Nelsdrift Weather Records (SF003277840)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Nelsdrift (SF003277840), South Africa, with 90 years of record.

Key Facts for Nelsdrift

Nelsdrift (SF003277840) is a weather station in South Africa at -28.07 latitude and 26.47 longitude, 1,286 m (4,219 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1908 to 1997, 90 years of record.
0 records set at Nelsdrift still stand.
Records are tracked for prcp: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Nelsdrift set a daily record precipitation of 26.0 mm (1.0 in) on 26 July 1997.

About the Station

Location: South Africa, -28.07 latitude, 26.47 longitude.
Elevation: 1,286 m (4,219 ft).
Period of record: 1908 to 1997, 90 years.
Eligible elements: prcp.

Daily Record Envelope and 2026

0 days at or beyond a record

The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Nelsdrift. 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 Nelsdrift, with 2026 drawn through them
Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Feb	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Mar	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
May	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jun	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Aug	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Sep	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oct	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nov	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dec	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Which Years Hold Standing Records

0 standing records

0 records at Nelsdrift still stand.

All-Time Record Progression

1 new records

1 all-time records were set at Nelsdrift between 22 September 1980 and 22 September 1980. Each dot is a new record.

Wettest Day of Each Month

Sep: 98.0 mm (3.9 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Nelsdrift. The most was 98.0 mm (3.9 in) on 22 September 1980.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Nelsdrift
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	76.2 mm (3.0 in)	21 January 1927
Feb	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	22 February 1920
Mar	91.7 mm (3.6 in)	25 March 1948
Apr	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	17 April 1931
May	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	16 May 1968
Jun	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	14 June 1948
Jul	37.0 mm (1.5 in)	24 July 1983
Aug	51.3 mm (2.0 in)	31 August 1943
Sep	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	22 September 1980
Oct	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	10 October 1984
Nov	86.1 mm (3.4 in)	8 November 1940
Dec	92.5 mm (3.6 in)	8 December 1957

Latest Records

Latest records at Nelsdrift
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
26 July 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	15.5 mm (0.6 in)	24 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
10 June 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	1.0 mm (0.04 in)	1.0 mm (0.04 in)	88 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
24 May 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	18.9 mm (0.7 in)	60 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
5 May 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	15.0 mm (0.6 in)	8.0 mm (0.31 in)	23 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
21 April 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	11.5 mm (0.5 in)	46 years	32 of 100 (Routine)
31 March 1997	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	76 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
4 October 1996	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	8.5 mm (0.33 in)	1.4 mm (0.06 in)	70 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
6 July 1996	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	15.0 mm (0.6 in)	10.9 mm (0.4 in)	58 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
15 April 1996	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	22.0 mm (0.9 in)	7.5 mm (0.30 in)	71 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
3 April 1996	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	0.3 mm (0.01 in)	62 years	26 of 100 (Routine)
2 March 1996	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	2.0 mm (0.08 in)	54 years	25 of 100 (Routine)
16 December 1995	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	1.2 mm (0.05 in)	42 years	21 of 100 (Routine)
15 October 1995	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	15.0 mm (0.6 in)	1.5 mm (0.06 in)	56 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
28 March 1995	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	43.0 mm (1.7 in)	6.0 mm (0.24 in)	10 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
29 December 1993	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	5.0 mm (0.20 in)	32 years	21 of 100 (Routine)
7 October 1993	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	9.0 mm (0.35 in)	22 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
18 November 1992	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	58.5 mm (2.3 in)	11.5 mm (0.5 in)	56 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
7 November 1992	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	12.5 mm (0.5 in)	18 years	23 of 100 (Routine)
27 August 1992	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	17.5 mm (0.7 in)	16.5 mm (0.6 in)	11 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
24 October 1991	Nelsdrift, ZA	daily rain	25.5 mm (1.0 in)	5.5 mm (0.22 in)	16 years	17 of 100 (Routine)

Extremes by Year

1908 to 1997

Yearly extremes at Nelsdrift: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Wettest day (Rx1day)	98.0 mm (3.9 in)	1980	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	89
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	151.5 mm (6.0 in)	1955	86.4 mm (3.4 in)	89
Longest dry spell (CDD)	190 days	1994	92 days	89

