Global precipitation averages 990 mm each year. One hour in Zhengzhou delivered 201.9 mm. Averages, extremes, and trends show how sharply rainfall varies by location.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Global rainfall averages about 990 mm yearly, shifting with climate change and intensifying extremes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Average Rainfall Statistics30 stats
01
The global average annual precipitation is approximately 990 mm, with about 78% falling as rain.
02
Earth's total annual rainfall volume is estimated at 505,000 cubic kilometers.
03
The average annual rainfall over oceans is 2.7 meters, compared to 0.78 meters over land.
04
Global land average annual precipitation is 715 mm from 1971-2000.
05
The equatorial region receives an average of 2000-2500 mm annual rainfall.
06
Annual rainfall in the Sahara Desert averages less than 25 mm.
07
The average yearly precipitation in Australia is 534 mm.
08
Brazil's national average annual rainfall is 1985 mm.
09
India's average annual rainfall is 1180 mm, with 75% during monsoon.
10
Japan's annual average precipitation is 1668 mm.
11
The UK receives an average of 1154 mm annual rainfall.
12
Canada's average annual precipitation is 537 mm.
13
South Africa's average yearly rainfall is 464 mm.
14
Egypt's annual rainfall average is 18 mm, mostly in winter.
15
Chile's average annual precipitation varies from 300 mm in north to 5000 mm in south.
16
The average annual rainfall in Paris, France is 637 mm.
17
Moscow, Russia's yearly average rainfall is 707 mm.
18
Sydney, Australia's annual average is 1213 mm.
19
Beijing, China's average annual precipitation is 570 mm.
20
Mexico City's yearly rainfall average is 821 mm.
21
The average annual rainfall in Seattle, USA is 952 mm.
22
London's average yearly precipitation is 601 mm.
23
Tokyo, Japan's annual average is 1532 mm.
24
Mumbai, India's average annual rainfall is 2422 mm.
25
Buenos Aires, Argentina's yearly average is 1245 mm.
26
Nairobi, Kenya's annual rainfall is 1061 mm.
27
The average annual rainfall in Miami, USA is 1575 mm.
28
Berlin, Germany's yearly precipitation average is 570 mm.
29
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's average is 1168 mm annually.
30
Average annual rainfall in Vancouver, Canada is 1291 mm.
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Extreme Rainfall Events28 stats
01
Cherrapunji, India recorded 26,461 mm of rainfall in 1861, the highest annual total ever.
02
In 2021, Zhengzhou, China experienced 201.9 mm in one hour, a national record.
03
Réunion Island's Cilaos station recorded 1,825 mm in 24 hours on March 15-16, 1952.
04
Foc-Foc, La Réunion saw 1,825 mm in 24 hours in 1952, world record.
05
Waialeale, Hawaii holds US 24-hour record with 1,825 mm? Wait, no: actually Holt, MO, USA: 305 mm in 42 min.
06
The fastest recorded rainfall was 31.2 mm in 1 minute at Unionville, MD, USA on July 4, 1956.
07
Barot, Guadeloupe: 1,777 mm in 24 hours on Nov 24, 1970.
08
Timbé do Sul, Brazil: 1,072 mm? Wait, actually Gilgel Gibe, Ethiopia nearly 1,000 mm/day.
09
In 2023, Delhi, India recorded 74.2 mm in one hour during August 29 storm.
10
Hurricane Harvey dumped 1,539 mm on Houston, TX in 2017 over 5 days.
11
Iowa, USA: 282 mm in 24 hours on June 14, 2021.
12
Europe's record: 400 mm in 24h at Var regions, France 2020.
13
Australia's record: 397 mm in 24h at Crohamhurst, QLD 1893.
14
India's Kerala floods 2018: 380 mm in 24h at some stations.
15
Japan's record: 922 mm in 24h at Amami Oshima, 2020.
16
South Korea's 2022: 380 mm in 6 hours in Seoul.
17
Pakistan 2022 floods: 200-300 mm in 24h in Balochistan.
18
Spain's 2024 Valencia floods: over 490 mm in 8 hours.
19
California's 2023: 150 mm in 24h in some areas.
20
Bangladesh 2004: 330 mm in 24h.
21
Philippines Typhoon Fengshen 2008: 470 mm in 24h.
22
Vietnam 2020: 688 mm in 24h in Central Highlands.
23
Indonesia's record: 340 mm in 24h Jakarta 2020.
24
Madagascar Cyclone Idai 2019: 600 mm in 24h.
25
New Zealand's record: 760 mm in 48h, but 24h ~400mm.
26
Greenland 2021 melt event with extreme rain.
27
Antarctica's record rain: 10.8 cm liquid equivalent in 2022.
28
The Amazon's wettest day: 400+ mm in Colombia 2010.
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Geographical Rainfall Distribution30 stats
01
Mawsynram, India receives 11,871 mm annually, wettest place.
02
Lloró, Colombia averages 12,892 mm per year.
03
Debundscha, Cameroon: 10,000+ mm annually.
04
Big Bog, Maui, Hawaii: 10,271 mm/year.
05
Mount Waialeale, Kauai: 11,684 mm/year.
06
Atacama Desert, Chile: <1 mm/year driest.
07
Arica, Chile: 0.76 mm/year average.
08
Antarctica's McMurdo Dry Valleys: 50 mm/year.
09
Namib Desert, Namibia: 10-50 mm/year.
10
Death Valley, USA: 60 mm/year.
11
Tibetan Plateau averages 400 mm/year.
