When you think of rain, you probably think of Seattle. It’s the classic trope—gritty detectives in trench coats, coffee shops filled with people hiding from the drizzle, and a sky that looks like a wet wool blanket for nine months of the year. But honestly? Seattle isn't even in the top ten. Not even close. If we are talking about what are the rainiest states in the United States, the Pacific Northwest is basically an amateur compared to the deep South.
The gap between "cloudy" and "rainy" is huge.
You can have a city like Seattle that stays gray and misty forever but only collects about 38 inches of water a year. Then you have a place like Mobile, Alabama, where the sun shines frequently, but when it rains, the sky literally opens up. We’re talking about torrential, tropical-style downpours that can dump three inches of water in an hour. This is the big distinction most people miss. To find the real heavy hitters, you have to look at average annual precipitation—the actual volume of water hitting the ground.
The Rainiest State in America (By a Long Shot)
It’s Hawaii. No surprise there, right? But the numbers are still kind of hard to wrap your head around. Hawaii averages about 63.7 inches of rain annually across the whole state.
That’s the average.
If you zoom in on specific spots, it gets wild. Mount Waialeale on Kauai is frequently cited by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as one of the wettest spots on the entire planet. It pulls in about 450 inches a year. That happens because the trade winds hit those steep volcanic cliffs, the air rises, cools, and just dumps everything it’s holding. If you’re visiting Hilo on the Big Island, pack an umbrella. It’s the rainiest city in the country, seeing rain on about 300 days a year.
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Why the South Is So Much Wetter Than the North
After Hawaii, the list of the rainiest states in the United States becomes a tour of the Gulf Coast.
- Louisiana (60.1 inches)
- Mississippi (59.2 inches)
- Alabama (58.3 inches)
- Florida (54.6 inches)
Why? It’s the Gulf of Mexico. It’s basically a giant bowl of warm soup that feeds moisture into the atmosphere. In the summer, you get these "pop-up" thunderstorms almost every afternoon. Then you have hurricane season. One single tropical storm can dump more rain in 24 hours than some Midwestern states see in a whole season.
Louisiana takes the #2 spot because it’s low, flat, and right in the path of all that moisture. New Orleans is famous for its humidity, but the rain is what really defines the landscape. It’s why the state is covered in those beautiful, haunting cypress swamps. Alabama and Mississippi aren't far behind. Mobile, Alabama, actually gets more total rainfall than almost any other major city in the continental U.S., often topping 65 inches a year.
The Pacific Northwest Paradox
You’re probably wondering where Washington is. According to recent 2025 and 2026 climate data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Washington usually sits around 29th or 30th on the list.
Wait, what?
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Yeah, it’s a geographical trick. Western Washington—the part where everyone lives, like Seattle and Tacoma—is definitely damp. But the state is split in half by the Cascade Mountains. The west side gets the rain, but the east side is a "rain shadow." It’s basically a desert. When you average the bone-dry eastern half with the misty western half, the state’s total looks pretty mediocre.
Oregon has the same "problem." It ranks way down at 36th. If you only looked at the coast, these states would be at the top, but the geography balances them out.
New England’s Stealthy Rainfall
One thing people often overlook is the Northeast. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts all rank in the top 15.
Connecticut, for example, pulls in over 50 inches of precipitation annually. That’s more than Georgia or North Carolina in some years. The reason is that New England doesn't really have a "dry season." They get rain in the spring, humid thunderstorms in the summer, and heavy snow (which melts into high precipitation totals) in the winter. It’s a consistent, year-round soak.
Recent Shifts and the "New Normal"
Looking at the most recent data from 2025, we are seeing some weird shifts. Kentucky just had one of its top-ten wettest years on record, with some counties getting over a foot of rain above their normal averages. Alaska is also getting weirder. While it’s technically a "dry" state because it’s so cold and the interior doesn't get much moisture, the coastal regions and the North Slope have been seeing massive spikes in precipitation as the Arctic warms up.
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In May 2025, Alabama had its wettest May ever recorded. It was the first time the state averaged over 10 inches of rain in that single month. These aren't just "rainy days"—these are extreme weather events that are starting to happen more often, shifting the rankings of what are the rainiest states in the United States from year to year.
The Comparison: Rainiest vs. Driest
To put this in perspective, look at the bottom of the list. Nevada is the driest state, barely scraping together 9.5 inches a year. Hawaii gets more rain in some weeks than Nevada gets in a year.
| State | Avg. Annual Precipitation (Inches) |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | 63.7 |
| Louisiana | 60.1 |
| Mississippi | 59.2 |
| Alabama | 58.3 |
| Florida | 54.6 |
| Tennessee | 54.2 |
Surviving the Soak: Practical Steps
If you’re moving to or visiting one of these high-moisture states, "waterproof" takes on a new meaning.
- Humidity is the enemy: In states like Louisiana or Florida, it’s not just the rain; it’s the fact that things never dry out. If you're a homeowner, a high-capacity dehumidifier isn't a luxury; it's a requirement to prevent mold.
- Check your flood zone: If you're buying property in the top five rainiest states, looking at the FEMA flood maps is more important than looking at the school district.
- The "Seattle" Gear vs. The "Mobile" Gear: In the PNW, a light rain shell is fine. In the South, you need a heavy-duty umbrella and shoes that won't be ruined when you step into a six-inch-deep puddle.
Basically, don't let the reputation of the Northwest fool you. If you want to see where the water really falls, head south. The rain there is louder, heavier, and a much bigger part of daily life than the drizzle of the coast.
To stay ahead of these weather patterns, you can check the NOAA National Climate Report which updates monthly. It provides specific "Climate at a Glance" data that shows which states are trending wetter or drier than their 20th-century averages. This is especially useful for travelers or anyone planning a move, as it helps you distinguish between a state's long-term average and the current, often more volatile, weather trends.