Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Spruce Knob (USC00468433), West Virginia, United States, with 38 years of record.
Key Facts for Spruce Knob
Spruce Knob (USC00468433) is a weather station in West Virginia, United States at 38.68 latitude and -79.52 longitude, 930 m (3,051 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1951 to 1988, 38 years of record.
1,464 records set at Spruce Knob still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Spruce Knob set a daily record low maximum temperature of 3.9 C (39.0 F) on 23 October 1988.
About the Station
Location: West Virginia, United States, 38.68 latitude, -79.52 longitude.
Elevation: 930 m (3,051 ft).
Period of record: 1951 to 1988, 38 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd.
Daily Record Envelope and 2026
0 days at or beyond a record
Record highRecord low2026 daily maximum2026 daily minimum
The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Spruce Knob. 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 Spruce Knob, with 2026 drawn through them
Month
Highest record high
Lowest record low
2026 highest maximum
2026 lowest minimum
Jan
19.4 C (66.9 F)
-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Feb
21.1 C (70.0 F)
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Mar
25.6 C (78.1 F)
-21.7 C (-7.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Apr
28.9 C (84.0 F)
-13.9 C (7.0 F)
n/a
n/a
May
30.0 C (86.0 F)
-7.8 C (18.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Jun
35.0 C (95.0 F)
-2.8 C (27.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Jul
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1.7 C (35.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Aug
33.9 C (93.0 F)
1.1 C (34.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Sep
32.2 C (90.0 F)
-4.4 C (24.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Oct
32.2 C (90.0 F)
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Nov
25.6 C (78.1 F)
-21.1 C (-6.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Dec
21.7 C (71.1 F)
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Which Years Hold Standing Records
1,464 standing records
Year with most
1,464 records at Spruce Knob still stand. 1976 holds the most, with 72.
Standing records at Spruce Knob by the year they were set
Year set
Standing records
1951
30
1952
39
1953
45
1954
51
1955
48
1956
44
1957
39
1958
26
1959
42
1960
47
1961
36
1962
45
1963
51
1964
33
1965
43
1966
29
1967
51
1968
49
1969
21
1970
37
1971
27
1972
30
1973
28
1974
37
1975
32
1976
72
1977
54
1978
19
1979
45
1980
31
1981
22
1982
29
1983
26
1984
44
1985
39
1986
43
1987
29
1988
51
All-Time Record Progression
3 new records
3 all-time records were set at Spruce Knob between 21 January 1985 and 17 July 1988. Each dot is a new record.
When Spruce Knob set new all-time records
Date
Kind
Detail
1985-01-21
Record low minimum temperature
Record low minimum temperature -31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1985-11-05
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 187.2 mm (7.4 in)
1988-07-17
Record high maximum temperature
Record high maximum temperature 36.1 C (97.0 F)
Wettest Day of Each Month
Nov: 187.2 mm (7.4 in)
The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Spruce Knob. The most was 187.2 mm (7.4 in) on 5 November 1985.
Record daily precipitation for each month at Spruce Knob
Month
Record daily precipitation (mm)
Date
Jan
44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1 January 1971
Feb
36.8 mm (1.4 in)
1 February 1951
Mar
57.4 mm (2.3 in)
1 March 1954
Apr
50.0 mm (2.0 in)
16 April 1987
May
63.8 mm (2.5 in)
28 May 1955
Jun
61.7 mm (2.4 in)
2 June 1974
Jul
83.6 mm (3.3 in)
24 July 1979
Aug
88.9 mm (3.5 in)
18 August 1955
Sep
73.2 mm (2.9 in)
11 September 1960
Oct
128.0 mm (5.0 in)
6 October 1972
Nov
187.2 mm (7.4 in)
5 November 1985
Dec
63.5 mm (2.5 in)
11 December 1952
Period of Record Coverage
1951 to 1988
Complete yearUnder 90 percent of days
38 years of record at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. 2 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1951, 1988.
