Weather Records on 20 May 2020

784 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 20 May 2020. Highest significance: Joseph, US.

Key Facts for 20 May 2020

On 20 May 2020, 784 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
283 were record highs and 184 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 5 were all-time records, 25 monthly and 754 daily.
Joseph set a daily record precipitation of 40.6 mm (1.6 in) on 20 May 2020.
Across 162 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 454 records.

Record Map

784 stations

784 station records on 20 May 2020 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 20 May 2020: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Joseph	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
Lucky Strike	United States	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Charleston - Yeager AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	65 of 100 (Major)
Vozega	Russia	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Wallowa	United States	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Wise Rvr 3 WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Tryon	United States	Record daily precipitation	148.6 mm (5.9 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Gold Center	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Bingil Bay	Australia	Record daily precipitation	152.2 mm (6.0 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Parma Exp STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Union	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Mena Creek Post Office	Australia	Record daily precipitation	179.0 mm (7.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Elk Rvr	United States	Record daily precipitation	95.5 mm (3.8 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Morehead City 2 WNW	United States	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Pendleton	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Parkersburg	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Bellenden Ker Top STN	Australia	Record daily precipitation	427.0 mm (16.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Potomac	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Walla Walla Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Cordele	United States	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Mulgrave Mill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	112.0 mm (4.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Willaura (Main Street)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	27.2 mm (1.1 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Alberton	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Spokane Intl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Cairns Aero	Australia	Record daily precipitation	75.2 mm (3.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Bluefield Mercer Co AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Kuranda Railway Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	87.0 mm (3.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
South Johnstone Exp STN	Australia	Record daily precipitation	150.0 mm (5.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Blue Mountain Spring	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Fish Creek	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Roanoke-Blacksburg Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	70.1 mm (2.8 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Tonopah	United States	Record daily snowfall	21.1 cm (8.3 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Omeo Shannon Vale	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Perpignan	France	Record high minimum temperature	19.9 C (67.8 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Asheville AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	54.6 mm (2.1 in)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Cynthiana	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Marietta Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Chatham	United States	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Woolwine 1 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Calcutta/Alipore	India	Record daily precipitation	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Karesuando	Sweden	Record snow depth	58.0 cm (22.8 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Boone 1 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Snyder	United States	Record high maximum temperature	41.1 C (106.0 F)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Radford 3 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	43 of 100 (Notable)
Cairns Post Office	Australia	Record high minimum temperature	22.7 C (72.9 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Prairie	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Puri	India	Record daily precipitation	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Pogranichnyj	Russia	Record low minimum temperature	1.0 C (33.8 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
White Cliff Point	Australia	Record daily precipitation	33.4 mm (1.3 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Ft Collins	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Kassler	United States	Record high maximum temperature	33.3 C (91.9 F)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Arbuckle Mtn	United States	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Majors Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Franklin	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Emigrant Springs	United States	Record daily precipitation	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
High Ridge	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Greensboro AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.5 mm (2.0 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Hartwell	United States	Record daily precipitation	69.3 mm (2.7 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Cleveland 3S	United States	Record daily precipitation	106.7 mm (4.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Martinsville Fltr Plt	United States	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

784 records

Records set or tied on 20 May 2020 by type: Highest daily maximum 128, Lowest daily maximum 133, Highest daily minimum 155, Lowest daily minimum 51, Heaviest daily rainfall 309, Heaviest daily snowfall 1, Deepest snow cover 7.

Records on 20 May 2020 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	128
Lowest daily maximum	133
Highest daily minimum	155
Lowest daily minimum	51
Heaviest daily rainfall	309
Heaviest daily snowfall	1
Deepest snow cover	7

Records on 20 May 2020 by timescale: all-time 5, monthly 25, daily 754.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

655 broken records

Margins by which the 655 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 570.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

