Wow, it’s cold out! Better grab your umbrella, it’s going to rain later. Just look at that sunshine, what a gorgeous day!
Even if you consider yourself to be terrible at small talk, one thing you can always rely on is starting a conversation about the weather. And according to the BBC, a whopping 94% of Brits have discussed how rainy, sunny or windy it is during the last 6 hours.
But weather can be extremely fascinating, so why shouldn’t we talk about it? Bored Panda has compiled a list below of some of the most mind-blowing weather records that have been set around the world. From terrifying tornadoes to softball-sized pieces of hail, enjoy scrolling through these wonders. And be sure to upvote the weather patterns that you’re thankful you didn’t have to experience!
#1 The Biggest Temperature Drop In 24 Hours Was Recorded In Fargo
During a brutal cold front in 1972, Fargo, North Dakota, experienced the most extreme temperature swing ever recorded in the United States. In just 15 hours, the city’s temperature plummeted an incredible 93 degrees, from a mild 54°F (12°C) all the way down to a life-threatening -39°F (-39.4°C). The rapid freeze was so severe and sudden that it caused trees to literally explode as their sap froze and expanded, and water pipes burst across the city.
Image source: AJ LEON, msn.com
#2 The Heaviest Hailstone Was More Than 2 Pounds
The official world record for the heaviest hailstone belongs to a storm that struck Bangladesh in 1986. During this catastrophic event, massive ice chunks weighing an incredible 2.25 pounds (1 kg) each plummeted from the sky. These grapefruit-sized projectiles were so large and heavy that they tragically took the lives of nearly 100 people.
Image source: ERZ, Rachael Funnell
#3 Extreme Siberian High Pressure System
In 2001, the atmosphere over Mongolia grew so heavy that it set the world record for the highest barometric pressure ever measured on Earth. This created a dome of intensely cold and dense air at the surface that was powerful enough to warp light, creating strange optical effects, and even cause combustion engines to struggle. The system’s sheer scale was immense, dominating the weather map and altering atmospheric patterns across the entire continent of Asia.
Image source: Kanenori, msn.com
#4 The Longest Alaskan Winter Night
For the residents of Utqiaġvik, Alaska, the sun sets in November and doesn’t reappear for 65 straight days, creating the longest polar night in the United States. The community actively combats the challenges of constant darkness, such as vitamin D deficiency and psychological strain, with specialized infrastructure and a robust schedule of social activities. The spectacular trade-off for this long winter, however, is that the endless night sky provides an extended season for watching the aurora borealis.
Image source: Floyd Davidson, msn.com
#5 Cyclone Freddy
Lasting for an astonishing five weeks, Cyclone Freddy set a new world record in 2023 as the longest-lived tropical cyclone ever observed. During its marathon journey across the southern Indian Ocean, it generated more accumulated energy than any storm in recorded history. Freddy was not only a meteorological marvel but also a catastrophic and deadly event, becoming the third-deadliest cyclone ever documented in the Southern Hemisphere.
Image source: NASA/Suomi-NPP, wikipedia.org
#6 The Highest Temperature Recorded In Continental Europe Was In Italy In 2021
On August 11, 2021, the Italian island of Sicily became the hottest place ever recorded in continental Europe. Thermometers in the city of Syracuse officially registered a scorching temperature of 48.8°C (119.8°F). This blistering heatwave officially broke the continent’s previous 44-year-old record, which had been set in Athens, Greece.
Image source: TRT World Now, guinnessworldrecords
#7 The World’s Foggiest Place
The title of the foggiest place on Earth belongs to the Grand Banks off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. This area is a perfect fog-making machine, situated at the exact meeting point of the icy Labrador Current from the north and the warm Gulf Stream from the south. The dramatic temperature difference between these two massive ocean currents constantly creates a thick, persistent blanket of fog that can linger for more than 200 days a year.
Image source: mossandfog
#8 Record Setting Tornado In Oklahoma
Stretching an incredible 2.6 miles (4.18 km) across at its peak, the 2013 El Reno tornado holds the record as the widest ever documented. But its size wasn’t its only claim to fame; mobile radar also measured wind speeds of 301 miles per hour (484 km/h), the fastest ever recorded on Earth. This behemoth was actually a complex system of multiple vortices rotating within the main funnel, causing it to change direction and expand unpredictably, which tragically caught several storm chasers by surprise.
Image source: Nick Nolte, msn.com
#9 The Highest Cold Water Geyser
Unlike the famous geysers of Yellowstone, the world’s tallest cold-water geyser in Andernach, Germany, is a man-made phenomenon. It erupts from a well drilled deep into the ground, where water becomes highly carbonated by volcanic gases, much like a shaken soda bottle. When this pressurized water finds its way to the surface, it erupts in a spectacular plume that typically reaches heights of over 150 feet (45.7 m), with the highest recorded eruption clearing just over 200 feet (61 m).
