Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020

Name: Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020
Start: 2019-12-21
End: 2020-01-03
Location: United States

Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020: 1,368 records at 1,217 stations, peak on 29 December 2019. Closed.

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

Key Facts

Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 set or tied 1,368 station records at 1,217 stations.
It ran from 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 (14 days) and its peak day was 29 December 2019.
Status: closed.
Two Harbors set a daily record precipitation of 40.6 mm (1.6 in) on 29 December 2019.
The busiest day was 29 December 2019 with 509 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 129 years.

Footprint

21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020

The area covered by Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 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, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Two Harbors	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	2019-12-29
Hancock Exp Farm	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	2019-12-29
Charlevoix	Record daily precipitation	30.7 mm (1.2 in)	2019-12-31
Superior	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	2019-12-29
Bergland Dam	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	2019-12-31
Eskridge	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	2019-12-29
Melrose	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	2019-12-29
Walker	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	2019-12-29
Horton	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	2019-12-29
Kearney 4 NE	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	2019-12-29
Madeline Is	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	2019-12-29
Hale Loud Dam	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	2019-12-30
Beverly Stp	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	2019-12-30
Amistad 5 SSW	Record daily precipitation	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	2019-12-28
Bowdle	Record daily precipitation	13.2 mm (0.5 in)	2019-12-28
Ipswich	Record daily precipitation	18.5 mm (0.7 in)	2019-12-28
Pierre Rgnl AP	Record daily precipitation	15.7 mm (0.6 in)	2019-12-28
Bemidji	Record daily precipitation	24.1 mm (0.9 in)	2019-12-29
Ashley	Record daily precipitation	20.8 mm (0.8 in)	2019-12-29
Howard	Record daily precipitation	19.1 mm (0.8 in)	2019-12-29

Records per Day

Peak day 509

Records set or tied each day from 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020. The most in one day was 509 on 29 December 2019.

Records per day during Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020
Date	Records
2019-12-21	1
2019-12-22	3
2019-12-23	23
2019-12-24	46
2019-12-25	26
2019-12-26	42
2019-12-27	55
2019-12-28	241
2019-12-29	509
2019-12-30	209
2019-12-31	112
2020-01-01	87
2020-01-02	13
2020-01-03	1

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 ranked by margin
Eskridge, 12-29	43.6 mm (1.7 in)
Madeline Is, 12-29	29.7 mm (1.2 in)
Two Harbors, 12-29	29.2 mm (1.1 in)
Hancock Exp Farm, 12-29	25.9 mm (1.0 in)
Horton, 12-29	23.6 mm (0.9 in)
Melrose, 12-29	22.9 mm (0.9 in)
Kearney 4 NE, 12-29	22.8 mm (0.9 in)
Beverly Stp, 12-30	21.8 mm (0.9 in)
Bemidji, 12-29	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
Walker, 12-29	19.6 mm (0.8 in)
Hale Loud Dam, 12-30	18.8 mm (0.7 in)
Amistad 5 SSW, 12-28	18.6 mm (0.7 in)
Charlevoix, 12-31	18.0 mm (0.7 in)
Bergland Dam, 12-31	17.8 mm (0.7 in)
Superior, 12-29	17.5 mm (0.7 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, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020
Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
20	120
29	108
13	101
26	113
13	112
12	109
18	96
18	92
18	97
12	112
44	72
23	51
20	68
24	112
23	82
19	80
30	72
19	82
22	104
11	92
38	60
32	46
31	46
21	112
7	108
19	46
46	50
23	52
24	112
10	120
19	46
39	40
33	40
19	52
26	40
10	68
13	52
13	64
27	40
18	46
13	72
19	92
30	40
31	36
45	46
30	46
38	34
29	36
15	78
13	46
15	78
7	92
20	46
21	46
17	72
26	70
29	41
22	46
32	40
16	46
15	64
16	46
13	64
10	112
25	60
13	112
17	52
16	72
16	46
9	78
21	88
16	32
13	50
11	129
10	45
30	22
10	112
35	40
5	109
6	112
9	96
32	34
31	50
33	40
24	36
16	58
14	46
5	104
24	64
21	22
19	46
13	64
27	40
26	52
40	28
8	129
38	24
33	49
12	78
13	70
10	112
6	90
28	36
9	60
2	126
7	113
19	30
17	46
8	68
14	16
8	113
14	10
9	76
8	112
31	34
12	112
21	36
15	60
8	112
20	36
12	82
26	64
20	18
24	36
21	52
23	40
20	26
40	28
6	73
32	4
5	100
6	92
5	92
30	0
29	34
10	64
15	48
17	46
6	94
12	49
7	112
18	49
10	88
18	13
36	12
5	112
17	46
22	46
5	112
22	40
21	52
19	36
16	22
13	48
12	81
5	112
18	49
22	36
27	36
12	52
8	85
11	70
15	22
6	78
16	11
20	40
27	28
22	40
14	76
20	64
11	46
5	113
23	76
24	28
28	40
4	112
22	52
12	40
12	49
8	72
19	20
33	26
25	64
11	81
14	46
17	64
23	36
19	40
19	52
22	40
26	28
28	28
24	64
13	52
16	26
20	60
26	12
11	13
37	12
30	34