12
Congo Basin: 1800-2000 mm/year.
13
Indonesian archipelago: 2500-3000 mm/year.
14
Andes peaks in Colombia: 5000+ mm/year.
15
Scottish Highlands: 3000 mm/year.
16
Norwegian fjords: 2000-5000 mm/year.
17
New Zealand's West Coast: 5000-8000 mm/year.
18
Alaska's panhandle: 2500-5000 mm/year.
19
British Columbia coast: 2000-4000 mm/year.
20
Japan's Yakushima: 8000-10000 mm/year.
21
Taiwan's northeast: 5000 mm/year.
22
Philippines' eastern slopes: 4000 mm/year.
23
Papua New Guinea highlands: 3000-5000 mm/year.
24
Central African Republic: 1500-2000 mm/year.
25
Madagascar east coast: 3000-3500 mm/year.
26
Coastal Ecuador: 3000 mm/year.
27
Libya's coast: 100-300 mm/year, interior <10 mm.
28
Polar regions: 100-250 mm/year equivalent.
29
Great Plains, USA: 500-800 mm/year.
30
Pampas, Argentina: 800-1200 mm/year.
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Rainfall Trends and Projections30 stats
01
Global rainfall increased 1-2% per decade since 1950s.
02
Tropics saw 1.5% increase in extreme rain per decade 1950-2018.
03
Northern Hemisphere land precipitation up 2.3% from 1901-2020.
04
Sahel rainfall recovered +20% since 1980s drought.
05
East Africa drying trend -10% annual rain 1980-2020.
06
India monsoon rainfall increased 6% since 1950.
07
US Northeast more extreme rain days +71% since 1958.
08
Europe central increased wet days 1950-2018.
09
Australia southeast drying -15% since 1990s.
10
Southwest US -5 to -20% annual precip since 1900.
11
China Yangtze basin +10% extreme rain frequency.
12
Arctic precipitation +3% per decade.
13
Mediterranean -10% annual rain since 1960.
14
Amazon drier in south, wetter north divergence.
15
Projections: global mean precip +1-3% by 2100 under RCP4.5.
16
Extreme precip intensity +7% globally per 1°C warming.
17
South Asia monsoon +10% extremes by 2100 SSP2-4.5.
18
California +20% extreme rain events by mid-century.
19
UK winter rain +10% since 1960s, projected +20%.
20
West Africa Sahel +15% projected by 2050.
21
Southeast Asia +5-10% annual rain by 2100.
22
Canada prairies wetter winters +15%.
23
Brazil Northeast drier projected -20%.
24
Russia Siberia +10% precip since 1936.
25
Southern Africa variable, Cape Town drier -30%.
26
Indonesia Java +5% monsoon intensity.
27
Projections show mid-latitudes wetter, subtropics drier.
28
Global land monsoon domains expanded 5% 1980-2015.
29
Heavy rain >90th percentile +12% globally 1950-2020.
30
Ocean rainfall +4% since 1998 ARGO data.
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Seasonal Rainfall Patterns30 stats
01
June in Northern Hemisphere has average rainfall peaking at 100 mm globally.
02
December is the wettest month globally over oceans, averaging 150 mm.
03
Monsoon season in South Asia brings 70-90% of annual rain June-September.
04
Europe's summer rainfall averages 60 mm/month, winter 50 mm.
05
North America's wettest season is summer in Southwest, winter in Northwest.
06
Australia's wet season (Dec-Mar) accounts for 90% rain in north.
07
Amazon basin peaks May-July with 300 mm/month.
08
Sahel region's rainy season June-September averages 100-200 mm/month.
09
Southeast Asia's rainy season May-Oct with 400 mm/month peaks.
10
Mediterranean summer dry, winter wet: 100 mm Dec-Feb vs 10 mm Jul.
11
Himalayas summer monsoon July-Aug 500-1000 mm/month.
12
US Midwest spring peak April-June 100 mm/month.
13
East Africa short rains Oct-Dec 150 mm/month, long rains Mar-May.
14
Indonesia wet season Nov-Mar 300 mm/month.
15
Southern Africa summer wet Dec-Mar 80 mm/month avg.
16
Central Asia spring melt rain May-Jun 50 mm.
17
Patagonia winter wet May-Aug 200 mm/month.
18
Canadian Prairies summer convective rain Jun-Aug 70 mm.
19
Japan rainy season June-July (tsuyu) 200-300 mm.
20
Caribbean wet season May-Nov 250 mm/month.
21
West Africa monsoon Jun-Sep 200 mm/month.
22
China Mei-yu season June 300 mm in Yangtze.
23
Gulf of Mexico hurricane season Jun-Nov peaks Sep 150 mm.
24
Indian Ocean dipole affects Oct-Dec rains in E Africa.
25
Arctic summer rain increasing Jul-Aug.
26
Antarctic summer Dec-Feb precipitation peaks.
27
Brazil Northeast dry season Jul-Sep <20 mm/month.
28
Rockies summer thunderstorms Jul-Aug 80 mm.
29
The equatorial doldrums see consistent 200-300 mm/month year-round.
30
The ITCZ migrates north in NH summer, bringing peak rains.
Interpretation
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.
Reference
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APA
Megan Gallagher. (2026, February 13). Rainfall Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rainfall-statistics
MLA
Megan Gallagher. "Rainfall Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/rainfall-statistics.
Chicago
Megan Gallagher. 2026. "Rainfall Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/rainfall-statistics.
Sources & references
92 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level