Weather Records on 16 October 1978

822 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 October 1978. Highest significance: Beerlaagte, ZA.

Key Facts for 16 October 1978

On 16 October 1978, 822 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
116 were record highs and 495 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 15 monthly and 807 daily.
Beerlaagte set a monthly record daily precipitation of 111.0 mm (4.4 in) on 16 October 1978.
Across 163 earlier years (1796 to 2025) the same calendar date averaged 436 records.

Record Map

822 stations

822 station records on 16 October 1978 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 October 1978: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Beerlaagte	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	111.0 mm (4.4 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Balfour (Mag)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	99.5 mm (3.9 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Elliotdale (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	160.5 mm (6.3 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Potchefstroom;Braksp	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Mosita	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Vlakfontein	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	73.3 mm (2.9 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Barra de Sao Francisco	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Monterey	United States	Record daily snowfall	7.1 cm (2.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Doornkuil	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	78.0 mm (3.1 in)	44 of 100 (Notable)
Montreal McGill	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	3.9 C (39.0 F)	42 of 100 (Notable)
Francisco Sa (Efbm)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	85.1 mm (3.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Grootvlei (Pol)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	69.5 mm (2.7 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Greylingstad (Sar)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	75.5 mm (3.0 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Cavalinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Beatrice	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-9.0 C (15.8 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Woodstock	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-5.0 C (23.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Willowvale (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	39 of 100 (Notable)
De Funiak Springs 1 E	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Talbotton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Cape May 2 NW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Laranja da Terra	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	73.2 mm (2.9 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Tweedraai	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	56.5 mm (2.2 in)	38 of 100 (Notable)
Castelo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	45.4 mm (1.8 in)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Bedford	United States	Record low maximum temperature	11.1 C (52.0 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
St Hyacinthe	Canada	Record low maximum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Strehla	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	37.5 mm (1.5 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Waycross 4 NE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Cheboygan	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-6.1 C (21.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Hatteras	United States	Record low minimum temperature	7.2 C (45.0 F)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Mnt Fletcher (Tnk)	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Heidelberg I	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	67.0 mm (2.6 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Louisville 1 E	United States	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Monroe	United States	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Middletown 2 NW	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Tupper Lake Sunmount	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-8.9 C (16.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Summerville 4W	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Yemassee 1 N	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Conceicao Do Castelo (Dnos)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	54.2 mm (2.1 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Evergreen	United States	Record low minimum temperature	2.8 C (37.0 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Eastman 1 W	United States	Record low minimum temperature	1.7 C (35.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Parsons 3 SE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	5.6 C (42.1 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Sao Goncalo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	46.4 mm (1.8 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Vila Matias-Montante (Pcd)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	90.0 mm (3.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Beatrix	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	38.5 mm (1.5 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Hiram	United States	Record low maximum temperature	5.0 C (41.0 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Millport 4 NE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	6.7 C (44.1 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Linhares	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	51.5 mm (2.0 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Millen 4 N	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.0 C (32.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Hart 3 WSW	United States	Record low maximum temperature	7.8 C (46.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Liberty 1 NE	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-3.3 C (26.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Rocky Mt	United States	Record low maximum temperature	11.7 C (53.1 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Mannington 1 N	United States	Record low maximum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Mount Irving	Australia	Record daily precipitation	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Barra Do Cuiete-Jusante	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Monsenhor Paulo	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	94.8 mm (3.7 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Avon Park 2 W	United States	Record low maximum temperature	22.2 C (72.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Oakland 1 SE	United States	Record low maximum temperature	4.4 C (39.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Plattsburgh AFB	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-7.8 C (18.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Lumberton	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Greenwood	United States	Record low minimum temperature	0.6 C (33.1 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

822 records

Records set or tied on 16 October 1978 by type: Highest daily maximum 43, Lowest daily maximum 226, Highest daily minimum 73, Lowest daily minimum 269, Heaviest daily rainfall 205, Heaviest daily snowfall 6.

Records on 16 October 1978 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	43
Lowest daily maximum	226
Highest daily minimum	73
Lowest daily minimum	269
Heaviest daily rainfall	205
Heaviest daily snowfall	6
Deepest snow cover	0

Records on 16 October 1978 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 15, daily 807.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

630 broken records

Margins by which the 630 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 71.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 October 1978

