Weather Records on 17 January 1979

1,182 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 17 January 1979. Highest significance: La Harpe, US.

Key Facts for 17 January 1979

On 17 January 1979, 1,182 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
65 were record highs and 67 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 55 were all-time records, 88 monthly and 1,039 daily.
La Harpe set a daily record snow depth of 50.8 cm (20.0 in) on 17 January 1979.
Across 168 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 471 records.

Record Map

1,182 stations

1,182 station records on 17 January 1979 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 17 January 1979: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
La Harpe	United States	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Sao Jose de Piranhas	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Lencois	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	320.0 mm (12.6 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Goyders Lagoon (Clifton Hills)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	198.1 mm (7.8 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Organ Pipe Cactus Nm	United States	Record daily precipitation	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	61 of 100 (Major)
Frankford (Rossville)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	47.4 mm (1.9 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Y Lightning Rch	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Dixon Wwtp	United States	Record snow depth	78.7 cm (31.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Adelaide (Tea Tree Gully Counc	Australia	Record daily precipitation	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Adelaide (Parafield Plant Intr	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Jerome	United States	Record daily precipitation	50.5 mm (2.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Angaston	Australia	Record daily precipitation	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Yuma Valley	United States	Record daily precipitation	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Keokuk L&D 19	United States	Record snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Merriman	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Adelaide (Salisbury Bowling Cl	Australia	Record daily precipitation	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Columbus Junction	United States	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Parafield Airport	Australia	Record daily precipitation	50.2 mm (2.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Galesburg	United States	Record snow depth	63.5 cm (25.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Marengo	United States	Record snow depth	96.5 cm (38.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Muscatine	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Labelle	United States	Record snow depth	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Remanso	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	78.3 mm (3.1 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Galva	United States	Record snow depth	73.7 cm (29.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Geneseo	United States	Record snow depth	73.7 cm (29.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Ottawa 4SW	United States	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Minneapolis	United States	Record snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Yuma Citrus STN	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.6 mm (1.5 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Jacobina	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	81.6 mm (3.2 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Kulani Camp 79	United States	Record daily precipitation	190.5 mm (7.5 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)
Eudunda	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.4 mm (1.7 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Chicago Midway AP 3SW	United States	Record snow depth	68.6 cm (27.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Milan	United States	Record snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Flagstaff AP	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Presa Alvaro Obregon	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Hobart 2 WNW	United States	Record snow depth	61.0 cm (24.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Bloomfield	United States	Record snow depth	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Ellsworth	United States	Record snow depth	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Herington	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Hastings	United States	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Houghton (Glen Ewin)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.2 mm (1.4 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Elliott Research Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Irishtown	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.2 mm (1.9 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Ajo	United States	Record daily precipitation	46.5 mm (1.8 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Rushville	United States	Record snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Kanopolis Lake	United States	Record snow depth	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Howell Wwtp	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	48 of 100 (Notable)
Stockwell	Australia	Record daily precipitation	32.4 mm (1.3 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Detention River	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.0 mm (1.9 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Presa la Angostura	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	51.8 mm (2.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Canelo 1 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	37.1 mm (1.5 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Centralia	United States	Record snow depth	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Ontario Ksrv	United States	Record snow depth	43.2 cm (17.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Richland	United States	Record snow depth	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	47 of 100 (Notable)
Eudunda (Brownlow)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Hampshire (Neena Road)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	43.6 mm (1.7 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Edith Creek	Australia	Record daily precipitation	45.6 mm (1.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Yolla (Sea View)	Australia	Record daily precipitation	48.8 mm (1.9 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Clay Ctr	United States	Record snow depth	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Troy 3N	United States	Record snow depth	35.6 cm (14.0 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

1,182 records

Records set or tied on 17 January 1979 by type: Highest daily maximum 11, Lowest daily maximum 24, Highest daily minimum 54, Lowest daily minimum 43, Heaviest daily rainfall 515, Heaviest daily snowfall 109, Deepest snow cover 426.

Records on 17 January 1979 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	11
Lowest daily maximum	24
Highest daily minimum	54
Lowest daily minimum	43
Heaviest daily rainfall	515
Heaviest daily snowfall	109
Deepest snow cover	426

Records on 17 January 1979 by timescale: all-time 55, monthly 88, daily 1,039.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

995 broken records

Margins by which the 995 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 534.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

