List of weather records

The standard measuring conditions for temperature are in the air, 1.5 metres (5 ft) above the ground, and shielded from direct sunlight intensity (hence the term, x degrees "in the shade").[2] 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).[2] The highest natural ground surface temperature ever recorded was 56.7 °C (134.1 °F) at Furnace Creek, Death Valley, California, United States on 15 July 1972.[3] In recent years a ground temperature of 84 °C (183.2 °F) has been recorded in Port Sudan, Sudan.[4] 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.[5]

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 5 of the 7 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.[2]

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).[6][7]

A world map showing areas with Köppen B (dry climates). The temperatures in these regions 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,[8] 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.[9] Burt proposes that the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth could be at Death Valley, but is instead 54.0 °C (129.2 °F) recorded on 30 June 2013.[10] This is lower than a 1931 record of 55 °C (131 °F) recorded in Kebili, Tunisia[11] and is matched by a 1942 record of 54 °C (129 °F) from Tirat Zvi, Israel.[12] 2016 and 2017 readings in Kuwait and Iran have also matched the 2013 Death Valley record. The WMO has stated they stand by the 1913 record pending any future investigations.

The former highest official temperature on Earth (held for 90 years by 'Aziziya, Libya) was reassessed in July 2012 by the WMO which published a report that invalidated the record.[11] There have been other unconfirmed reports of high temperatures, with readings as high as 66.8 °C (152.2 °F) in the Flaming Mountains of China in 2008.[13] However, these temperatures have never been confirmed, and are currently considered to have been recorder's errors,[14] thus not being recognised as world records.[15]

• Most consecutive days above 37.8 °C (100 °F): 160 days; Marble Bar, Western Australia from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924.[153]
• Most consecutive days above 48.9 °C (120 °F): 43 days; Death Valley, California from 6 July through 17 August 1917.[154]
• Highest natural ground surface temperature: 93.9 °C (201.0 °F), in Death Valley, California, 15 July 1972.[3] (Not verified)
• Highest temperature during rain: 48.3 °C (119.0 °F) in Imperial, California, 24 July 2018[155] (Not verified)
• Highest overnight low temperature: 44.2 °C (111.6 °F) at the Khasab weather station (WMO Index = 41241) in Oman on 17 June 2017.[156][note 12]
• 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.[158]
• Highest average monthly temperature: 42.3 °C (108.1 °F), in Death Valley, California, for the month of July 2018.[159][160]
• Highest temperature north of the Arctic Circle: Under investigation (possibly 38 °C (100 °F) in Verkhoyansk, Russia on 20 June 2020).[161]

• 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.[162]
• Highest temperature with 100% of relative humidity: A temperature of 34 °C (93 °F) with 100% of relative humidity in Jask, Iran, on July 21, 2012.[163]

• Coldest summer (month of July in the Northern Hemisphere): −33 °C (−27.4 °F); Summit Camp, Greenland on 4 July 2017.[238]
• Lowest temperature in the Northern Hemisphere: −69.6 °C (−93.3 °F); Greenland Ice Sheet, Greenland on 22 December 1991.[161]

• 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.[171]
• 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.[239]
• Fastest temperature drop: 27.2 °C (49 °F) in 5 minutes; Rapid City, South Dakota, 10 January 1911.[171]
• 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; Verhoyansk, Sakha Republic, Russia[240][241][242][243]

• Most in one minute: 31.2 mm (1.23 in). 4 July 1956. Unionville, Frederick County, Maryland.[89]
• Most in one hour: 305 mm (12.0 in) in 60 minutes. Holt, Missouri, United States, 22 June 1947.[89]
• Most in 12 hours (1/2-day): 1,144 mm (45.0 in); Cilaos, Réunion, 8 January 1966, during Tropical Cyclone Denise.[89]
• Most in 24 hours (1 day): 1,825 mm (71.9 in); Cilaos, Réunion, 7–8 January 1966, during Tropical Cyclone Denise.[89]
• Most in 48 hours (2 days): 2,493 mm (98.1 in); Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India, 15–16 June 1995.[89]
• Most in 72 hours (3 days): 3,929 mm (154.7 in); Commerson, Réunion, 24–26 February 2007, during Cyclone Gamede.[89]
• Most in 96 hours (4 days): 4,869 mm (191.7 in); Commerson, Réunion, 24–27 February 2007, during Cyclone Gamede.[89]
• Most in one year: 26,470 mm (1,042 in); Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India, 1860–1861.[89]
• Most from a single tropical storm: 6,433 mm (253.3 in); Commerson, Réunion, during Cyclone Hyacinthe in January 1980.
• Highest average annual total (observed over 10 years): 11,872 mm (467.4 in) (over 38 years) and 12,701 mm (500.0 in) (1998–2010); Mawsynram, Meghalaya, India or 13,466 mm (530.2 in) (1980–2011); López de Micay, Cauca, Colombia.[89][245]
• Most consecutive days with measurable rain a day with at least 0.01 inches (0.25 mm) of rainfall: 331 days in Oahu, Hawaii[246]

• Most in a 24-hour period: 230 centimetres (90.6 in) of snow on Mount Ibuki, Japan on 14 February 1927.[247]
• 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).[248][249]
• Most in one season (1 July – 30 June): 29.0 meters, (95 ft); Mount Baker, Washington, United States, 1998 through 1999.[248]
• Most in one-year period: 31.5 meters (102 ft); Mount Rainier, Washington, United States, 19 February 1971 to 18 February 1972.[171]
• Deepest snowfall recorded: 11.82 meters (38.8 ft) on Mt. Ibuki, Japan on 14 February 1927.[250]

• On Earth: Approximately 1,300 deaths (Daulatpur–Saturia tornado); Manikganj District, Bangladesh on 26 April 1989.[254]
• In North America: 695 deaths (Tri-State Tornado); Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, United States, 18 March 1925.[171]
• In Europe: 600 or more (Grand Harbour Tornado); Valletta, Malta, 23 September 1551 or 1556 (sources conflict).[255]
• In South America: 63 deaths, San Justo, Santa Fe, Argentina, 10 January 1973.[256]
• In Australia: Three deaths, Kin Kin, Queensland tornado, 14 August 1971.[257]

• Largest and most severe: The 2011 Super Outbreak: 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 and 4 rated EF5.[258]

• Most intense ever recorded: 870 hPa (25.69 inHg); eye of Super Typhoon Tip over the northwest Pacific Ocean, 12 October 1979.[171]
• Most intense in the Western Hemisphere: 872 hPa (25.75 inHg); eye of Hurricane Patricia over the eastern Pacific Ocean, 23 October 2015.[259]
• 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.[260]
• 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 the Winston made landfall with the aforementioned pressure.[261]

• Most precipitation from a single tropical storm: 6,433 mm (253.3 in); Commerson, Réunion, during Cyclone Hyacinthe in January 1980.

• Heaviest officially recorded: 1.02 kg (2.25 lb); Gopalganj District, Bangladesh, 14 April 1986.[262]
• Largest diameter officially measured: 20 cm (8.0 in) diameter, 47.3 cm (18.625 in) circumference; Vivian, South Dakota, 23 July 2010.[263]
• Largest circumference officially measured: 47.6 cm (18.75 in) circumference, 17.8 cm (7.0 in) diameter; Aurora, Nebraska, 22 June 2003.[262][264]

• Longest lightning bolt: 709 km (441 mi) on 31 October 2018 in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil.[265]
• Longest duration for a single lightning flash: 16.7 seconds on 4 March 2019 in Argentina.[265]

• 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.[266]