Record highRecord low2026 daily maximum2026 daily minimum
The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Watson Lake A. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.
Daily record high and record low at Watson Lake A, with 2026 drawn through them
Month
Highest record high
Lowest record low
2026 highest maximum
2026 lowest minimum
Jan
8.9 C (48.0 F)
-58.9 C (-74.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Feb
9.4 C (48.9 F)
-56.2 C (-69.2 F)
n/a
n/a
Mar
11.7 C (53.1 F)
-46.7 C (-52.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Apr
20.0 C (68.0 F)
-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
n/a
n/a
May
34.2 C (93.6 F)
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Jun
33.9 C (93.0 F)
-3.3 C (26.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Jul
33.3 C (91.9 F)
0.6 C (33.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Aug
32.8 C (91.0 F)
-6.7 C (19.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Sep
27.8 C (82.0 F)
-13.9 C (7.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Oct
21.7 C (71.1 F)
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Nov
12.2 C (54.0 F)
-46.7 C (-52.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Dec
7.8 C (46.0 F)
-52.8 C (-63.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Which Years Hold Standing Records
1,464 standing records
Year with most
1,464 records at Watson Lake A still stand. 1951 holds the most, with 62.
Standing records at Watson Lake A by the year they were set
Year set
Standing records
1938
14
1939
46
1940
46
1941
36
1942
36
1943
27
1944
32
1945
33
1946
27
1947
40
1948
42
1949
38
1950
33
1951
62
1952
31
1953
27
1954
47
1955
56
1956
47
1957
21
1958
29
1959
34
1960
16
1961
34
1962
15
1963
42
1964
31
1965
33
1966
27
1967
22
1968
22
1969
35
1970
26
1971
33
1972
37
1973
11
1974
43
1975
26
1976
28
1977
39
1978
15
1979
34
1980
20
1981
25
1982
25
1983
21
All-Time Record Progression
2 new records
2 all-time records were set at Watson Lake A between 30 June 1979 and 30 May 1983. Each dot is a new record.
When Watson Lake A set new all-time records
Date
Kind
Detail
1979-06-30
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 46.4 mm (1.8 in)
1983-05-30
Record high maximum temperature
Record high maximum temperature 34.2 C (93.6 F)
Wettest Day of Each Month
Jun: 46.4 mm (1.8 in)
The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Watson Lake A. The most was 46.4 mm (1.8 in) on 30 June 1979.
Record daily precipitation for each month at Watson Lake A
Month
Record daily precipitation (mm)
Date
Jan
26.4 mm (1.0 in)
16 January 1952
Feb
20.6 mm (0.8 in)
18 February 1965
Mar
15.5 mm (0.6 in)
6 March 1955
Apr
32.5 mm (1.3 in)
17 April 1961
May
26.2 mm (1.0 in)
16 May 1944
Jun
46.4 mm (1.8 in)
30 June 1979
Jul
41.4 mm (1.6 in)
13 July 1953
Aug
39.0 mm (1.5 in)
17 August 1982
Sep
21.1 mm (0.8 in)
21 September 1958
Oct
16.3 mm (0.6 in)
1 October 1952
Nov
17.8 mm (0.7 in)
24 November 1940
Dec
26.7 mm (1.1 in)
5 December 1959
Period of Record Coverage
1938 to 1983
Complete yearUnder 90 percent of days
46 years of record at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. 1 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1938.
Cooler than the station meanWarmer than the station mean
One stripe for each of 43 complete years at Watson Lake A, 1939 to 1983. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of -3.1 C (26.5 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1972, at -5.2 C (22.6 F), and the warmest was 1944, at -0.2 C (31.6 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 2.9 C (5.2 F).