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Nelsdrift, 1908 to 1997. The record is 98.0 mm (3.9 in) in 1980, marked on the chart; the median year is 50.0 mm (2.0 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Nelsdrift by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1908	36.6 mm (1.4 in)
1909	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1910	43.2 mm (1.7 in)
1911	38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1912	45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1914	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1915	52.1 mm (2.1 in)
1916	50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1917	47.5 mm (1.9 in)
1918	49.0 mm (1.9 in)
1919	43.7 mm (1.7 in)
1920	96.5 mm (3.8 in)
1921	66.0 mm (2.6 in)
1922	42.4 mm (1.7 in)
1923	35.3 mm (1.4 in)
1924	49.8 mm (2.0 in)
1925	81.8 mm (3.2 in)
1926	22.4 mm (0.9 in)
1927	76.2 mm (3.0 in)
1928	35.8 mm (1.4 in)
1929	38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1930	41.1 mm (1.6 in)
1931	64.8 mm (2.6 in)
1932	38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1933	54.1 mm (2.1 in)
1934	47.0 mm (1.9 in)
1935	53.3 mm (2.1 in)
1936	57.7 mm (2.3 in)
1937	70.4 mm (2.8 in)
1938	75.2 mm (3.0 in)
1939	66.0 mm (2.6 in)
1940	86.1 mm (3.4 in)
1941	31.8 mm (1.3 in)
1942	61.5 mm (2.4 in)
1943	69.9 mm (2.8 in)
1944	55.1 mm (2.2 in)
1945	43.4 mm (1.7 in)
1946	55.9 mm (2.2 in)
1947	52.6 mm (2.1 in)
1948	91.7 mm (3.6 in)
1949	63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1950	47.5 mm (1.9 in)
1951	31.8 mm (1.3 in)
1952	64.0 mm (2.5 in)
1953	44.7 mm (1.8 in)
1954	63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1955	75.5 mm (3.0 in)
1956	44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1957	92.5 mm (3.6 in)
1958	43.5 mm (1.7 in)
1959	29.5 mm (1.2 in)
1960	46.5 mm (1.8 in)
1961	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1962	56.0 mm (2.2 in)
1963	33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1964	43.0 mm (1.7 in)
1965	58.0 mm (2.3 in)
1966	57.0 mm (2.2 in)
1967	75.0 mm (3.0 in)
1968	46.5 mm (1.8 in)
1969	39.0 mm (1.5 in)
1970	60.0 mm (2.4 in)
1971	25.0 mm (1.0 in)
1972	30.0 mm (1.2 in)
1973	50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1974	44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1975	44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1976	62.0 mm (2.4 in)
1977	44.0 mm (1.7 in)
1978	43.0 mm (1.7 in)
1979	50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1980	98.0 mm (3.9 in)
1981	42.5 mm (1.7 in)
1982	55.0 mm (2.2 in)
1983	45.0 mm (1.8 in)
1984	70.0 mm (2.8 in)
1985	69.0 mm (2.7 in)
1986	68.5 mm (2.7 in)
1987	37.5 mm (1.5 in)
1988	75.0 mm (3.0 in)
1989	57.5 mm (2.3 in)
1990	47.0 mm (1.9 in)
1991	42.5 mm (1.7 in)
1992	58.5 mm (2.3 in)
1993	29.0 mm (1.1 in)
1994	27.5 mm (1.1 in)
1995	43.0 mm (1.7 in)
1996	63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1997	44.0 mm (1.7 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Nelsdrift, 1908 to 1997. The record is 151.5 mm (6.0 in) in 1955, marked on the chart; the median year is 86.4 mm (3.4 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Nelsdrift by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1908	36.6 mm (1.4 in)
1909	138.6 mm (5.5 in)
1910	81.8 mm (3.2 in)
1911	50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1912	119.6 mm (4.7 in)
1914	73.7 mm (2.9 in)
1915	78.3 mm (3.1 in)
1916	67.2 mm (2.6 in)
1917	97.8 mm (3.9 in)
1918	53.6 mm (2.1 in)
1919	48.5 mm (1.9 in)
1920	96.5 mm (3.8 in)
1921	84.3 mm (3.3 in)
1922	78.8 mm (3.1 in)
1923	42.2 mm (1.7 in)
1924	89.0 mm (3.5 in)
1925	94.0 mm (3.7 in)
1926	32.0 mm (1.3 in)
1927	91.4 mm (3.6 in)
1928	54.6 mm (2.1 in)
1929	50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1930	62.3 mm (2.5 in)
1931	146.1 mm (5.8 in)
1932	67.3 mm (2.6 in)
1933	96.5 mm (3.8 in)
1934	96.6 mm (3.8 in)
1935	61.4 mm (2.4 in)
1936	130.3 mm (5.1 in)
1937	115.6 mm (4.6 in)
1938	90.7 mm (3.6 in)
1939	73.3 mm (2.9 in)
1940	139.4 mm (5.5 in)
1941	75.0 mm (3.0 in)
1942	86.4 mm (3.4 in)
1943	87.0 mm (3.4 in)
1944	111.6 mm (4.4 in)
1945	96.8 mm (3.8 in)
1946	84.1 mm (3.3 in)
1947	71.0 mm (2.8 in)
1948	91.7 mm (3.6 in)
1949	100.3 mm (3.9 in)
1950	81.2 mm (3.2 in)
1951	31.8 mm (1.3 in)
1952	90.9 mm (3.6 in)
1953	98.0 mm (3.9 in)
1954	122.0 mm (4.8 in)
1955	151.5 mm (6.0 in)
1956	94.5 mm (3.7 in)
1957	107.5 mm (4.2 in)
1958	96.5 mm (3.8 in)
1959	56.5 mm (2.2 in)
1960	89.5 mm (3.5 in)
1961	112.5 mm (4.4 in)
1962	56.0 mm (2.2 in)
1963	55.0 mm (2.2 in)
1964	90.5 mm (3.6 in)
1965	77.5 mm (3.1 in)
1966	126.0 mm (5.0 in)
1967	115.5 mm (4.5 in)
1968	54.0 mm (2.1 in)
1969	81.5 mm (3.2 in)
1970	88.0 mm (3.5 in)
1971	33.5 mm (1.3 in)
1972	72.5 mm (2.9 in)
1973	90.0 mm (3.5 in)
1974	86.5 mm (3.4 in)
1975	85.0 mm (3.3 in)
1976	102.0 mm (4.0 in)
1977	58.0 mm (2.3 in)
1978	64.5 mm (2.5 in)
1979	88.0 mm (3.5 in)
1980	127.5 mm (5.0 in)
1981	94.0 mm (3.7 in)
1982	88.0 mm (3.5 in)
1983	45.0 mm (1.8 in)
1984	75.5 mm (3.0 in)
1985	101.0 mm (4.0 in)
1986	89.5 mm (3.5 in)
1987	63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1988	133.0 mm (5.2 in)
1989	88.5 mm (3.5 in)
1990	56.0 mm (2.2 in)
1991	80.0 mm (3.1 in)
1992	71.5 mm (2.8 in)
1993	72.5 mm (2.9 in)
1994	50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1995	96.0 mm (3.8 in)
1996	75.0 mm (3.0 in)
1997	72.5 mm (2.9 in)