Cooler than the station meanWarmer than the station mean
One stripe for each of 30 complete years at Spruce Knob, 1952 to 1987. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 8.6 C (47.5 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1976, at 6.4 C (43.5 F), and the warmest was 1973, at 9.8 C (49.7 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 2.3 C (4.1 F).
Annual mean temperature at Spruce Knob as warming stripes, 1952 to 1987
Year
Annual mean temperature
Difference from the station mean
1952
9.2 C
+0.54 C
1954
9.5 C
+0.93 C
1955
7.8 C
-0.82 C
1956
8.3 C
-0.32 C
1957
9.5 C
+0.88 C
1958
7.7 C
-0.90 C
1959
9.1 C
+0.50 C
1960
7.2 C
-1.41 C
1961
8.2 C
-0.39 C
1962
8.7 C
+0.08 C
1963
7.9 C
-0.72 C
1964
9.2 C
+0.63 C
1965
9.3 C
+0.64 C
1966
8.4 C
-0.24 C
1967
8.5 C
-0.10 C
1968
8.5 C
-0.09 C
1969
8.3 C
-0.36 C
1970
9.3 C
+0.65 C
1971
9.1 C
+0.53 C
1972
8.6 C
+0.03 C
1973
9.8 C
+1.22 C
1975
9.0 C
+0.35 C
1976
6.4 C
-2.21 C
1978
8.2 C
-0.45 C
1981
8.1 C
-0.54 C
1983
8.0 C
-0.64 C
1984
8.8 C
+0.18 C
1985
9.1 C
+0.50 C
1986
9.5 C
+0.86 C
1987
9.3 C
+0.66 C
The fitted trend in annual mean temperature here over 1952 to 1987 is 0.04 C (-0.24 to 0.32) per decade. The interval includes zero, so the trend is not clearly different from zero. In Fahrenheit: 0.1 F (-0.4 to 0.6) per decade. The slope is a straight line fitted to 30 complete years; the brackets give its 95 percent interval.
Fitted temperature trends per decade at Spruce Knob
Measure
Per decade (C)
Per decade (F)
Period
Complete years
Reading
Annual mean temperature
0.04 C (-0.24 to 0.32) per decade
0.1 F (-0.4 to 0.6) per decade
1952 to 1987
30
Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily maximum
-0.1 C (-0.4 to 0.1) per decade
-0.3 F (-0.7 to 0.2) per decade
1952 to 1987
30
Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily minimum
0.2 C (-0.2 to 0.6) per decade
0.4 F (-0.3 to 1.1) per decade
1952 to 1987
30
Not clearly different from zero
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
1951 to 1988
Yearly extremes at Spruce Knob: the record and the median year
Measure
Record
Year of the record
Median year
Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1988
30.0 C (86.0 F)
38
Coldest night (TNn)
-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1985
-23.0 C (-9.5 F)
38
Wettest day (Rx1day)
187.2 mm (7.4 in)
1985
54.9 mm (2.2 in)
38
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
267.2 mm (10.5 in)
1985
83.8 mm (3.3 in)
38
Longest dry spell (CDD)
28 days
1963
15 days
38
Hottest day (TXx)
The hottest day of the year at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. The record is 36.1 C (97.0 F) in 1988, marked on the chart; the median year is 30.0 C (86.0 F).
Hottest day (TXx) at Spruce Knob by year
Year
Hottest day (TXx)
1951
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1952
32.2 C (90.0 F)
1953
33.9 C (93.0 F)
1954
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1955
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1956
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1957
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1958
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1959
32.2 C (90.0 F)
1960
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1961
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1962
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1963
28.3 C (82.9 F)
1964
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1965
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1966
31.7 C (89.1 F)
1967
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1968
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1969
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1970
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1971
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1972
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1973
31.7 C (89.1 F)
1974
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1975
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1976
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1977
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1978
30.0 C (86.0 F)
1979
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1980
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1981
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1982
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1983
31.1 C (88.0 F)
1984
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1985
29.4 C (84.9 F)
1986
28.9 C (84.0 F)
1987
31.7 C (89.1 F)
1988
36.1 C (97.0 F)
Coldest night (TNn)
The coldest night of the year at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. The record is -31.7 C (-25.1 F) in 1985, marked on the chart; the median year is -23.0 C (-9.5 F).
