![202107 Percent of global area at temperature records - Global warming - NOAA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/202107_Percent_of_global_area_at_temperature_records_-_Global_warming_-_NOAA.svg)
This is a list of weather records, a list of 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
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...
. This list does not include
remotely sensed observations such as satellite measurements, since those values are not considered official records.
Temperature
Measuring conditions
The standard measuring conditions for temperature are in the air, to above the ground,
[WMO (2018): Guide to Instruments and Methods of Observation]
/ref> and shielded from direct sunlight intensity (hence the term ''x'' degrees "in the shade"). The following lists include all officially confirmed claims measured by those methods.
Temperatures measured directly on the ground may exceed air temperatures by . The highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded may have been an alleged reading of at Furnace Creek, California
Furnace Creek is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 136 at the 2020 census, up from 24 at the 2010 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level. Furnace Creek holds the record ...
, United States, on 15 July 1972. In recent years a ground temperature of was recorded in Port Sudan
Port Sudan ( ar, بور سودان, Būr Sūdān) is a port city in eastern Sudan, and the capital of the state of Red Sea. , it has 489,725 residents. Located on the Red Sea, Port Sudan is recognized as Sudan's main seaport and the source of 90% ...
, Sudan. The theoretical maximum possible ground surface temperature has been estimated to be between for dry, darkish soils of low thermal conductivity.
Satellite measurements of ground temperature taken between 2003 and 2009, taken with the MODIS
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is a satellite-based sensor used for earth and climate measurements. There are two MODIS sensors in Earth orbit: one on board the Terra (EOS AM) satellite, launched by NASA in 1999 ...
infrared spectroradiometer on the Aqua
Aqua is the Latin word for water. It is used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to:
Arts
* Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color
Business
* Aqua (skyscraper), an 82-story residential skysc ...
satellite, found a maximum temperature of , 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.
Satellite measurements of the surface temperature of Antarctica, taken between 1982 and 2013, found a coldest temperature of on 10 August 2010, at . 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 .
Hottest
Highest temperatures ever recorded
According to the World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.
The WMO originated from the Internati ...
(WMO), the highest temperature ever recorded was on 10 July 1913 in Furnace Creek (Greenland Ranch), California, United States, 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
The Weather Underground was a Far-left politics, far-left militant organization first active in 1969, founded on the Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ann Arbor campus of the University of Michigan. Originally known as the Weathermen, the group was organiz ...
, believes that the 1913 Death Valley
Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. During summer, it is the Highest temperature recorded on Earth, hottest place on Earth.
Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the ...
reading is "a myth", and is at least too high. Burt proposes that the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth could still be at Death Valley, but is instead recorded on 30 June 2013. This is lower than a 1931 record of recorded in Kebili, Tunisia and is matched by a 1942 record of from Tirat Zvi
Tirat Zvi ( he, טִירַת צְבִי, lit. ''Zvi Castle'') is a religious kibbutz in the Beit She'an Valley, ten kilometers south of the city of Beit She'an, Israel, just west of the Jordan River and the Israel-Jordan border. It falls under the ...
, Israel. 2016 and 2017 readings in Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
and Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
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 (129.9 °F/130 °F), however, they have not yet been validated by WMO. The WMO has stated they stand by the 1913 record pending any future investigations.
The former highest official temperature on Earth, , measured in 'Aziziya, Libya on 13 September 1922, was reassessed in July 2012 by the WMO which published a report that invalidated the record. 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, thus not being recognised as world records.
=By continent
=
Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Europe
North America
Oceania
South America
Other high-temperature records
* Highest "feels like" temperature 81.1°C (178°F): In Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on 8 July 2003.
* Most consecutive days above 37.8 °C (100 °F): 160 days; Marble Bar, Western Australia
Marble Bar is a town and rock formation in the Pilbara region of north-western Western Australia. Its extremely hot climate, with a mean maximum temperature second only to Wyndham, Western Australia has resulted in the town being well known for ...
from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924.
