Needles Weather Records (USC00046115)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Needles (USC00046115), California, United States, with 53 years of record.

Key Facts for Needles

Needles (USC00046115) is a weather station in California, United States at 34.83 latitude and -114.59 longitude, 146 m (480 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1888 to 1940, 53 years of record.
1,464 records set at Needles still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Needles set a daily record precipitation of 31.5 mm (1.2 in) on 1 February 1940.

About the Station

Location: California, United States, 34.83 latitude, -114.59 longitude.
Elevation: 146 m (480 ft).
Period of record: 1888 to 1940, 53 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd.

Daily Record Envelope and 2026

0 days at or beyond a record

The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Needles. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.

Daily record high and record low at Needles, with 2026 drawn through them
Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	28.3 C (82.9 F)	-7.8 C (18.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Feb	32.2 C (90.0 F)	-5.6 C (21.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Mar	35.6 C (96.1 F)	-1.7 C (28.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Apr	41.1 C (106.0 F)	0.6 C (33.1 F)	n/a	n/a
May	47.8 C (118.0 F)	3.9 C (39.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Jun	50.0 C (122.0 F)	7.8 C (46.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Jul	51.7 C (125.1 F)	15.0 C (59.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Aug	50.0 C (122.0 F)	15.6 C (60.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Sep	46.7 C (116.1 F)	4.4 C (39.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Oct	44.4 C (111.9 F)	1.7 C (35.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Nov	33.3 C (91.9 F)	-3.9 C (25.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Dec	27.8 C (82.0 F)	-6.7 C (19.9 F)	n/a	n/a

Which Years Hold Standing Records

1,464 standing records

1,464 records at Needles still stand. 1909 holds the most, with 90.

Standing records at Needles by the year they were set
Year set	Standing records
1888	5
1889	24
1891	23
1892	26
1893	23
1894	17
1895	18
1896	23
1897	12
1898	19
1899	19
1900	17
1901	40
1902	34
1903	63
1904	45
1905	3
1906	28
1907	33
1908	33
1909	90
1910	53
1911	11
1912	22
1913	22
1914	35
1915	36
1916	53
1917	26
1918	33
1919	43
1920	31
1921	32
1922	47
1923	17
1924	38
1925	37
1926	19
1927	21
1928	11
1929	25
1930	31
1931	22
1932	30
1933	13
1934	45
1935	18
1936	23
1937	47
1938	8
1939	20

All-Time Record Progression

4 new records

4 all-time records were set at Needles between 12 July 1925 and 22 January 1937. Each dot is a new record.

When Needles set new all-time records
Date	Kind	Detail
1925-07-12	Record high maximum temperature	Record high maximum temperature 51.1 C (124.0 F)
1925-07-16	Record high maximum temperature	Record high maximum temperature 51.7 C (125.1 F)
1937-01-21	Record low minimum temperature	Record low minimum temperature -7.2 C (19.0 F)
1937-01-22	Record low minimum temperature	Record low minimum temperature -7.8 C (18.0 F)

Wettest Day of Each Month

Aug: 88.6 mm (3.5 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Needles. The most was 88.6 mm (3.5 in) on 19 August 1906.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Needles
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	55.1 mm (2.2 in)	29 January 1915
Feb	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	3 February 1905
Mar	36.3 mm (1.4 in)	22 March 1909
Apr	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	16 April 1917
May	16.8 mm (0.7 in)	6 May 1921
Jun	11.4 mm (0.4 in)	19 June 1918
Jul	35.6 mm (1.4 in)	25 July 1909
Aug	88.6 mm (3.5 in)	19 August 1906
Sep	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	6 September 1939
Oct	50.0 mm (2.0 in)	5 October 1925
Nov	34.5 mm (1.4 in)	10 November 1923
Dec	38.1 mm (1.5 in)	15 December 1889

Period of Record Coverage

1888 to 1939

52 years of record at Needles, 1888 to 1939. 12 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1896, 1898, 1907 and others.