Coldest night (TNn) at Spruce Knob by year
Year
Coldest night (TNn)
1951
-22.8 C (-9.0 F)
1952
-18.3 C (-0.9 F)
1953
-17.8 C (0.0 F)
1954
-20.0 C (-4.0 F)
1955
-25.0 C (-13.0 F)
1956
-20.6 C (-5.1 F)
1957
-20.6 C (-5.1 F)
1958
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
1959
-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1960
-21.7 C (-7.1 F)
1961
-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1962
-24.4 C (-11.9 F)
1963
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1964
-20.0 C (-4.0 F)
1965
-18.3 C (-0.9 F)
1966
-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1967
-23.9 C (-11.0 F)
1968
-22.2 C (-8.0 F)
1969
-22.8 C (-9.0 F)
1970
-23.9 C (-11.0 F)
1971
-23.3 C (-9.9 F)
1972
-27.8 C (-18.0 F)
1973
-20.0 C (-4.0 F)
1974
-15.0 C (5.0 F)
1975
-20.6 C (-5.1 F)
1976
-25.0 C (-13.0 F)
1977
-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1978
-21.7 C (-7.1 F)
1979
-25.0 C (-13.0 F)
1980
-22.2 C (-8.0 F)
1981
-22.8 C (-9.0 F)
1982
-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1983
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1984
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
1985
-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1986
-23.9 C (-11.0 F)
1987
-19.4 C (-2.9 F)
1988
-21.7 C (-7.1 F)
Wettest day (Rx1day)
The wettest day of the year at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. The record is 187.2 mm (7.4 in) in 1985, marked on the chart; the median year is 54.9 mm (2.2 in).
Wettest day (Rx1day) at Spruce Knob by year
Year
Wettest day (Rx1day)
1951
54.4 mm (2.1 in)
1952
63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1953
31.5 mm (1.2 in)
1954
85.1 mm (3.4 in)
1955
88.9 mm (3.5 in)
1956
62.5 mm (2.5 in)
1957
51.1 mm (2.0 in)
1958
30.2 mm (1.2 in)
1959
49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1960
73.2 mm (2.9 in)
1961
72.4 mm (2.9 in)
1962
54.6 mm (2.1 in)
1963
55.4 mm (2.2 in)
1964
43.7 mm (1.7 in)
1965
27.7 mm (1.1 in)
1966
67.3 mm (2.6 in)
1967
48.0 mm (1.9 in)
1968
35.1 mm (1.4 in)
1969
45.5 mm (1.8 in)
1970
50.3 mm (2.0 in)
1971
50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1972
128.0 mm (5.0 in)
1973
44.7 mm (1.8 in)
1974
61.7 mm (2.4 in)
1975
80.0 mm (3.1 in)
1976
63.2 mm (2.5 in)
1977
43.2 mm (1.7 in)
1978
63.5 mm (2.5 in)
1979
83.6 mm (3.3 in)
1980
57.7 mm (2.3 in)
1981
55.1 mm (2.2 in)
1982
42.9 mm (1.7 in)
1983
39.9 mm (1.6 in)
1984
61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1985
187.2 mm (7.4 in)
1986
52.3 mm (2.1 in)
1987
58.9 mm (2.3 in)
1988
33.3 mm (1.3 in)
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
The wettest five days of the year at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. The record is 267.2 mm (10.5 in) in 1985, marked on the chart; the median year is 83.8 mm (3.3 in).
Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Spruce Knob by year
Year
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1951
100.3 mm (3.9 in)
1952
83.0 mm (3.3 in)
1953
47.8 mm (1.9 in)
1954
94.2 mm (3.7 in)
1955
114.3 mm (4.5 in)
1956
79.0 mm (3.1 in)
1957
76.0 mm (3.0 in)
1958
52.4 mm (2.1 in)
1959
80.5 mm (3.2 in)
1960
93.0 mm (3.7 in)
1961
76.2 mm (3.0 in)
1962
71.5 mm (2.8 in)
1963
84.7 mm (3.3 in)
1964
83.3 mm (3.3 in)
1965
45.2 mm (1.8 in)
1966
90.1 mm (3.5 in)
1967
83.8 mm (3.3 in)
1968
70.1 mm (2.8 in)
1969
77.3 mm (3.0 in)
1970
69.9 mm (2.8 in)
1971
109.4 mm (4.3 in)
1972
151.1 mm (5.9 in)
1973
82.1 mm (3.2 in)
1974
83.3 mm (3.3 in)
1975
95.5 mm (3.8 in)
1976
117.3 mm (4.6 in)
1977
64.3 mm (2.5 in)
1978
87.7 mm (3.5 in)
1979
105.2 mm (4.1 in)
1980
95.0 mm (3.7 in)
1981
79.0 mm (3.1 in)
1982
88.9 mm (3.5 in)
1983
89.2 mm (3.5 in)
1984
110.5 mm (4.4 in)
1985
267.2 mm (10.5 in)
1986
83.8 mm (3.3 in)
1987
106.2 mm (4.2 in)
1988
52.7 mm (2.1 in)
Longest dry spell (CDD)
The longest dry spell of the year at Spruce Knob, 1951 to 1988. The record is 28 days in 1963, marked on the chart; the median year is 15 days.
Longest dry spell (CDD) at Spruce Knob by year
Year
Longest dry spell (CDD)
1951
15 days
1952
17 days
1953
25 days
1954
14 days
1955
21 days
1956
14 days
1957
15 days
1958
16 days
1959
21 days
1960
19 days
1961
10 days
1962
12 days
1963
28 days
1964
25 days
1965
16 days
1966
12 days
1967
22 days
1968
20 days
1969
13 days
1970
11 days
1971
20 days
1972
12 days
1973
14 days
1974
18 days
1975
12 days
1976
12 days
1977
11 days
1978
13 days
1979
10 days
1980
11 days
1981
14 days
1982
21 days
1983
16 days
1984
11 days
1985
26 days
1986
11 days
1987
19 days
1988
28 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
30 years with a frost
Across 30 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Spruce Knob falls on 7 May and the median first autumn frost on 5 October, which leaves a median of 151 days between them.
Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by +3.0 days per decade at this station.
Frost dates and growing season at Spruce Knob
Measure
Median, all years
Earliest period
Recent period (1952 to 1987)
Recent against earliest
Fitted trend
Last spring frost
7 May
n/a
7 May
n/a
-0.8 days per decade
First autumn frost
5 October
n/a
5 October
n/a
+2.2 days per decade
Growing days
151 days
n/a
151 days
n/a
+3.0 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
37 years, 1951 to 1987
A day with at least 54.0 mm (2.1 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 169.1 mm (6.7 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.
Rainfall return levels at Spruce Knob: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in
A day with at least
Note
2 years
54.0 mm (2.1 in)
5 years
74.5 mm (2.9 in)
10 years
91.5 mm (3.6 in)
25 years
117.7 mm (4.6 in)
50 years
141.4 mm (5.6 in)
Longer than the 37 years of record
100 years
169.1 mm (6.7 in)
Longer than the 37 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, 37 years of values from 1951 to 1987.
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: 187.2 mm (7.4 in) in 1985; 128.0 mm (5.0 in) in 1972; 88.9 mm (3.5 in) in 1955.
Download the Data
Data for Spruce Knob standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Spruce Knob 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.