Weather Records on 20 January 2003

732 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 January 2003. Highest significance: East London, ZA.

Key Facts for 20 January 2003

On 20 January 2003, 732 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
416 were record highs and 84 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 3 were all-time records, 17 monthly and 712 daily.
East London set a daily record precipitation of 80.0 mm (3.1 in) on 20 January 2003.
Across 157 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 510 records.

Record Map

732 stations

732 station records on 20 January 2003 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 January 2003: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
East London	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Khartoum	Sudan	Record daily precipitation	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Weston 1 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Warren 3 S	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Clendenin	United States	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Tobolsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-3.4 C (25.9 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Middleburg	United States	Record low maximum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Onslow Airport	Australia	Record high maximum temperature	48.6 C (119.5 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Glenormiston	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Leroy 5 WSW	United States	Record high maximum temperature	16.1 C (61.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Anaconda	United States	Record high minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
N Stratford	United States	Record daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Sterling	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Gettysburg	United States	Record daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Sakai	Japan	Record daily precipitation	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Akron 4 E	United States	Record high maximum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Allegany Sp	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Atlatlahuacan	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Enisejsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-5.5 C (22.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Talkeetna AP	United States	Record high minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Soudan	Australia	Record daily precipitation	62.0 mm (2.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Santa Rosalia (Dge)	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Lowell	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Suchixtlahuaca -Quiotep-	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Tajshet	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-5.3 C (22.5 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Beach	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Richardton Abbey	United States	Record daily snowfall	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Pirlangimpi	Australia	Record daily precipitation	72.2 mm (2.8 in)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Tibooburra Post Office	Australia	Record high minimum temperature	31.1 C (88.0 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Toora-Hem	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-2.6 C (27.3 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Gallivare_A	Sweden	Record low minimum temperature	-33.7 C (-28.7 F)	30 of 100 (Routine)
Bet Dagan	Israel	Record daily precipitation	56.1 mm (2.2 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Ostrov Vrangelja	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-10.9 C (12.4 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Cataloochee	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Antalya	Turkey	Record daily precipitation	107.2 mm (4.2 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Crescent City	United States	Record low maximum temperature	8.9 C (48.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Alfred	United States	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Karamay	China	Record high maximum temperature	4.1 C (39.4 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Kirensk	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-4.0 C (24.8 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Yorba Linda	United States	Record high maximum temperature	28.3 C (82.9 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Annitowa	Australia	Record daily precipitation	64.0 mm (2.5 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Enshi	China	Record high maximum temperature	18.9 C (66.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Cinco Seores	Mexico	Record high maximum temperature	31.1 C (88.0 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Tixtla (Dge)	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	15.6 C (60.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
San Jose de Raices	Mexico	Record high maximum temperature	30.6 C (87.1 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Moron de la Frontera	Spain	Record daily precipitation	37.2 mm (1.5 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Ouagadougou	Burkina Faso	Record high maximum temperature	43.5 C (110.3 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Wanyuan	China	Record high maximum temperature	19.0 C (66.2 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
San Jose de Raices	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	13.9 C (57.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Lajas Substn	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record high maximum temperature	32.2 C (90.0 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Severo-Enisejsk	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-9.1 C (15.6 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Tobolsk	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-0.3 C (31.5 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Enisejsk	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-2.0 C (28.4 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Ruby Lake Nwr	United States	Record high maximum temperature	14.4 C (57.9 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Pannawonica	Australia	Record high maximum temperature	48.4 C (119.1 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
San Vicente	Mexico	Record low minimum temperature	-3.3 C (26.1 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Lisboa Geofisica	Portugal	Record daily precipitation	28.5 mm (1.1 in)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Bogucany	Russia	Record high minimum temperature	-5.1 C (22.8 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Ika	Russia	Record high maximum temperature	-3.9 C (25.0 F)	24 of 100 (Routine)
Urandangi	Australia	Record low maximum temperature	24.1 C (75.4 F)	23 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

732 records

Records set or tied on 20 January 2003 by type: Highest daily maximum 253, Lowest daily maximum 30, Highest daily minimum 163, Lowest daily minimum 54, Heaviest daily rainfall 184, Heaviest daily snowfall 32, Deepest snow cover 16.