Annual mean temperature at Watson Lake A as warming stripes, 1939 to 1983
Year
Annual mean temperature
Difference from the station mean
1939
-2.8 C
+0.27 C
1940
-2.9 C
+0.16 C
1941
-2.2 C
+0.89 C
1943
-1.4 C
+1.66 C
1944
-0.2 C
+2.86 C
1945
-2.4 C
+0.64 C
1946
-2.5 C
+0.59 C
1947
-2.0 C
+1.08 C
1948
-3.4 C
-0.34 C
1949
-2.6 C
+0.47 C
1950
-4.5 C
-1.41 C
1951
-4.4 C
-1.34 C
1952
-2.4 C
+0.70 C
1953
-2.1 C
+0.98 C
1954
-2.7 C
+0.37 C
1955
-4.7 C
-1.62 C
1956
-3.5 C
-0.45 C
1957
-2.2 C
+0.81 C
1958
-2.1 C
+0.96 C
1959
-3.2 C
-0.18 C
1960
-1.8 C
+1.30 C
1961
-3.1 C
-0.03 C
1962
-2.6 C
+0.42 C
1963
-2.1 C
+0.92 C
1964
-3.0 C
+0.10 C
1965
-3.6 C
-0.56 C
1966
-4.8 C
-1.70 C
1967
-3.8 C
-0.71 C
1968
-4.4 C
-1.34 C
1969
-4.6 C
-1.52 C
1970
-3.1 C
-0.08 C
1971
-4.4 C
-1.36 C
1972
-5.2 C
-2.14 C
1973
-4.0 C
-0.97 C
1974
-3.5 C
-0.49 C
1975
-3.9 C
-0.88 C
1976
-2.5 C
+0.60 C
1977
-1.9 C
+1.14 C
1978
-2.4 C
+0.68 C
1980
-3.0 C
+0.08 C
1981
-1.7 C
+1.40 C
1982
-4.3 C
-1.29 C
1983
-3.7 C
-0.68 C
The annual mean temperature here has fallen by 0.29 C (0.04 to 0.54) per decade over 1939 to 1983. In Fahrenheit: 0.5 F (0.1 to 1.0) per decade. The slope is a straight line fitted to 43 complete years; the brackets give its 95 percent interval.
Fitted temperature trends per decade at Watson Lake A
Measure
Per decade (C)
Per decade (F)
Period
Complete years
Reading
Annual mean temperature
-0.29 C (-0.54 to -0.04) per decade
-0.5 F (-1.0 to -0.1) per decade
1939 to 1983
43
Fall
Mean daily maximum
-0.26 C (-0.49 to -0.03) per decade
-0.5 F (-0.9 to -0.1) per decade
1939 to 1983
43
Fall
Mean daily minimum
-0.32 C (-0.60 to -0.03) per decade
-0.6 F (-1.1 to -0.1) per decade
1939 to 1983
43
Fall
A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.
Extremes by Year
1938 to 1983
Yearly extremes at Watson Lake A: the record and the median year
Measure
Record
Year of the record
Median year
Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)
34.2 C (93.6 F)
1983
29.4 C (84.9 F)
46
Coldest night (TNn)
-58.9 C (-74.0 F)
1947
-50.6 C (-59.1 F)
46
Wettest day (Rx1day)
46.4 mm (1.8 in)
1979
23.0 mm (0.9 in)
46
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1953
38.1 mm (1.5 in)
46
Longest dry spell (CDD)
48 days
1939
22 days
46
Hottest day (TXx)
The hottest day of the year at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. The record is 34.2 C (93.6 F) in 1983, marked on the chart; the median year is 29.4 C (84.9 F).
Hottest day (TXx) at Watson Lake A by year
Year
Hottest day (TXx)
1938
17.2 C (63.0 F)
1939
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1940
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1941
32.2 C (90.0 F)
1942
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1943
25.6 C (78.1 F)
1944
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1945
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1946
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1947
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1948
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1949
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1950
33.9 C (93.0 F)
1951
33.3 C (91.9 F)
1952
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1953
32.2 C (90.0 F)
1954
26.7 C (80.1 F)
1955
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1956
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1957
27.2 C (81.0 F)
1958
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1959
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1960
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1961
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1962
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1963
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1964
27.2 C (81.0 F)
1965
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1966
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1967
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1968
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1969
33.3 C (91.9 F)
1970
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1971
33.3 C (91.9 F)
1972
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1973
26.1 C (79.0 F)
1974
27.2 C (81.0 F)
1975
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1976
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1977
30.4 C (86.7 F)
1978
30.3 C (86.5 F)
1979
28.0 C (82.4 F)
1980
30.1 C (86.2 F)
1981
30.2 C (86.4 F)
1982
31.0 C (87.8 F)
1983
34.2 C (93.6 F)
Coldest night (TNn)
The coldest night of the year at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. The record is -58.9 C (-74.0 F) in 1947, marked on the chart; the median year is -50.6 C (-59.1 F).
