Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021

Name: Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021
Start: 2021-05-14
End: 2021-05-27
Location: United States

Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021: 602 records at 514 stations, peak on 23 May 2021. Closed.

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

Key Facts

Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021 set or tied 602 station records at 514 stations.
It ran from 14 May 2021 to 27 May 2021 (14 days) and its peak day was 23 May 2021.
Status: closed.
Tribune 1W set a monthly record daily precipitation of 143.8 mm (5.7 in) on 16 May 2021.
The busiest day was 23 May 2021 with 86 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 132 years.

Footprint

14 to 27 May 2021

The area covered by Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021 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, 14 to 27 May 2021: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Tribune 1W	Record daily precipitation	143.8 mm (5.7 in)	2021-05-16
Lincoln 1 SE	Record daily precipitation	133.1 mm (5.2 in)	2021-05-16
Kingsville	Record daily precipitation	278.1 mm (10.9 in)	2021-05-19
Napoleonville	Record daily precipitation	135.1 mm (5.3 in)	2021-05-18
Hamilton	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	2021-05-26
Lafayette Rgnl AP	Record daily precipitation	161.8 mm (6.4 in)	2021-05-17
Wray	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	2021-05-18
Donaldsonville 4 SW	Record daily precipitation	200.4 mm (7.9 in)	2021-05-18
Silverton	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	2021-05-21
Portales	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	2021-05-15
Syracuse 1NE	Record daily precipitation	83.1 mm (3.3 in)	2021-05-17
Natoma	Record daily precipitation	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	2021-05-16
Upper Rio Grande	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	2021-05-21
Hermit 8 SE	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	2021-05-21
McCracken	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	2021-05-15
Harlingen Rio Grande Vly Intl	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	2021-05-19
Taylorville 2SE	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	2021-05-17
Corpus Christi	Record daily precipitation	112.8 mm (4.4 in)	2021-05-19
Beartown	Record daily precipitation	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	2021-05-21
Garden City Exp STN	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	2021-05-17

Records per Day

Peak day 86

Records set or tied each day from 14 May 2021 to 27 May 2021. The most in one day was 86 on 23 May 2021.

Records per day during Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021
Date	Records
2021-05-14	4
2021-05-15	15
2021-05-16	46
2021-05-17	76
2021-05-18	76
2021-05-19	59
2021-05-20	57
2021-05-21	60
2021-05-22	48
2021-05-23	86
2021-05-24	43
2021-05-25	16
2021-05-26	14
2021-05-27	2

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021 ranked by margin
Kingsville, 05-19	108.7 mm (4.3 in)
Donaldsonville 4 SW, 05-18	102.1 mm (4.0 in)
Napoleonville, 05-18	91.9 mm (3.6 in)
Lincoln 1 SE, 05-16	89.9 mm (3.5 in)
Lafayette Rgnl AP, 05-17	85.6 mm (3.4 in)
Corpus Christi, 05-19	73.2 mm (2.9 in)
Harlingen Rio Grande Vly Intl, 05-19	71.3 mm (2.8 in)
Natoma, 05-16	67.0 mm (2.6 in)
Syracuse 1NE, 05-17	64.8 mm (2.6 in)
Wray, 05-18	58.6 mm (2.3 in)
Tribune 1W, 05-16	44.5 mm (1.8 in)
Garden City Exp STN, 05-17	43.2 mm (1.7 in)
Taylorville 2SE, 05-17	39.1 mm (1.5 in)
Portales, 05-15	38.8 mm (1.5 in)
McCracken, 05-15	37.6 mm (1.5 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, 14 to 27 May 2021
Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
45	91
90	102
109	29
92	104
21	108
59	86
102	84
86	116
17	100
65	68
39	100
67	64
15	31
21	100
38	74
71	67
39	78
23	31
73	56
43	63
18	63
14	112
48	92
20	28
104	40
17	75
18	40
28	26
32	78
20	56
40	38
44	24
60	76
79	28
46	40
20	40
26	56
21	15
25	24
72	2
53	0
91	31
27	132
28	64
52	55
99	20
223	19
64	28
48	32
25	24
20	24
276	16
30	59
24	67
77	2
19	32
14	84
13	88
33	79
35	40
14	96
18	34
20	24
13	50
21	74
99	4
20	12
25	14
25	14
6	80
40	42
19	68
84	27
64	20
15	40
18	34
28	64
30	7
24	55
18	94
20	48
11	50
100	4
12	59
17	72
21	92
138	4
115	30
38	11
15	64
61	27
21	74
4	82
2	99
61	43
90	19
44	40
45	11
3	107
23	76
16	28
13	19
39	6
7	111
34	51
42	40
49	56
28	4
32	56
50	32
16	78
23	68
13	24
63	13
90	16
42	12
15	18
23	4
3	94
26	15
10	31
15	19
15	36
18	70
18	80
20	64
14	40
1	115
15	59
15	36
6	86
1	120
29	66
10	78
4	88
42	40
13	40
15	32
6	91
3	53
38	19
59	36
73	27
10	70
5	64
23	4
2	92
14	30
9	56
14	56
3	84
16	38
10	64
20	68
18	4
3	30
1	88
4	38
0	92
13	59
18	7
8	30
12	64
46	28
44	4
15	38
2	63
18	66
15	34
9	63
4	68
3	86
5	74
2	86
26	56
45	20
8	72
23	56
5	59
38	28
33	43
60	30
11	68
5	66
3	80
10	40
20	32
17	66
22	20
19	59
5	66
17	40
27	7
16	66
13	23
22	31
5	64
3	72
13	56
12	56

