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List of weather records

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List of weather records
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The list of weather records includes the most extreme occurrences of weather phenomena for various categories. Many weather records are measured under specific conditions—such as surface temperature and wind speed—to keep consistency among measurements around the Earth. Each of these records is understood to be the record value officially observed, as these records may have been exceeded before modern weather instrumentation was invented, or in remote areas without an official weather station. This list does not include remotely sensed observations such as satellite measurements, since those values are not considered official records.[2]

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In recent decades, new high temperature records have substantially outpaced new low temperature records on a growing portion of Earth's surface.[1] Comparison shows seasonal variability for record increases.
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Temperature

Summarize
Perspective
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Increasingly, record temperatures have been warm record temperatures.[3]
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2024 saw the highest global average surface temperature in recorded history.[4]

Measuring conditions

The standard measuring conditions for temperature are in the air, 1.25 metres (4.1 ft) to 2.00 metres (6.6 ft) above the ground,[5] and shielded from direct sunlight intensity (hence the term x degrees "in the shade").[6] The following lists include all officially confirmed claims measured by those methods.

Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by 30 to 50 °C (54 to 90 °F).[6] The highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded may have been an alleged reading of 93.9 °C (201.0 °F) at Furnace Creek, California, United States, on 15 July 1972.[7] In 2011, a ground temperature of 84 °C (183.2 °F) was recorded in Port Sudan, Sudan.[8] The theoretical maximum possible ground surface temperature has been estimated to be between 90 and 100 °C (194 and 212 °F) for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity.[9]

Satellite measurements of ground temperature taken between 2003 and 2009, taken with the MODIS infrared spectroradiometer on the Aqua satellite, found a maximum temperature of 70.7 °C (159.3 °F), which was recorded in 2005 in the Lut Desert, Iran. The Lut Desert was also found to have the highest maximum temperature in five of the seven years measured (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009). These measurements reflect averages over a large region and so are lower than the maximum point surface temperature.[6]

Satellite measurements of the surface temperature of Antarctica, taken between 1982 and 2013, found a coldest temperature of −93.2 °C (−135.8 °F) on 10 August 2010, at 81.8°S 59.3°E / -81.8; 59.3. Although this is not comparable to an air temperature, it is believed that the air temperature at this location would have been lower than the official record lowest air temperature of −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F).[10][11]

Hottest

Highest temperatures ever recorded

Main articles: Highest temperature recorded on Earth and Heat wave
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A world map showing areas with Köppen B classification (dry climates). The temperatures of the hot variants (BWh, BSh) of these climates have the potential to exceed 50 °C (122 °F) during the hottest seasons.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the highest temperature ever recorded was 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) on 10 July 1913 in Furnace Creek (Greenland Ranch), California, United States,[12] but the validity of this record is challenged as possible problems with the reading have since been discovered. Christopher C. Burt, a weather historian writing for Weather Underground, believes that the 1913 Death Valley reading is "a myth", and is at least 2.2 or 2.8 °C (4 or 5 °F) too high.[13] Burt proposes that the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth could still be at Death Valley, but is instead 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) recorded on 30 June 2013.[14] This is lower than a 1931 measurement of 55 °C (131 °F) recorded in Kebili, Tunisia, but the WMS rejects this measurement as due to an inexperienced operator misreading the instrument.[15] Temperature of 54 °C (129 °F) is also matched by a 1942 record from Tirat Zvi, Israel.[16] 2016 and 2017 readings in Kuwait and Iran have also matched the 2013 Death Valley record, while readings in 2020 and 2021 also at Furnace Creek went even higher, up to 54.4 °C (130 °F), however, they have not yet been validated by WMO.[17] The WMO has stated they stand by the 1913 record pending any future investigations.

