Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019

Name: Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019
Start: 2018-12-24
End: 2019-01-03
Location: United States

Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019: 1,116 records at 1,023 stations, peak on 27 December 2018. Closed.

Data as of 2026-10-17. Last revised 17 October 2026 (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 set or tied 1,116 station records at 1,023 stations.
It ran from 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 (11 days) and its peak day was 27 December 2018.
Status: closed.
Waynesboro 2 W set an all-time record daily precipitation of 323.9 mm (12.8 in) on 28 December 2018.
The busiest day was 27 December 2018 with 575 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 125 years.

Footprint

24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019

The area covered by Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 is outlined, with 20 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Waynesboro 2 W	Record daily precipitation	323.9 mm (12.8 in)	2018-12-28
Hattiesburg 5SW	Record daily precipitation	220.0 mm (8.7 in)	2018-12-28
Lawton	Record daily precipitation	113.0 mm (4.4 in)	2018-12-27
Plainville 4WNW	Record daily precipitation	47.8 mm (1.9 in)	2018-12-27
Beaver City	Record daily precipitation	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	2018-12-27
Weatherford	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	2018-12-27
Iowa Falls	Record daily precipitation	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	2018-12-27
Goodwell Rsch STN	Record daily precipitation	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	2018-12-26
Crete 4ESE	Record daily precipitation	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	2018-12-27
Columbia	Record daily precipitation	224.8 mm (8.9 in)	2018-12-28
Hugoton	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	2018-12-26
Columbus 3 NE	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	2018-12-26
Burr Oak 4S	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	2018-12-27
Healy	Record daily precipitation	56.1 mm (2.2 in)	2018-12-27
Ness City	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	2018-12-27
Quinter	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	2018-12-27
David City 4E	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	2018-12-27
Seward	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	2018-12-27
Waynoka	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	2018-12-27
Bosque del Apache	Record daily precipitation	101.6 mm (4.0 in)	2018-12-28

Records per Day

Peak day 575

Records set or tied each day from 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019. The most in one day was 575 on 27 December 2018.

Records per day during Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019
Date	Records
2018-12-24	1
2018-12-25	5
2018-12-26	142
2018-12-27	575
2018-12-28	259
2018-12-29	28
2018-12-30	22
2018-12-31	43
2019-01-01	31
2019-01-02	9
2019-01-03	1

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 ranked by margin
Waynesboro 2 W, 12-28	94.3 mm (3.7 in)
Columbia, 12-28	90.9 mm (3.6 in)
Hattiesburg 5SW, 12-28	84.6 mm (3.3 in)
Bosque del Apache, 12-28	68.3 mm (2.7 in)
Hugoton, 12-26	63.0 mm (2.5 in)
Healy, 12-27	47.7 mm (1.9 in)
Quinter, 12-27	46.0 mm (1.8 in)
Lawton, 12-27	42.6 mm (1.7 in)
Goodwell Rsch STN, 12-26	39.9 mm (1.6 in)
Plainville 4WNW, 12-27	35.1 mm (1.4 in)
Waynoka, 12-27	34.3 mm (1.4 in)
Burr Oak 4S, 12-27	33.6 mm (1.3 in)
Ness City, 12-27	32.5 mm (1.3 in)
Columbus 3 NE, 12-26	29.0 mm (1.1 in)
Weatherford, 12-27	28.0 mm (1.1 in)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

500 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.

Margin against age of the broken record in Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019
Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
94	90
85	77
43	86
35	108
27	117
28	86
21	107
91	45
24	108
40	79
34	76
48	76
63	76
33	76
46	76
29	76
28	76
27	76
34	75
68	31
28	59
15	107
32	59
28	76
28	59
20	59
24	73
25	64
30	52
31	52
46	51
27	76
34	52
5	100
32	77
56	76
31	76
23	59
17	48
12	77
15	72
35	44
21	69
40	85
29	52
27	52
31	52
40	52
17	76
8	100
31	52
10	59
16	59
40	77
17	113
19	113
25	52
50	76
24	59
34	59
19	79
28	44
31	36
48	36
24	52
33	52
35	39
19	76
7	105
57	76
17	44
27	52
29	31
32	59
30	31
38	31
6	121
31	31
28	31
5	81
56	51
24	29
28	29
25	49
12	101
23	52
18	76
15	79
11	123
34	44
27	52
23	76
26	31
7	101
10	113
24	59
35	36
23	31
21	48
22	31
38	81
12	44
16	76
5	95
20	59
17	59
27	31
21	28
10	108
16	79
38	17
33	96
51	28
8	59
10	72
52	35
21	36
9	113
11	113
12	101
26	59
2	125
15	79
22	52
37	92
12	48
15	79
14	72
83	35
6	113
50	45
21	31
21	68
22	44
23	59
32	91
17	29
20	48
27	31
2	105
18	36
6	117
36	36
15	91
19	51
18	36
25	36
58	35
15	52
21	60
10	116
4	101
7	72
52	28
32	73
38	73
7	124
5	67
24	8
21	59
15	76
18	59
15	52
77	35
14	53
9	113
0	105
24	11
3	113
21	17
21	7
21	59
38	11
49	3
86	20
19	57
12	59
5	113
25	29
16	29
15	44
27	59
14	47
21	31
19	59
59	17
38	36
72	27
14	113
26	31
22	59
18	59
13	52
17	103
25	88
45	51
8	59
7	59
36	36
11	48

