Some people prefer sunny weather, others like the rain. While sunnier cities have been popular migration destinations for the past few years, rainier cities are often more affordable and have many benefits, including cleaner, better-smelling air and lush nature.
So, if you’re considering moving to a new area but aren’t sure where to choose, we’re here to help. Whether you like the sun and are looking for places to avoid, or love the rain and snow and just want more, we’ve compiled a list of the rainiest cities in the U.S. to help you move with confidence. Read on to learn more and discover if one of these cities is right for you.
What is rainy weather?
Before diving into the rainiest cities, let’s define our terms. There are two ways to calculate whether a city is rainy:
This can create confusion. For example, some cities see hundreds of days with measurable precipitation but have lower rainfall totals, while others see lots of sun and receive huge amounts of rain.
So, for our purposes of determining the “rainiest” cities, this list will focus on cities that receive the most days with measurable precipitation. Afterward, we’ll also go over the cities with the highest annual rainfall totals.
Keep reading to see Redfin’s rankings of the rainiest cities in the U.S.
What are the rainiest cities in the U.S.?
1. Syracuse, New York
- Average annual rainy days: 172 days
- Average annual precipitation: 38.47 inches
The rainiest city in the U.S. is Syracuse, NY, seeing rain or snow on nearly half of the days each year. Known for its white winters, Syracuse is also the snowiest major metropolitan area in the country, receiving around 130 inches of snow per year. A notoriously cloudy, cold, but lively city, Syracuse is a hub for education, entertainment, and recreation.
Syracuse is so wet because of its location near the Great Lakes. This is because colder air that enters the region from the west or northwest travels east over the…