20 May 2020

Top 20 records on 20 May 2020 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
20 May 2020	Joseph, US	daily rain	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	24.6 mm (1.0 in)	115 years	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
20 May 2020	Lucky Strike, US	all-time rain	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	31 years	73 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Charleston - Yeager AP, US	daily rain	54.4 mm (2.1 in)	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	68 years	65 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Vozega, RU	daily rain	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	25.1 mm (1.0 in)	51 years	62 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Wallowa, US	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	12.4 mm (0.5 in)	108 years	62 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Wise Rvr 3 WNW, US	daily rain	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	18.1 mm (0.7 in)	63 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Tryon, US	daily rain	148.6 mm (5.9 in)	69.1 mm (2.7 in)	37 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Gold Center, US	all-time rain	61.0 mm (2.4 in)	15.3 mm (0.6 in)	36 years	61 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Bingil Bay, AU	daily rain	152.2 mm (6.0 in)	92.2 mm (3.6 in)	37 years	60 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Parma Exp STN, US	daily rain	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	23.3 mm (0.9 in)	39 years	60 of 100 (Major)
20 May 2020	Union, US	daily rain	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	9.9 mm (0.39 in)	108 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Mena Creek Post Office, AU	daily rain	179.0 mm (7.0 in)	127.0 mm (5.0 in)	41 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Elk Rvr, US	monthly rain	95.5 mm (3.8 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	1 year	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Morehead City 2 WNW, US	daily rain	88.9 mm (3.5 in)	57.9 mm (2.3 in)	51 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Pendleton, US	daily rain	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	11.9 mm (0.5 in)	60 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Parkersburg, US	daily rain	50.3 mm (2.0 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	77 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Bellenden Ker Top STN, AU	monthly rain	427.0 mm (16.8 in)	142.0 mm (5.6 in)	28 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Potomac, US	daily rain	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	27 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Walla Walla Rgnl AP, US	daily rain	42.2 mm (1.7 in)	18.8 mm (0.7 in)	60 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
20 May 2020	Cordele, US	daily rain	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	61 years	51 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 2020

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 2020. 2020 had 784 records.

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

Records on 05-20 in each year
Year	Records
1802	1
1803	1
1804	1
1815	1
1825	1
1837	1
1844	1
1845	3
1847	1
1854	1
1858	3
1861	1
1862	1
1865	1
1867	1
1868	2
1870	3
1871	2
1876	2
1877	3
1879	1
1880	2
1884	2
1885	1
1887	2
1889	3
1890	3
1891	5
1892	3
1893	1
1894	6
1895	3
1896	3
1897	3
1898	4
1899	4
1900	1
1901	5
1902	11
1903	19
1904	4
1905	4
1906	22
1907	35
1908	23
1909	10
1910	20
1911	82
1912	20
1913	10
1914	16
1915	42
1916	29
1917	46
1918	92
1919	56
1920	44
1921	234
1922	40
1923	125
1924	189
1925	251
1926	128
1927	118
1928	138
1929	323
1930	129
1931	451
1932	689
1933	449
1934	582
1935	259
1936	207
1937	270
1938	331
1939	266
1940	337
1941	378
1942	337
1943	802
1944	315
1945	498
1946	339
1947	358
1948	514
1949	586
1950	327
1951	288
1952	615
1953	518
1954	822
1955	421
1956	565
1957	728
1958	378
1959	785
1960	612
1961	333
1962	773
1963	732
1964	517
1965	200
1966	416
1967	587
1968	743
1969	885
1970	310
1971	653
1972	612
1973	419
1974	893
1975	1,332
1976	837
1977	553
1978	534
1979	683
1980	751
1981	1,540
1982	554
1983	1,307
1984	867
1985	426
1986	790
1987	1,036
1988	805
1989	764
1990	722
1991	925
1992	1,200
1993	1,208
1994	778
1995	734
1996	1,749
1997	1,106
1998	1,124
1999	673
2000	991
2001	847
2002	2,299
2003	1,201
2004	746
2005	929
2006	1,006
2007	565
2008	999
2009	1,529
2010	1,011
2011	1,117
2012	604
2013	919
2014	629
2015	1,001
2016	692
2017	1,214
2018	460
2019	1,483
2020	784
2021	904
2022	1,643
2023	1,106
2024	478
2025	969
2026	696

Download the Data

Data for records on 2020-05-20: 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 2026-10-17 (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 100	649
100 to 200	5
200 to 300	0
300 to 400	0
400 to 500	0
500 to 600	1