The former highest official temperature on Earth, 58.0 °C (136.4 °F), measured in ʽAziziya, Libya on 13 September 1922, was reassessed in July 2012 by the WMO which published a report that invalidated the record.[15] There have been other unconfirmed reports of high temperatures, but these temperatures have never been officially validated by national weather services/WMO, and are currently considered to have been recorder's errors,[18] thus not being recognised as world records.[19]

Highest global average temperature

The warmest day on record for the entire planet was 22 July 2024 when the highest global average temperature was recorded at 17.16 °C (62.89 °F).[20] The previous record was 17.09 °C (62.76 °F) set the day before on 21 July 2024.[20] The month of July 2023 was the hottest month on record globally.[21] September 2023 was the most anomalously warm month, averaging 1.75 °C (3.15 °F) above the preindustrial average for September.[22] The Copernicus Programme (begun 1940) had recorded 13 August 2016, as the hottest global temperature, but by July 2024, that date had been downgraded to the fourth hottest.[23]

More information Country/Region, Temperature ...

Other high-temperature records

More information Country/Region, Temperature ...
  • Highest minimum temperature for a 24-hour period and for a calendar day: 42.6 °C (108.7 °F) at Qurayyat, Oman on 25 June 2018.[196]
  • Highest average monthly temperature: 42.5 °C (108.5 °F), in Death Valley, California, for the month of July 2024.[197][198]
  • Highest temperature north of the Arctic Circle: 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) in Verkhoyansk, Russia on 20 June 2020.[199][200][201][202]
  • Highest temperature ever recorded north of the 50th parallel north: 49.6 °C (121.3 °F) at Lytton, British Columbia, Canada on 29 June 2021.[150][151][152]

Humidity

  • Highest dew point temperature: A dew point of 35 °C (95 °F) — while the temperature was 42 °C (108 °F) — was observed at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, at 3:00 p.m. on 8 July 2003.[203]
  • Highest heat index: In the observation above at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, the heat index ("feels like" temperature) was 81.1 °C (178.0 °F).[203]
  • Highest temperature with 100% relative humidity: A temperature of 34 °C (93 °F) with 100% relative humidity in Jask, Iran, on 21 July 2012.[204]

Coldest

Lowest temperatures recorded

Main articles: Lowest temperature recorded on Earth and Cold wave

The lowest temperature recorded is −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F), in Vostok Station, Antarctica on 21 July 1983.

More information Country/Region, Temperature ...

Other low-temperature records

  • Coldest summer (month of July in the Northern Hemisphere): −33 °C (−27.4 °F); Summit Camp, Greenland on 4 July 2017.[296]
  • Lowest temperature in the Northern Hemisphere: −69.6 °C (−93.3 °F); Greenland Ice Sheet, Greenland on 22 December 1991.[199]
  • Coldest average monthly temperature in the Northern Hemisphere: −54.1 °C (−65.4 °F); Oymyakon, Russia for the month of January 1931.[297]
  • Coldest temperature in the tropics: −25.2 °C (−13.4 °F); Mazocruz, Peru on 30 June 1966.[290]

Record extreme temperature differences

  • Greatest 2-minute temperature increase: 27 °C (49 °F), from −20 °C (−4 °F) to 7 °C (45 °F); Spearfish, South Dakota, on 22 January 1943.[216]
  • Greatest 24-hour temperature increase: +57 °C (+102.6 °F), from −48 °C (−54 °F) to 9 °C (48 °F); Loma, Montana, on 15 January 1972.[298]
  • Fastest temperature drop: 27.2 °C (49 °F) in 5 minutes; Rapid City, South Dakota, 10 January 1911.[216]
  • Largest temperature range ever in 1 area: 105.8 °C (190.4 °F), from −67.8 °C (−90.0 °F) on 15 January 1885, 5,7 February 1892 to 38.0 °C (100.4 °F) on 20 June 2020; Verkhoyansk, Sakha Republic, Russia[299][300][301][202]
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Precipitation

Rain

Snow

  • Most in a 24-hour period: 230 centimetres (90.6 in) of snow on Mount Ibuki, Japan on 14 February 1927.[310]
  • Most in one calendar month: 9.91 meters (390 inches) of snow fell in Tamarack, California, in January 1911, leading to a snow depth in March of 11.46 meters (451 inches) (greatest measured in North America).[311][312]
  • Most in one season (1 July – 30 June): 29.0 meters, (95 ft); Mount Baker, Washington, United States, 1998 through 1999.[311]
  • Most in one-year period: 31.5 meters (102 ft); Mount Rainier, Washington, United States, 19 February 1971 to 18 February 1972.[216]
  • Deepest snowfall recorded: 11.82 meters (38.8 ft) on Mount Ibuki, Japan on 14 February 1927.[313]
  • Lowest latitude that snow has been recorded at sea level in North America: Snow fell as far south as the city of Tampico, Mexico, in February 1895 during the Great Freeze.[314][315]
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Wind speeds

Tornadoes

Main article: Tornado records
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The Tri-State Tornado holds many records, including the longest known tornado track, fastest speed for a significant tornado, and the deadliest tornado outside of Bangladesh.