* Most consecutive days above 48.9 °C (120 °F): 43 days; Death Valley, California from 6 July through 17 August 1917.
* Highest natural ground surface temperature: , in Death Valley, California, 15 July 1972.
* Highest temperature during rain: 48.3 °C (119.0 °F) in Imperial, California
Imperial is a city in Imperial County, California, north of El Centro.
As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,758. It is part of the El Centro metropolitan area. In 2016, Imperial was the fourth fastest-growing city in the sta ...
, 24 July 2018
* Highest overnight low temperature: at the Khasab
Khasab ( ar, خَصَب, Ḫaṣab) is a city and local capital of the Musandam Governorate which is an exclave of Oman bordering the United Arab Emirates at the tip of the Musandam Peninsula by the Strait of Hormuz. It has been dubbed the "Norw ...
weather station (WMO Index = 41241) in Oman on 17 June 2017.
* Highest minimum temperature for a 24-hour period and for a calendar day: at Qurayyat, Oman on 25 June 2018.
* Highest average monthly temperature: , in Death Valley, California, for the month of July 2018.
* Highest temperature north of the Arctic Circle: in Verkhoyansk
Verkhoyansk ( rus, Верхоянск, p=vʲɪrxɐˈjansk; sah, Верхоянскай, ''Verkhoyanskay'') is a town in Verkhoyansky District of the Sakha Republic, Russia, located on the Yana River in the Arctic Circle, from Batagay, the ad ...
, Russia on 20 June 2020.
* Highest temperature ever recorded north of the 50th parallel north: at Lytton, British Columbia, Canada.
Humidity
* Highest dew point temperature: A dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor, assuming constant air pressure and water content. When cooled below the dew point, moisture capacity is reduced and airborne water vapor will cond ...
of — while the temperature was — was observed at Dhahran
Dhahran ( ar, الظهران, ''Al-Dhahran'') is a city located in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. With a total population of 240,742 as of 2021, it is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Together with the nearby cit ...
, Saudi Arabia, at 3:00 p.m. on 8 July 2003.
* Highest temperature with 100% relative humidity: A temperature of with 100% relative humidity in Jask
Jask ( fa, جاسک, Balochi: جاشک also Romanized as Jāsk; also Bandar-e Jask ( fa, بَندَرِ جاسک), ( Balochi: بندن ءِ جاشک) also Romanized as Bandar-e Jāsk) is a city and capital of Jask County, Hormozgan Province, Ir ...
, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, on 21 July 2012.
Coldest
Lowest temperatures recorded
=By continent
=
Africa
Antarctica
Asia
Europe
North America
South America
Oceania
Other low-temperature records
* Coldest summer (month of July in the Northern Hemisphere): ; Summit Camp
Summit Camp, also Summit Station, is a year-round staffed research station near the apex of the Greenland ice sheet. The station is located at above sea level. The population of the station is typically five in wintertime and reaches a maximu ...
, Greenland on 4 July 2017.
* Lowest temperature in the Northern Hemisphere: ; Greenland Ice Sheet
The Greenland ice sheet ( da, Grønlands indlandsis, kl, Sermersuaq) is a vast body of ice covering , roughly near 80% of the surface of Greenland. It is sometimes referred to as an ice cap, or under the term ''inland ice'', or its Danish equiva ...
, Greenland on 22 December 1991.[
]
Record extreme temperature differences
* Greatest 2-minute temperature increase: 27 °C (49 °F), from to ; Spearfish, South Dakota
Spearfish (Lakota: ''Hočhápȟe'') is a city in Lawrence County, South Dakota. The population was 12,193 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
Before the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1876, the area was used by Native Americans (primarily bands ...
, on 22 January 1943.
* Greatest 24-hour temperature increase: +57 °C (+102.6 °F), from to ; Loma, Montana
Loma is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chouteau County, Montana, United States. The population was 85 at the 2010 census.