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 compared with similar events
Extreme rain in United States and Mexico, 23 February to 15 March 2019	2,223 records
Extreme rain in United States, 3 to 19 January 2024	2,133 records
Extreme rain in Australia, 7 to 26 March 2021	2,099 records
Extreme rain in United States and Mexico, 29 September to 19 October 2018	1,970 records
Extreme rain in United States, 19 December 2022 to 13 January 2023	1,941 records
Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019 (this event)	1,116 records

Every Record Set

20 of 1,116

Every record set or tied during Extreme rain in United States, 24 December 2018 to 3 January 2019, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2018-12-26	Goodwell Rsch STN	Record daily precipitation	44.2 mm (1.7 in)	39.9 mm (1.6 in)	79	73 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-26	Hugoton	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-26	Columbus 3 NE	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	29.0 mm (1.1 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Lawton	Record daily precipitation	113.0 mm (4.4 in)	42.6 mm (1.7 in)	86	81 of 100 (Exceptional)
2018-12-27	Plainville 4WNW	Record daily precipitation	47.8 mm (1.9 in)	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	108	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
2018-12-27	Beaver City	Record daily precipitation	52.1 mm (2.1 in)	27.0 mm (1.1 in)	117	78 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Weatherford	Record daily precipitation	90.2 mm (3.6 in)	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	86	76 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Iowa Falls	Record daily precipitation	33.8 mm (1.3 in)	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	107	74 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Crete 4ESE	Record daily precipitation	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	24.1 mm (0.9 in)	108	73 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Burr Oak 4S	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	33.6 mm (1.3 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Healy	Record daily precipitation	56.1 mm (2.2 in)	47.7 mm (1.9 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Ness City	Record daily precipitation	50.8 mm (2.0 in)	32.5 mm (1.3 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Quinter	Record daily precipitation	58.2 mm (2.3 in)	46.0 mm (1.8 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	David City 4E	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	76	72 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Seward	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	26.9 mm (1.1 in)	76	70 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-27	Waynoka	Record daily precipitation	48.3 mm (1.9 in)	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	75	70 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-28	Waynesboro 2 W	Record daily precipitation	323.9 mm (12.8 in)	94.3 mm (3.7 in)	90	97 of 100 (Exceptional)
2018-12-28	Hattiesburg 5SW	Record daily precipitation	220.0 mm (8.7 in)	84.6 mm (3.3 in)	77	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
2018-12-28	Columbia	Record daily precipitation	224.8 mm (8.9 in)	90.9 mm (3.6 in)	45	73 of 100 (Major)
2018-12-28	Bosque del Apache	Record daily precipitation	101.6 mm (4.0 in)	68.3 mm (2.7 in)	31	69 of 100 (Major)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 1,116 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Related Headlines

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Download the Data

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 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
94	90
85	77
43	86
35	108
27	117
28	86
21	107
91	45
24	108
40	79
34	76
48	76
63	76
33	76
46	76
29	76
28	76
27	76
34	75
68	31
28	59
15	107
32	59
28	76
28	59
20	59
24	73
25	64
30	52
31	52
46	51
27	76
34	52
5	100
32	77
56	76
31	76
23	59
17	48
12	77
15	72
35	44
21	69
40	85
29	52
27	52
31	52
40	52
17	76
8	100
31	52
10	59
16	59
40	77
17	113
19	113
25	52
50	76
24	59
34	59
19	79
28	44
31	36
48	36
24	52
33	52
35	39
19	76
7	105
57	76
17	44
27	52
29	31
32	59
30	31
38	31
6	121
31	31
28	31
5	81
56	51
24	29
28	29
25	49
12	101
23	52
18	76
15	79
11	123
34	44
27	52
23	76
26	31
7	101
10	113
24	59
35	36
23	31
21	48
22	31
38	81
12	44
16	76
5	95
20	59
17	59
27	31
21	28
10	108
16	79
38	17
33	96
51	28
8	59
10	72
52	35
21	36
9	113
11	113
12	101
26	59
2	125
15	79
22	52
37	92
12	48
15	79
14	72
83	35
6	113
50	45
21	31
21	68
22	44
23	59
32	91
17	29
20	48
27	31
2	105
18	36
6	117
36	36
15	91
19	51
18	36
25	36
58	35
15	52
21	60
10	116
4	101
7	72
52	28
32	73
38	73
7	124
5	67
24	8
21	59
15	76
18	59
15	52
77	35
14	53
9	113
0	105
24	11
3	113
21	17
21	7
21	59
38	11
49	3
86	20
19	57
12	59
5	113
25	29
16	29
15	44
27	59
14	47
21	31
19	59
59	17
38	36
72	27
14	113
26	31
22	59
18	59
13	52
17	103
25	88
45	51
8	59
7	59
36	36
11	48