Deadliest in history

Outbreaks

  • Largest: The 2011 Super Outbreak: 207 confirmed tornadoes occurred in a span of 24 hours on April 27, 2011, with a total of 367 occurring throughout the duration of the outbreak. They affected six US states, and included 11 rated EF4 and 4 rated EF5.[324]
  • Most severe: The 1974 Super Outbreak produced 7 F5, 23 F4, 34 F3, and 34 F2 tornadoes on April 3–4, 1974. It received a score on expert Thomas P. Grazulis's outbreak intensity score of 578, surpassing the 2011 outbreak's score of 378.[325]
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Tropical cyclones

Main article: List of tropical cyclone records

Most intense (by minimum surface air pressure)

  • Most intense ever recorded: 870 hPa (25.69 inHg); eye of Super Typhoon Tip over the northwest Pacific Ocean, 12 October 1979.[216]
  • Most intense in the Western Hemisphere: 872 hPa (25.75 inHg); eye of Hurricane Patricia over the eastern Pacific Ocean, 23 October 2015.[326]
  • Most intense ever recorded on land: 892 hPa (26.35 inHg); Craig Key, Florida, United States, eye of the Labor Day Hurricane, 2 September 1935. While other landfalling tropical cyclones potentially had lower pressures, data is vague from areas other than the Atlantic basin, especially before the invention of weather satellites.[327]
  • Most intense landfall (estimated): 884 hPa (26.10 inHg); Rakiraki District, Viti Levu, Fiji, during Cyclone Winston, 20 February 2016. Although no official land pressure readings were recorded at the landfall site, it is estimated that Winston made landfall with the aforementioned pressure.[328] A reading of 880hPa (26inHg) from Bathurst Bay, Queensland, Australia, during Cyclone Mahina, on 4 March 1899 is disputed to have been recorded by Captain William Porter, the same person who recorded the currently established mark of 914hPa (27inHg). [329] Further evidence to back up this claim comes in the form of an eyewitness estimate for the storm surge at Ninian Bay, 30km from Bathurst Bay, which was said to be approximately 13m. This figure would be consistent with the pressure of 880hPa allegedly recorded by Capt. Porter. [330]

Most precipitation

Main article: List of the wettest tropical cyclones
  • Most precipitation from a single tropical storm: 6,433 mm (253.3 in); Commerson, Réunion, during Cyclone Hyacinthe in January 1980.
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Other severe weather

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A picture of the Aurora, Nebraska hailstone, measured at 47.6 cm (18.75 in) in circumference
Satellite loop of the record-breaking supercell near Chicago producing intense lightning on June 13, 2022.

Hail

Main article: List of costly or deadly hailstorms

Lightning

  • Longest lightning bolt: 768 km (477 mi) on 29 April 2020 in the southern United States.[334]
  • Longest duration for a single lightning flash: 17.1 seconds on 18 June 2020 in Uruguay and northern Argentina.[334]

Ultraviolet index

  • Highest ultraviolet index measured: On 29 December 2003, a UV index of 43.3 was detected at Chile/Bolivia's Licancabur volcano, at 19,423 feet (5,920 m) altitude. A light-skinned individual in such conditions may experience moderate sunburn in as little as 4 minutes.[335]

Thunderstorm cloud height

  • Tallest non-tropical thunderstorm The official confirmed tallest thunderstorm was a supercell that occurred on May 24, 2016 near Nueva Rosita, in rural areas of the Mexican state of Coahuila, in the Big Bend area of the Rio Grande basin. This storm had a cloud top height of 68,000 ft (21 km; 12.9 mi). Lightning from this storm was detected as far as 50–60 mi (80–97 km) away from the center of the storm.[336] A supercell thunderstorm that struck Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas on June 13, 2022 may have surpassed its height, being at least over 60,000 ft (18 km; 11 mi) and potentially reaching as high as 65,000–70,000 ft (20–21 km; 12.3–13.3 mi) above the ground.[337]
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Other categories