History
James Kipp, of the American Fur Company founded the first community here in 1831. The Blackfeet laid siege to t ...
, on 15 January 1972.
* Fastest temperature drop: 27.2 °C (49 °F) in 5 minutes; Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City ( lkt, link=no, Mni Lúzahaŋ Otȟúŋwahe; "Swift Water City") is the second most populous city in South Dakota and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed, it is in western So ...
, 10 January 1911.
* Largest temperature range ever in 1 area: 105.8 °C (190.4 °F), from on 15 January 1885, 5,7 February 1892 to on 20 June 2020; Verhoyansk, Sakha Republic, Russia
Precipitation
* Least per year (locale): per year or less, Quillagua
Quillagua is an oasis in the Tocopilla Province, in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. It is a part of the commune of María Elena. The Loa River is crossed by the Pan-American Highway in this area.
According to the ''Dirección Meteorol ...
, Antofagasta Region
The Antofagasta Region ( es, Región de Antofagasta, ) is one of Chile's sixteen first-order administrative divisions. The second-largest region of Chile in area, it comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla. It is bordered t ...
, Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
.
Rain
* Most in 60 seconds (1 minute): . Barot, Sainte-Anne, Grande-Terre
Grande-Terre Island (french: île de Grande-Terre / île de la Grande-Terre; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwantè) is the name of the eastern-half of Guadeloupe proper, in the Lesser Antilles. It is separated from the other half of Guadeloupe ...
, Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
11:03–11:04 am on 26 November 1970.
* Most in 180 seconds (3 minutes): . Portobelo, Colón
Portobelo (Modern Spanish: "Puerto Bello" ("beautiful port"), historically in Portuguese: Porto Belo) is a historic port and corregimiento in Portobelo District, Colón Province, Panama, Central America, with a population of 4,559 . Located on th ...
, Panama, 29 November 1911[Ch. Péguy (1970)]
* Most in 300 seconds (5 minutes): . Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, United States, 29 November 1911
* Most in 60 minutes (1 hour): . Holt, Missouri, United States, 22 June 1947.
* Most in 12 hours (-day): ; Cilaos
Cilaos () is a town and commune on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. It is located centrally on the island, in a caldera of altitude 1,214 m. The caldera (usually known as the 'Cirque') is also named for the community.
History
...
, Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
, 8 January 1966, during Tropical Cyclone Denise
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred ...
.
* Most in 24 hours (1 day): ; Cilaos
Cilaos () is a town and commune on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. It is located centrally on the island, in a caldera of altitude 1,214 m. The caldera (usually known as the 'Cirque') is also named for the community.
History
...
, Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
, 7–8 January 1966, during Tropical Cyclone Denise
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred ...
.
* Most in 48 hours (2 days): ; Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji () or Sohra is a subdivisional town (Proposed District) East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya. It is the traditional capital of ka ''hima'' Sohra (Khasi tribal kingdom).
Sohra has often been credited as being t ...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya (, or , meaning "abode of clouds"; from Sanskrit , "cloud" + , "abode") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of As ...
, India, 15–16 June 1995.
* Most in 72 hours (3 days): ; Commerson, Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
, 24–26 February 2007, during Cyclone Gamede
Intense Tropical Cyclone Gamede was among the wettest tropical cyclones on record, dropping more than 5.5 m (18 ft) of rain in a nine-day period on Réunion island in the southwest Indian Ocean. The seventh named storm of the 2006–0 ...
.
* Most in 96 hours (4 days): ; Commerson, Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
, 24–27 February 2007, during Cyclone Gamede
Intense Tropical Cyclone Gamede was among the wettest tropical cyclones on record, dropping more than 5.5 m (18 ft) of rain in a nine-day period on Réunion island in the southwest Indian Ocean. The seventh named storm of the 2006–0 ...
.
* Most in one year: ; Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji () or Sohra is a subdivisional town (Proposed District) East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya. It is the traditional capital of ka ''hima'' Sohra (Khasi tribal kingdom).
