Weather Records on 16 May 1979

506 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 16 May 1979. Highest significance: Elk, US.

Key Facts for 16 May 1979

On 16 May 1979, 506 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
296 were record highs and 66 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 0 were all-time records, 11 monthly and 495 daily.
Elk set a monthly record daily snowfall of 10.2 cm (4.0 in) on 16 May 1979.
Across 165 earlier years (1802 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 438 records.

Record Map

506 stations

506 station records on 16 May 1979 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 16 May 1979: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Elk	United States	Record daily snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Milha	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Victoria River Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Aquiraz	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	135.3 mm (5.3 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Fitzroy Crossing Comp.	Australia	Record daily precipitation	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Lost River	Canada	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	50 of 100 (Notable)
Carnaubas	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	102.0 mm (4.0 in)	49 of 100 (Notable)
Taipu	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	146.4 mm (5.8 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Nova Cruz	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	46 of 100 (Notable)
Putbus	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	14.9 C (58.8 F)	45 of 100 (Notable)
Ocean Falls	Canada	Record low minimum temperature	-3.9 C (25.0 F)	41 of 100 (Notable)
Gogo Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Quanbun Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Serra Negra Do Norte	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	40 of 100 (Notable)
Wibaux 2 E	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	39 of 100 (Notable)
Woodstock	Canada	Record high minimum temperature	12.0 C (53.6 F)	37 of 100 (Notable)
Jubilee Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Ojinaga (Smn)	Mexico	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Elk	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	36 of 100 (Notable)
Aachen	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	16.7 C (62.1 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Unity	United States	Record high minimum temperature	15.0 C (59.0 F)	35 of 100 (Notable)
Acude Pompeu Sobrinho	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	70.0 mm (2.8 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Pedro Velho (Dnocs)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	35.3 mm (1.4 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Grande Prairie A	Canada	Record daily precipitation	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Koebenhavn: Landbohojskolen-1	Denmark	Record high minimum temperature	13.5 C (56.3 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Halmstad	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	25.7 C (78.3 F)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Machias	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	34 of 100 (Routine)
Fossil Downs	Australia	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Daniel de Queiroz (Muxiopo)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	72.8 mm (2.9 in)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Faro	Sweden	Record high maximum temperature	24.2 C (75.6 F)	33 of 100 (Routine)
Mount House Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	41.6 mm (1.6 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Fazenda Jardim	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	77.8 mm (3.1 in)	32 of 100 (Routine)
Margaret River Station	Australia	Record daily precipitation	28.0 mm (1.1 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Uniao	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	56.3 mm (2.2 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Lost River	Canada	Record daily snowfall	12.7 cm (5.0 in)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Angola	United States	Record low minimum temperature	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	31 of 100 (Routine)
Taboleiro Do Meio	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	45.6 mm (1.8 in)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Hiddensee-Vitte	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	14.8 C (58.6 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Falun	Sweden	Record high minimum temperature	9.9 C (49.8 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Shoshone 1 WNW	United States	Record high minimum temperature	13.3 C (55.9 F)	29 of 100 (Routine)
Snowtown	Australia	Record low minimum temperature	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Mineirolandia	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	53.0 mm (2.1 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Marruas	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	40.8 mm (1.6 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Alagoa Nova (Laranjeiras)	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	42.5 mm (1.7 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Vestervig	Denmark	Record high maximum temperature	25.1 C (77.2 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Isla Perez	Mexico	Record high minimum temperature	26.7 C (80.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Ames	United States	Record snow depth	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Garland 1 NE	United States	Record high minimum temperature	12.8 C (55.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Darrington Rs	United States	Record high minimum temperature	10.6 C (51.1 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Seward AP	United States	Record low maximum temperature	6.1 C (43.0 F)	28 of 100 (Routine)
Acude Cedro	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	58.4 mm (2.3 in)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Kirchdorf/Poel	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	14.5 C (58.1 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Sheffield	United Kingdom	Record high minimum temperature	11.8 C (53.2 F)	27 of 100 (Routine)
Alibek	Azerbaijan	Record daily precipitation	31.8 mm (1.3 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Uccle	Belgium	Record high minimum temperature	15.8 C (60.4 F)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Mendubim	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	106.2 mm (4.2 in)	26 of 100 (Routine)
Halls Creek Airport	Australia	Record low maximum temperature	18.2 C (64.8 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Pacatuba	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	48.2 mm (1.9 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Boqueirao Pedras Brancas	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	86.2 mm (3.4 in)	25 of 100 (Routine)
Brocken	Germany	Record high minimum temperature	12.0 C (53.6 F)	25 of 100 (Routine)

Counts by Type and Timescale

506 records

Records set or tied on 16 May 1979 by type: Highest daily maximum 146, Lowest daily maximum 46, Highest daily minimum 150, Lowest daily minimum 20, Heaviest daily rainfall 140, Heaviest daily snowfall 3, Deepest snow cover 1.