Days with data per year at Needles
Year	Days with data	Share of year	Complete
1888	184	50%	No
1889	213	58%	No
1890	59	16%	No
1891	177	48%	No
1892	304	83%	No
1893	365	100%	Yes
1894	364	100%	Yes
1895	363	99%	Yes
1896	259	71%	No
1897	364	100%	Yes
1898	328	90%	No
1899	365	100%	Yes
1900	331	91%	Yes
1901	351	96%	Yes
1902	349	96%	Yes
1903	344	94%	Yes
1904	366	100%	Yes
1905	365	100%	Yes
1906	364	100%	Yes
1907	230	63%	No
1908	274	75%	No
1909	346	95%	Yes
1910	365	100%	Yes
1911	331	91%	Yes
1912	366	100%	Yes
1913	365	100%	Yes
1914	363	99%	Yes
1915	363	99%	Yes
1916	361	99%	Yes
1917	334	92%	Yes
1918	365	100%	Yes
1919	333	91%	Yes
1920	364	99%	Yes
1921	338	93%	Yes
1922	365	100%	Yes
1923	334	92%	Yes
1924	366	100%	Yes
1925	365	100%	Yes
1926	365	100%	Yes
1927	365	100%	Yes
1928	366	100%	Yes
1929	365	100%	Yes
1930	364	100%	Yes
1931	365	100%	Yes
1932	366	100%	Yes
1933	365	100%	Yes
1934	365	100%	Yes
1935	365	100%	Yes
1936	365	100%	Yes
1937	304	83%	No
1938	242	66%	No
1939	210	58%	No

Latest Records

Latest records at Needles
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
1 February 1940	Needles, US	daily rain	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	25.9 mm (1.0 in)	20 years	51 of 100 (Notable)
8 January 1940	Needles, US	daily rain	7.6 mm (0.30 in)	1.0 mm (0.04 in)	2 years	6 of 100 (Routine)
28 November 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	4.6 mm (0.18 in)	3.8 mm (0.15 in)	8 years	12 of 100 (Routine)
9 November 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	11.7 mm (0.5 in)	10.2 mm (0.4 in)	16 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
8 November 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	7.6 mm (0.30 in)	7.1 mm (0.28 in)	8 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
25 September 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	28.4 mm (1.1 in)	25.4 mm (1.0 in)	36 years	47 of 100 (Notable)
24 September 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	31.2 mm (1.2 in)	28.7 mm (1.1 in)	30 years	50 of 100 (Notable)
6 September 1939	Needles, US	monthly rain	74.7 mm (2.9 in)	31.5 mm (1.2 in)	17 years	59 of 100 (Notable)
5 September 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	24.9 mm (1.0 in)	22.4 mm (0.9 in)	21 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
4 September 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	30.0 mm (1.2 in)	19.6 mm (0.8 in)	29 years	37 of 100 (Notable)
26 August 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	11.7 mm (0.5 in)	9.2 mm (0.36 in)	13 years	15 of 100 (Routine)
3 August 1939	Needles, US	daily low max (Tie)	33.9 C (93.0 F)	tie	22 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
2 August 1939	Needles, US	daily high min (Tie)	31.1 C (88.0 F)	tie	49 years	4 of 100 (Routine)
28 July 1939	Needles, US	daily low max	32.2 C (90.0 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	2 years	12 of 100 (Routine)
27 July 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	20.3 mm (0.8 in)	18.0 mm (0.7 in)	21 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
26 July 1939	Needles, US	daily rain	16.8 mm (0.7 in)	4.1 mm (0.16 in)	47 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
25 July 1939	Needles, US	daily low max	30.6 C (87.1 F)	4.4 C (7.9 F)	26 years	27 of 100 (Routine)
9 July 1939	Needles, US	daily low min	17.8 C (64.0 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	4 years	10 of 100 (Routine)
8 July 1939	Needles, US	daily low min	16.7 C (62.1 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	4 years	10 of 100 (Routine)
7 July 1939	Needles, US	daily low min	17.2 C (63.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	4 years	11 of 100 (Routine)

Climate Trend

30 complete years, 1893 to 1936

One stripe for each of 30 complete years at Needles, 1893 to 1936. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 22.2 C (71.9 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1915, at 19.9 C (67.8 F), and the warmest was 1904, at 24.3 C (75.7 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 2.3 C (4.1 F).