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021 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, 14 to 27 May 2021 (this event)	602 records

Every Record Set

20 of 602

Every record set or tied during Extreme rain in United States, 14 to 27 May 2021, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2021-05-15	Portales	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	38.8 mm (1.5 in)	100	70 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-15	McCracken	Record daily precipitation	66.0 mm (2.6 in)	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	74	65 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-16	Tribune 1W	Record daily precipitation	143.8 mm (5.7 in)	44.5 mm (1.8 in)	91	84 of 100 (Exceptional)
2021-05-16	Lincoln 1 SE	Record daily precipitation	133.1 mm (5.2 in)	89.9 mm (3.5 in)	102	80 of 100 (Exceptional)
2021-05-16	Natoma	Record daily precipitation	100.3 mm (3.9 in)	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	64	69 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-17	Lafayette Rgnl AP	Record daily precipitation	161.8 mm (6.4 in)	85.6 mm (3.4 in)	116	75 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-17	Syracuse 1NE	Record daily precipitation	83.1 mm (3.3 in)	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	68	70 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-17	Taylorville 2SE	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	39.1 mm (1.5 in)	78	62 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-17	Garden City Exp STN	Record daily precipitation	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	63	61 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-18	Napoleonville	Record daily precipitation	135.1 mm (5.3 in)	91.9 mm (3.6 in)	104	76 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-18	Wray	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	58.6 mm (2.3 in)	86	75 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-18	Donaldsonville 4 SW	Record daily precipitation	200.4 mm (7.9 in)	102.1 mm (4.0 in)	84	75 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-19	Kingsville	Record daily precipitation	278.1 mm (10.9 in)	108.7 mm (4.3 in)	29	78 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-19	Harlingen Rio Grande Vly Intl	Record daily precipitation	74.9 mm (2.9 in)	71.3 mm (2.8 in)	67	63 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-19	Corpus Christi	Record daily precipitation	112.8 mm (4.4 in)	73.2 mm (2.9 in)	56	62 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-21	Silverton	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	16.7 mm (0.7 in)	100	74 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-21	Upper Rio Grande	Record daily precipitation	63.5 mm (2.5 in)	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	31	69 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-21	Hermit 8 SE	Record daily precipitation	34.0 mm (1.3 in)	21.3 mm (0.8 in)	100	67 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-21	Beartown	Record daily precipitation	68.6 mm (2.7 in)	22.9 mm (0.9 in)	31	62 of 100 (Major)
2021-05-26	Hamilton	Record daily precipitation	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	21.4 mm (0.8 in)	108	76 of 100 (Major)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 602 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Related Headlines

Third party news, headline and link only

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
45	91
90	102
109	29
92	104
21	108
59	86
102	84
86	116
17	100
65	68
39	100
67	64
15	31
21	100
38	74
71	67
39	78
23	31
73	56
43	63
18	63
14	112
48	92
20	28
104	40
17	75
18	40
28	26
32	78
20	56
40	38
44	24
60	76
79	28
46	40
20	40
26	56
21	15
25	24
72	2
53	0
91	31
27	132
28	64
52	55
99	20
223	19
64	28
48	32
25	24
20	24
276	16
30	59
24	67
77	2
19	32
14	84
13	88
33	79
35	40
14	96
18	34
20	24
13	50
21	74
99	4
20	12
25	14
25	14
6	80
40	42
19	68
84	27
64	20
15	40
18	34
28	64
30	7
24	55
18	94
20	48
11	50
100	4
12	59
17	72
21	92
138	4
115	30
38	11
15	64
61	27
21	74
4	82
2	99
61	43
90	19
44	40
45	11
3	107
23	76
16	28
13	19
39	6
7	111
34	51
42	40
49	56
28	4
32	56
50	32
16	78
23	68
13	24
63	13
90	16
42	12
15	18
23	4
3	94
26	15
10	31
15	19
15	36
18	70
18	80
20	64
14	40
1	115
15	59
15	36
6	86
1	120
29	66
10	78
4	88
42	40
13	40
15	32
6	91
3	53
38	19
59	36
73	27
10	70
5	64
23	4
2	92
14	30
9	56
14	56
3	84
16	38
10	64
20	68
18	4
3	30
1	88
4	38
0	92
13	59
18	7
8	30
12	64
46	28
44	4
15	38
2	63
18	66
15	34
9	63
4	68
3	86
5	74
2	86
26	56
45	20
8	72
23	56
5	59
38	28
33	43
60	30
11	68
5	66
3	80
10	40
20	32
17	66
22	20
19	59
5	66
17	40
27	7
16	66
13	23
22	31
5	64
3	72
13	56
12	56