Records on 16 May 1979 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	146
Lowest daily maximum	46
Highest daily minimum	150
Lowest daily minimum	20
Heaviest daily rainfall	140
Heaviest daily snowfall	3
Deepest snow cover	1

Records on 16 May 1979 by timescale: all-time 0, monthly 11, daily 495.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

428 broken records

Margins by which the 428 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 124.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

16 May 1979

Top 20 records on 16 May 1979 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
16 May 1979	Elk, US	monthly snowfall	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	10.2 cm (4.0 in)	83 years	62 of 100 (Major)
16 May 1979	Milha, BR	daily rain	82.0 mm (3.2 in)	56.0 mm (2.2 in)	56 years	58 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Victoria River Downs, AU	daily rain	26.0 mm (1.0 in)	21.2 mm (0.8 in)	91 years	54 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Aquiraz, BR	daily rain	135.3 mm (5.3 in)	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	57 years	53 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Fitzroy Crossing Comp., AU	daily rain	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	27.6 mm (1.1 in)	64 years	52 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Lost River, CA	daily rain	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	18.5 mm (0.7 in)	60 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Carnaubas, BR	daily rain	102.0 mm (4.0 in)	75.7 mm (3.0 in)	16 years	49 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Taipu, BR	daily rain	146.4 mm (5.8 in)	81.8 mm (3.2 in)	0 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Nova Cruz, BR	daily rain	85.0 mm (3.3 in)	70.7 mm (2.8 in)	5 years	46 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Putbus, DE	daily high min	14.9 C (58.8 F)	1.8 C (3.2 F)	115 years	45 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Ocean Falls, CA	daily low min	-3.9 C (25.0 F)	5.6 C (10.1 F)	46 years	41 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Gogo Station, AU	daily rain	41.0 mm (1.6 in)	38.0 mm (1.5 in)	10 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Quanbun Downs, AU	daily rain	35.0 mm (1.4 in)	25.3 mm (1.0 in)	64 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Serra Negra Do Norte, BR	daily rain	36.0 mm (1.4 in)	24.7 mm (1.0 in)	57 years	40 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Wibaux 2 E, US	daily high min	15.0 C (59.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	77 years	39 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Woodstock, CA	daily high min	12.0 C (53.6 F)	0.9 C (1.6 F)	88 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Jubilee Downs, AU	daily rain	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	34.2 mm (1.3 in)	41 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Ojinaga (Smn), MX	daily rain	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	36.1 mm (1.4 in)	2 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Elk, US	monthly rain	43.9 mm (1.7 in)	7.3 mm (0.29 in)	27 years	36 of 100 (Notable)
16 May 1979	Aachen, DE	daily high min	16.7 C (62.1 F)	1.0 C (1.8 F)	85 years	35 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

1802 to 1979

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1802 to 1979. 1979 had 506 records.

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

Records on 05-16 in each year
Year	Records
1802	1
1806	1
1820	1
1825	1
1832	1
1837	1
1847	1
1856	1
1858	1
1861	1
1862	1
1863	1
1864	1
1866	1
1867	2
1871	1
1874	3
1878	1
1879	1
1880	1
1881	1
1882	1
1883	1
1884	1
1885	1
1886	1
1887	2
1888	2
1889	2
1890	1
1891	4
1892	3
1893	1
1894	2
1895	6
1896	2
1897	1
1898	11
1899	6
1900	7
1901	2
1902	10
1903	9
1904	17
1905	13
1906	25
1907	13
1908	6
1909	57
1910	24
1911	22
1912	13
1913	24
1914	11
1915	104
1916	38
1917	48
1918	395
1919	28
1920	69
1921	106
1922	31
1923	126
1924	152
1925	177
1926	211
1927	230
1928	121
1929	273
1930	170
1931	254
1932	441
1933	268
1934	304
1935	320
1936	520
1937	279
1938	299
1939	448
1940	334
1941	429
1942	721
1943	652
1944	531
1945	888
1946	327
1947	344
1948	281
1949	360
1950	210
1951	558
1952	773
1953	421
1954	251
1955	525
1956	697
1957	610
1958	361
1959	680
1960	370
1961	378
1962	1,295
1963	552
1964	313
1965	442
1966	420
1967	611
1968	790
1969	423
1970	520
1971	509
1972	625
1973	869
1974	1,207
1975	544
1976	518
1977	1,269
1978	808
1979	506
1980	830
1981	896
1982	427
1983	1,579
1984	981
1985	536
1986	747
1987	1,369
1988	946
1989	938
1990	1,068
1991	1,094
1992	809
1993	653
1994	705
1995	1,235
1996	1,835
1997	1,932
1998	1,500
1999	778
2000	1,129
2001	1,110
2002	694
2003	1,289
2004	869
2005	870
2006	1,345
2007	692
2008	1,034
2009	897
2010	836
2011	1,398
2012	770
2013	596
2014	1,483
2015	782
2016	793
2017	710
2018	1,013
2019	572
2020	431
2021	419
2022	717
2023	653
2024	601
2025	993
2026	558

Download the Data

Data for records on 1979-05-16: 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 20	403
20 to 40	17
40 to 60	1
60 to 80	4
80 to 100	1
100 to 120	1
120 to 140	1