Sohra has often been credited as being t ...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya (, or , meaning "abode of clouds"; from Sanskrit , "cloud" + , "abode") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of As ...
, India, 1860–1861.
* Most from a single tropical cylone: ; Commerson, Réunion
Réunion (; french: La Réunion, ; previously ''Île Bourbon''; rcf, label= Reunionese Creole, La Rényon) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas department and region of France. It is located approximately east of the island ...
, during Cyclone Hyacinthe
Tropical Cyclone Hyacinthe was the wettest tropical cyclone on record worldwide. The eighth named storm of the season, Hyacinthe formed on January 15, 1980, to the northeast of Mauritius in the southern Indian Ocean. Initially it moved to t ...
in January 1980.
* Highest average annual total (observed over 10 years): (over 38 years) and (1998–2010); Mawsynram
Mawsynram () is a town in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya state in Northeastern India, 69 kilometres from Shillong, the state capital. Mawsynram receives the highest rainfall in India. It is reportedly the wettest place on Earth, wi ...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya (, or , meaning "abode of clouds"; from Sanskrit , "cloud" + , "abode") is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India. Meghalaya was formed on 21 January 1972 by carving out two districts from the state of As ...
, India or (1980–2011); López de Micay
López de Micay () is a town and municipality in the Cauca Department, Colombia. The Colombian meteorological service IDEAM reports an average annual precipitation of , potentially making it the wettest inhabited place in the world; however, som ...
, Cauca, Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
.
* Most consecutive days with measurable rain a day with at least of rainfall: 331 days in Oahu
Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...
, Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, 1939-1940
Snow
*Most in a 24-hour period: of snow on Mount Ibuki
is a mountain, on the border of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, and Ibigawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and is also included on the lists of the 100 Kinki Mountains and the 50 Shiga Mountains. Mount Ibuk ...
, Japan on 14 February 1927.
*Most in one calendar month: 9.91 meters (390 inches) of snow fell in Tamarack, California
Tamarack, formerly known as Camp Tamarack, is an unincorporated community in Calaveras County, California in the United States. It was founded in the 1920s. A nearby weather station, located across the Alpine County line, has been the site of seve ...
in January 1911, leading to a snow depth in March of 11.46 meters (451 inches) (greatest measured in North America).
*Most in one season (1 July – 30 June): 29.0 meters, (95 ft); Mount Baker
Mount Baker (Lummi: '; nok, Kw’eq Smaenit or '), also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is a active glacier-covered andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington in the United States. Mount ...
, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
, United States, 1998 through 1999.
* Most in one-year period: 31.5 meters (102 ft); Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier (), indigenously known as Tahoma, Tacoma, Tacobet, or təqʷubəʔ, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With a s ...
, Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
, United States, 19 February 1971 to 18 February 1972.
*Deepest snowfall recorded: 11.82 meters (38.8 ft) on Mount Ibuki
is a mountain, on the border of Maibara, Shiga Prefecture, and Ibigawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is one of the 100 Famous Japanese Mountains, and is also included on the lists of the 100 Kinki Mountains and the 50 Shiga Mountains. Mount Ibuk ...
, Japan on 14 February 1927.
* Lowest latitude that snow has been recorded at sea level in North America: Snow fell as far south as the city of Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fifth ...
, Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
in February 1895 during the Great Freeze
The Great Freeze is the back-to-back freezes of 1894–1895 in Northern Florida, where the brutally cold weather destroyed much of the citrus crop.
Entire communities, such as Earnestville, faded after the citrus crops and trees were lost to th ...
.
Wind speeds
* Fastest ever recorded: 484 ±32 km/h (301 ±20 mph) (3-second gust); observed by a DOW
Dow or DOW may refer to:
Business
* Dow Jones Industrial Average, or simply the Dow, a stock market index
* Dow Inc., an American commodity chemical company
** Dow Chemical Company, a subsidiary, an American multinational chemical corporation
...