Annual mean temperature at Needles as warming stripes, 1893 to 1936
Year	Annual mean temperature	Difference from the station mean
1893	22.3 C	+0.14 C
1894	21.9 C	-0.27 C
1895	22.2 C	-0.04 C
1897	22.8 C	+0.56 C
1899	22.9 C	+0.71 C
1901	22.5 C	+0.33 C
1904	24.3 C	+2.10 C
1905	22.5 C	+0.26 C
1906	22.0 C	-0.16 C
1910	23.7 C	+1.46 C
1912	21.8 C	-0.43 C
1913	22.2 C	-0.02 C
1914	22.1 C	-0.10 C
1915	19.9 C	-2.30 C
1918	21.7 C	-0.50 C
1920	20.4 C	-1.75 C
1922	21.7 C	-0.46 C
1924	22.2 C	+0.01 C
1925	22.7 C	+0.52 C
1926	23.0 C	+0.79 C
1927	22.1 C	-0.05 C
1928	22.7 C	+0.49 C
1929	22.2 C	+0.01 C
1930	22.0 C	-0.19 C
1931	22.4 C	+0.24 C
1932	21.5 C	-0.69 C
1933	21.3 C	-0.85 C
1934	23.3 C	+1.13 C
1935	21.8 C	-0.41 C
1936	21.6 C	-0.60 C

The fitted trend in annual mean temperature here over 1893 to 1936 is -0.1 C (-0.4 to 0.1) per decade. The interval includes zero, so the trend is not clearly different from zero. In Fahrenheit: -0.2 F (-0.7 to 0.2) per decade. The slope is a straight line fitted to 30 complete years; the brackets give its 95 percent interval.

Fitted temperature trends per decade at Needles
Measure	Per decade (C)	Per decade (F)	Period	Complete years	Reading
Annual mean temperature	-0.1 C (-0.4 to 0.1) per decade	-0.2 F (-0.7 to 0.2) per decade	1893 to 1936	30	Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily maximum	0.2 C (-0.1 to 0.5) per decade	0.4 F (-0.2 to 1.0) per decade	1893 to 1936	30	Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily minimum	-0.5 C (-0.8 to -0.2) per decade	-0.9 F (-1.4 to -0.3) per decade	1893 to 1936	30	Fall

A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.

Extremes by Year

1888 to 1940

Yearly extremes at Needles: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)	51.7 C (125.1 F)	1925	46.7 C (116.1 F)	52
Coldest night (TNn)	-7.8 C (18.0 F)	1937	-2.8 C (27.0 F)	52
Wettest day (Rx1day)	88.6 mm (3.5 in)	1906	21.6 mm (0.9 in)	53
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	130.1 mm (5.1 in)	1939	30.5 mm (1.2 in)	53
Longest dry spell (CDD)	209 days	1897	94 days	53

Hottest day (TXx)

The hottest day of the year at Needles, 1888 to 1940. The record is 51.7 C (125.1 F) in 1925, marked on the chart; the median year is 46.7 C (116.1 F).

Hottest day (TXx) at Needles by year
Year	Hottest day (TXx)
1888	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1889	48.3 C (118.9 F)
1890	26.1 C (79.0 F)
1891	48.9 C (120.0 F)
1892	47.2 C (117.0 F)
1893	43.9 C (111.0 F)
1894	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1895	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1896	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1897	45.6 C (114.1 F)
1898	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1899	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1900	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1901	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1902	46.1 C (115.0 F)
1903	44.4 C (111.9 F)
1904	43.9 C (111.0 F)
1905	45.6 C (114.1 F)
1906	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1907	45.0 C (113.0 F)
1908	45.6 C (114.1 F)
1909	46.1 C (115.0 F)
1910	49.4 C (120.9 F)
1911	44.4 C (111.9 F)
1912	42.2 C (108.0 F)
1913	45.6 C (114.1 F)
1914	43.9 C (111.0 F)
1915	44.4 C (111.9 F)
1916	43.9 C (111.0 F)
1917	48.9 C (120.0 F)
1918	50.0 C (122.0 F)
1919	48.9 C (120.0 F)
1920	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1921	48.9 C (120.0 F)
1922	50.0 C (122.0 F)
1923	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1924	50.0 C (122.0 F)
1925	51.7 C (125.1 F)
1926	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1927	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1928	47.2 C (117.0 F)
1929	48.3 C (118.9 F)
1930	46.1 C (115.0 F)
1931	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1932	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1933	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1934	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1935	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1936	47.8 C (118.0 F)
1937	46.7 C (116.1 F)
1938	45.6 C (114.1 F)
1939	44.4 C (111.9 F)
1940	n/a

Coldest night (TNn)

The coldest night of the year at Needles, 1888 to 1940. The record is -7.8 C (18.0 F) in 1937, marked on the chart; the median year is -2.8 C (27.0 F).

