Madison - Extreme Daily Precipitation for Each Year

This page lists the biggest rainstorms or snowstorms of the year in Madison, Wisconsin along with the date they occurred. The information answers questions like: When was the last time more than four inches of precipitation landed on Madison in a single day? What was the rainiest day of 2019?

The list gives the highest daily precipitation for each year in Madison and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the same amount of moisture also fell on at least one other day earlier that year.

These records go back to 1869, with just a few years missing data. During that time the heaviest downpour measured for a single day was 4.96 inches (126.0 millimetres) on August 8, 1906.

Since 1940 the precipitation extremes were observed at Dane County Regional Airport. Before then, the weather station was in downtown Madison.

Most precipitation in one day for recent years in Madison
Inches Date Milli­metres
1.99 August 14, 2023   50.5
2.18 September 11, 2022   55.4
1.44 June 18, 2021   36.6
2.17 July 07, 2020   55.1
2.40 October 01, 2019 61.0
3.78 August 20, 2018 96.0
1.68 August 16, 2017 42.7
2.79 July 21, 2016 70.9
2.15 September 17, 2015 54.6
2.63 April 13, 2014 66.8
3.19 June 26, 2013 81.0
1.74 October 14, 2012 44.2
1.39 March 20, 2011 35.3
3.61 July 22, 2010 91.7
Highest daily precipitation recorded at Madison each year
Inches Date Milli­metres
3.67 September 22, 2009 93.2
4.11 June 08, 2008 104.4
3.39 August 18, 2007 86.1
2.25 August 24, 2006 57.2
1.27 May 19, 2005 32.3
3.66 May 21, 2004 93.0
2.33 September 13, 2003 59.2
1.54 June 03, 2002 39.1
3.40 August 02, 2001 86.4
3.46 June 01, 2000 87.9
1.69 April 22, 1999 42.9
2.78 March 30, 1998 70.6
1.57 July 21, 1997 39.9
4.51 June 17, 1996 114.6
2.98 August 16, 1995 75.7
2.45 September 09, 1994 62.2
3.75 July 05, 1993 95.3
1.86 July 08, 1992 47.2
2.49 October 24, 1991 63.2
2.19 December 03, 1990 55.6
2.27 August 28, 1989 57.7
1.87 June 28, 1988 47.5
2.74 August 16, 1987 69.6
2.28 August 26, 1986 57.9
2.67 July 25, 1985 67.8
2.78 October 18, 1984 70.6
1.93 August 16, 1983 49.0
1.86 November 01, 1982 47.2
2.59 June 15, 1981 65.8
2.37 August 07, 1980 60.2
1.54 October 22, 1979 39.1
3.41 June 16, 1978 86.6
2.15 July 17, 1977 54.6
1.86 March 04, 1976 47.2
3.89 July 03, 1975 98.8
2.46 June 09, 1974 62.5
1.93 July 09, 1973 49.0
1.74 August 25, 1972 44.2
2.30 November 01, 1971 58.4
2.55 September 23, 1970 64.8
2.17 June 25, 1969 55.1
2.13 June 26, 1968 54.1
1.84 June 09, 1967 46.7
3.64 May 23, 1966 92.5
2.61 August 08, 1965 66.3
1.54 July 27, 1964 39.1
3.67 June 05, 1963 93.2
2.15 July 02, 1962 54.6
2.70 September 12, 1961 68.6
3.04 July 02, 1960 77.2
2.78 August 27, 1959 70.6
2.15 May 30, 1958 54.6
1.86 July 29, 1957 47.2
1.79 April 27, 1956 45.5
1.78 July 31, 1955 45.2
3.46 June 21, 1954 87.9
2.77 June 04, 1953 70.4
1.98 July 17, 1952 50.3
1.40 July 21, 1951 35.6
3.65 July 19, 1950 92.7
2.60 July 08, 1949 66.0
1.61 February 27, 1948 40.9
2.71 September 21, 1947 68.8
0.95 May 04, 1946 24.1
1.82 September 27, 1945 46.2
1.14 April 23, 1944 29.0
1.68 November 06, 1943 42.7
2.14 July 28, 1942 54.4
4.32 September 08, 1941 109.7
3.05 June 22, 1940 77.5
1.11 January 05, 1939 28.2
2.28 September 06, 1938 57.9
3.04 September 01, 1937 77.2
1.28 December 30, 1936 32.5
3.18 August 06, 1935 80.8
1.94 November 21, 1934 49.3
2.84 May 19, 1933 72.1
1.63 July 10, 1932 41.4
2.79 August 01, 1931 70.9
2.16 September 01, 1930 54.9
2.35 July 24, 1929 59.7
1.78 July 02, 1928 45.2
1.86 May 28, 1927 47.2
1.68 September 23, 1926 42.7
2.03 August 07, 1925 51.6
1.68 August 03, 1924 42.7
2.78 September 20, 1923 70.6
2.84 July 09, 1922 72.1
2.09 May 26, 1921 53.1
1.55 June 13, 1920 39.4
1.74 September 20, 1919 44.2
1.93 October 27, 1918 49.0
1.92 August 07, 1917 48.8
2.52 August 04, 1916 64.0
3.21 September 12, 1915 81.5
2.63 September 14, 1914 66.8
2.40 July 15, 1913 61.0
2.54 September 18, 1912 64.5
1.93 August 13, 1911 49.0
3.00 August 23, 1910 76.2
2.01 April 18, 1909 51.1
1.28 April 24, 1908 32.5
2.64 September 17, 1907 67.1
4.96 August 08, 1906 126.0
1905
2.54 December 27, 1904 64.5
3.43 July 17, 1903 87.1
1.57 September 27, 1902 39.9
1.40 September 09, 1901 35.6
1.76 July 02, 1900 44.7
2.07 September 24, 1899 52.6
2.55 July 19, 1898 64.8
1.09 March 19, 1897 27.7
1.30 May 01, 1896 33.0
1.54 August 23, 1895 39.1
1.53 June 23, 1894 38.9
2.81 June 10, 1893 71.4
1.80 January 01, 1892 45.7
1.58 June 28, 1891 40.1
1.81 September 04, 1890 46.0
1.28 March 16, 1889 32.5
1.14 June 13, 1888 29.0
1.70 January 22, 1887 43.2
3.25 August 16, 1886 82.6
2.61 November 06, 1885 66.3
2.10 July 03, 1884 53.3
2.40 June 03, 1883 61.0
2.20 August 15, 1882 55.9
4.32 July 21, 1881 109.7
3.47 June 14, 1880 88.1
2.51 July 07, 1879 63.8
3.82 July 11, 1878 97.0
1.62 July 27, 1877 41.1
2.41 June 11, 1876 61.2
1.55 May 11, 1875 39.4
3.40 September 18, 1874 86.4
2.45 June 26, 1873 62.2
2.20 September 23, 1872 55.9
1.82 May 02, 1871 46.2
2.30 July 15, 1870 58.4
3.33 June 27, 1869 84.6
Reference

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

Madison - Extremes
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