Weather Records on 4 January 1997

3,256 weather records were set or tied worldwide on 4 January 1997. Highest significance: Sisseton, US.

Key Facts for 4 January 1997

On 4 January 1997, 3,256 weather records were set or tied at long-record stations worldwide.
2,403 were record highs and 110 were record lows, counting maximum and minimum temperature.
By timescale, 20 were all-time records, 248 monthly and 2,988 daily.
Sisseton set an all-time record daily snowfall of 61.5 cm (24.2 in) on 4 January 1997.
Across 162 earlier years (1795 to 2026) the same calendar date averaged 489 records.

Record Map

2,000 stations, highest significance shown

2,000 station records on 4 January 1997 are marked on the map, coloured by record type. Dot size shows the significance score. Made with Natural Earth.

Weather records on 4 January 1997: highest significance records shown on the map
Station	Country	Type	Value	Significance
Sisseton	United States	Record daily snowfall	61.5 cm (24.2 in)	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
Mott	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	78 of 100 (Major)
Stephan 2 NW	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	78 of 100 (Major)
Collegeville St John's	United States	Record daily snowfall	24.4 cm (9.6 in)	77 of 100 (Major)
Beatrice Hill	Australia	Record daily precipitation	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	76 of 100 (Major)
Britton	United States	Record daily snowfall	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	76 of 100 (Major)
Selby	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	75 of 100 (Major)
Bryant	United States	Record daily snowfall	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	74 of 100 (Major)
Walker	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	73 of 100 (Major)
Clark	United States	Record daily precipitation	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	72 of 100 (Major)
Bison	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	71 of 100 (Major)
Glenwood 2WNW	United States	Record daily snowfall	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Raymond 3 NE	United States	Record daily precipitation	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	70 of 100 (Major)
Lordsburg 4 SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	68 of 100 (Major)
Little Falls 2NNE	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Clear Lake	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.7 mm (1.6 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Kaneohe 838.1	United States	Record daily precipitation	97.3 mm (3.8 in)	67 of 100 (Major)
Reeder	United States	Record daily precipitation	26.4 mm (1.0 in)	66 of 100 (Major)
Walker	United States	Record daily snowfall	38.1 cm (15.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Faulkton	United States	Record daily precipitation	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Waubay Natl Wild Life	United States	Record daily snowfall	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	64 of 100 (Major)
Rooiwal	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	66.5 mm (2.6 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Forman 5 SSE	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
St Cloud Rgnl AP	United States	Record daily snowfall	21.6 cm (8.5 in)	63 of 100 (Major)
Webster	United States	Record daily snowfall	50.8 cm (20.0 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Zeona 10 SSW	United States	Record daily precipitation	29.7 mm (1.2 in)	62 of 100 (Major)
Webster 3 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Wessington 2SE	United States	Record daily precipitation	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	60 of 100 (Major)
Rietpan	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	101.6 mm (4.0 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Grand Rapids Forestry Lab	United States	Record daily snowfall	30.0 cm (11.8 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Arlington 1 W	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.4 mm (1.1 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Duluth	United States	Record daily snowfall	33.8 cm (13.3 in)	59 of 100 (Notable)
Mc Leod 3 E	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.0 mm (1.8 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Mott	United States	Record daily snowfall	17.8 cm (7.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Ludlow 3 SSE	United States	Record daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Wessington 2SE	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Park Falls Dnr HQ	United States	Record daily precipitation	41.4 mm (1.6 in)	58 of 100 (Notable)
Madison Wwtp	United States	Record daily precipitation	45.7 mm (1.8 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Linton	United States	Record daily snowfall	30.5 cm (12.0 in)	57 of 100 (Notable)
Blunt	United States	Record daily precipitation	30.7 mm (1.2 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Highmore 23 N	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.6 mm (1.4 in)	56 of 100 (Notable)
Caete	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	118.2 mm (4.7 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Coloso	Puerto Rico [United States]	Record low maximum temperature	23.3 C (73.9 F)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Frasers	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	91.2 mm (3.6 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Cloquet	United States	Record daily snowfall	25.9 cm (10.2 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Stephan 2 NW	United States	Record daily snowfall	45.7 cm (18.0 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Webster	United States	Record daily precipitation	43.2 mm (1.7 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Jump Rvr 3E	United States	Record daily precipitation	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	55 of 100 (Notable)
Madison Wwtp	United States	Record daily snowfall	21.3 cm (8.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Hague	United States	Record daily snowfall	27.9 cm (11.0 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Wasta	United States	Record daily precipitation	27.9 mm (1.1 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Waubay Natl Wild Life	United States	Record daily precipitation	36.8 mm (1.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Amery	United States	Record daily precipitation	35.8 mm (1.4 in)	54 of 100 (Notable)
Fazenda Vargem Bonita	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	156.0 mm (6.1 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Melo Franco	Brazil	Record daily precipitation	91.9 mm (3.6 in)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Geneseo	United States	Record high maximum temperature	17.8 C (64.0 F)	53 of 100 (Notable)
Blackburn	South Africa	Record daily precipitation	97.0 mm (3.8 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Highmore 23 N	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Miller	United States	Record daily snowfall	15.2 cm (6.0 in)	52 of 100 (Notable)
Middle Point	Australia	Record daily precipitation	144.0 mm (5.7 in)	51 of 100 (Notable)

Counts by Type and Timescale

3,256 records

Records set or tied on 4 January 1997 by type: Highest daily maximum 1,205, Lowest daily maximum 53, Highest daily minimum 1,198, Lowest daily minimum 57, Heaviest daily rainfall 443, Heaviest daily snowfall 163, Deepest snow cover 137.

