bogoroditskoye-Fenino	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Mahackala	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-17.2 C (1.0 F)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Coeur D'Alene	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Minsk	Belarus	Record low maximum temperature	-17.0 C (1.4 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Zametchino	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-32.4 C (-26.3 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Kamennaja-Step	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-27.3 C (-17.1 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Jaskul	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-18.5 C (-1.3 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Astrakan	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-23.6 C (-10.5 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Poltava	Ukraine	Record low maximum temperature	-23.1 C (-9.6 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Henichesk	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-19.2 C (-2.6 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Poltava	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-28.7 C (-19.7 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Atyrau	Kazakhstan	Record low maximum temperature	-20.2 C (-4.4 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Elatma	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-33.7 C (-28.7 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Urjupinsk	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-25.7 C (-14.3 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Kiev	Ukraine	Record low minimum temperature	-24.6 C (-12.3 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Charlevoix	United States	Record high maximum temperature	10.0 C (50.0 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Tower 2S	United States	Record high maximum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Lake Wenatchee	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Dzhambejty	Kazakhstan	Record low maximum temperature	-26.8 C (-16.2 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
El Platanito	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Kon-Kolodez	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-26.2 C (-15.2 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Voronez	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-30.9 C (-23.6 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
El-Ton	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-25.4 C (-13.7 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Gladwin	United States	Record high minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
La Cabaa	Mexico	Record low maximum temperature	5.6 C (42.1 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
San Diego de la Union	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-8.3 C (17.1 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Kursk	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	-28.7 C (-19.7 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Barcelona/Aeropuerto	Spain	Record daily precipitation	56.9 mm (2.2 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Harbor Beach 1 SSE	United States	Record high maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Kent	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.7 mm (1.7 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Gladstone Radar	Australia	Record daily precipitation	72.0 mm (2.8 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Santa Maria Jacatepec	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	8.3 C (46.9 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Naranjal (Cfe)	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Volshskiy Gmo	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-23.9 C (-11.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Voronez	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-25.9 C (-14.6 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Aleksandrov Gaj	Russia	Record low maximum temperature	-24.6 C (-12.3 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Gallivare_A	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Saint Maries	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Seaside	United States	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,260 records

Records set or tied on 16 December 1997 by type: Highest daily maximum 182, Lowest daily maximum 174, Highest daily minimum 146, Lowest daily minimum 587, Heaviest daily rainfall 154, Heaviest daily snowfall 8, Deepest snow cover 9.

Records on 16 December 1997 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	182
Lowest daily maximum	174
Highest daily minimum	146
Lowest daily minimum	587
Heaviest daily rainfall	154
Heaviest daily snowfall	8
Deepest snow cover	9

Records on 16 December 1997 by timescale: all-time 16, monthly 85, daily 1,159.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

1,036 broken records

Margins by which the 1,036 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 204.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 December 1997

Top 20 records on 16 December 1997 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 December 1997	Halfway, US	daily rain	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	37.9 mm (1.5 in)	60 years	64 of 100 (Major)
16 December 1997	Moscow U of I, US	daily rain	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	11.9 mm (0.5 in)	97 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Oakville, US	daily rain	88.4 mm (3.5 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	27 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Mount McConnell, AU	daily rain	74.0 mm (2.9 in)	52.9 mm (2.1 in)	43 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	El Palote, MX	daily low min	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	10.6 C (19.1 F)	32 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Astrakan, RU	daily low max	-18.6 C (-1.5 F)	6.3 C (11.3 F)	115 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Naselle 2 ENE, US	daily rain	136.4 mm (5.4 in)	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	58 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Kislovodsk, RU	daily low min	-21.6 C (-6.9 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	95 years	48 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	San Juanillo, MX	daily low min	6.7 C (44.1 F)	8.3 C (14.9 F)	40 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Rodrigues, MU	daily rain	95.0 mm (3.7 in)	74.6 mm (2.9 in)	12 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Los Castillos, MX	daily low min	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	8.4 C (15.1 F)	28 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Bogoroditskoye-Fenino, RU	monthly low max	-26.1 C (-15.0 F)	0.1 C (0.2 F)	89 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Kamennaja-Step, RU	daily low min	-32.2 C (-26.0 F)	6.0 C (10.8 F)	95 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Mount Spencer 2, AU	daily rain	82.2 mm (3.2 in)	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	40 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Vilnius, LT	daily low min	-24.7 C (-12.5 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	106 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Zamora, ES	daily rain	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	17.2 mm (0.7 in)	42 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Barcelona -Fabra Observatory, ES	daily rain	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	17.6 mm (0.7 in)	82 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Kiev, UA	daily low max	-19.4 C (-2.9 F)	2.9 C (5.2 F)	106 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Lugansk, UA	monthly low max	-24.7 C (-12.5 F)	3.1 C (5.6 F)	72 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 December 1997	Titusville, US	daily low max	10.0 C (50.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	96 years	45 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 1997

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1793 to 1997. 1997 had 1,260 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 1997-12-16: 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	1,025
50 to 100	10
100 to 150	0
150 to 200	0
200 to 250	1