Coldest night (TNn) at Needles by year
Year	Coldest night (TNn)
1888	0.0 C (32.0 F)
1889	-1.7 C (28.9 F)
1890	2.8 C (37.0 F)
1891	-5.6 C (21.9 F)
1892	0.6 C (33.1 F)
1893	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1894	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1895	-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1896	-6.7 C (19.9 F)
1897	-1.7 C (28.9 F)
1898	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1899	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1900	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1901	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1902	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1903	-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1904	1.7 C (35.1 F)
1905	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1906	-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1907	-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1908	-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1909	-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1910	-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1911	-1.7 C (28.9 F)
1912	0.6 C (33.1 F)
1913	-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1914	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1915	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1916	-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1917	-1.7 C (28.9 F)
1918	-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1919	-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1920	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1921	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1922	-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1923	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1924	-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1925	-3.3 C (26.1 F)
1926	-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1927	-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1928	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1929	-2.8 C (27.0 F)
1930	-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1931	-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1932	-5.0 C (23.0 F)
1933	-5.6 C (21.9 F)
1934	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1935	-1.7 C (28.9 F)
1936	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1937	-7.8 C (18.0 F)
1938	-1.1 C (30.0 F)
1939	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1940	n/a

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Needles, 1888 to 1940. The record is 88.6 mm (3.5 in) in 1906, marked on the chart; the median year is 21.6 mm (0.9 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Needles by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1888	32.5 mm (1.3 in)
1889	43.7 mm (1.7 in)
1890	4.6 mm (0.18 in)
1891	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1892	9.1 mm (0.36 in)
1893	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1894	16.5 mm (0.6 in)
1895	14.7 mm (0.6 in)
1896	26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1897	35.8 mm (1.4 in)
1898	18.5 mm (0.7 in)
1899	17.8 mm (0.7 in)
1900	27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1901	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1902	21.6 mm (0.9 in)
1903	9.7 mm (0.38 in)
1904	7.6 mm (0.30 in)
1905	38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1906	88.6 mm (3.5 in)
1907	2.5 mm (0.10 in)
1908	34.8 mm (1.4 in)
1909	51.6 mm (2.0 in)
1910	18.5 mm (0.7 in)
1911	6.6 mm (0.26 in)
1912	33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1913	30.0 mm (1.2 in)
1914	22.1 mm (0.9 in)
1915	55.1 mm (2.2 in)
1916	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1917	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1918	55.9 mm (2.2 in)
1919	20.1 mm (0.8 in)
1920	27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1921	48.8 mm (1.9 in)
1922	14.0 mm (0.6 in)
1923	34.5 mm (1.4 in)
1924	5.1 mm (0.20 in)
1925	50.0 mm (2.0 in)
1926	30.0 mm (1.2 in)
1927	37.6 mm (1.5 in)
1928	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1929	11.7 mm (0.5 in)
1930	16.8 mm (0.7 in)
1931	23.6 mm (0.9 in)
1932	19.3 mm (0.8 in)
1933	15.7 mm (0.6 in)
1934	23.4 mm (0.9 in)
1935	19.3 mm (0.8 in)
1936	18.3 mm (0.7 in)
1937	11.7 mm (0.5 in)
1938	27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1939	74.7 mm (2.9 in)
1940	31.5 mm (1.2 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Needles, 1888 to 1940. The record is 130.1 mm (5.1 in) in 1939, marked on the chart; the median year is 30.5 mm (1.2 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Needles by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1888	34.0 mm (1.3 in)
1889	72.7 mm (2.9 in)
1890	5.4 mm (0.21 in)
1891	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1892	24.1 mm (0.9 in)
1893	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1894	17.5 mm (0.7 in)
1895	28.2 mm (1.1 in)
1896	26.7 mm (1.1 in)
1897	53.1 mm (2.1 in)
1898	18.5 mm (0.7 in)
1899	17.8 mm (0.7 in)
1900	27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1901	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1902	45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1903	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1904	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1905	60.9 mm (2.4 in)
1906	95.0 mm (3.7 in)
1907	13.7 mm (0.5 in)
1908	34.8 mm (1.4 in)
1909	92.2 mm (3.6 in)
1910	28.4 mm (1.1 in)
1911	13.0 mm (0.5 in)
1912	40.1 mm (1.6 in)
1913	33.6 mm (1.3 in)
1914	26.4 mm (1.0 in)
1915	63.8 mm (2.5 in)
1916	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1917	20.3 mm (0.8 in)
1918	69.4 mm (2.7 in)
1919	33.1 mm (1.3 in)
1920	38.6 mm (1.5 in)
1921	60.5 mm (2.4 in)
1922	20.4 mm (0.8 in)
1923	40.8 mm (1.6 in)
1924	8.1 mm (0.32 in)
1925	60.2 mm (2.4 in)
1926	77.3 mm (3.0 in)
1927	51.6 mm (2.0 in)
1928	40.1 mm (1.6 in)
1929	12.7 mm (0.5 in)
1930	27.0 mm (1.1 in)
1931	43.3 mm (1.7 in)
1932	30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1933	22.3 mm (0.9 in)
1934	66.5 mm (2.6 in)
1935	66.6 mm (2.6 in)
1936	29.5 mm (1.2 in)
1937	23.4 mm (0.9 in)
1938	50.3 mm (2.0 in)
1939	130.1 mm (5.1 in)
1940	31.5 mm (1.2 in)