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 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, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020 (this event)	1,368 records

Every Record Set

20 of 1,368

Every record set or tied during Extreme rain in United States, 21 December 2019 to 3 January 2020, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2019-12-28	Amistad 5 SSW	Record daily precipitation	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	18.6 mm (0.7 in)	80	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-28	Bowdle	Record daily precipitation	13.2 mm (0.5 in)	10.7 mm (0.4 in)	92	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-28	Ipswich	Record daily precipitation	18.5 mm (0.7 in)	13.4 mm (0.5 in)	112	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-28	Pierre Rgnl AP	Record daily precipitation	15.7 mm (0.6 in)	11.6 mm (0.5 in)	109	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-29	Two Harbors	Record daily precipitation	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	108	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
2019-12-29	Hancock Exp Farm	Record daily precipitation	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	113	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
2019-12-29	Superior	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	17.5 mm (0.7 in)	92	75 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Eskridge	Record daily precipitation	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	72	71 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Melrose	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	51	71 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Walker	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	68	70 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Horton	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	23.6 mm (0.9 in)	112	68 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Kearney 4 NE	Record daily precipitation	33.0 mm (1.3 in)	22.8 mm (0.9 in)	82	68 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Madeline Is	Record daily precipitation	39.4 mm (1.6 in)	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	72	68 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-29	Bemidji	Record daily precipitation	24.1 mm (0.9 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	120	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-29	Ashley	Record daily precipitation	20.8 mm (0.8 in)	13.2 mm (0.5 in)	101	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-29	Howard	Record daily precipitation	19.1 mm (0.8 in)	12.2 mm (0.5 in)	112	20 of 100 (Routine)
2019-12-30	Hale Loud Dam	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	18.8 mm (0.7 in)	82	67 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-30	Beverly Stp	Record daily precipitation	33.5 mm (1.3 in)	21.8 mm (0.9 in)	104	67 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-31	Charlevoix	Record daily precipitation	30.7 mm (1.2 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	96	76 of 100 (Major)
2019-12-31	Bergland Dam	Record daily precipitation	35.1 mm (1.4 in)	17.8 mm (0.7 in)	97	74 of 100 (Major)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 1,368 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
20	120
29	108
13	101
26	113
13	112
12	109
18	96
18	92
18	97
12	112
44	72
23	51
20	68
24	112
23	82
19	80
30	72
19	82
22	104
11	92
38	60
32	46
31	46
21	112
7	108
19	46
46	50
23	52
24	112
10	120
19	46
39	40
33	40
19	52
26	40
10	68
13	52
13	64
27	40
18	46
13	72
19	92
30	40
31	36
45	46
30	46
38	34
29	36
15	78
13	46
15	78
7	92
20	46
21	46
17	72
26	70
29	41
22	46
32	40
16	46
15	64
16	46
13	64
10	112
25	60
13	112
17	52
16	72
16	46
9	78
21	88
16	32
13	50
11	129
10	45
30	22
10	112
35	40
5	109
6	112
9	96
32	34
31	50
33	40
24	36
16	58
14	46
5	104
24	64
21	22
19	46
13	64
27	40
26	52
40	28
8	129
38	24
33	49
12	78
13	70
10	112
6	90
28	36
9	60
2	126
7	113
19	30
17	46
8	68
14	16
8	113
14	10
9	76
8	112
31	34
12	112
21	36
15	60
8	112
20	36
12	82
26	64
20	18
24	36
21	52
23	40
20	26
40	28
6	73
32	4
5	100
6	92
5	92
30	0
29	34
10	64
15	48
17	46
6	94
12	49
7	112
18	49
10	88
18	13
36	12
5	112
17	46
22	46
5	112
22	40
21	52
19	36
16	22
13	48
12	81
5	112
18	49
22	36
27	36
12	52
8	85
11	70
15	22
6	78
16	11
20	40
27	28
22	40
14	76
20	64
11	46
5	113
23	76
24	28
28	40
4	112
22	52
12	40
12	49
8	72
19	20
33	26
25	64
11	81
14	46
17	64
23	36
19	40
19	52
22	40
26	28
28	28
24	64
13	52
16	26
20	60
26	12
11	13
37	12
30	34