Records on 20 January 2003 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	253
Lowest daily maximum	30
Highest daily minimum	163
Lowest daily minimum	54
Heaviest daily rainfall	184
Heaviest daily snowfall	32
Deepest snow cover	16

Records on 20 January 2003 by timescale: all-time 3, monthly 17, daily 712.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

588 broken records

Margins by which the 588 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 178.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 January 2003

Top 20 records on 20 January 2003 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 January 2003	East London, ZA	daily rain	80.0 mm (3.1 in)	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	61 years	64 of 100 (Major)
20 January 2003	Khartoum, SD	daily rain	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	62.2 mm (2.4 in)	45 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Weston 1 E, US	daily rain	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	32 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Warren 3 S, US	daily rain	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	68 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Clendenin, US	daily rain	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	24 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Tobolsk, RU	daily high min	-3.4 C (25.9 F)	1.9 C (3.4 F)	103 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Middleburg, US	daily low max	13.3 C (55.9 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	101 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Onslow Airport, AU	all-time high max	48.6 C (119.5 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	43 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Glenormiston, AU	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	22.3 mm (0.9 in)	60 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Leroy 5 WSW, US	daily high max	16.1 C (61.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	101 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Anaconda, US	daily high min	1.7 C (35.1 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	93 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	N Stratford, US	daily snowfall	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	13 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Sterling, US	daily high max	17.8 C (64.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	92 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Gettysburg, US	daily snowfall	11.4 cm (4.5 in)	3.8 cm (1.5 in)	65 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Sakai, JP	daily rain	49.0 mm (1.9 in)	29.9 mm (1.2 in)	1 year	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Akron 4 E, US	daily high max	16.7 C (62.1 F)	2.8 C (5.0 F)	83 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Allegany Sp, US	daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	2.6 cm (1.0 in)	77 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Atlatlahuacan, MX	daily low min	5.0 C (41.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	61 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Enisejsk, RU	daily high min	-5.5 C (22.1 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	83 years	35 of 100 (Notable)
20 January 2003	Talkeetna AP, US	monthly high min	1.7 C (35.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	57 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

1795 to 2003

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 2003. 2003 had 732 records.

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

Records on 01-20 in each year
Year	Records
1795	2
1796	1
1798	1
1804	2
1820	1
1844	1
1850	1
1858	2
1861	1
1862	1
1863	1
1866	2
1867	1
1872	1
1874	4
1875	4
1878	1
1879	1
1880	5
1881	4
1885	1
1890	2
1891	1
1892	3
1893	3
1894	1
1895	2
1896	1
1897	3
1898	6
1899	12
1900	15
1901	11
1902	5
1903	4
1904	14
1905	2
1906	25
1907	26
1908	9
1909	30
1910	11
1911	3
1912	7
1913	44
1914	57
1915	153
1916	34
1917	123
1918	71
1919	28
1920	103
1921	45
1922	86
1923	41
1924	298
1925	181
1926	110
1927	381
1928	383
1929	203
1930	540
1931	90
1932	139
1933	441
1934	118
1935	904
1936	602
1937	1,041
1938	219
1939	238
1940	1,147
1941	214
1942	979
1943	1,002
1944	568
1945	302
1946	487
1947	534
1948	422
1949	429
1950	653
1951	958
1952	386
1953	476
1954	791
1955	278
1956	906
1957	349
1958	494
1959	603
1960	329
1961	641
1962	1,162
1963	921
1964	567
1965	283
1966	634
1967	556
1968	1,096
1969	859
1970	1,301
1971	936
1972	823
1973	450
1974	978
1975	688
1976	848
1977	997
1978	1,669
1979	1,158
1980	423
1981	823
1982	958
1983	847
1984	1,957
1985	2,188
1986	1,327
1987	1,063
1988	1,637
1989	955
1990	1,257
1991	562
1992	493
1993	1,327
1994	2,035
1995	1,136
1996	851
1997	658
1998	576
1999	1,368
2000	1,132
2001	667
2002	666
2003	732
2004	451
2005	1,335
2006	1,395
2007	2,143
2008	1,366
2009	738
2010	986
2011	731
2012	848
2013	432
2014	480
2015	413
2016	726
2017	1,370
2018	634
2019	722
2020	498
2021	375
2022	346
2023	778
2024	841
2025	1,599
2026	193

Download the Data

Data for records on 2003-01-20: 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 2026-10-16 (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 25	555
25 to 50	20
50 to 75	7
75 to 100	2
100 to 125	2
125 to 150	1
150 to 175	0
175 to 200	1