From the bone-dry Atacama Desert, where a year's rain barely fills a teaspoon, to the drenched slopes of Cherrapunji, India, which holds the staggering record for the highest annual rainfall ever measured, our planet's precipitation tells a story of breathtaking extremes.
Key Takeaways
- The global average annual precipitation is approximately 990 mm, with about 78% falling as rain.
- Earth's total annual rainfall volume is estimated at 505,000 cubic kilometers.
- The average annual rainfall over oceans is 2.7 meters, compared to 0.78 meters over land.
- Cherrapunji, India recorded 26,461 mm of rainfall in 1861, the highest annual total ever.
- In 2021, Zhengzhou, China experienced 201.9 mm in one hour, a national record.
- Réunion Island's Cilaos station recorded 1,825 mm in 24 hours on March 15-16, 1952.
- June in Northern Hemisphere has average rainfall peaking at 100 mm globally.
- December is the wettest month globally over oceans, averaging 150 mm.
- Monsoon season in South Asia brings 70-90% of annual rain June-September.
- Mawsynram, India receives 11,871 mm annually, wettest place.
- Lloró, Colombia averages 12,892 mm per year.
- Debundscha, Cameroon: 10,000+ mm annually.
- Global rainfall increased 1-2% per decade since 1950s.
- Tropics saw 1.5% increase in extreme rain per decade 1950-2018.
- Northern Hemisphere land precipitation up 2.3% from 1901-2020.
Rainfall varies dramatically worldwide and is increasing due to climate change.
Average Rainfall Statistics
- The global average annual precipitation is approximately 990 mm, with about 78% falling as rain.
- Earth's total annual rainfall volume is estimated at 505,000 cubic kilometers.
- The average annual rainfall over oceans is 2.7 meters, compared to 0.78 meters over land.
- Global land average annual precipitation is 715 mm from 1971-2000.
- The equatorial region receives an average of 2000-2500 mm annual rainfall.
- Annual rainfall in the Sahara Desert averages less than 25 mm.
- The average yearly precipitation in Australia is 534 mm.
- Brazil's national average annual rainfall is 1985 mm.
- India's average annual rainfall is 1180 mm, with 75% during monsoon.
- Japan's annual average precipitation is 1668 mm.
- The UK receives an average of 1154 mm annual rainfall.
- Canada's average annual precipitation is 537 mm.
- South Africa's average yearly rainfall is 464 mm.
- Egypt's annual rainfall average is 18 mm, mostly in winter.
- Chile's average annual precipitation varies from 300 mm in north to 5000 mm in south.
- The average annual rainfall in Paris, France is 637 mm.
- Moscow, Russia's yearly average rainfall is 707 mm.
- Sydney, Australia's annual average is 1213 mm.
- Beijing, China's average annual precipitation is 570 mm.
- Mexico City's yearly rainfall average is 821 mm.
- The average annual rainfall in Seattle, USA is 952 mm.
- London's average yearly precipitation is 601 mm.
- Tokyo, Japan's annual average is 1532 mm.
- Mumbai, India's average annual rainfall is 2422 mm.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina's yearly average is 1245 mm.
- Nairobi, Kenya's annual rainfall is 1061 mm.
- The average annual rainfall in Miami, USA is 1575 mm.
- Berlin, Germany's yearly precipitation average is 570 mm.
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's average is 1168 mm annually.
- Average annual rainfall in Vancouver, Canada is 1291 mm.
Average Rainfall Statistics Interpretation
Earth is a lopsided watering can, drenching Brazil and Mumbai while barely spritzing the Sahara and Egypt, proving our planet’s climate is less a uniform blanket and more a patchwork quilt sewn with dramatic extremes.
Extreme Rainfall Events
- Cherrapunji, India recorded 26,461 mm of rainfall in 1861, the highest annual total ever.
- In 2021, Zhengzhou, China experienced 201.9 mm in one hour, a national record.
- Réunion Island's Cilaos station recorded 1,825 mm in 24 hours on March 15-16, 1952.
- Foc-Foc, La Réunion saw 1,825 mm in 24 hours in 1952, world record.
- Waialeale, Hawaii holds US 24-hour record with 1,825 mm? Wait, no: actually Holt, MO, USA: 305 mm in 42 min.
- The fastest recorded rainfall was 31.2 mm in 1 minute at Unionville, MD, USA on July 4, 1956.