( Doppler On Wheels) radar unit in the 1999 Bridge Creek – Moore tornado between Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...
and Moore
Moore may refer to:
People
* Moore (surname)
** List of people with surname Moore
* Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador
* Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior officer in the British Army
* Moore Powell (died c. 1573 ...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, USA, 3 May 1999.
* Fastest non- tornadic winds: (3-second gust); recorded by anemometer
In meteorology, an anemometer () is a device that measures wind speed and direction. It is a common instrument used in weather stations. The earliest known description of an anemometer was by Italian architect and author Leon Battista Alberti ( ...
in Severe Tropical Cyclone Olivia passing over Barrow Island Barrow Island may refer to:
* Barrow Island (Western Australia), Australia
* Barrow Island (Queensland), Australia
* Barrow Island, Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow Island is an area and electoral ward of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. Originall ...
, Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, 10 April 1996.
* Fastest non-cyclonic
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
winds: 372 km/h (231 mph) (1-minute average); recorded by anemometer on Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, USA, 12 April 1934.[
* Fastest daily average: 174 km/h (108 mph); ]Port Martin
Port Martin, or Port-Martin, is an abandoned French research base at Cape Margerie on the coast of Adélie Land, Antarctica, as well as the name of the adjacent anchorage.
History
The site was discovered in 1950 by the French Antarctic Expedition ...
(Adélie Land
Adélie Land (french: Terre Adélie, ) is a claimed territory on the continent of Antarctica. It stretches from a portion of the Southern Ocean coastline all the way inland to the South Pole. France has administered it as one of five districts ...
), Antarctica, 24-hour period from 21 March 1951 to 22 March 1951.
Tornadoes
Deadliest in history
* On Earth: Approximately 1,300 deaths (Daulatpur–Saturia tornado
The Daulatpur–Saturia tornado occurred in Manikganj District, Bangladesh on April 26, 1989. It was the deadliest tornado in Bangladesh's history. There is great uncertainty about the death toll, but estimates indicate that it was devastating an ...
); Manikganj District
Manikganj ( bn, মানিকগঞ্জ ) is a district in central Bangladesh. It is a part of the Dhaka Division, In 1845 AD it was at first declared as a sub-division. It was at first, under Faridpur district (Faridpur Zila) then it was in ...
, Bangladesh on 26 April 1989.
* In North America: 695 deaths (Tri-State Tornado
On March 18, 1925, one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in recorded history generated at least twelve significant tornadoes and spanned a large portion of the midwestern and southern United States. In all, at least 751 people were ki ...
); Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
, United States, 18 March 1925.
* In Europe: 600 or more deaths ( Grand Harbour Tornado); Valletta
Valletta (, mt, il-Belt Valletta, ) is an Local councils of Malta, administrative unit and capital city, capital of Malta. Located on the Malta (island), main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, i ...
, Malta, 23 September 1551 or 1556 (sources conflict).
* In South America: 63 deaths, San Justo, Santa Fe, Argentina, 10 January 1973.
* In Australia: Three deaths, Kin Kin
Kin Kin is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Noosa, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Kin Kin had a population of 764 people. In the 2021 census the population had risen to 844.
Geography
Kin Kin lies between Pomona to ...
, Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
tornado, 14 August 1971.
Outbreaks
* Largest and most severe: The 2011 Super Outbreak
The 2011 Super Outbreak was the largest, costliest, and one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks ever recorded, taking place in the Southern, Midwestern, and Northeastern United States from April 25–28, 2011, leaving catastrophic destruction ...
: 207 confirmed tornadoes occurred in a span of 24 hours, with a total of 337 occurring throughout the duration of the outbreak. They affected six US states, and included 11 rated EF4
The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia.
The Enhanced Fujita scale repla ...
and 4 rated EF5.
