Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021

Name: Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021
Start: 2020-12-24
End: 2021-01-05
Location: United States

Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021: 352 records at 287 stations, peak on 30 December 2020. Closed.

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

Key Facts

Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 set or tied 352 station records at 287 stations.
It ran from 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 (13 days) and its peak day was 30 December 2020.
Status: closed.
Chisos Basin set an all-time record daily snowfall of 61.0 cm (24.0 in) on 31 December 2020.
The busiest day was 30 December 2020 with 105 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 125 years.

Footprint

24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021

The area covered by Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 is outlined, with 18 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Chisos Basin	Record daily snowfall	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	2020-12-31
S Bend AP	Record daily snowfall	30.0 cm (11.8 in)	2020-12-25
Lajitas	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	2020-12-31
Columbus 3 NE	Record daily snowfall	17.3 cm (6.8 in)	2020-12-29
Vici 1NNW	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	2021-01-01
Panther Junction	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	2021-01-01
Greenfield	Record daily snowfall	19.8 cm (7.8 in)	2020-12-30
Brodhead Wwtp	Record daily snowfall	21.8 cm (8.6 in)	2020-12-30
Ft Stockton	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	2020-12-31
Smoky Valley - Carvers	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	2020-12-28
Indianola 1SW	Record daily snowfall	21.1 cm (8.3 in)	2020-12-30
Julesburg	Record daily snowfall	9.4 cm (3.7 in)	2020-12-29
Gail	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	2020-12-31
Lakeville	Record daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	2020-12-26
Rangely 1E	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	2020-12-29
Oshkosh	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	2020-12-29
Red Oak	Record daily snowfall	20.8 cm (8.2 in)	2020-12-30
Jayton	Record snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	2021-01-01

Records per Day

Peak day 105

Records set or tied each day from 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021. The most in one day was 105 on 30 December 2020.

Records per day during Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021
Date	Records
2020-12-24	1
2020-12-25	2
2020-12-26	2
2020-12-27	3
2020-12-28	12
2020-12-29	81
2020-12-30	105
2020-12-31	39
2021-01-01	63
2021-01-02	22
2021-01-03	13
2021-01-04	8
2021-01-05	1

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 ranked by margin
Chisos Basin, 12-31	30.5 cm (12.0 in)
Chisos Basin, 12-31	27.9 cm (11.0 in)
Lakeville, 12-26	27.9 cm (11.0 in)
Vici 1NNW, 01-01	25.4 cm (10.0 in)
Panther Junction, 01-01	25.4 cm (10.0 in)
Lajitas, 12-31	20.4 cm (8.0 in)
Lajitas, 12-31	19.1 cm (7.5 in)
Red Oak, 12-30	17.0 cm (6.7 in)
Brodhead Wwtp, 12-30	16.7 cm (6.6 in)
Indianola 1SW, 12-30	16.0 cm (6.3 in)
S Bend AP, 12-25	14.8 cm (5.8 in)
Columbus 3 NE, 12-29	12.2 cm (4.8 in)
Greenfield, 12-30	12.2 cm (4.8 in)
Ft Stockton, 12-31	10.1 cm (4.0 in)
Smoky Valley - Carvers, 12-28	7.6 cm (3.0 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

352 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 Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021
Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
305	34
279	62
148	105
191	29
122	113
254	65
254	65
122	79
101	74
167	42
160	49
76	71
69	125
25	82
76	125
279	27
170	30
76	105
51	102
204	39
140	41
114	66
144	41
105	73
140	49
38	101
48	121
41	106
51	104
77	74
51	40
114	66
127	30
102	47
77	77
51	62
48	113
78	79
51	107
38	121
63	34
94	52
67	79
102	49
208	3
124	41
26	105
51	106
76	39
102	34
25	113
51	109
51	104
51	110
92	49
48	42
76	69
38	52
158	37
107	56
63	66
104	49
33	84
63	62
26	42
51	96
241	3
76	66
33	84
117	42
50	79
25	119
25	102
153	48
142	7
50	70
48	76
8	109
94	30
91	42
38	84
51	82
76	62
43	74
102	41
53	71
102	38
50	34
13	93
94	49
124	3
51	69
36	76
76	65
26	74
76	48
71	49
56	66
38	78
18	84
132	30
46	72
89	41
2	71
71	62
26	74
76	74
39	74
114	11
56	49
127	67
76	55
51	71
46	74
51	19
101	20
43	69
84	42
25	52
64	43
8	89
122	7
99	45
63	49
23	74
38	73
51	70
94	20
63	42
115	5
50	52
38	50
79	30
10	74
12	74
15	72
20	69
48	49
25	74
229	32
77	57
64	52
61	52
51	71
25	72
26	73
51	25
94	19
43	42
55	42
82	22
33	48
51	0
13	74
86	33
29	51
26	50
8	74
81	32
51	41
97	14
23	7
12	66
50	37
26	52
13	63
76	55
13	72
102	52
114	3
3	74
125	3
13	66
50	39
48	41
109	5
89	22
25	65
8	72
63	42
53	22
13	67
20	47
77	22
76	55
71	28
64	43
33	45
38	52
18	49
25	47
10	52
76	3
89	22
30	56
49	30
28	41
25	44
31	42
26	34