Top 20 records on 16 October 1978 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 October 1978	Beerlaagte, ZA	monthly rain	111.0 mm (4.4 in)	60.2 mm (2.4 in)	62 years	75 of 100 (Major)
16 October 1978	Balfour (Mag), ZA	daily rain	99.5 mm (3.9 in)	64.5 mm (2.5 in)	24 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Elliotdale (Tnk), ZA	monthly rain	160.5 mm (6.3 in)	40.0 mm (1.6 in)	0 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Potchefstroom;Braksp, ZA	daily rain	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	23 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Mosita, ZA	daily rain	60.0 mm (2.4 in)	39.2 mm (1.5 in)	23 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Vlakfontein, ZA	daily rain	73.3 mm (2.9 in)	55.3 mm (2.2 in)	3 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Barra de Sao Francisco, BR	daily rain	70.8 mm (2.8 in)	53.8 mm (2.1 in)	12 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Monterey, US	daily snowfall	7.1 cm (2.8 in)	7.1 cm (2.8 in)	82 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Doornkuil, ZA	monthly rain	78.0 mm (3.1 in)	21.4 mm (0.8 in)	34 years	44 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Montreal McGill, CA	daily low max	3.9 C (39.0 F)	1.1 C (2.0 F)	101 years	42 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Francisco Sa (Efbm), BR	daily rain	85.1 mm (3.4 in)	56.1 mm (2.2 in)	12 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Grootvlei (Pol), ZA	monthly rain	69.5 mm (2.7 in)	6.0 mm (0.24 in)	58 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Greylingstad (Sar), ZA	daily rain	75.5 mm (3.0 in)	38.5 mm (1.5 in)	3 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Cavalinho, BR	daily rain	55.8 mm (2.2 in)	40.6 mm (1.6 in)	29 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Beatrice, CA	daily low min	-9.0 C (15.8 F)	0.7 C (1.3 F)	94 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Woodstock, CA	daily low min	-5.0 C (23.0 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	94 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Willowvale (Tnk), ZA	daily rain	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	23.4 mm (0.9 in)	51 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	De Funiak Springs 1 E, US	daily low min	0.6 C (33.1 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	76 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Talbotton, US	daily low min	0.0 C (32.0 F)	3.3 C (5.9 F)	83 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 October 1978	Cape May 2 NW, US	daily low min	2.8 C (37.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	94 years	39 of 100 (Notable)

Significance is a score from 0 to 100 combining margin, the age of the old record and the length of the station's record. How it is computed.

The Same Date in Other Years

1796 to 1978

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1796 to 1978. 1978 had 822 records.

Counts for years before the ledger starts come from the same station rules.

Records on 10-16 in each year
Year	Records
1796	1
1808	1
1810	1
1811	3
1817	1
1826	1
1830	1
1836	2
1838	1
1839	1
1856	1
1859	2
1862	2
1865	2
1870	3
1873	2
1876	2
1877	3
1878	2
1879	4
1880	1
1881	3
1882	1
1883	2
1884	2
1885	1
1886	4
1887	3
1889	1
1890	4
1891	5
1892	6
1893	12
1894	5
1895	2
1896	2
1897	9
1898	4
1899	8
1901	4
1902	7
1903	6
1904	7
1905	16
1906	3
1907	6
1908	49
1909	20
1910	10
1911	18
1912	16
1913	25
1914	52
1915	17
1916	28
1917	19
1918	25
1919	58
1920	44
1921	54
1922	57
1923	84
1924	81
1925	304
1926	180
1927	122
1928	543
1929	118
1930	312
1931	515
1932	379
1933	218
1934	712
1935	395
1936	244
1937	1,200
1938	606
1939	494
1940	531
1941	220
1942	426
1943	1,233
1944	609
1945	414
1946	398
1947	865
1948	279
1949	378
1950	344
1951	266
1952	698
1953	508
1954	1,068
1955	427
1956	620
1957	354
1958	494
1959	319
1960	540
1961	790
1962	504
1963	464
1964	513
1965	498
1966	669
1967	516
1968	987
1969	845
1970	789
1971	979
1972	464
1973	539
1974	1,061
1975	487
1976	1,053
1977	549
1978	822
1979	580
1980	1,383
1981	897
1982	430
1983	432
1984	1,507
1985	672
1986	450
1987	1,259
1988	703
1989	820
1990	890
1991	1,543
1992	1,646
1993	999
1994	1,176
1995	1,061
1996	585
1997	939
1998	934
1999	705
2000	519
2001	754
2002	1,079
2003	530
2004	687
2005	684
2006	1,330
2007	645
2008	778
2009	1,931
2010	1,049
2011	816
2012	728
2013	546
2014	695
2015	1,142
2016	1,063
2017	1,014
2018	1,558
2019	463
2020	484
2021	541
2022	676
2023	608
2024	721
2025	559

Download the Data

Data for records on 1978-10-16: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

Sources: 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)) Made with Natural Earth. Public domain map data. Borders are Natural Earth's de facto depiction. Data as of 2026-10-17 (17 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2026-10-16. Last revised 16 October 2026 (2026-10-16).

Margin	Records
0 to 10	567
10 to 20	32
20 to 30	13
30 to 40	7
40 to 50	5
50 to 60	3
60 to 70	2
70 to 80	1