Wettest Places in United States
Most Rainfall
The most rain in the United States and the world falls at Mt. Waialeale on Kauai in Hawaii. It rained an average of 460 inches (11,684 millimetres) a year from 1931 to 1960 on the tropical island mountain. That's over 38 feet (11 metres) of rain.
Several other spots on the Hawaiian Islands top 200 inches (5,080 mm) of rain a year on average, much more than places in any other state besides Alaska.
Mountain View on the east side of Hawaii's Big Island is the rainiest with 240 inches or 20 feet (6.1 metres) annually. At the community on the slope above Hilo it rains 296 days a year – which works out to getting rain on four out of five days.
Highest Total Precipitation
The most rain and snow measured in Alaska is at Little Port Walter on Baranof Island in southeast Alaska. Average precipitation at the inlet amounts to 237 inches a year (6,009 mm), which falls on 233 days annually.
In the lower 48 states, western Washington and the north coast of Oregon are the wettest areas. That's the only area outside of Alaska and Hawaii where yearly precipitation totals over 100 inches (2,540 mm).
The town of Forks, at the northwest corner of Washington State's Olympic Penninsula, is where people living in this region endure the greatest amount of rain.
Still, the most annual precipitation any place in the Pacific Northwest gets is 131 inches, well over 100 inches less than the wettest locations in Hawaii and Alaska.
| Place | Inches | Millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen Reservoir, Washington | 130.6 | 3317 |
| Laurel Mountain, Oregon | 122.3 | 3106 |
| Forks, Washington | 119.7 | 3041 |
| North Fork Nehalem Park, Oregon | 118.9 | 3020 |
| Mt Rainier, Paradise Station, Washington | 118.3 | 3005 |
| Port Orford, Oregon | 117.9 | 2995 |
| Humptulips, Washington | 115.6 | 2937 |
| Swift Reservoir, Washington | 112.7 | 2864 |
| Naselle, Washington | 112.0 | 2845 |
| Clearwater State Park, Washington | 108.9 | 2766 |
| Baring, Washington | 106.7 | 2710 |
| Grays River Hatchery, Washington | 105.6 | 2683 |
Most Days With Rain or Snow
While the amount of rain in the Pacific Northwest can't be beat (outside of Alaska and Hawaii), several other places across the nation do get precipitation just as often.
These are the US places in the lower 48 states where it rains or snows on over 200 days a year.
| Place | Days |
|---|---|
| Long Beach, Washington | 213 |
| Mt Washington, New Hampshire | 210 |
| Forks, Washington | 210 |
| Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia | 207 |
| Quillayute Airport, Washington | 206 |
| South Fork Tolt Reservoir, Washington | 205 |
| Mount Mansfield, Vermont | 204 |
| Otis, Oregon | 204 |
| Marion Center, Pennsylvania | 202 |
| Raymond, Washington | 201 |
About the Numbers
The precipitation data here are long-term historical averages based on the weather from 1981 to 2010. The rankings involve 9,179 weather stations in the United States that collect information for the NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. Mt. Waialeale lacks averages for 1981 to 2010.
The number of days with wet weather only includes the days when precipitation amounts to 0.01 inches (0.25 millimetres) or more.
Reference
National Climatic Data Center. NOAA's 1981-2010 Climate Normals.