Records on 4 January 1997 by type
Record type	Records
Highest daily maximum	1,205
Lowest daily maximum	53
Highest daily minimum	1,198
Lowest daily minimum	57
Heaviest daily rainfall	443
Heaviest daily snowfall	163
Deepest snow cover	137

Records on 4 January 1997 by timescale: all-time 20, monthly 248, daily 2,988.

How Much Records Were Beaten By

2,705 broken records

Margins by which the 2,705 broken records beat the old ones, in degrees Celsius for temperature and millimetres for precipitation and snow; the largest margin was 483.0. Ties are not counted.

Top 20 by Significance

4 January 1997

Top 20 records on 4 January 1997 by significance
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
4 January 1997	Sisseton, US	all-time snowfall	61.5 cm (24.2 in)	31.0 cm (12.2 in)	48 years	83 of 100 (Exceptional)
4 January 1997	Mott, US	monthly rain	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	11.2 mm (0.4 in)	66 years	78 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Stephan 2 NW, US	monthly rain	29.5 mm (1.2 in)	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	90 years	78 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Collegeville St John's, US	daily snowfall	24.4 cm (9.6 in)	16.8 cm (6.6 in)	99 years	77 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Beatrice Hill, AU	daily rain	120.0 mm (4.7 in)	70.7 mm (2.8 in)	108 years	76 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Britton, US	all-time snowfall	55.9 cm (22.0 in)	9.2 cm (3.6 in)	77 years	76 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Selby, US	daily snowfall	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	89 years	75 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Bryant, US	all-time snowfall	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	20.3 cm (8.0 in)	21 years	74 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Walker, US	monthly rain	34.8 mm (1.4 in)	17.0 mm (0.7 in)	46 years	73 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Clark, US	daily rain	25.7 mm (1.0 in)	13.0 mm (0.5 in)	87 years	72 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Bison, US	daily rain	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	26.2 mm (1.0 in)	78 years	71 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Glenwood 2WNW, US	all-time snowfall	53.3 cm (21.0 in)	25.4 cm (10.0 in)	0 years	70 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Raymond 3 NE, US	monthly rain	47.0 mm (1.9 in)	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	48 years	70 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Lordsburg 4 SE, US	daily rain	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	29.4 mm (1.2 in)	65 years	68 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Little Falls 2NNE, US	daily rain	29.2 mm (1.1 in)	22.3 mm (0.9 in)	58 years	67 of 100 (Major)
4 January 1997	Napoleon, US	daily rain	13.0 mm (0.5 in)	7.9 mm (0.31 in)	99 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
4 January 1997	Morris W Cntrl Rsch & Outreach, US	daily rain	23.6 mm (0.9 in)	13.4 mm (0.5 in)	87 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
4 January 1997	Eagle Butte, US	daily rain	12.4 mm (0.5 in)	11.9 mm (0.5 in)	78 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
4 January 1997	Elm Springs 3 ESE, US	monthly rain	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	6.9 mm (0.27 in)	71 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
4 January 1997	Milesville 5 NE, US	daily rain	13.2 mm (0.5 in)	7.9 mm (0.31 in)	84 years	20 of 100 (Routine)

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 1997

Records set or tied on this calendar date in each year from 1795 to 1997. 1997 had 3,256 records.

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

Records on 01-04 in each year
Year	Records
1795	2
1803	2
1824	1
1845	1
1855	1
1860	2
1864	4
1866	1
1867	2
1869	2
1871	2
1872	1
1873	2
1874	3
1876	1
1877	3
1878	3
1879	1
1880	1
1881	3
1882	2
1884	2
1886	5
1887	2
1888	4
1889	4
1890	2
1891	4
1892	1
1893	2
1894	9
1895	8
1896	2
1897	1
1898	2
1899	4
1900	6
1901	9
1902	7
1903	16
1904	51
1905	21
1906	15
1907	13
1908	8
1909	23
1910	20
1911	17
1912	30
1913	27
1914	45
1915	21
1916	59
1917	59
1918	78
1919	34
1920	113
1921	121
1922	56
1923	54
1924	184
1925	128
1926	310
1927	185
1928	150
1929	96
1930	134
1931	94
1932	200
1933	231
1934	319
1935	207
1936	394
1937	251
1938	136
1939	647
1940	332
1941	1,010
1942	1,191
1943	453
1944	300
1945	194
1946	371
1947	858
1948	391
1949	1,261
1950	2,015
1951	394
1952	349
1953	267
1954	249
1955	659
1956	462
1957	262
1958	448
1959	1,124
1960	358
1961	378
1962	359
1963	559
1964	349
1965	403
1966	798
1967	319
1968	661
1969	645
1970	497
1971	1,191
1972	728
1973	667
1974	957
1975	394
1976	534
1977	524
1978	656
1979	1,606
1980	643
1981	1,430
1982	2,261
1983	953
1984	996
1985	1,049
1986	705
1987	1,172
1988	903
1989	1,205
1990	509
1991	1,016
1992	1,201
1993	1,538
1994	1,418
1995	922
1996	1,389
1997	3,256
1998	1,246
1999	1,842
2000	1,486
2001	1,350
2002	1,151
2003	1,229
2004	1,611
2005	1,581
2006	1,167
2007	2,045
2008	845
2009	824
2010	1,183
2011	586
2012	1,357
2013	797
2014	770
2015	715
2016	618
2017	997
2018	1,096
2019	616
2020	497
2021	427
2022	698
2023	1,236
2024	562
2025	477
2026	1,013

Download the Data

Data for records on 1997-01-04: 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).