See also: List of atmospheric pressure records in Europe
  • Highest air pressure ever recorded [above 750 meters (2,461 feet)]: 1084.8 hPa (32.03 inHg); Tosontsengel, Zavkhan, Mongolia, 19 December 2001.[338] This is the equivalent sea-level pressure; Tosontsengel is located at 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) above sea level.
The highest adjusted-to-sea-level barometric pressure ever recorded (below 750 meters) was at Agata, Evenkiyskiy, Russia (66°53′N 93°28′E, elevation: 261 m (856.3 ft)) on 31 December 1968 of 1083.3 hectopascals (hPa) (31.99 inHg).[339]
The discrimination is due to the problematic assumptions (assuming a standard lapse rate) associated with reduction of sea level from high elevations.[338][339]
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See also

Notes

    1. [N 1]
      A reading of 50.1 °C (122.2 °F) in Vioolsdrif on 28 November 2019 was declared invalid by the South African Weather Service.[42]
    2. [N 2]
      According to Christopher Burt, Africa's hottest reliably measured temperature is 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) at Semara, Western Sahara on 13 July 1961.[44] This value was surpassed on 5 July 2018 when 51.3 °C (124.3 °F) was recorded at Ouargla, Algeria.[24]
    3. [N 3]
      According to the World Meteorological Organization, the reported temperature is the highest recorded in Asia.[63]
    4. [N 4]
      Part of the July 2019 European heat wave
    5. [N 5]
      A disputed record temperature of 42.9 °C (109.2 °F) was measured on 24 July 2019 in Deelen, Gelderland.[126]
    6. [N 6]
      Record measured on German territory at that time: Proskau, Landkreis Oppeln, Oberschlesien (now Prószków, Opole Voivodeship). The record in Poland proper at that time was attained on the same day by the village of Zbiersk at 40.0 °C.[130]
    7. [N 7]
      According to Christopher Burt, South America's hottest reliably measured temperature is 47.3 °C (117.1 °F) at Campo Gallo, Argentina on 16 October 1936.[44] Another record, of 49.1 °C (120.4 °F), registered in Villa de María del Río Seco, Córdoba Province, on 2 January 1920, is disputed and considered dubious.
    8. [N 8]
      Temperature reached on multiple occasions; this is the most recent.
    9. [N 9]
      This record is disputed because of the forest fires that occurred around the town of Quillón. It is highly probable those fires have influenced this record.
    10. [N 10]
      The former world record was 43.3 °C (110 °F) set on 5 July 1918, in Death Valley, California.[195]
    11. [N 11]
      This temperature is considered the lowest ever officially recorded in Antarctica and in the World, as it was perceived by ground-positioned thermometers in 1983. Satellite analyses made on 10 August 2010 pointed to a temperature of −93.2 °C (−135.8 °F) near Dome F in Queen Maud Land, but this record is not officially listed because it was measured by remote sensing methods that are not totally consistent, unlike the 1983 temperature. See Lowest temperature recorded on Earth for details.
    12. [N 12]
      It is reported by local news outlet that temperatures Mount Pulag which is 2,926 meters above sea level plunges to as low as −2.0 °C (28.4 °F) although it was not verifiable.[240]
    13. [N 13]
      A reading of −35.5 °C (−31.9 °F) in Čakovec on 3 February 1929 and −36.0 °C (−32.8 °F) in Gospić were not measured under standard conditions and are not considered to be official record lows in Croatia.[255]
    14. [N 14]
      The lowest unofficially measured temperature in Slovenia was recorded at Komna on 9 January 2009 and reached −49 °C (−56 °F).
    15. [N 15]
      The records of −34.1 °C (−29.4 °F) of Clot del Tuc de la Llança, Catalonia, and −35.4 °C (−31.7 °F) of Vega de Liordes, León, both registered in January 2021, are not recognized by AEMET.
    16. [N 16]
      the Servicio Meteorologico Nacional, Argentina's national meteorological organization, reports a record low of −39 °C (−38 °F) in a high mountain valley of Río de los Patos, but this is not recognized by the World Meteorological Organization.[44]
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