- Barot, Guadeloupe: 1,777 mm in 24 hours on Nov 24, 1970.
- Timbé do Sul, Brazil: 1,072 mm? Wait, actually Gilgel Gibe, Ethiopia nearly 1,000 mm/day.
- In 2023, Delhi, India recorded 74.2 mm in one hour during August 29 storm.
- Hurricane Harvey dumped 1,539 mm on Houston, TX in 2017 over 5 days.
- Iowa, USA: 282 mm in 24 hours on June 14, 2021.
- Europe's record: 400 mm in 24h at Var regions, France 2020.
- Australia's record: 397 mm in 24h at Crohamhurst, QLD 1893.
- India's Kerala floods 2018: 380 mm in 24h at some stations.
- Japan's record: 922 mm in 24h at Amami Oshima, 2020.
- South Korea's 2022: 380 mm in 6 hours in Seoul.
- Pakistan 2022 floods: 200-300 mm in 24h in Balochistan.
- Spain's 2024 Valencia floods: over 490 mm in 8 hours.
- California's 2023: 150 mm in 24h in some areas.
- Bangladesh 2004: 330 mm in 24h.
- Philippines Typhoon Fengshen 2008: 470 mm in 24h.
- Vietnam 2020: 688 mm in 24h in Central Highlands.
- Indonesia's record: 340 mm in 24h Jakarta 2020.
- Madagascar Cyclone Idai 2019: 600 mm in 24h.
- New Zealand's record: 760 mm in 48h, but 24h ~400mm.
- Greenland 2021 melt event with extreme rain.
- Antarctica's record rain: 10.8 cm liquid equivalent in 2022.
- The Amazon's wettest day: 400+ mm in Colombia 2010.
Extreme Rainfall Events Interpretation
Earth's rainfall records tell a deeply human story of extremes: while some places measure it in years of gentle drizzle, others endure it as a weaponized downpour that arrives by the hour, the minute, or even by the second, redefining what a single cloud can unleash.
Geographical Rainfall Distribution
- Mawsynram, India receives 11,871 mm annually, wettest place.
- Lloró, Colombia averages 12,892 mm per year.
- Debundscha, Cameroon: 10,000+ mm annually.
- Big Bog, Maui, Hawaii: 10,271 mm/year.
- Mount Waialeale, Kauai: 11,684 mm/year.
- Atacama Desert, Chile: <1 mm/year driest.
- Arica, Chile: 0.76 mm/year average.
- Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys: 50 mm/year.
- Namib Desert, Namibia: 10-50 mm/year.
- Death Valley, USA: 60 mm/year.
- Tibetan Plateau averages 400 mm/year.
- Congo Basin: 1800-2000 mm/year.
- Indonesian archipelago: 2500-3000 mm/year.
- Andes peaks in Colombia: 5000+ mm/year.
- Scottish Highlands: 3000 mm/year.
- Norwegian fjords: 2000-5000 mm/year.
- New Zealand's West Coast: 5000-8000 mm/year.
- Alaska's panhandle: 2500-5000 mm/year.
- British Columbia coast: 2000-4000 mm/year.
- Japan's Yakushima: 8000-10000 mm/year.
- Taiwan's northeast: 5000 mm/year.
- Philippines' eastern slopes: 4000 mm/year.
- Papua New Guinea highlands: 3000-5000 mm/year.
- Central African Republic: 1500-2000 mm/year.
- Madagascar east coast: 3000-3500 mm/year.
- Coastal Ecuador: 3000 mm/year.
- Libya's coast: 100-300 mm/year, interior <10 mm.
- Polar regions: 100-250 mm/year equivalent.
- Great Plains, USA: 500-800 mm/year.
- Pampas, Argentina: 800-1200 mm/year.
- Sahel belt: 300-600 mm/year.
Geographical Rainfall Distribution Interpretation
The planet's waterworks are simultaneously engaged in an absurdly splashy global dance contest and a miserly desert staring contest, with everything else just trying to stay moderately damp.
Rainfall Trends and Projections
- Global rainfall increased 1-2% per decade since 1950s.
- Tropics saw 1.5% increase in extreme rain per decade 1950-2018.
- Northern Hemisphere land precipitation up 2.3% from 1901-2020.
- Sahel rainfall recovered +20% since 1980s drought.
