The United States is certainly not among the rainiest nations on Earth. Colombia receives more rainfall than any other country in the world. Some places in this South American nation receive 127.5 inches (3,240 millimeters) of rain each year. It rains nearly every day in parts of western Colombia, meaning some areas of the country are permanently flooded.
While it is not even close to the wettest nation, the U.S. is also nowhere near the driest country on the planet. That title belongs to Egypt, which averages less than one inch of rain annually. Nevada, the driest state in the U.S., receives over nine times more rain than Egypt.
Instead of being near the wet or dry extremes on this spectrum, the U.S. lies firmly in the middle of the pack regarding annual precipitation. The U.S. is the third largest country in the world by area, though, trailing only Russia and Canada. Due to its large size, the annual precipitation in the U.S. varies widely depending on the region in question. Here is a look at where it rains the most in the U.S. These ten states receive more precipitation each year than the rest of the nation. (While we’re on this rainy subject, here’s a look at the largest rainstorms in world history. And yes, the rainiest state in the U.S. experienced one of these record storms.)
24/7 Wall St. compiled this list using a study from Current Results. This science and meteorology website compared data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over a nearly 30-year span. We also gathered additional information from the State Climate Summaries provided by the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies.
The numbers below represent yearly precipitation averages for each state as a whole. The actual amount of precipitation varies throughout different regions in each state.
10. South Carolina
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- Annual Precipitation: 49.8 inches (1,265 millimeters)
The wettest place in South Carolina is near Lake Jocassee in the mountains of northwest South Carolina. Around 80 inches of precipitation falls in that region each year.
9. (tie) Connecticut
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- Annual Precipitation: 50.3 inches (1,278 millimeters)
Along with abundant rainfall, Connecticut also receives snowfall ranging from 30 inches along the coast to 50+ inches in the Northwest Hills.
9. (tie) North Carolina
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- Annual Precipitation: 50.3 inches (1,278 millimeters)
July is typically the wettest month in North Carolina.
8. Arkansas
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- Annual Precipitation: 50.6 inches (1,285 millimeters)
Arkansas’ wild weather includes severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, deluges that cause localized flooding, and winter ice storms.
7. Georgia
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- Annual Precipitation: 50.7 inches (1,288 millimeters)
The mountainous region in northeastern Georgia is the wettest part of the state, receiving 70 inches of rain every year.
6. Tennessee
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- Annual Precipitation: 54.2 inches (1,377 millimeters)
It rains so often in the upper elevations that parts of the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee are considered a temperate rainforest.
5. Florida
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- Annual Precipitation: 54.5 inches (1,384 millimeters)
Florida experiences more thunderstorms each year than any other state in the U.S.
4. Alabama
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- Annual Precipitation: 58.3 inches (1,481 millimeters)
The Gulf of Mexico consistently pumps moisture into Alabama’s atmosphere.
3. Mississippi
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- Annual Precipitation: 59 inches (1,499 millimeters)
The United States Drought Monitor map was created in 2000. The state of Mississippi was completely drought-free approximately 48% of the time from 2000 to 2020.
2. Louisiana
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- Annual Precipitation: 60.1 inches (1,527 millimeters)
Louisiana receives the most precipitation of any state in the conterminous U.S.
1. Hawaii
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- Annual Precipitation: 63.7 inches (1,618 millimeters)
While Hawaii is the rainiest state in the U.S., precipitation totals vary greatly throughout the state. The windward slopes of mountains can see upwards of 300 inches of rain per year, while the leeward coastal areas may only receive around 20 inches of annual rainfall.
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