States with the wettest summers
Much of the focus on extreme summer weather comes by looking at heat indexes, with special attention paid to where summers are heating up the most and what kinds of danger extreme heat can pose for people, pets, and wildlife. But it's not just the heat that can cause damage: 2019 was the second wettest year for the U.S. since records started being kept; weather- and climate-related disasters cost $14 billion that year.
Stacker turned to 2020 climatological rankings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine which states have the wettest summers. NOAA has recorded precipitation at national, regional, and state levels on a monthly basis since January 1895 and calculated averages and records. We examined each state in the time period of June to September and pulled the average summer precipitation over the entire 20th century, 2019's precipitation levels, and the wettest and driest summers on record. We also included each state's record for the most precipitation in 24 hours, from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes. This data does not include Hawaii.
Read on to find out how much rain to expect in your state this summer, and how recent years have stacked up compared to the wettest and driest summers recorded in that state.
#49. California
- Average summer precipitation: 1.22"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 0.91" (82nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1982 (2.53")
- Driest summer: 2002 (0.25")
#48. Nevada
- Average summer precipitation: 2.4"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 1.57" (91st wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1913 (5.00")
- Driest summer: 1924 (0.74")
#47. Oregon
- Average summer precipitation: 3.91"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 4.28" (44th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1941 (7.25")
- Driest summer: 1932 (1.32")
#46. Utah
- Average summer precipitation: 3.99"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 2.28" (114th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1997 (7.36")
- Driest summer: 1956 (1.53")
#45. Idaho
- Average summer precipitation: 4.68"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 4.29" (67th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1983 (7.73")
- Driest summer: 1935 (1.41")
#44. Arizona
- Average summer precipitation: 5.37"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 3.41" (116th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1984 (8.79")
- Driest summer: 2009 (2.78")
#43. Wyoming
- Average summer precipitation: 5.43"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 5.97" (36th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1923 (9.29")
- Driest summer: 2012 (2.29")
#42. Washington
- Average summer precipitation: 5.76"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 6.51" (38th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1948 (9.79")
- Driest summer: 2003 (2.18")
#41. Colorado
- Average summer precipitation: 7.1"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 5.55" (106th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1965 (11.71")
- Driest summer: 1924 (3.70")
#40. Montana
- Average summer precipitation: 7.22"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 9.7" (7th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (12.69")
- Driest summer: 1919 (3.36")
#39. New Mexico
- Average summer precipitation: 7.66"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 5.63" (113th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1941 (12.53")
- Driest summer: 1956 (3.88")
#38. South Dakota
- Average summer precipitation: 9.72"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.63" (2nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1915 (15.72")
- Driest summer: 1936 (4.30")
#37. North Dakota
- Average summer precipitation: 9.76"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.22" (2nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (16.10")
- Driest summer: 1936 (4.58")
#36. Texas
- Average summer precipitation: 10.44"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 9.41" (80th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1919 (16.93")
- Driest summer: 2011 (3.60")
#35. Nebraska
- Average summer precipitation: 11.56"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.54" (9th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (19.36")
- Driest summer: 2012 (4.23")
#34. Michigan
- Average summer precipitation: 12.82"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 14.77" (22nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1986 (19.88")
- Driest summer: 1930 (8.30")
#33. Oklahoma
- Average summer precipitation: 13.13"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.07" (33rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1945 (21.75")
- Driest summer: 1954 (5.23")
#32. Kansas
- Average summer precipitation: 13.28"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.79" (31st wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1951 (24.93")
- Driest summer: 1952 (7.00")
#31. Minnesota
- Average summer precipitation: 14.02"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.6" (11th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2010 (21.12")
- Driest summer: 1936 (7.89")
#30. Rhode Island
- Average summer precipitation: 14.23"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.13" (50th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1938 (25.45")
- Driest summer: 1957 (6.45")
#29. Ohio
- Average summer precipitation: 14.43"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 16.58" (23rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1958 (22.35")
- Driest summer: 1895 (9.04")
#28. Alaska
- Average summer precipitation: 14.57"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 13.52" (75th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2012 (18.86")