Image source: Geysir Andernach, geysir-andernach.de
#10 Vivian, South Dakota Saw A Record-Setting Hail Storm In 2010
On July 23, 2010, the sky over Vivian, South Dakota, unleashed the largest hailstone ever officially recorded in the United States. Measuring a staggering 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter (roughly the size of a volleyball) this colossal piece of ice set a new national record for both size and weight. Even more incredible is the fact that it had already started melting before it could be officially measured, meaning it was even larger when it first crashed to the ground.
Image source: weather.gov, mentalfloss.co
#11 The Coldest Arctic Temperatures
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was a mind-numbing -144°F (-98°C), a reading taken by satellite in 2010 from a high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau. This temperature is so profoundly cold that it can freeze the carbon dioxide directly out of the atmosphere. The air itself becomes so dense that simply breathing feels different, and any exposed moisture in your breath instantly crystallizes into a glittering cloud known as diamond dust.
Image source: Andrew Mandemaker, msn.com
#12 Highest Number Of Lightning Strikes Happen In Venezuela
Over Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo, a unique and relentless weather phenomenon known as Catatumbo lightning puts on a spectacular nightly show. Occurring up to 160 nights a year, this “everlasting storm” can rage for nine hours at a time, producing an incredible 40 lightning flashes per minute. This atmospheric marvel holds the world record for the highest concentration of lightning on the planet, creating a near-constant, silent electrical storm in the clouds above the lake.
Image source: traveler_HIRO, wikipedia.org
#13 Greatest Rainfall In One Minute
The official world record for the most intense burst of rainfall ever measured belongs to Unionville, Maryland. On July 4, 1956, a rain gauge there recorded an incredible 1.23 inches (3.12 cm) of rain in just a single minute. This torrential downpour represents the most extreme sixty-second rainfall event ever officially verified.
Image source: Lernestorod, guinnessworldrecords
#14 Cherrapunji Rainfall Is Record-Breaking Across The Board
The Indian town of Cherrapunji holds a collection of world rainfall records, including the most rain ever recorded in a single year: an astonishing 86 feet (26.2 m). To put that in perspective, this single year’s rainfall would be enough to completely submerge a seven-story building. The local landscape and culture have uniquely adapted to this constant deluge, most famously with the creation of living root bridges, which are trained to grow across rivers and become stronger and more resilient with each monsoon season.
Image source: Vikramjit Kakati, msn.com
#15 The Costliest Drought Was In Texas
Causing over $7B in agricultural losses alone, the 2011 Texas drought holds the record as the costliest in U.S. history. The event was the result of the driest seven-month period ever documented in the state, a period so severe that it killed an estimated 300 million trees. The ground itself became so parched and cracked that the shifting soil caused widespread damage to building foundations across the state.
Image source: dangrove88, msn.com
#16 One Of The Rainiest Places On Earth Is In Hawaii
For sheer consistency of rainfall, no place on Earth beats Mount Waialeale on Kauai, which averages an incredible 350 rainy days per year. The mountain’s conical peak acts as a perfect trap for the moisture-rich trade winds, creating a near-constant state of precipitation. This relentless, year-round deluge has sculpted the landscape into famously lush, waterfall-streaked valleys and fostered a hyper-specialized ecosystem of plants that can only survive in the perpetual dampness.
#17 The Largest Tropical Cyclone Was Typhoon Tip
Holding the dual titles for both the largest and most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded, 1979’s Typhoon Tip was a true behemoth. At its peak, this monster storm stretched an incredible 1,380 miles (2,220 km) in diameter, a distance roughly equivalent to half the width of the contiguous United States. It also set the world record for the lowest sea-level pressure ever measured on Earth, making it the most powerful storm of its kind in history.
Image source: Supportstorm, NOAA
#18 The 24-Hour Snowfall Record
In a single 24-hour period in March 2015, the small Italian village of Capracotta was buried under an incredible 100.8 inches (256 cm) of snow. While it’s not officially recognized as a world record due to the difficulties in precise snow measurement, this phenomenal single-day snowfall was deep enough to completely cover cars and doorways.
Image source: santorocarmine, bbc.co.uk
#19 The Highest UV Index Was Measured Over Chile And Bolivia
The most extreme level of ultraviolet radiation ever recorded on Earth occurred on December 29, 2003, at the Licancabur volcano, situated on the border of Bolivia and Chile. Scientists there measured a UV index of 43.3, a level so dangerously high that it could cause a moderate sunburn on fair skin in just four minutes.
Image source: KNMI, rainviewer.com
#20 Montana Produced The World’s Largest Snowflake
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest snowflake ever observed fell in Fort Keogh, Montana, back in 1887. A local rancher reported finding a colossal snowflake that measured an incredible 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick (38cm and 20 cm respectively), a size he described as being “larger than a milk pan.”
Image source: worldrecordacademy
#21 Death Valley Heat
On a scorching day in 1913, California’s Death Valley lived up to its name by setting the world record for the highest air temperature ever reliably recorded at a blistering 134°F (56.7°). The ground itself baked to an even more incredible 201°F (93.9°C), a temperature hot enough to literally cook an egg on the rocks. This extreme environment is created by the valley’s unique geography, which acts like a natural convection oven, trapping and superheating the air. The effect is so efficient that even summer nights offer little relief, with temperatures often remaining above 100°F (37.8°C) until sunrise.
