Average Annual Precipitation by State
How much precipitation each state in the US gets on average in a year is listed below. The states are also ranked from the wettest state at number 1, to the driest state at number 50.
Below the tables there's a map that allows you to visually compare the annual average precipitation totals among states.
State-wide averages of annual rainfall plus snowfall range from a high of 63.7 inches (1618 millimetres) in Hawaii to a low of 9.5 inches (241 millimetres) in Nevada. For the entire United States, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, the average amount of moisture falling as rain and snow is 30.21 inches (767 millimetres).
The precipitation averages are based on data collected by weather stations throughout each state from 1971 to 2000 and provided by the NOAA National Climatic Data Center.
State names are linked to more detailed rain and snow information for that state.
| State | Inches | Millimetres | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 58.3 | 1480 | 4 |
| Alaska | 22.5 | 572 | 39 |
| Arizona | 13.6 | 345 | 47 |
| Arkansas | 50.6 | 1284 | 8 |
| California | 22.2 | 563 | 40 |
| Colorado | 15.9 | 405 | 44 |
| Connecticut | 50.3 | 1279 | 9 |
| Delaware | 45.7 | 1160 | 16 |
| Florida | 54.5 | 1385 | 5 |
| Georgia | 50.7 | 1287 | 7 |
| Hawaii | 63.7 | 1618 | 1 |
| Idaho | 18.9 | 481 | 42 |
| Illinois | 39.2 | 996 | 27 |
| Indiana | 41.7 | 1060 | 26 |
| Iowa | 34.0 | 864 | 31 |
| Kansas | 28.9 | 733 | 35 |
| Kentucky | 48.9 | 1242 | 12 |
| State | Inches | Millimetres | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 60.1 | 1528 | 2 |
| Maine | 42.2 | 1072 | 23 |
| Maryland | 44.5 | 1131 | 18 |
| Massachusetts | 47.7 | 1211 | 14 |
| Michigan | 32.8 | 833 | 32 |
| Minnesota | 27.3 | 693 | 37 |
| Mississippi | 59.0 | 1499 | 3 |
| Missouri | 42.2 | 1071 | 24 |
| Montana | 15.3 | 390 | 45 |
| Nebraska | 23.6 | 599 | 38 |
| Nevada | 9.5 | 241 | 50 |
| New Hampshire | 43.4 | 1103 | 20 |
| New Jersey | 47.1 | 1196 | 15 |
| New Mexico | 14.6 | 370 | 46 |
| New York | 41.8 | 1062 | 25 |
| North Carolina | 50.3 | 1279 | 9 |
| North Dakota | 17.8 | 452 | 43 |
| State | Inches | Millimetres | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 39.1 | 993 | 28 |
| Oklahoma | 36.5 | 927 | 30 |
| Oregon | 27.4 | 695 | 36 |
| Pennsylvania | 42.9 | 1089 | 21 |
| Rhode Island | 47.9 | 1218 | 13 |
| South Carolina | 49.8 | 1264 | 11 |
| South Dakota | 20.1 | 511 | 41 |
| Tennessee | 54.2 | 1376 | 6 |
| Texas | 28.9 | 734 | 34 |
| Utah | 12.2 | 310 | 49 |
| Vermont | 42.7 | 1085 | 22 |
| Virginia | 44.3 | 1125 | 19 |
| Washington | 38.4 | 976 | 29 |
| West Virginia | 45.2 | 1147 | 17 |
| Wisconsin | 32.6 | 829 | 33 |
| Wyoming | 12.9 | 328 | 48 |