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
45	91
90	102
109	29
92	104
21	108
59	86
102	84
86	116
17	100
65	68
39	100
67	64
15	31
21	100
38	74
71	67
39	78
23	31
73	56
43	63
18	63
14	112
48	92
20	28
104	40
17	75
18	40
28	26
32	78
20	56
40	38
44	24
60	76
79	28
46	40
20	40
26	56
21	15
25	24
72	2
53	0
91	31
27	132
28	64
52	55
99	20
223	19
64	28
48	32
25	24
20	24
276	16
30	59
24	67
77	2
19	32
14	84
13	88
33	79
35	40
14	96
18	34
20	24
13	50
21	74
99	4
20	12
25	14
25	14
6	80
40	42
19	68
84	27
64	20
15	40
18	34
28	64
30	7
24	55
18	94
20	48
11	50
100	4
12	59
17	72
21	92
138	4
115	30
38	11
15	64
61	27
21	74
4	82
2	99
61	43
90	19
44	40
45	11
3	107
23	76
16	28
13	19
39	6
7	111
34	51
42	40
49	56
28	4
32	56
50	32
16	78
23	68
13	24
63	13
90	16
42	12
15	18
23	4
3	94
26	15
10	31
15	19
15	36
18	70
18	80
20	64
14	40
1	115
15	59
15	36
6	86
1	120
29	66
10	78
4	88
42	40
13	40
15	32
6	91
3	53
38	19
59	36
73	27
10	70
5	64
23	4
2	92
14	30
9	56
14	56
3	84
16	38
10	64
20	68
18	4
3	30
1	88
4	38
0	92
13	59
18	7
8	30
12	64
46	28
44	4
15	38
2	63
18	66
15	34
9	63
4	68
3	86
5	74
2	86
26	56
45	20
8	72
23	56
5	59
38	28
33	43
60	30
11	68
5	66
3	80
10	40
20	32
17	66
22	20
19	59
5	66
17	40
27	7
16	66
13	23
22	31
5	64
3	72
13	56
12	56

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
45	91
90	102
109	29
92	104
21	108
59	86
102	84
86	116
17	100
65	68
39	100
67	64
15	31
21	100
38	74
71	67
39	78
23	31
73	56
43	63
18	63
14	112
48	92
20	28
104	40
17	75
18	40
28	26
32	78
20	56
40	38
44	24
60	76
79	28
46	40
20	40
26	56
21	15
25	24
72	2
53	0
91	31
27	132
28	64
52	55
99	20
223	19
64	28
48	32
25	24
20	24
276	16
30	59
24	67
77	2
19	32
14	84
13	88
33	79
35	40
14	96
18	34
20	24
13	50
21	74
99	4
20	12
25	14
25	14
6	80
40	42
19	68
84	27
64	20
15	40
18	34
28	64
30	7
24	55
18	94
20	48
11	50
100	4
12	59
17	72
21	92
138	4
115	30
38	11
15	64
61	27
21	74
4	82
2	99
61	43
90	19
44	40
45	11
3	107
23	76
16	28
13	19
39	6
7	111
34	51
42	40
49	56
28	4
32	56
50	32
16	78
23	68
13	24
63	13
90	16
42	12
15	18
23	4
3	94
26	15
10	31
15	19
15	36
18	70
18	80
20	64
14	40
1	115
15	59
15	36
6	86
1	120
29	66
10	78
4	88
42	40
13	40
15	32
6	91
3	53
38	19
59	36
73	27
10	70
5	64
23	4
2	92
14	30
9	56
14	56
3	84
16	38
10	64
20	68
18	4
3	30
1	88
4	38
0	92
13	59
18	7
8	30
12	64
46	28
44	4
15	38
2	63
18	66
15	34
9	63
4	68
3	86
5	74
2	86
26	56
45	20
8	72
23	56
5	59
38	28
33	43
60	30
11	68
5	66
3	80
10	40
20	32
17	66
22	20
19	59
5	66
17	40
27	7
16	66
13	23
22	31
5	64
3	72
13	56
12	56