Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
America's Rainiest Cities
Recently, my wife and I were discussing places we'd like to live, and Seattle popped up. During our discussion, she worried that Seattle might be too gloomy, too overcast, and too rainy for us. I guess I'll have to share with her this list, which ranks the rainiest cities in the US. Seattle doesn't even crack the Top 10.
- Mobile, Alabama
- Pensacola, Florida
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- West Palm Beach, Florida
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Miami, Florida
- Port Arthur, Texas
- Tallahassee, Florida
- Lake Charles, Louisiana
Amusingly, I live outside the fourth rainiest city (which is currently in its fifth week of water restrictions, thanks to a drought). Maybe it's time to pack up and move to Seattle, after all.
Other rainy-day thoughts:
Filed under: United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Bella Lyric Rose Nov 19th 2008 11:07PM
Hahahah I didn't know that. But I thought it was Forks. You know from Twilight! :) But that is interesting. I am not moving to Alabma. I love California the best.
Andy Wilson Jan 27th 2009 3:27AM
I'm sick of this rain, and the same weather everyday. I need to move from the West Palms over to the beautiful CHICAGO...
I wish!
May Mar 18th 2009 1:01AM
I live have lived in Baton Rouge all my life, and yes, it does rain a lot. But for how long varies. sometimes it down-pours for a couple of hours, and somtimes it will steadily fall for days. just depends on the season. I hate it....it's constantly humid....can't wait to leave!!!
any recommendations??
Um.Wrong. Apr 7th 2009 11:54PM
WRONG!!!!
KETCHIKAN, ALASKA IS THE MOST RAINEST TOWN IN THE UNITED STATES..
AVERAGING MORE THAN 170 INCHES OF RAIN.
KISS MY WHITE ALASKAN ASS!
WHY DONT YOU CONSIDER ALASKA AS A STATE..
N WE ARE THE BIGGEST STATE.. NOT TEXAS!
PEOPLE GET THAT WRONG TOO!
Kiss Ass Apr 8th 2009 12:08AM
excuse me?
alaska gives the lower 48 water, money, and oil.
we deserve recognition for something.
and obviously people still think texas is the biggest state.
think again.
just like the person "Um.Wrong." said.
shit.
rick Sep 21st 2009 12:40PM
take it from me i have been driving a 18 wheeler for 25 years all over the country.i have been inside and out of every single state and miami rains every single day in the summer and several days of the winter months.no place rains more in a years time then miami,fl.
hetha Nov 8th 2009 11:07PM
Four years ago i moved to Ketchikan Alaska. This place puts Forks to shame.
heth Nov 8th 2009 11:44PM
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/bluehorse90/?action=view¤t=ktownrainguage.jpg hopefully that helps put Ketchikan AK rain into perspective for you all a little bit better
Brandon Apr 13th 2011 5:32PM
Hey there!
Seattle doesn't appear on the top 10 because this list has been gauged by the accumulated quantity of precipitation, rather than how many days of the year there is consistent rain. For example; Florida state receives much, much more rain than we do here in Seattle, but also has roughly 75% clear/sunny days of every 365 days. This is because when rain does fall, it brings very brief, yet heavy downpours. Seattle, on the other hand, will drizzle for days, weeks, even months on end, without even sight of the sun because the clouds are too thick. In effect, it does not accumulate the same amount as Florida. But does it rain more consistently here than Florida? Absolutely. Certain parts of WA state are classifed rainforests, and if this study was based on how many days of the year were sunless, I'm sure Seattle would make the top 10. With the exception of today, it has rained 53 days in a row without even minor sun breaks.
Now if you're considering moving to Seattle for work, then that's a spectacular reason to move. I've lived around in various places of the USA, and Seattle has by far the best (and the most) work opportunities that has ever been available to me. If it wasn't for these opportunities, I would've left immediately. I'm in medical, and my employers are seriously unlimited here.
Hope this helps!
rrgg May 23rd 2007 10:11AM
That's a little ridiculous. You need to look at the number of rainy days per year, not the total rainfall. Of course places in Florida have high total rainfall. They get it all at once in huge storms.
Tim May 23rd 2007 10:14AM
Of course, it might also be worth looking at the cloudiest cities in America....then again, Seattle seems like a great place to live!