17 January 1979

Top 20 records on 17 January 1979 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
17 January 1979	La Harpe, US	daily snow depth	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	22.9 cm (9.0 in)	68 years	68 of 100 (Major)
17 January 1979	Sao Jose de Piranhas, BR	daily rain	96.5 mm (3.8 in)	71.2 mm (2.8 in)	67 years	66 of 100 (Major)
17 January 1979	Lencois, BR	all-time rain	320.0 mm (12.6 in)	148.4 mm (5.8 in)	2 years	66 of 100 (Major)
17 January 1979	Goyders Lagoon (Clifton Hills), AU	monthly rain	198.1 mm (7.8 in)	114.3 mm (4.5 in)	22 years	64 of 100 (Major)
17 January 1979	Organ Pipe Cactus Nm, US	monthly rain	53.3 mm (2.1 in)	27.1 mm (1.1 in)	29 years	61 of 100 (Major)
17 January 1979	Frankford (Rossville), AU	daily rain	47.4 mm (1.9 in)	25.8 mm (1.0 in)	82 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Y Lightning Rch, US	monthly rain	45.2 mm (1.8 in)	21.1 mm (0.8 in)	16 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Dixon Wwtp, US	daily snow depth	78.7 cm (31.0 in)	35.5 cm (14.0 in)	60 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Adelaide (Tea Tree Gully Counc, AU	daily rain	55.0 mm (2.2 in)	44.8 mm (1.8 in)	32 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Adelaide (Parafield Plant Intr, AU	monthly rain	50.6 mm (2.0 in)	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	58 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Jerome, US	daily rain	50.5 mm (2.0 in)	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	63 years	57 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Angaston, AU	daily rain	25.2 mm (1.0 in)	14.5 mm (0.6 in)	93 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Yuma Valley, US	monthly rain	32.0 mm (1.3 in)	12.9 mm (0.5 in)	30 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Keokuk L&D 19, US	daily snow depth	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	39 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Merriman, US	daily snow depth	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	48 years	56 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Adelaide (Salisbury Bowling Cl, AU	daily rain	51.0 mm (2.0 in)	38.3 mm (1.5 in)	16 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Columbus Junction, US	daily snow depth	66.0 cm (26.0 in)	33.0 cm (13.0 in)	39 years	55 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Parafield Airport, AU	daily rain	50.2 mm (2.0 in)	41.6 mm (1.6 in)	32 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Galesburg, US	daily snow depth	63.5 cm (25.0 in)	40.6 cm (16.0 in)	21 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
17 January 1979	Marengo, US	all-time snow depth	96.5 cm (38.0 in)	22.8 cm (9.0 in)	11 years	54 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

1795 to 1979

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1979. 1979 had 1,182 records.

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

Records on 01-17 in each year
Year	Records
1795	1
1800	2
1802	1
1804	1
1805	2
1809	1
1812	1
1820	1
1826	2
1828	1
1838	2
1845	3
1854	1
1858	1
1861	1
1864	3
1865	1
1866	1
1869	1
1870	2
1871	1
1874	1
1875	1
1876	2
1877	1
1878	1
1880	1
1881	2
1883	3
1884	1
1885	2
1886	1
1888	1
1889	4
1890	2
1891	4
1893	5
1894	5
1895	3
1896	4
1897	6
1899	5
1900	5
1901	1
1902	4
1903	3
1904	9
1905	2
1906	19
1907	38
1908	10
1909	13
1910	21
1911	49
1912	8
1913	66
1914	13
1915	19
1916	47
1917	32
1918	37
1919	45
1920	148
1921	70
1922	25
1923	122
1924	278
1925	184
1926	118
1927	144
1928	309
1929	118
1930	942
1931	130
1932	489
1933	203
1934	120
1935	444
1936	377
1937	196
1938	323
1939	375
1940	566
1941	644
1942	601
1943	1,086
1944	333
1945	511
1946	1,089
1947	354
1948	613
1949	566
1950	731
1951	535
1952	773
1953	531
1954	632
1955	303
1956	431
1957	1,040
1958	555
1959	760
1960	657
1961	537
1962	625
1963	537
1964	450
1965	1,180
1966	275
1967	423
1968	400
1969	526
1970	931
1971	871
1972	884
1973	1,147
1974	1,327
1975	647
1976	717
1977	2,352
1978	1,458
1979	1,182
1980	601
1981	821
1982	1,899
1983	592
1984	888
1985	988
1986	848
1987	1,375
1988	751
1989	745
1990	1,986
1991	776
1992	958
1993	1,685
1994	1,805
1995	1,186
1996	1,353
1997	791
1998	832
1999	775
2000	1,060
2001	744
2002	505
2003	764
2004	1,245
2005	682
2006	1,055
2007	1,911
2008	1,114
2009	851
2010	876
2011	972
2012	847
2013	643
2014	548
2015	489
2016	458
2017	1,002
2018	1,273
2019	582
2020	828
2021	375
2022	1,022
2023	808
2024	1,585
2025	586
2026	370

Download the Data

Data for records on 1979-01-17: 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 100	839
100 to 200	92
200 to 300	45
300 to 400	12
400 to 500	5
500 to 600	2