Tropical cyclones
Most intense (by minimum surface air pressure)
* Most intense ever recorded: 870 hPa (25.69 inHg
Inch of mercury (inHg and ″Hg) is a non- SI unit of measurement for pressure. It is used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States.
It is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury in heigh ...
); eye
Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
of Super Typhoon Tip over the northwest Pacific Ocean, 12 October 1979.
* Most intense in the Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the antimeridian. The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Politically, the term We ...
: 872 hPa (25.75 inHg); eye of Hurricane Patricia
Hurricane Patricia was the strongest tropical cyclone on record worldwide in terms of wind speed and the second-most intense on record worldwide in terms of pressure, behind Typhoon Tip in 1979, with a minimum atmospheric pressure of 872 mbar ( ...
over the eastern Pacific Ocean, 23 October 2015.
* Most intense ever recorded on land: 892 hPa (26.35 inHg); Craig Key
Craig Key is an island city in the middle Florida Keys.
U.S. 1 (or the Overseas Highway) crosses the key at approximately mile marker 72, between Lower Matecumbe Key and Fiesta Key.
History
Craig Key was originally named Camp Panama, and was not ...
, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, United States, eye of the Labor Day Hurricane
The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
, 2 September 1935. While other landfalling tropical cyclones potentially had lower pressures, data is vague from areas other than the Atlantic basin
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe and ...
, especially before the invention of weather satellite
A weather satellite or meteorological satellite is a type of Earth observation satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. Satellites can be polar orbiting (covering the entire Earth asynchronously), or ge ...
s.
* Most intense landfall (estimated): 884 hPa (26.10 inHg); Rakiraki District
Rakiraki () is a district in Fiji's Ra Province. It is located between Tavua and Korovou when travelling along the Kings Road, on the northern coast of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island.
At the 1996 census, the Rakiraki district had a population ...
, Viti Levu
Viti Levu (pronounced ) is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. It is the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population.
Geology
Fiji lies in a tectonically complex area between the Australian P ...
, Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
, during Cyclone Winston
Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston was the most intense tropical cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere on record, as well as the strongest to make landfall on record, and the most intense tropical cyclone worldwide in 2016. Winston is also the costl ...
, 20 February 2016. Although no official land pressure readings were recorded at the landfall
Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...
site, it is estimated the Winston made landfall with the aforementioned pressure.
Most precipitation
* Most precipitation from a single tropical storm: ; Commerson, Réunion, during Cyclone Hyacinthe
Tropical Cyclone Hyacinthe was the wettest tropical cyclone on record worldwide. The eighth named storm of the season, Hyacinthe formed on January 15, 1980, to the northeast of Mauritius in the southern Indian Ocean. Initially it moved to t ...
in January 1980.
Other severe weather
Hail
* Heaviest officially recorded: ; Gopalganj District, Bangladesh, 14 April 1986.
* Largest diameter officially measured: diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints lie on the circle. It can also be defined as the longest chord of the circle. Both definitions are also valid for ...
, circumference
In geometry, the circumference (from Latin ''circumferens'', meaning "carrying around") is the perimeter of a circle or ellipse. That is, the circumference would be the arc length of the circle, as if it were opened up and straightened out to ...
; Vivian, South Dakota
Vivian is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lyman County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 98 at the 2020 census.
History
The community is named after Vivian Hunter, the wife of a railroad official. ...
, 23 July 2010.
* Largest circumference officially measured: circumference, diameter; Aurora, Nebraska
Aurora is a city in Hamilton County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 4,479 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Hamilton County.
History
In 1861, David Millspaw became the first permanent settler in the area of what was to ...
, 22 June 2003.