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
94	90
85	77
43	86
35	108
27	117
28	86
21	107
91	45
24	108
40	79
34	76
48	76
63	76
33	76
46	76
29	76
28	76
27	76
34	75
68	31
28	59
15	107
32	59
28	76
28	59
20	59
24	73
25	64
30	52
31	52
46	51
27	76
34	52
5	100
32	77
56	76
31	76
23	59
17	48
12	77
15	72
35	44
21	69
40	85
29	52
27	52
31	52
40	52
17	76
8	100
31	52
10	59
16	59
40	77
17	113
19	113
25	52
50	76
24	59
34	59
19	79
28	44
31	36
48	36
24	52
33	52
35	39
19	76
7	105
57	76
17	44
27	52
29	31
32	59
30	31
38	31
6	121
31	31
28	31
5	81
56	51
24	29
28	29
25	49
12	101
23	52
18	76
15	79
11	123
34	44
27	52
23	76
26	31
7	101
10	113
24	59
35	36
23	31
21	48
22	31
38	81
12	44
16	76
5	95
20	59
17	59
27	31
21	28
10	108
16	79
38	17
33	96
51	28
8	59
10	72
52	35
21	36
9	113
11	113
12	101
26	59
2	125
15	79
22	52
37	92
12	48
15	79
14	72
83	35
6	113
50	45
21	31
21	68
22	44
23	59
32	91
17	29
20	48
27	31
2	105
18	36
6	117
36	36
15	91
19	51
18	36
25	36
58	35
15	52
21	60
10	116
4	101
7	72
52	28
32	73
38	73
7	124
5	67
24	8
21	59
15	76
18	59
15	52
77	35
14	53
9	113
0	105
24	11
3	113
21	17
21	7
21	59
38	11
49	3
86	20
19	57
12	59
5	113
25	29
16	29
15	44
27	59
14	47
21	31
19	59
59	17
38	36
72	27
14	113
26	31
22	59
18	59
13	52
17	103
25	88
45	51
8	59
7	59
36	36
11	48

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
94	90
85	77
43	86
35	108
27	117
28	86
21	107
91	45
24	108
40	79
34	76
48	76
63	76
33	76
46	76
29	76
28	76
27	76
34	75
68	31
28	59
15	107
32	59
28	76
28	59
20	59
24	73
25	64
30	52
31	52
46	51
27	76
34	52
5	100
32	77
56	76
31	76
23	59
17	48
12	77
15	72
35	44
21	69
40	85
29	52
27	52
31	52
40	52
17	76
8	100
31	52
10	59
16	59
40	77
17	113
19	113
25	52
50	76
24	59
34	59
19	79
28	44
31	36
48	36
24	52
33	52
35	39
19	76
7	105
57	76
17	44
27	52
29	31
32	59
30	31
38	31
6	121
31	31
28	31
5	81
56	51
24	29
28	29
25	49
12	101
23	52
18	76
15	79
11	123
34	44
27	52
23	76
26	31
7	101
10	113
24	59
35	36
23	31
21	48
22	31
38	81
12	44
16	76
5	95
20	59
17	59
27	31
21	28
10	108
16	79
38	17
33	96
51	28
8	59
10	72
52	35
21	36
9	113
11	113
12	101
26	59
2	125
15	79
22	52
37	92
12	48
15	79
14	72
83	35
6	113
50	45
21	31
21	68
22	44
23	59
32	91
17	29
20	48
27	31
2	105
18	36
6	117
36	36
15	91
19	51
18	36
25	36
58	35
15	52
21	60
10	116
4	101
7	72
52	28
32	73
38	73
7	124
5	67
24	8
21	59
15	76
18	59
15	52
77	35
14	53
9	113
0	105
24	11
3	113
21	17
21	7
21	59
38	11
49	3
86	20
19	57
12	59
5	113
25	29
16	29
15	44
27	59
14	47
21	31
19	59
59	17
38	36
72	27
14	113
26	31
22	59
18	59
13	52
17	103
25	88
45	51
8	59
7	59
36	36
11	48