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 compared with similar events
Snow event in United States, 3 to 27 January 2024	2,190 records
Snow event in United States, 24 November to 22 December 2025	1,539 records
Snow event in United States, 9 to 29 April 2022	1,475 records
Snow event in United States, 27 September to 17 October 2018	1,247 records
Snow event in United States, 26 September to 23 October 2019	1,194 records
Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021 (this event)	352 records

Every Record Set

20 of 352

Every record set or tied during Snow event in United States, 24 December 2020 to 5 January 2021, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2020-12-25	S Bend AP	Record daily snowfall	30.0 cm (11.8 in)	14.8 cm (5.8 in)	105	72 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-26	Lakeville	Record daily snowfall	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	27	55 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-28	Smoky Valley - Carvers	Record daily snowfall	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	71	57 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-29	Columbus 3 NE	Record daily snowfall	17.3 cm (6.8 in)	12.2 cm (4.8 in)	113	66 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-29	Julesburg	Record daily snowfall	9.4 cm (3.7 in)	6.9 cm (2.7 in)	125	56 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-29	Rangely 1E	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	125	55 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-29	Oshkosh	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	7.6 cm (3.0 in)	105	55 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-30	Greenfield	Record daily snowfall	19.8 cm (7.8 in)	12.2 cm (4.8 in)	79	61 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-30	Brodhead Wwtp	Record daily snowfall	21.8 cm (8.6 in)	16.7 cm (6.6 in)	42	60 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-30	Indianola 1SW	Record daily snowfall	21.1 cm (8.3 in)	16.0 cm (6.3 in)	49	57 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-30	Red Oak	Record daily snowfall	20.8 cm (8.2 in)	17.0 cm (6.7 in)	30	55 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-31	Chisos Basin	Record daily snowfall	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	34	77 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-31	Chisos Basin	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	62	72 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-31	Lajitas	Record daily snowfall	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	19.1 cm (7.5 in)	29	70 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-31	Ft Stockton	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	10.1 cm (4.0 in)	74	60 of 100 (Major)
2020-12-31	Gail	Record snow depth	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	2.5 cm (1.0 in)	82	56 of 100 (Notable)
2020-12-31	Lajitas	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	20.4 cm (8.0 in)	39	55 of 100 (Notable)
2021-01-01	Vici 1NNW	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	65	65 of 100 (Major)
2021-01-01	Panther Junction	Record daily snowfall	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	65	65 of 100 (Major)
2021-01-01	Jayton	Record snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	5.1 cm (2.0 in)	102	55 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 352 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
305	34
279	62
148	105
191	29
122	113
254	65
254	65
122	79
101	74
167	42
160	49
76	71
69	125
25	82
76	125
279	27
170	30
76	105
51	102
204	39
140	41
114	66
144	41
105	73
140	49
38	101
48	121
41	106
51	104
77	74
51	40
114	66
127	30
102	47
77	77
51	62
48	113
78	79
51	107
38	121
63	34
94	52
67	79
102	49
208	3
124	41
26	105
51	106
76	39
102	34
25	113
51	109
51	104
51	110
92	49
48	42
76	69
38	52
158	37
107	56
63	66
104	49
33	84
63	62
26	42
51	96
241	3
76	66
33	84
117	42
50	79
25	119
25	102
153	48
142	7
50	70
48	76
8	109
94	30
91	42
38	84
51	82
76	62
43	74
102	41
53	71
102	38
50	34
13	93
94	49
124	3
51	69
36	76
76	65
26	74
76	48
71	49
56	66
38	78
18	84
132	30
46	72
89	41
2	71
71	62
26	74
76	74
39	74
114	11
56	49
127	67
76	55
51	71
46	74
51	19
101	20
43	69
84	42
25	52
64	43
8	89
122	7
99	45
63	49
23	74
38	73
51	70
94	20
63	42
115	5
50	52
38	50
79	30
10	74
12	74
15	72
20	69
48	49
25	74
229	32
77	57
64	52
61	52
51	71
25	72
26	73
51	25
94	19
43	42
55	42
82	22
33	48
51	0
13	74
86	33
29	51
26	50
8	74
81	32
51	41
97	14
23	7
12	66
50	37
26	52
13	63
76	55
13	72
102	52
114	3
3	74
125	3
13	66
50	39
48	41
109	5
89	22
25	65
8	72
63	42
53	22
13	67
20	47
77	22
76	55
71	28
64	43
33	45
38	52
18	49
25	47
10	52
76	3
89	22
30	56
49	30
28	41
25	44
31	42
26	34

