Extreme summer rainfall dumped more than 8 inches of rain in parts of five states in the last week of July, causing disastrous floods and landslides. Thousands of residents were displaced, and at least 37 locals were killed in eastern Kentucky as flood water topped homes in the narrow valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. In one particularly tragic instance, rushing debris-laden floodwaters snatched four children between the ages of two and eight from the roof of a mobile home where a family sought refuge.
As global warming continues, the scientific consensus is that storms like these are expected to increase in force and frequency. State rainfall data shows that more state records have been established in recent decades. (For now, global warming shows no signs of slowing. Earth’s CO2 level rose every year since climate change became a national issue.)
To identify the record rainfall in every state, 247 Wall St. reviewed the maximum rainfall recorded within a 24-hour period in every state compiled by the State Climate Extremes Committee, a panel responsible for monitoring observations that may exceed all-time records for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
Hawaii currently holds the U.S. 24-hour precipitation record after the island of Kauai received nearly 50 inches of rain on April 14-15, 2018, inundating homes in the area. (Also see, the hottest day on record in every state.)
In second place is Texas, where Tropical Storm Claudette dropped 42 inches of rain in and around the Houston suburb of Alvin in the summer of 1979. Luckily, no deaths were reported, and about 3,000 people had to be rescued by emergency crews, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The earliest standing 24-hour rainfall record belongs to Maryland. In the summer of 1897, a storm dropped almost 15 inches of rain near the town of Friendship, about 29 miles east of Washington D.C. In all, 10 states still hold rainfall records from earlier than 1954.
In the 1960s, four states broke their previous 24-hour rainfall records. Six records, including ones for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Island, were broken in both the 1970s and 1980s. Eleven records were broken in the 1990s, including three in 1996.
Six state 24-hour precipitation records have been broken since 2013, the most recent on Aug. 20-21, 2021, when nearly 21 inches of rain fell in and near McEwen, Tennessee, 55 miles west of Nashville.
Here are the record rainfalls in every U.S. state.
Source: usdagov / Flickr
Alabama
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 32.52 in.
> Date(s): July 19-20, 1997
> Location(s): Dauphin Island Sea Lab
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Alaska
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 15.05 in.
> Date(s): October 10, 1986
> Location(s): Seward
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Arizona
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.4 in.
> Date(s): September 4-5, 1970
> Location(s): Workman Creek
Arkansas
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.06 in.
> Date(s): December 3, 1982
> Location(s): Big Fork
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Source: Ron and Patty Thomas / E+ via Getty Images
California
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 25.83 in.
> Date(s): January 22-23, 1943
> Location(s): Hoegees Camp
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Colorado
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.85 in.
> Date(s): September 12, 2013
> Location(s): USGS Rod & Gun (Ft. Carson)
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Connecticut
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 12.77 in.
> Date(s): August 19, 1955
> Location(s): Burlington
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Delaware
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 12.48 in.
> Date(s): September 28-29, 2016
> Location(s): Harbeson
Source: ventdusud / iStock via Getty Images
Florida
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 23.28 in.
> Date(s): November 11-12, 1980
> Location(s): Key West
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Georgia
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 21.1 in.
> Date(s): July 6, 1994
> Location(s): Americus
Source: ShaneMyersPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Hawaii
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 49.69 in.
> Date(s): April 14-15, 2018
> Location(s): WaipÄ Garden (Kauai)
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Idaho
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 7.17 in.
> Date(s): November 23, 1909
> Location(s): Rattlesnake Creek
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
Illinois
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 16.91 in.
> Date(s): July 18, 1996
> Location(s): Aurora
Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Indiana
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 10.5 in.
> Date(s): August 6, 1905
> Location(s): Princeton
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Source: dustin77a / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Iowa
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 13.18 in.
> Date(s): June 14, 1998
> Location(s): Atlantic 1NE
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Kansas
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours:
> Date(s): December 31, 1969
> Location(s): Under Review
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Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Kentucky
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 10.48 in.
> Date(s): March 1, 1997
> Location(s): Louisville
Louisiana
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 22 in.
> Date(s): August 28-29, 1962
> Location(s): Hackberry
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
Maine
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 13.32 in.
> Date(s): October 20-21, 1996
> Location(s): Portland
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Source: mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images
Maryland
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.75 in.