Coldest night (TNn) at Watson Lake A by year
Year
Coldest night (TNn)
1938
-52.2 C (-62.0 F)
1939
-50.6 C (-59.1 F)
1940
-50.6 C (-59.1 F)
1941
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1942
-43.3 C (-45.9 F)
1943
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1944
-42.2 C (-44.0 F)
1945
-47.8 C (-54.0 F)
1946
-49.4 C (-56.9 F)
1947
-58.9 C (-74.0 F)
1948
-49.4 C (-56.9 F)
1949
-52.2 C (-62.0 F)
1950
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1951
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1952
-51.2 C (-60.2 F)
1953
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1954
-49.4 C (-56.9 F)
1955
-50.6 C (-59.1 F)
1956
-47.8 C (-54.0 F)
1957
-47.8 C (-54.0 F)
1958
-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1959
-48.3 C (-54.9 F)
1960
-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1961
-46.7 C (-52.1 F)
1962
-47.8 C (-54.0 F)
1963
-49.4 C (-56.9 F)
1964
-47.2 C (-53.0 F)
1965
-50.0 C (-58.0 F)
1966
-52.2 C (-62.0 F)
1967
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1968
-56.2 C (-69.2 F)
1969
-51.2 C (-60.2 F)
1970
-53.3 C (-63.9 F)
1971
-52.8 C (-63.0 F)
1972
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1973
-40.6 C (-41.1 F)
1974
-53.3 C (-63.9 F)
1975
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1976
-50.6 C (-59.1 F)
1977
-52.0 C (-61.6 F)
1978
-51.6 C (-60.9 F)
1979
-51.7 C (-61.1 F)
1980
-52.7 C (-62.9 F)
1981
-48.4 C (-55.1 F)
1982
-50.2 C (-58.4 F)
1983
-45.0 C (-49.0 F)
Wettest day (Rx1day)
The wettest day of the year at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. The record is 46.4 mm (1.8 in) in 1979, marked on the chart; the median year is 23.0 mm (0.9 in).
Wettest day (Rx1day) at Watson Lake A by year
Year
Wettest day (Rx1day)
1938
6.4 mm (0.25 in)
1939
15.7 mm (0.6 in)
1940
34.8 mm (1.4 in)
1941
22.9 mm (0.9 in)
1942
45.5 mm (1.8 in)
1943
28.4 mm (1.1 in)
1944
26.2 mm (1.0 in)
1945
29.5 mm (1.2 in)
1946
24.1 mm (0.9 in)
1947
16.0 mm (0.6 in)
1948
20.1 mm (0.8 in)
1949
23.4 mm (0.9 in)
1950
12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1951
11.7 mm (0.5 in)
1952
38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1953
41.4 mm (1.6 in)
1954
23.1 mm (0.9 in)
1955
26.4 mm (1.0 in)
1956
24.6 mm (1.0 in)
1957
10.4 mm (0.4 in)
1958
21.1 mm (0.8 in)
1959
26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1960
16.0 mm (0.6 in)
1961
32.5 mm (1.3 in)
1962
21.1 mm (0.8 in)
1963
32.3 mm (1.3 in)
1964
18.3 mm (0.7 in)
1965
20.6 mm (0.8 in)
1966
13.7 mm (0.5 in)
1967
17.8 mm (0.7 in)
1968
30.7 mm (1.2 in)
1969
32.5 mm (1.3 in)
1970
30.2 mm (1.2 in)
1971
13.5 mm (0.5 in)
1972
15.2 mm (0.6 in)
1973
16.5 mm (0.6 in)
1974
33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1975
26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1976
21.6 mm (0.9 in)
1977
25.7 mm (1.0 in)
1978
20.2 mm (0.8 in)
1979
46.4 mm (1.8 in)
1980
14.6 mm (0.6 in)
1981
14.8 mm (0.6 in)
1982
39.0 mm (1.5 in)
1983
16.5 mm (0.6 in)
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
The wettest five days of the year at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. The record is 82.0 mm (3.2 in) in 1953, marked on the chart; the median year is 38.1 mm (1.5 in).
Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Watson Lake A by year
Year
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1938
8.3 mm (0.33 in)
1939
31.3 mm (1.2 in)
1940
39.6 mm (1.6 in)
1941
43.2 mm (1.7 in)
1942
72.5 mm (2.9 in)
1943
29.2 mm (1.1 in)
1944
30.6 mm (1.2 in)
1945
31.5 mm (1.2 in)
1946
34.1 mm (1.3 in)
1947
32.5 mm (1.3 in)
1948
32.1 mm (1.3 in)
1949
46.8 mm (1.8 in)
1950
29.4 mm (1.2 in)
1951
23.6 mm (0.9 in)
1952
51.6 mm (2.0 in)
1953
82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1954
51.9 mm (2.0 in)
1955
51.3 mm (2.0 in)
1956
41.1 mm (1.6 in)
1957
19.9 mm (0.8 in)
1958
37.4 mm (1.5 in)
1959
33.8 mm (1.3 in)
1960
37.4 mm (1.5 in)
1961
38.9 mm (1.5 in)
1962
52.3 mm (2.1 in)
1963
44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1964
43.5 mm (1.7 in)
1965
32.4 mm (1.3 in)
1966
27.7 mm (1.1 in)
1967
23.6 mm (0.9 in)
1968
46.9 mm (1.8 in)
1969
38.8 mm (1.5 in)
1970
36.5 mm (1.4 in)
1971
26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1972
30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1973
41.4 mm (1.6 in)
1974
72.6 mm (2.9 in)
1975
40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1976
57.4 mm (2.3 in)
1977
52.5 mm (2.1 in)
1978
29.4 mm (1.2 in)
1979
65.5 mm (2.6 in)
1980
36.6 mm (1.4 in)
1981
34.6 mm (1.4 in)
1982
41.2 mm (1.6 in)
1983
39.1 mm (1.5 in)
Longest dry spell (CDD)
The longest dry spell of the year at Watson Lake A, 1938 to 1983. The record is 48 days in 1939, marked on the chart; the median year is 22 days.
Longest dry spell (CDD) at Watson Lake A by year
Year
Longest dry spell (CDD)
1938
25 days
1939
48 days
1940
29 days
1941
34 days
1942
19 days
1943
21 days
1944
17 days
1945
21 days
1946
19 days
1947
19 days
1948
15 days
1949
28 days
1950
30 days
1951
21 days
1952
22 days
1953
19 days
1954
20 days
1955
33 days
1956
27 days
1957
25 days
1958
42 days
1959
14 days
1960
45 days
1961
15 days
1962
19 days
1963
22 days
1964
21 days
1965
30 days
1966
21 days
1967
22 days
1968
24 days
1969
26 days
1970
16 days
1971
17 days
1972
17 days
1973
31 days
1974
22 days
1975
23 days
1976
18 days
1977
40 days
1978
32 days
1979
32 days
1980
27 days
1981
32 days
1982
30 days
1983
22 days
Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.
Frost Dates and Growing Season
43 years with a frost
Across 43 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Watson Lake A falls on 31 May and the median first autumn frost on 31 August, which leaves a median of 93 days between them.
Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by -0.3 days per decade at this station.
Frost dates and growing season at Watson Lake A
Measure
Median, all years
Earliest period
Recent period (1953 to 1983)
Recent against earliest
Fitted trend
Last spring frost
31 May
n/a
2 June
n/a
+1.2 days per decade
First autumn frost
31 August
n/a
5 September
n/a
+0.9 days per decade
Growing days
93 days
n/a
94 days
n/a
-0.3 days per decade
A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.
Rainfall Return Levels
45 years, 1939 to 1983
A day with at least 22.9 mm (0.9 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 52.8 mm (2.1 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.
Rainfall return levels at Watson Lake A: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in
A day with at least
Note
2 years
22.9 mm (0.9 in)
5 years
31.3 mm (1.2 in)
10 years
36.7 mm (1.4 in)
25 years
43.3 mm (1.7 in)
50 years
48.1 mm (1.9 in)
Longer than the 45 years of record
100 years
52.8 mm (2.1 in)
Longer than the 45 years of record
The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 45 years of values from 1939 to 1983.
A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.
The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 46.4 mm (1.8 in) in 1979; 45.5 mm (1.8 in) in 1942; 41.4 mm (1.6 in) in 1953.
Download the Data
Data for Watson Lake A standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Watson Lake A threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
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)) Data as of 2026-10-16 (16 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.