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Needles, 1888 to 1940. The record is 209 days in 1897, marked on the chart; the median year is 94 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Needles by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1888	29 days
1889	48 days
1890	31 days
1891	102 days
1892	115 days
1893	66 days
1894	126 days
1895	140 days
1896	105 days
1897	209 days
1898	101 days
1899	115 days
1900	104 days
1901	142 days
1902	113 days
1903	153 days
1904	191 days
1905	88 days
1906	94 days
1907	89 days
1908	70 days
1909	124 days
1910	91 days
1911	65 days
1912	80 days
1913	140 days
1914	49 days
1915	79 days
1916	114 days
1917	92 days
1918	63 days
1919	112 days
1920	71 days
1921	54 days
1922	88 days
1923	72 days
1924	134 days
1925	65 days
1926	87 days
1927	91 days
1928	92 days
1929	104 days
1930	74 days
1931	69 days
1932	110 days
1933	95 days
1934	149 days
1935	75 days
1936	99 days
1937	99 days
1938	191 days
1939	112 days
1940	24 days

Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.

Frost Dates and Growing Season

21 years with a frost

Across 21 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Needles falls on 30 January and the median first autumn frost on 3 December, which leaves a median of 304 days between them.

Frost dates and growing season at Needles
Measure	Median, all years	Earliest period	Recent period (1895 to 1936)	Recent against earliest	Fitted trend
Last spring frost	30 January	n/a	30 January	n/a	n/a
First autumn frost	3 December	n/a	3 December	n/a	n/a
Growing days	304 days	n/a	304 days	n/a	n/a

A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.

Rainfall Return Levels

44 years, 1893 to 1939

A day with at least 22.7 mm (0.9 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 98.7 mm (3.9 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Needles: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	22.7 mm (0.9 in)
5 years	37.1 mm (1.5 in)
10 years	48.6 mm (1.9 in)
25 years	66.0 mm (2.6 in)
50 years	81.2 mm (3.2 in)	Longer than the 44 years of record
100 years	98.7 mm (3.9 in)	Longer than the 44 years of record

The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 44 years of values from 1893 to 1939.

A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.

The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 88.6 mm (3.5 in) in 1906; 74.7 mm (2.9 in) in 1939; 55.9 mm (2.2 in) in 1918.

Download the Data

Data for Needles standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Needles threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

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 (17 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2025-12-31. Last revised 31 December 2025 (2025-12-31).