> Date(s): July 26-27, 1897
> Location(s): Jewell (nr. Friendship)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images
Massachusetts
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 18.15 in.
> Date(s): August 18-19, 1955
> Location(s): Westfield
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Michigan
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 12.92 in.
> Date(s): July 20, 2019
> Location(s): 6E Fountain
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Minnesota
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 15.1 in.
> Date(s): August 19, 2007
> Location(s): Hokah 1S
Mississippi
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 15.68 in.
> Date(s): July 9, 1968
> Location(s): Columbus
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Missouri
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 18.18 in.
> Date(s): July 20, 1965
> Location(s): Edgerton
Source: urbancow / iStock via Getty Images
Montana
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.5 in.
> Date(s): June 20, 1921
> Location(s): Circle (Springbrook)
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Nebraska
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 13.15 in.
> Date(s): July 8-9, 1950
> Location(s): York
Nevada
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 7.78 in.
> Date(s): October 20, 2004
> Location(s): Mount Charleston
Source: Ultima_Gaina / iStock via Getty Images
New Hampshire
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.07 in.
> Date(s): October 20-21, 1996
> Location(s): Mount Washington
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Source: Cwieders / iStock via Getty Images
New Jersey
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.81 in.
> Date(s): August 19-20, 1939
> Location(s): Tuckerton
New Mexico
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.28 in.
> Date(s): May 18-19, 1955
> Location(s): Lake Maloya
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New York
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 13.57 in.
> Date(s): August 12-13, 2014
> Location(s): Long Island MacArthur Airport
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
North Carolina
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 22.22 in.
> Date(s): July 15-16, 1916
> Location(s): Altapass
North Dakota
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 8.1 in.
> Date(s): June 29, 1975
> Location(s): Litchville
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Ohio
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 10.75 in.
> Date(s): August 7-8, 1995
> Location(s): Lockington Dam (nr. Sidney, Shelby Co. OH)
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Oklahoma
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 15.68 in.
> Date(s): October 11, 1973
> Location(s): Enid
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Source: JPLDesigns / iStock via Getty Images
Oregon
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.77 in.
> Date(s): November 6, 2006
> Location(s): Nehalem 9NE
Source: Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images
Pennsylvania
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 13.5 in.
> Date(s): June 22, 1972
> Location(s): York 3SSW Pump Stn
Source: Christian Ouellet / iStock via Getty Images
Puerto Rico
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 23.75 in.
> Date(s): October 7, 1985
> Location(s): Toro Negro Forest
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Source: GrandviewGraphics / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 12.13 in.
> Date(s): September 16-17, 1932
> Location(s): Westerly
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
South Carolina
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.8 in.
> Date(s): September 16, 1999
> Location(s): Myrtle Beach
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Source: Courtesy of Groton Area via Facebook
South Dakota
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 8.74 in.
> Date(s): May 6, 2007
> Location(s): Groton
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Tennessee
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 20.73 in.
> Date(s): August 21, 2021
> Location(s): McEwen
Texas
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 42 in.
> Date(s): July 25-26, 1979
> Location(s): Alvin
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Source: Jeremy Christensen / iStock via Getty Images
Utah
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 5.08 in.
> Date(s): February 1, 1963
> Location(s): Deer Creek Dam
Vermont
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 9.92 in.
> Date(s): September 17, 1999
> Location(s): Mt. Mansfield
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Source: NAPA74 / iStock via Getty Images
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 20 in.
> Date(s): September 4, 1979
> Location(s): Anna’s Hope (SC)
Source: Thomas Faull / iStock via Getty Images
Virginia
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.28 in.
> Date(s): September 16, 1999
> Location(s): Williamsburg 2N
Source: july7th / iStock via Getty Images
Washington
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 14.26 in.
> Date(s): November 23-24, 1986
> Location(s): Mt. Mitchell #2
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Source: traveler1116 / E+ via Getty Images
West Virginia
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 12.02 in.
> Date(s): June 18, 1949
> Location(s): Brushy Run
Wisconsin
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 11.72 in.
> Date(s): June 24, 1946
> Location(s): Mellen
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Source: DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
Wyoming
> Maximum rainfall recorded 24-hours: 6.06 in.
> Date(s): August 1, 1985
> Location(s): Cheyenne
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