Special Report

Rainiest Cities in the United States

Willowpix / Getty Images

Climate change is one of the most serious public health issues facing America today. As temperatures continue to rise, water will evaporate at a faster rate, ultimately causing more prolonged periods of drought and — in some areas — more extreme rainfall.

Rainfall is affected by local climate conditions and varies heavily throughout the United States. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed metropolitan areas with the highest average annual precipitation using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) for 1979 to 2011.

The Northeast and South receive, respectively, 46.0% and 40.8% more rain than the average nationwide. The Midwest receives 0.9% more, and the West receives 34.1% less.

Of the 30 cities that get the most rain, however, 10 are in Western states: six in Oregon, and four in Washington. The rest of the cities are in the South, with seven in Louisiana, five in Florida, three in Mississippi, and two in Alabama. Arkansas, and Tennessee are each home to one. Many of the cities that get the most rain are also among the U.S. cities that get the least sun and the places where weather is getting worse because of climate change.

Click here to learn more about the rainiest cities in the United States.

To determine the rainiest cities in the United States, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the metropolitan statistical areas with the highest average annual precipitation using data from the CDC’s North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) for the years 1979 to 2011. Data was aggregated from the county level to MSAs using boundary definitions and land area measurements from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Data on average maximum temperature and average number of kilowatt-hours of sun per square meter also came from CDC NLDAS and figures are for the years 1979 to 2011. Population statistics came from the Census Bureau’s 2017 American Community Survey.

carcar797 / Getty Images

30. Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 54.6 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 5 hours, 21 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 82.1 degrees
> Population: 154,383

[in-text-ad]

Jens_Lambert_Photography / Getty Images

29. Chattanooga, TN-GA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 54.7 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 28 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 67.4 degrees
> Population: 554,876

Tobias Kleinlercher / Wikimedia Commons

28. Grants Pass, OR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 55.0 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 44 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 59.6 degrees
> Population: 86,352

danthi66 / Getty Images

27. Hot Springs, AR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 55.3 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 33 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 71.3 degrees
> Population: 98,658

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

26. Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX
> Avg. annual precipitation: 55.7 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 77.4 degrees
> Population: 411,339

whusband / Getty Images

25. Jackson, MS
> Avg. annual precipitation: 55.9 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 46 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 74.4 degrees
> Population: 578,794

[in-text-ad]

stephenallen75 / Getty Images

24. Tallahassee, FL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 56.1 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 59 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.9 degrees
> Population: 385,473

Rex_Wholster / Getty Images

23. Alexandria, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 57.3 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 48 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.9 degrees
> Population: 153,984

csfotoimages / Getty Images

22. Hattiesburg, MS
> Avg. annual precipitation: 58.7 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 49 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 75.7 degrees
> Population: 146,530

[in-text-ad-2]

Sean Gardner / Getty Images

21. Lake Charles, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 59.7 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 5 hours, 11 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.7 degrees
> Population: 210,962

jezdicek / Getty Images

20. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 59.9 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 5 hours, 8 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.7 degrees
> Population: 1.3 million

[in-text-ad]

JoannGiera / Getty Images

19. Panama City, FL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 60.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 59 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.7 degrees
> Population: 202,236

KatieDobies / Getty Images

18. Houma-Thibodaux, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 60.7 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 5 hours, 3 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 77.2 degrees
> Population: 210,512

deebrowning / Getty Images

17. Corvallis, OR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 60.9 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 7 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 60.0 degrees
> Population: 90,951

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

16. Lafayette, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 61.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 5 hours, 1 minute
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.9 degrees
> Population: 491,558

CampPhoto / Getty Images

15. Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 61.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.5 degrees
> Population: 271,346

[in-text-ad]

George Dodd / Getty Images

14. Mobile, AL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 61.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 53 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.0 degrees
> Population: 413,955

Richard David Ramsey / Wikimedia Commons

13. Hammond, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 61.9 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 77.0 degrees
> Population: 132,497

Roberto Michel / Getty Images

12. Baton Rouge, LA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 62.0 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 50 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 77.2 degrees
> Population: 834,159

[in-text-ad-2]

Jens_Lambert_Photography / Getty Images

11. Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 62.1 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 75.3 degrees
> Population: 487,784

George Dodd / Getty Images

10. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL
> Avg. annual precipitation: 62.4 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 75.4 degrees
> Population: 212,628

[in-text-ad]

Samson1976 / Getty Images

9. Eugene, OR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 62.8 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 19 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 57.6 degrees
> Population: 374,748

DaveMcDPhoto / Getty Images

8. Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS
> Avg. annual precipitation: 63.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 56 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 76.3 degrees
> Population: 394,232

Strekoza2 / Getty Images

7. Salem, OR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 64.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 5 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 58.4 degrees
> Population: 424,982

[in-text-ad-2]

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

6. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 68.0 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 4 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 56.4 degrees
> Population: 2.5 million

Joshua Rainey Photography / Shutterstock.com

5. Albany, OR
> Avg. annual precipitation: 69.4 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 4 hours, 11 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 57.6 degrees
> Population: 125,047

[in-text-ad]

egschiller / Getty Images

4. Bellingham, WA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 72.6 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 3 hours, 49 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 49.0 degrees
> Population: 221,404

gmc3101 / Getty Images

3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 73.9 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 3 hours, 54 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 52.8 degrees
> Population: 3.9 million

svetlana57 / Getty Images

2. Longview, WA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 75.0 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 3 hours, 48 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 56.6 degrees
> Population: 106,910

[in-text-ad-2]

LoweStock / Getty Images

1. Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
> Avg. annual precipitation: 80.2 inches
> Avg. hours of full-sun per day: 3 hours, 49 minutes
> Avg. daily max temperature: 50.1 degrees
> Population: 125,619

100 Million Americans Are Missing This Crucial Retirement Tool

The thought of burdening your family with a financial disaster is most Americans’ nightmare. However, recent studies show that over 100 million Americans still don’t have proper life insurance in the event they pass away.

Life insurance can bring peace of mind – ensuring your loved ones are safeguarded against unforeseen expenses and debts. With premiums often lower than expected and a variety of plans tailored to different life stages and health conditions, securing a policy is more accessible than ever.

A quick, no-obligation quote can provide valuable insight into what’s available and what might best suit your family’s needs. Life insurance is a simple step you can take today to help secure peace of mind for your loved ones tomorrow.

Click here to learn how to get a quote in just a few minutes.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.