Eric Covarrubias May 23rd 2007 10:45AM
Looks like they forgot Hilo, Hawaii's 126 inches of rain per year (which makes Mobile look positively arid.)
bsaw512 Feb 15th 2009 2:10AM
Ketchikan Alaska get more rain than Hawaii, we hover up around 160-180 inches per year
Faith May 23rd 2007 10:52AM
I have lived in New Orleans, La., Lafeyette, La., & in Lake Charles and it does not rain as much as Seattle or even Houston, TX. In New Orleans, it rarely rains unless a hurricane or a tornado is coming or unless it's springtime. Now, Texas has heat and a necessary need for rain because of the climate and the agriculture, so I think she's wrong.
STEVE May 20th 2008 1:10AM
Basically there are two different ways to rank rainy weather and that is why there is so much confusion and people rank Seattle as being the rainiest, when in all reality it is not even close with only 36 inches per year. The reason people have the common misconception that it is a rainy city is because they are basing their opinion on the number of days it rains, not on annual average rainfall. Seattle has many days with rainfall, but the volume of rain that falls is pretty light when compared to the southeast. In the southeast it may not even rain close to as many days as it does in Seattle but, when it does rain, it rains a lot harder. Since the volume of rain is more in the southeast the average annual rainfall is a lot higher and that is consequently how Seattle is not even close to being on the list. However if you look at the number of days that Seattle experiences its light dreary rainfall it would no doubt rank way up there. I hope that makes sense. To sum it up Seattle is a rainy city in terms of shear number of days it rains, however the rain is very light and only adds up to 36 inches per year, less than NYC and anywhere on the East Coast. Mobile, Alabama on the other hand does not have nearly as many rainy days, but when it does rain it usually rains several inches, which is why the Gulf Coast has considerably more rainfall per year than Seattle.
BB May 23rd 2007 4:55PM
Ditto to the commenter from city #4. Here is Tallahassee (#9) we're on course to have the driest spring (March, April, May) ever if we don't get rain by next Thursday...and it doesn't look like we will. Also to rrgg..if you click the link in the article (this list)--you will find average annual rainfall AND average number of rainy days listed for each city. Off the do a raindance!
AlaskaMan May 25th 2007 12:36PM
Mobile Alabama... AHAHAHAHAHAH
You people have no clue...
Ketchikan, Alaska
160 inches a year, but you people dont consider Alaska part of the US do you?
bsaw512 Feb 15th 2009 2:12AM
I am from Ketchikan and I know how much rain it get's here and no other place even comes close, alabama and Louisiana, they only get 50 or 60 inches we double that easily, but if you look it up Ketchikan doesn't even come up.
Emerald May 25th 2007 1:38PM
Seattle has most of its rainy weather during the winter months. In the summer, it is dry. Sometimes it doesn't rain a drop all summer. Most of Washington state is desert. Over 4 million people choose to live in the Seattle metro area and it is growing fast. Almost 30 skyscrapers are being built in Seattle proper alone. And that is only half of the buildings to be constructed. Would people want to build and live in a city so rainy and "gloomy?" Probably not. The very diverse culture of Seattle is another draw. It is one of the most educated, literate and wired cities in America. It is headquarters of major, influential companies like Microsoft (you use a computer, right), Boeing (ever been on an airplane?), Amazon.com, Starbucks, Real Networks, Nintendo, Nordstrom, WaMu, etc. It has vast acres of parks and bike trails. If it rained a lot, would there be so many parks? The winter rain provides the green for the summer months. I moved here from Michigan in 1999 and fell in love with it. The rainy city myth prevails because of ignorance, studies like this reveal the truth. Come to Seattle, come for its business, its people, its mountains. Just because IT DOES rain a lot in a city, does not make it less desireable. So, visit Mobile and West Palm Beach, too. Please quit dissing Seattle based on misinformation. Please check out the city online, for our skyline our weather statistics...
Dan May 25th 2007 11:16PM
Alaska is the 49th State in the United States. Ketchikan Alaska has well over 5 feet of rain a year, more like 13.5 feet a year. I have no idea why Alaska or Hawaii is not included in the United States. I really think somebody better go back and do some research on their information. Some student may need this information for a report.