Study Reveals Top 10 Wettest U.S. Cities

[peejay 327]

Study Reveals Top 10 Wettest U.S. Cities

Andrea Thompson

LiveScience Staff Writer

LiveScience.com

Tue May 22, 7:30 AM ET

Do you think Seattle is the rainiest city in the United States? Well, think again.

Mobile, Alabama, actually topped a new list of soggiest cities, with more than 5 feet of rainfall annually, according to a study conducted by San Francisco-based WeatherBill, Inc.

The Southeast dominated the most rainy list, while the Pacific Northwest never enters the list until Olympia, Washington pops up at number 24.

The 10 rainiest cities in the U.S. by amount of annual rainfall include:

Mobile, Alabama--67 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days

Pensacola, Florida--65 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days

New Orleans, Louisiana--64 inches average annual rainfall; 59 average annual rainy days

West Palm Beach, Florida--63 inches average annual rainfall; 58 average annual rainy days

Lafayette, Louisiana--62 inches average annual rainfall; 55 average annual rainy days

Baton Rouge, Louisiana--62 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days

Miami, Florida--62 inches average annual rainfall; 57 average annual rainy days

Port Arthur, Texas--61 inches average annual rainfall; 51 average annual rainy days

Tallahassee, Florida--61 inches average annual rainfall; 56 average annual rainy days

Lake Charles, Louisiana--58 inches average annual rainfall; 50 average annual rainy days

The study ranked 195 cities by the amount of rainfall they received annually over a 30-year period, although Olympia actually had the most rainy days on average across the three decades (63) of all the cities in the study. Mobile came in second on the latter scale, with 59 average annual rainy days.

Southeastern cities are so prevalent on the list because the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico fuel storms that frequently soak the region, particularly between June and November.

The study also found that in the past 30 years, the East and Southeast seemed to be getting wetter, while the West got drier. Florida, Louisiana and Alabama were the wettest states, while California, Montana, Nevada and Arizona were the driest (Las Vegas took the top spot for driest city).

Average rainfall was highest in the United States between July and September and lowest between January and March.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/200705...wettestuscities

[Alex+R 0]

I'd say more important than amount of rainfall is amount of rainy days. Stupid article!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd say more important than amount of rainfall is amount of rainy days. Stupid article!

They both matter for different reasons. Basements get flooded a lot more often when the amount is a lot, even if the days are fewer. More days of lighter rain is friendlier on flood-prone basements.

[Alex+R 0]

Ah, excuse me, I am yet a freewheeling non-home owner. My concerns are mainly selfish.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

So are mine. Why do you think all I can think of when I hear rain is my basement? Today I took a walk through a neighboring townhouse development with my wife, she was enjoying the weather, and I was focused on how everyone else drains water away from their homes. It's a disease.

[Dr_LHA 3]

I take it they don't include Hawai'i in this list because Hilo (a city on the Big Island) gets around 120" of rainfall per year.

[Alex+R 0]

So are mine. Why do you think all I can think of when I hear rain is my basement? Today I took a walk through a neighboring townhouse development with my wife, she was enjoying the weather, and I was focused on how everyone else drains water away from their homes. It's a disease.

Ok, I'm never buying a house. My parents' houses never flooded while I was growing up. I feel my eyes have now been opened up to this issue.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Oh, and Hilo also gets around 280 rainy days per year.

[Ban Hammer 14,295]

So are mine. Why do you think all I can think of when I hear rain is my basement? Today I took a walk through a neighboring townhouse development with my wife, she was enjoying the weather, and I was focused on how everyone else drains water away from their homes. It's a disease.

very true

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I'd say more important than amount of rainfall is amount of rainy days. Stupid article!

They both matter for different reasons. Basements get flooded a lot more often when the amount is a lot, even if the days are fewer. More days of lighter rain is friendlier on flood-prone basements.

Of course, in areas where basements are disallowed (CA--for earthquake-proneness), such consideration is moot.

[KiKi 0]

Well it sure feels Like the wettest place on Earth here in Oregon, especially for a transplanted Southern Californian like myself......

Interesting!

[eric&gen 0]

That will make your socks wet lol.

[almaty 19]

So are mine. Why do you think all I can think of when I hear rain is my basement? Today I took a walk through a neighboring townhouse development with my wife, she was enjoying the weather, and I was focused on how everyone else drains water away from their homes. It's a disease.

very true

good point and reminder ....i think it is time for sanita to get back on the roof and clean out those gutters...

[Ban Hammer 14,295]

So are mine. Why do you think all I can think of when I hear rain is my basement? Today I took a walk through a neighboring townhouse development with my wife, she was enjoying the weather, and I was focused on how everyone else drains water away from their homes. It's a disease.

very true

good point and reminder ....i think it is time for sanita to get back on the roof and clean out those gutters...

that's starting to remind me of the russia forum

[Fandango 1,440]

Certainly doesn't feel like florida has many 'wet' cities lately