Image source: Graeme Maclean, msn.com
#22 Yuma In Arizona Is The Sunniest Place
Earning its title as the sunniest place on Earth, Yuma, Arizona, experiences sunshine for an average of 90% of all possible daylight hours. The city’s climate is dominated by a persistent high-pressure system that keeps the skies clear, resulting in an incredible 4,000 hours of sunshine annually. This relentless sun is so central to life in Yuma that local architecture is heavily influenced by the need for shade, and the native plants have evolved unique adaptations to thrive under the constant, intense solar radiation.
#23 The World Wind Speed Record From Mount Washington
For over six decades, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington held the record for the fastest surface wind speed ever measured on Earth, a staggering 231 miles per hour (371.8 km/h) gust recorded in 1934. The mountain’s unique position at the convergence of several storm tracks creates a natural wind tunnel, routinely amplifying wind to hurricane force. The conditions are so consistently severe that the summit’s observatory is anchored to the bedrock with heavy steel chains to prevent it from being blown away.
Image source: Harvey Barrison, msn.com
#24 The Extreme Rain Shadow Of Death Valley
Just 76 miles (122 km) from the snowy peaks of Mount Whitney, California’s Death Valley sits in one of the world’s most extreme rain shadows, receiving less than 2 inches (5 cm) of rain per year. The towering Sierra Nevada mountains effectively block nearly all Pacific moisture from ever reaching the valley floor. This effect is so profound that it has created the vast, sterile salt flats of Badwater Basin, where the infrequent rain that does fall often just dissolves and re-concentrates the surface salts, making the ground even more inhospitable.
Image source: HappyJake, msn.com
#25 Greenland Measured The Lowest Pressure In The Northern Hemisphere
In 2020, a colossal storm system churning in the North Atlantic near Greenland set a new record for the lowest barometric pressure ever measured in the Northern Hemisphere. This meteorological bomb was so powerful that it generated hurricane-force winds and monstrous waves over 100 feet (30 m) high. The pressure dropped so low that it created bizarre phenomena, such as sea spray being violently sucked hundreds of feet into the air.
#26 The Fastest Wind Speed Was In Cyclone Olivia
The fastest non-tornadic wind gust ever recorded on Earth’s surface was a staggering 253 miles per hour (407 km/h), clocked during Tropical Cyclone Olivia in 1996. This incredible measurement was taken by an automatic weather station on Barrow Island, Australia, as the storm’s eyewall passed directly over. After a thorough investigation confirmed the equipment was sound, the World Meteorological Organization officially ratified this gust as the new world record in 2010.
Image source: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NCDC, guinnessworldrecords.com.org
#27 The Largest Non-Polar Ice Field
Nestled within Canada’s Kluane National Park and Reserve is the largest non-polar ice field on the planet. This colossal expanse of ice sits at a high altitude and covers over half the park’s total area, an incredible 8,490 square miles (21,990 square kilometers). It’s so vast that it feeds a network of enormous glaciers, some of which stretch for nearly 40 miles (64.4 km) through the surrounding mountain ranges.
Image source: Lena & Chris (thedaytravels), guinnessworldrecords.com
#28 Atacama Desert Drought
The record for the longest dry spell in history belongs to Chile’s Atacama Desert, where some areas went an astounding 500 years without a single recorded drop of rain. This hyperarid environment is so extreme that certain weather stations in the region have operated for over half a century and have yet to measure any rainfall at all. Despite being the driest non-polar desert on the planet, life still persists through a clever adaptation, as specialized organisms have evolved to capture moisture directly from the dense fog banks that occasionally roll in from the Pacific Ocean.
Image source: Valerio Pillar, msn.com
#29 Tampa Bay Is America’s Lightning Capital
Thanks to a perfect storm of geographical and meteorological factors, Florida’s Tampa Bay area holds the title of the lightning capital of the United States. During the summer, the region’s unique conditions create a consistent breeding ground for thunderstorms, resulting in an average of 83 lightning strikes per square mile (~32 per square km) each year. The threat is so constant that local building codes mandate enhanced lightning protection, and large outdoor venues rely on advanced detection systems to ensure public safety.
Image source: AbelEscobar, msn.com
#30 Greatest Rainfall In 24 Hours
The official world record for the most rainfall in a single 24-hour period belongs to the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean. From January 7th to 8th, 1966, a staggering 71.8 inches (1.82 m) of rain inundated the high-altitude region of Foc-Foc. This catastrophic deluge was caused by the slow passage of Tropical Cyclone Denise, which unleashed a volume of water that remains unparalleled in meteorological history.
Image source: KSAT 12, guinnessworldrecords.es
#31 The Longest Path Of Destruction From A Tornado
The deadliest single tornado in U.S. history, the 1925 “Tri-State Tornado,” also holds the record for the longest continuous damage path. This monstrous EF5 storm remained on the ground for an incredible 3.5 hours, carving a devastating, 219-mile-long (352 km) trail of destruction from Missouri, across Illinois, and finally into Indiana.
Image source: United States National Weather Service, mentalfloss
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