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
20	120
29	108
13	101
26	113
13	112
12	109
18	96
18	92
18	97
12	112
44	72
23	51
20	68
24	112
23	82
19	80
30	72
19	82
22	104
11	92
38	60
32	46
31	46
21	112
7	108
19	46
46	50
23	52
24	112
10	120
19	46
39	40
33	40
19	52
26	40
10	68
13	52
13	64
27	40
18	46
13	72
19	92
30	40
31	36
45	46
30	46
38	34
29	36
15	78
13	46
15	78
7	92
20	46
21	46
17	72
26	70
29	41
22	46
32	40
16	46
15	64
16	46
13	64
10	112
25	60
13	112
17	52
16	72
16	46
9	78
21	88
16	32
13	50
11	129
10	45
30	22
10	112
35	40
5	109
6	112
9	96
32	34
31	50
33	40
24	36
16	58
14	46
5	104
24	64
21	22
19	46
13	64
27	40
26	52
40	28
8	129
38	24
33	49
12	78
13	70
10	112
6	90
28	36
9	60
2	126
7	113
19	30
17	46
8	68
14	16
8	113
14	10
9	76
8	112
31	34
12	112
21	36
15	60
8	112
20	36
12	82
26	64
20	18
24	36
21	52
23	40
20	26
40	28
6	73
32	4
5	100
6	92
5	92
30	0
29	34
10	64
15	48
17	46
6	94
12	49
7	112
18	49
10	88
18	13
36	12
5	112
17	46
22	46
5	112
22	40
21	52
19	36
16	22
13	48
12	81
5	112
18	49
22	36
27	36
12	52
8	85
11	70
15	22
6	78
16	11
20	40
27	28
22	40
14	76
20	64
11	46
5	113
23	76
24	28
28	40
4	112
22	52
12	40
12	49
8	72
19	20
33	26
25	64
11	81
14	46
17	64
23	36
19	40
19	52
22	40
26	28
28	28
24	64
13	52
16	26
20	60
26	12
11	13
37	12
30	34

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
20	120
29	108
13	101
26	113
13	112
12	109
18	96
18	92
18	97
12	112
44	72
23	51
20	68
24	112
23	82
19	80
30	72
19	82
22	104
11	92
38	60
32	46
31	46
21	112
7	108
19	46
46	50
23	52
24	112
10	120
19	46
39	40
33	40
19	52
26	40
10	68
13	52
13	64
27	40
18	46
13	72
19	92
30	40
31	36
45	46
30	46
38	34
29	36
15	78
13	46
15	78
7	92
20	46
21	46
17	72
26	70
29	41
22	46
32	40
16	46
15	64
16	46
13	64
10	112
25	60
13	112
17	52
16	72
16	46
9	78
21	88
16	32
13	50
11	129
10	45
30	22
10	112
35	40
5	109
6	112
9	96
32	34
31	50
33	40
24	36
16	58
14	46
5	104
24	64
21	22
19	46
13	64
27	40
26	52
40	28
8	129
38	24
33	49
12	78
13	70
10	112
6	90
28	36
9	60
2	126
7	113
19	30
17	46
8	68
14	16
8	113
14	10
9	76
8	112
31	34
12	112
21	36
15	60
8	112
20	36
12	82
26	64
20	18
24	36
21	52
23	40
20	26
40	28
6	73
32	4
5	100
6	92
5	92
30	0
29	34
10	64
15	48
17	46
6	94
12	49
7	112
18	49
10	88
18	13
36	12
5	112
17	46
22	46
5	112
22	40
21	52
19	36
16	22
13	48
12	81
5	112
18	49
22	36
27	36
12	52
8	85
11	70
15	22
6	78
16	11
20	40
27	28
22	40
14	76
20	64
11	46
5	113
23	76
24	28
28	40
4	112
22	52
12	40
12	49
8	72
19	20
33	26
25	64
11	81
14	46
17	64
23	36
19	40
19	52
22	40
26	28
28	28
24	64
13	52
16	26
20	60
26	12
11	13
37	12
30	34