- Driest summer: 1968 (10.41")
#27. Indiana
- Average summer precipitation: 14.59"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.5" (52nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1958 (23.85")
- Driest summer: 1908 (7.56")
#26. Maine
- Average summer precipitation: 14.72"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 16.26" (38th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1954 (23.98")
- Driest summer: 1948 (9.03")
#25. Illinois
- Average summer precipitation: 14.72"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.26" (29th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (26.05")
- Driest summer: 1988 (8.46")
#24. Arkansas
- Average summer precipitation: 14.76"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.44" (28th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1945 (24.02")
- Driest summer: 1954 (6.87")
#23. New York
- Average summer precipitation: 14.98"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.38" (56th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2011 (21.68")
- Driest summer: 1913 & 1964 (9.62")
#22. Massachusetts
- Average summer precipitation: 15.02"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 14.63" (73rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1938 (29.49")
- Driest summer: 1957 (7.83")
#21. Wisconsin
- Average summer precipitation: 15.5"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 19.81" (11th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2010 (25.57")
- Driest summer: 1976 (7.65")
#20. New Hampshire
- Average summer precipitation: 15.53"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.34" (67th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2008 (25.70")
- Driest summer: 1964 (10.22")
#19. Kentucky
- Average summer precipitation: 15.56"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.02" (39th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1979 (25.34")
- Driest summer: 1930 (8.23")
#18. Pennsylvania
- Average summer precipitation: 15.81"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.24" (43rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2018 (27.99'')
- Driest summer: 1930 (10.26")
#17. Connecticut
- Average summer precipitation: 15.83"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 13.44" (94th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1938 (33.66")
- Driest summer: 1914 (8.81")
#16. Tennessee
- Average summer precipitation: 15.87"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.06" (50th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1989 (24.82")
- Driest summer: 1930 (9.53")
#15. Vermont
- Average summer precipitation: 15.97"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.97" (60th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2011 (24.58")
- Driest summer: 1913 (9.97")
#14. Maryland
- Average summer precipitation: 15.98"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 12.97" (98th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2018 (27.39'')
- Driest summer: 1930 (7.09")
#13. Iowa
- Average summer precipitation: 16"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.03" (50th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (30.39")
- Driest summer: 2012 (8.48")
#12. Missouri
- Average summer precipitation: 16.13"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 19.64" (24th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1993 (30.83")
- Driest summer: 1953 (6.60")
#11. Delaware
- Average summer precipitation: 16.14"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 13.18" (95th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1938 (26.50")
- Driest summer: 1968 (9.05")
#10. Virginia
- Average summer precipitation: 16.4"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 14.68" (91st wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2003 (26.08")
- Driest summer: 1930 (8.04")
#9. Mississippi
- Average summer precipitation: 16.43"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 17.75" (47th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1989 (25.58")
- Driest summer: 1952 (9.10")
#8. West Virginia
- Average summer precipitation: 16.54"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 14.13" (99th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2018 (26.33'')
- Driest summer: 1930 (8.18")
#7. New Jersey
- Average summer precipitation: 16.63"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 16.31" (62nd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 2011 (30.34")
- Driest summer: 1957 (9.15")
#6. Alabama
- Average summer precipitation: 17.84"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 13.89" (111th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1916 (26.73")
- Driest summer: 1954 (9.16")
#5. Georgia
- Average summer precipitation: 18.94"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 15.31" (111th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1928 (29.79")
- Driest summer: 1954 (10.84")
#4. Louisiana
- Average summer precipitation: 18.95"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 20.51" (48th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1940 (18.95")
- Driest summer: 1924 (7.52")
#3. South Carolina
- Average summer precipitation: 19.75"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 16.85" (106th wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1928 (33.38")
- Driest summer: 1954 (9.48")
#2. North Carolina
- Average summer precipitation: 19.82"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 18.8" (73rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1928 (30.67")
- Driest summer: 2007 (11.54")
#1. Florida
- Average summer precipitation: 27.99"
- Total precipitation in summer 2019: 26.04" (83rd wettest)
- Wettest summer: 1928 (37.53")
- Driest summer: 1931 (19.13")