Lightning
* Longest lightning bolt: on 29 April 2020 in the southern United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
* Longest duration for a single lightning flash: 17.1 seconds on 18 June 2020 in Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
and northern Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
.[
]
Ultraviolet index
* Highest ultraviolet index measured: On 29 December 2003, a UV index
The ultraviolet index, or UV index, is an international standard measurement of the strength of the sunburn-producing ultraviolet (UV) radiation at a particular place and time. It is primarily used in daily and hourly forecasts aimed at the general ...
of 43.3 was detected at Chile/Bolivia's Licancabur
Licancabur () is a stratovolcano on the border between Bolivia and Chile, south of the Sairecabur volcano and west of Juriques. Part of the Andean Central Volcanic Zone, it has a prominent, -high cone. A summit crater containing Licancab ...
volcano, at altitude. A light-skinned individual in such conditions may experience moderate sunburn
Sunburn is a form of radiation burn that affects living tissue, such as skin, that results from an overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, usually from the Sun. Common symptoms in humans and animals include: red or reddish skin that is ho ...
in as little as 4 minutes.
Other categories
* Highest air pressure ever recorded bove 750 meters (2,461 feet)'': 1,084.8 hPa (32.03 inHg); Tosontsengel, Zavkhan
Tosontsengel ( mn, Тосонцэнгэл, meaning 'Oil happiness') is a sum of Zavkhan Province (aimag) in western Mongolia. It is the largest sum and sum centre in Zavkhan aimag after its capital, Uliastai.
Geography
Founded in 1923, Tosontse ...
, 19 December 2001. This is the equivalent sea-level pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, 7 ...
; Tosontsengel is located at above sea level. The highest adjusted-to-sea-level barometric pressure ever recorded (below 750 meters) was at Agata, Evenhiyskiy, Russia (66°53'N, 93°28'E, elevation: 261 m (856.3 ft)) on 31 December 1968 of 1,083.3 hectopascals (hPa) (31.99 inHg). The discrimination is due to the problematic assumptions (assuming a standard lapse rate
The lapse rate is the rate at which an atmospheric variable, normally temperature in Earth's atmosphere, falls with altitude. ''Lapse rate'' arises from the word ''lapse'', in the sense of a gradual fall. In dry air, the adiabatic lapse rate is ...
) associated with reduction of sea level from high elevations.
See also
* Weather of 2013
* Extremes on Earth
This article lists extreme locations on Earth that hold geographical records or are otherwise known for their geophysical or meteorological superlatives. All of these locations are Earth-wide extremes; extremes of individual continents or coun ...
* List of countries and territories by extreme temperatures
This is a list of countries by lowest and highest temperature ever recorded.
* indicates "Climate of COUNTRY or TERRITORY" links.
} in Villa de María, Córdoba Province, Argentina, on 2 January 1920, is disputed and considered dubious
,
, -
, ...
* List of extreme temperatures in Canada
The following is a list of the most extreme temperatures ever recorded in Canada.
Highest temperature readings (selected locations)
Highest temperatures ever recorded in Canada
Lowest temperature readings
The coldest place in Canada ba ...
* List of snowiest places in the United States by state
The list of snowiest places in the United States by state shows average annual snowfall totals for the period from mid-1985 to mid-2015. Only places in the official climate database of the National Weather Service, a service of NOAA, are included i ...
* U.S. state and territory temperature extremes
The following table lists the highest and lowest temperatures recorded in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the 5 inhabited U.S. territories during the past two centuries, in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. If two dates have the sam ...
* United Kingdom weather records
The United Kingdom weather records show the most extreme weather ever recorded in the United Kingdom, such as temperature, wind speed, and rainfall records. Reliable temperature records for the whole of the United Kingdom go back to about 1880. ...
* Weather extremes in Canada This table shows record weather extremes in Canada.
{, class="wikitable"
, -
! Record !! Extreme !! Location !! Date
, -
, Highest Temperature , , {{convert, {{convert, 49.6, °C, °F, abbr=on , , Lytton, British Columbia , , June 29, 2021
, ...
* Climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
Notes
References
External links
National Climate Extremes Committee
Global Weather & Climate Extremes
(Arizona State University)
Weather and Climate Extremes from US Army Corps of Engineers
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of Weather Records
*