- East Africa drying trend -10% annual rain 1980-2020.
- India monsoon rainfall increased 6% since 1950.
- US Northeast more extreme rain days +71% since 1958.
- Europe central increased wet days 1950-2018.
- Australia southeast drying -15% since 1990s.
- Southwest US -5 to -20% annual precip since 1900.
- China Yangtze basin +10% extreme rain frequency.
- Arctic precipitation +3% per decade.
- Mediterranean -10% annual rain since 1960.
- Amazon drier in south, wetter north divergence.
- Projections: global mean precip +1-3% by 2100 under RCP4.5.
- Extreme precip intensity +7% globally per 1°C warming.
- South Asia monsoon +10% extremes by 2100 SSP2-4.5.
- California +20% extreme rain events by mid-century.
- UK winter rain +10% since 1960s, projected +20%.
- West Africa Sahel +15% projected by 2050.
- Southeast Asia +5-10% annual rain by 2100.
- Canada prairies wetter winters +15%.
- Brazil Northeast drier projected -20%.
- Russia Siberia +10% precip since 1936.
- Southern Africa variable, Cape Town drier -30%.
- Indonesia Java +5% monsoon intensity.
- Projections show mid-latitudes wetter, subtropics drier.
- Global land monsoon domains expanded 5% 1980-2015.
- Heavy rain >90th percentile +12% globally 1950-2020.
- Ocean rainfall +4% since 1998 ARGO data.
- La Niña phases see +5-10% more rain in Indonesia.
- CMIP6 models project 2-4% precip increase per °C.
Rainfall Trends and Projections Interpretation
While the global rainfall script calls for a modest 1-3% rise by 2100, the real drama is in the local adaptations, from California bracing for a 20% surge in torrential downpours to the Mediterranean drying at a rate of 10% since the 1960s, proving that climate change isn't about a uniform wetter world, but a wildly uneven redistribution of where, when, and how hard the rain falls.
Seasonal Rainfall Patterns
- June in Northern Hemisphere has average rainfall peaking at 100 mm globally.
- December is the wettest month globally over oceans, averaging 150 mm.
- Monsoon season in South Asia brings 70-90% of annual rain June-September.
- Europe's summer rainfall averages 60 mm/month, winter 50 mm.
- North America's wettest season is summer in Southwest, winter in Northwest.
- Australia's wet season (Dec-Mar) accounts for 90% rain in north.
- Amazon basin peaks May-July with 300 mm/month.
- Sahel region's rainy season June-September averages 100-200 mm/month.
- Southeast Asia's rainy season May-Oct with 400 mm/month peaks.
- Mediterranean summer dry, winter wet: 100 mm Dec-Feb vs 10 mm Jul.
- Himalayas summer monsoon July-Aug 500-1000 mm/month.
- US Midwest spring peak April-June 100 mm/month.
- East Africa short rains Oct-Dec 150 mm/month, long rains Mar-May.
- Indonesia wet season Nov-Mar 300 mm/month.
- Southern Africa summer wet Dec-Mar 80 mm/month avg.
- Central Asia spring melt rain May-Jun 50 mm.
- Patagonia winter wet May-Aug 200 mm/month.
- Canadian Prairies summer convective rain Jun-Aug 70 mm.
- Japan rainy season June-July (tsuyu) 200-300 mm.
- Caribbean wet season May-Nov 250 mm/month.
- West Africa monsoon Jun-Sep 200 mm/month.
- China Mei-yu season June 300 mm in Yangtze.
- Gulf of Mexico hurricane season Jun-Nov peaks Sep 150 mm.
- Indian Ocean dipole affects Oct-Dec rains in E Africa.
- Arctic summer rain increasing Jul-Aug.
- Antarctic summer Dec-Feb precipitation peaks.
- Brazil Northeast dry season Jul-Sep <20 mm/month.
- Rockies summer thunderstorms Jul-Aug 80 mm.
- The equatorial doldrums see consistent 200-300 mm/month year-round.
- The ITCZ migrates north in NH summer, bringing peak rains.
- Global rainfall in tropics peaks twice yearly due to ITCZ shifts.
Seasonal Rainfall Patterns Interpretation
Rainfall is a seasonal theater where the globe's regions take turns under the spotlight, from the monsoon's dramatic deluge to the Mediterranean's dry summer intermission.
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