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Nelsdrift, 1908 to 1997. The record is 190 days in 1994, marked on the chart; the median year is 92 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Nelsdrift by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1908	51 days
1909	67 days
1910	128 days
1911	83 days
1912	68 days
1914	186 days
1915	92 days
1916	157 days
1917	40 days
1918	88 days
1919	98 days
1920	110 days
1921	94 days
1922	115 days
1923	69 days
1924	81 days
1925	103 days
1926	155 days
1927	110 days
1928	156 days
1929	46 days
1930	174 days
1931	100 days
1932	181 days
1933	151 days
1934	57 days
1935	121 days
1936	140 days
1937	69 days
1938	39 days
1939	26 days
1940	73 days
1941	150 days
1942	92 days
1943	38 days
1944	94 days
1945	121 days
1946	129 days
1947	126 days
1948	117 days
1949	51 days
1950	55 days
1951	53 days
1952	93 days
1953	87 days
1954	105 days
1955	63 days
1956	112 days
1957	32 days
1958	100 days
1959	78 days
1960	53 days
1961	65 days
1962	124 days
1963	39 days
1964	66 days
1965	62 days
1966	103 days
1967	150 days
1968	97 days
1969	58 days
1970	40 days
1971	119 days
1972	120 days
1973	106 days
1974	104 days
1975	42 days
1976	57 days
1977	100 days
1978	143 days
1979	39 days
1980	96 days
1981	77 days
1982	37 days
1983	73 days
1984	79 days
1985	94 days
1986	85 days
1987	58 days
1988	60 days
1989	105 days
1990	72 days
1991	85 days
1992	132 days
1993	88 days
1994	190 days
1995	101 days
1996	50 days
1997	45 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.

Rainfall Return Levels

85 years, 1909 to 1997

A day with at least 51.2 mm (2.0 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 99.1 mm (3.9 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Nelsdrift: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	51.2 mm (2.0 in)
5 years	65.4 mm (2.6 in)
10 years	74.3 mm (2.9 in)
25 years	84.8 mm (3.3 in)
50 years	92.1 mm (3.6 in)
100 years	99.1 mm (3.9 in)	Longer than the 85 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, 85 years of values from 1909 to 1997.

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: 98.0 mm (3.9 in) in 1980; 92.5 mm (3.6 in) in 1957; 91.7 mm (3.6 in) in 1948.

Download the Data

Data for Nelsdrift standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Nelsdrift 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 2026-10-13 (13 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2025-12-31. Last revised 31 December 2025 (2025-12-31).

Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Feb	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Mar	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
May	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jun	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Aug	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Sep	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oct	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nov	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dec	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Feb	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Mar	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Apr	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
May	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jun	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Jul	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Aug	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Sep	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Oct	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Nov	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Dec	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a