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
305	34
279	62
148	105
191	29
122	113
254	65
254	65
122	79
101	74
167	42
160	49
76	71
69	125
25	82
76	125
279	27
170	30
76	105
51	102
204	39
140	41
114	66
144	41
105	73
140	49
38	101
48	121
41	106
51	104
77	74
51	40
114	66
127	30
102	47
77	77
51	62
48	113
78	79
51	107
38	121
63	34
94	52
67	79
102	49
208	3
124	41
26	105
51	106
76	39
102	34
25	113
51	109
51	104
51	110
92	49
48	42
76	69
38	52
158	37
107	56
63	66
104	49
33	84
63	62
26	42
51	96
241	3
76	66
33	84
117	42
50	79
25	119
25	102
153	48
142	7
50	70
48	76
8	109
94	30
91	42
38	84
51	82
76	62
43	74
102	41
53	71
102	38
50	34
13	93
94	49
124	3
51	69
36	76
76	65
26	74
76	48
71	49
56	66
38	78
18	84
132	30
46	72
89	41
2	71
71	62
26	74
76	74
39	74
114	11
56	49
127	67
76	55
51	71
46	74
51	19
101	20
43	69
84	42
25	52
64	43
8	89
122	7
99	45
63	49
23	74
38	73
51	70
94	20
63	42
115	5
50	52
38	50
79	30
10	74
12	74
15	72
20	69
48	49
25	74
229	32
77	57
64	52
61	52
51	71
25	72
26	73
51	25
94	19
43	42
55	42
82	22
33	48
51	0
13	74
86	33
29	51
26	50
8	74
81	32
51	41
97	14
23	7
12	66
50	37
26	52
13	63
76	55
13	72
102	52
114	3
3	74
125	3
13	66
50	39
48	41
109	5
89	22
25	65
8	72
63	42
53	22
13	67
20	47
77	22
76	55
71	28
64	43
33	45
38	52
18	49
25	47
10	52
76	3
89	22
30	56
49	30
28	41
25	44
31	42
26	34

Margin (mm)	Years the old record stood
305	34
279	62
148	105
191	29
122	113
254	65
254	65
122	79
101	74
167	42
160	49
76	71
69	125
25	82
76	125
279	27
170	30
76	105
51	102
204	39
140	41
114	66
144	41
105	73
140	49
38	101
48	121
41	106
51	104
77	74
51	40
114	66
127	30
102	47
77	77
51	62
48	113
78	79
51	107
38	121
63	34
94	52
67	79
102	49
208	3
124	41
26	105
51	106
76	39
102	34
25	113
51	109
51	104
51	110
92	49
48	42
76	69
38	52
158	37
107	56
63	66
104	49
33	84
63	62
26	42
51	96
241	3
76	66
33	84
117	42
50	79
25	119
25	102
153	48
142	7
50	70
48	76
8	109
94	30
91	42
38	84
51	82
76	62
43	74
102	41
53	71
102	38
50	34
13	93
94	49
124	3
51	69
36	76
76	65
26	74
76	48
71	49
56	66
38	78
18	84
132	30
46	72
89	41
2	71
71	62
26	74
76	74
39	74
114	11
56	49
127	67
76	55
51	71
46	74
51	19
101	20
43	69
84	42
25	52
64	43
8	89
122	7
99	45
63	49
23	74
38	73
51	70
94	20
63	42
115	5
50	52
38	50
79	30
10	74
12	74
15	72
20	69
48	49
25	74
229	32
77	57
64	52
61	52
51	71
25	72
26	73
51	25
94	19
43	42
55	42
82	22
33	48
51	0
13	74
86	33
29	51
26	50
8	74
81	32
51	41
97	14
23	7
12	66
50	37
26	52
13	63
76	55
13	72
102	52
114	3
3	74
125	3
13	66
50	39
48	41
109	5
89	22
25	65
8	72
63	42
53	22
13	67
20	47
77	22
76	55
71	28
64	43
33	45
38	52
18	49
25	47
10	52
76	3
89	22
30	56
49	30
28	41
25	44
31	42
26	34