Surprise Store Weather Records (SF003374310)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Surprise Store (SF003374310), South Africa, with 65 years of record.

Key Facts for Surprise Store

Surprise Store (SF003374310) is a weather station in South Africa at -28.18 latitude and 31.25 longitude, 1,032 m (3,386 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1933 to 1997, 65 years of record.
0 records set at Surprise Store still stand.
Records are tracked for prcp: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Surprise Store set a daily record precipitation of 66.0 mm (2.6 in) on 29 November 1997.

About the Station

Location: South Africa, -28.18 latitude, 31.25 longitude.
Elevation: 1,032 m (3,386 ft).
Period of record: 1933 to 1997, 65 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 Surprise Store. 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 Surprise Store, 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 Surprise Store still stand.

All-Time Record Progression

1 new records

1 all-time records were set at Surprise Store between 30 January 1984 and 30 January 1984. Each dot is a new record.

Wettest Day of Each Month

Jan: 425.5 mm (16.8 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Surprise Store. The most was 425.5 mm (16.8 in) on 30 January 1984.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Surprise Store
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	425.5 mm (16.8 in)	30 January 1984
Feb	149.0 mm (5.9 in)	11 February 1996
Mar	146.1 mm (5.8 in)	1 March 1947
Apr	59.4 mm (2.3 in)	30 April 1949
May	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	23 May 1936
Jun	71.5 mm (2.8 in)	5 June 1981
Jul	147.0 mm (5.8 in)	3 July 1963
Aug	53.8 mm (2.1 in)	21 August 1951
Sep	85.5 mm (3.4 in)	28 September 1987
Oct	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	22 October 1996
Nov	110.5 mm (4.4 in)	30 November 1938
Dec	83.1 mm (3.3 in)	2 December 1947

Latest Records

Latest records at Surprise Store
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
29 November 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	23 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
28 November 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	43.5 mm (1.7 in)	2.9 mm (0.11 in)	55 years	24 of 100 (Routine)
27 November 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	69.0 mm (2.7 in)	19.5 mm (0.8 in)	16 years	26 of 100 (Routine)
11 November 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	5.3 mm (0.21 in)	60 years	28 of 100 (Routine)
15 October 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	16.3 mm (0.6 in)	56 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
9 October 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	14.0 mm (0.6 in)	26 years	24 of 100 (Routine)
10 September 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	1.0 mm (0.04 in)	16 years	10 of 100 (Routine)
9 September 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	38.5 mm (1.5 in)	1.5 mm (0.06 in)	16 years	11 of 100 (Routine)
5 August 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain (Tie)	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	tie	24 years	3 of 100 (Routine)
27 July 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	5.0 mm (0.20 in)	4.0 mm (0.16 in)	60 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
29 June 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	52.0 mm (2.0 in)	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	8 years	38 of 100 (Notable)
11 June 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	5.0 mm (0.20 in)	34 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
10 June 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	46 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
10 May 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	13.5 mm (0.5 in)	0.1 mm (0.00 in)	28 years	14 of 100 (Routine)
2 April 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	57.0 mm (2.2 in)	12.0 mm (0.5 in)	20 years	22 of 100 (Routine)
5 March 1997	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	60.5 mm (2.4 in)	27.5 mm (1.1 in)	20 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
1 December 1996	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	9.0 mm (0.35 in)	15 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
16 November 1996	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain	44.0 mm (1.7 in)	9.0 mm (0.35 in)	29 years	21 of 100 (Routine)
22 October 1996	Surprise Store, ZA	monthly rain	99.0 mm (3.9 in)	31.0 mm (1.2 in)	31 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
4 August 1996	Surprise Store, ZA	daily rain (Tie)	10.0 mm (0.4 in)	tie	18 years	2 of 100 (Routine)

Extremes by Year

1933 to 1997

Yearly extremes at Surprise Store: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Wettest day (Rx1day)	425.5 mm (16.8 in)	1984	62.5 mm (2.5 in)	61
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	734.5 mm (28.9 in)	1984	109.5 mm (4.3 in)	61
Longest dry spell (CDD)	161 days	1946	57 days	61

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Surprise Store, 1933 to 1997. The record is 425.5 mm (16.8 in) in 1984, marked on the chart; the median year is 62.5 mm (2.5 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Surprise Store by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1933	41.9 mm (1.6 in)
1934	69.6 mm (2.7 in)
1935	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1936	75.2 mm (3.0 in)
1937	75.2 mm (3.0 in)
1938	110.5 mm (4.4 in)
1939	63.8 mm (2.5 in)
1940	53.3 mm (2.1 in)
1941	50.3 mm (2.0 in)
1942	58.9 mm (2.3 in)
1943	67.3 mm (2.6 in)
1944	49.8 mm (2.0 in)
1945	72.9 mm (2.9 in)
1946	85.1 mm (3.4 in)
1947	146.1 mm (5.8 in)
1948	54.9 mm (2.2 in)
1949	59.4 mm (2.3 in)
1950	54.4 mm (2.1 in)
1951	53.8 mm (2.1 in)
1952	39.1 mm (1.5 in)
1953	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1954	48.0 mm (1.9 in)
1955	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1960	45.0 mm (1.8 in)
1961	53.0 mm (2.1 in)
1962	79.0 mm (3.1 in)
1963	147.0 mm (5.8 in)
1964	68.0 mm (2.7 in)
1965	136.5 mm (5.4 in)
1966	60.0 mm (2.4 in)
1967	47.2 mm (1.9 in)
1968	56.5 mm (2.2 in)
1969	60.5 mm (2.4 in)
1970	60.3 mm (2.4 in)
1971	50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1972	81.5 mm (3.2 in)
1973	82.5 mm (3.2 in)
1974	62.5 mm (2.5 in)
1975	73.0 mm (2.9 in)
1976	90.0 mm (3.5 in)
1977	86.5 mm (3.4 in)
1978	95.5 mm (3.8 in)
1979	47.5 mm (1.9 in)
1980	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1981	71.5 mm (2.8 in)
1982	53.5 mm (2.1 in)
1983	48.0 mm (1.9 in)
1984	425.5 mm (16.8 in)
1985	82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1986	93.0 mm (3.7 in)
1987	85.5 mm (3.4 in)
1988	49.0 mm (1.9 in)
1989	73.0 mm (2.9 in)
1990	51.0 mm (2.0 in)
1991	82.0 mm (3.2 in)
1992	73.0 mm (2.9 in)
1993	0.0 mm (0.00 in)
1994	38.2 mm (1.5 in)
1995	80.0 mm (3.1 in)
1996	149.0 mm (5.9 in)
1997	69.0 mm (2.7 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Surprise Store, 1933 to 1997. The record is 734.5 mm (28.9 in) in 1984, marked on the chart; the median year is 109.5 mm (4.3 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Surprise Store by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1933	67.8 mm (2.7 in)
1934	78.5 mm (3.1 in)
1935	68.6 mm (2.7 in)
1936	111.0 mm (4.4 in)
1937	128.2 mm (5.0 in)
1938	144.6 mm (5.7 in)
1939	111.7 mm (4.4 in)
1940	108.2 mm (4.3 in)
1941	54.4 mm (2.1 in)
1942	93.9 mm (3.7 in)
1943	108.3 mm (4.3 in)
1944	108.5 mm (4.3 in)
1945	171.5 mm (6.8 in)
1946	114.6 mm (4.5 in)
1947	236.5 mm (9.3 in)
1948	89.6 mm (3.5 in)
1949	101.3 mm (4.0 in)
1950	69.8 mm (2.7 in)
1951	109.2 mm (4.3 in)
1952	90.5 mm (3.6 in)
1953	72.7 mm (2.9 in)
1954	84.4 mm (3.3 in)
1955	98.0 mm (3.9 in)
1960	92.6 mm (3.6 in)
1961	79.9 mm (3.1 in)
1962	121.3 mm (4.8 in)
1963	219.0 mm (8.6 in)
1964	134.9 mm (5.3 in)
1965	139.0 mm (5.5 in)
1966	92.7 mm (3.6 in)
1967	112.4 mm (4.4 in)
1968	145.0 mm (5.7 in)
1969	112.2 mm (4.4 in)
1970	119.7 mm (4.7 in)
1971	79.5 mm (3.1 in)
1972	233.0 mm (9.2 in)
1973	150.0 mm (5.9 in)
1974	116.0 mm (4.6 in)
1975	144.0 mm (5.7 in)
1976	119.0 mm (4.7 in)
1977	149.0 mm (5.9 in)
1978	151.0 mm (5.9 in)
1979	84.5 mm (3.3 in)
1980	70.5 mm (2.8 in)
1981	86.5 mm (3.4 in)
1982	78.0 mm (3.1 in)
1983	87.0 mm (3.4 in)
1984	734.5 mm (28.9 in)
1985	181.0 mm (7.1 in)
1986	126.5 mm (5.0 in)
1987	218.0 mm (8.6 in)
1988	109.5 mm (4.3 in)
1989	124.0 mm (4.9 in)
1990	105.5 mm (4.2 in)
1991	94.2 mm (3.7 in)
1992	102.5 mm (4.0 in)
1993	0.0 mm (0.00 in)
1994	76.0 mm (3.0 in)
1995	171.0 mm (6.7 in)
1996	234.5 mm (9.2 in)
1997	217.5 mm (8.6 in)

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Surprise Store, 1933 to 1997. The record is 161 days in 1946, marked on the chart; the median year is 57 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Surprise Store by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1933	44 days
1934	52 days
1935	44 days
1936	46 days
1937	66 days
1938	38 days
1939	31 days
1940	23 days
1941	61 days
1942	48 days
1943	47 days
1944	90 days
1945	136 days
1946	161 days
1947	80 days
1948	136 days
1949	65 days
1950	92 days
1951	70 days
1952	79 days
1953	35 days
1954	67 days
1955	91 days
1960	70 days
1961	43 days
1962	56 days
1963	58 days
1964	34 days
1965	39 days
1966	43 days
1967	33 days
1968	35 days
1969	36 days
1970	40 days
1971	91 days
1972	51 days
1973	53 days
1974	95 days
1975	142 days
1976	87 days
1977	108 days
1978	33 days
1979	44 days
1980	76 days
1981	66 days
1982	125 days
1983	63 days
1984	63 days
1985	129 days
1986	130 days
1987	39 days
1988	37 days
1989	42 days
1990	57 days
1991	51 days
1992	95 days
1993	30 days
1994	83 days
1995	90 days
1996	40 days
1997	26 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

56 years, 1934 to 1997

A day with at least 63.4 mm (2.5 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 280.4 mm (11.0 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Surprise Store: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	63.4 mm (2.5 in)
5 years	89.2 mm (3.5 in)
10 years	114.9 mm (4.5 in)
25 years	162.2 mm (6.4 in)
50 years	212.5 mm (8.4 in)
100 years	280.4 mm (11.0 in)	Longer than the 56 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, 56 years of values from 1934 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: 425.5 mm (16.8 in) in 1984; 149.0 mm (5.9 in) in 1996; 147.0 mm (5.8 in) in 1963.

Download the Data

Data for Surprise Store standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Surprise Store 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 2026-10-14 (14 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