Annual precipitation in United States
United States: Annual precipitation was 810.4 millimeters in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
810.4 millimeters
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
116th
of 192 countries
All-time high
938.01 millimeters
in 2019
All-time low
699.13 millimeters
in 1966
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Annual precipitation in United States, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in millimeters.
Analysis
In 2025, annual precipitation in United States stood at 810.4 millimeters.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual precipitation in United States peaked at 938.01 millimeters in 2019 and was at its lowest, 699.13 millimeters, in 1966.
That places United States 116th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Annual precipitation in United States, year by year
| Year | millimeters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 774.95 millimeters | — |
| 1941 | 763.27 millimeters | -1.5% |
| 1942 | 757.22 millimeters | -0.8% |
| 1943 | 706.8 millimeters | -6.7% |
| 1944 | 805.14 millimeters | +13.9% |
| 1945 | 884.71 millimeters | +9.9% |
| 1946 | 828.69 millimeters | -6.3% |
| 1947 | 789.43 millimeters | -4.7% |
| 1948 | 814.8 millimeters | +3.2% |
| 1949 | 826.41 millimeters | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 817.86 millimeters | -1.0% |
| 1951 | 851.1 millimeters | +4.1% |
| 1952 | 737.82 millimeters | -13.3% |
| 1953 | 766.73 millimeters | +3.9% |
| 1954 | 708.88 millimeters | -7.5% |
| 1955 | 756.16 millimeters | +6.7% |
| 1956 | 703.07 millimeters | -7.0% |
| 1957 | 873.47 millimeters | +24.2% |
| 1958 | 771.3 millimeters | -11.7% |
| 1959 | 824.14 millimeters | +6.9% |
| 1960 | 785.22 millimeters | -4.7% |
| 1961 | 832.21 millimeters | +6.0% |
| 1962 | 737.48 millimeters | -11.4% |
| 1963 | 715.58 millimeters | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 782.22 millimeters | +9.3% |
| 1965 | 780.47 millimeters | -0.2% |
| 1966 | 699.13 millimeters | -10.4% |
| 1967 | 776.8 millimeters | +11.1% |
| 1968 | 752.81 millimeters | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 760.15 millimeters | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 763.52 millimeters | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 764.91 millimeters | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 799.08 millimeters | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 902.82 millimeters | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 785.97 millimeters | -12.9% |
| 1975 | 832.92 millimeters | +6.0% |
| 1976 | 724.39 millimeters | -13.0% |
| 1977 | 825.26 millimeters | +13.9% |
| 1978 | 819.34 millimeters | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 859 millimeters | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 812.52 millimeters | -5.4% |
| 1981 | 842.55 millimeters | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 933.3 millimeters | +10.8% |
| 1983 | 931.56 millimeters | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 864.94 millimeters | -7.2% |
| 1985 | 868.09 millimeters | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 882.6 millimeters | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 836.04 millimeters | -5.3% |
| 1988 | 764.8 millimeters | -8.5% |
| 1989 | 815.85 millimeters | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 872.5 millimeters | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 876.92 millimeters | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 852.38 millimeters | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 908.11 millimeters | +6.5% |
| 1994 | 843.49 millimeters | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 864.48 millimeters | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 874.55 millimeters | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 842.75 millimeters | -3.6% |
| 1998 | 886.68 millimeters | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 764.48 millimeters | -13.8% |
| 2000 | 770.74 millimeters | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 771.66 millimeters | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 784.22 millimeters | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 805.97 millimeters | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 858.42 millimeters | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 792.35 millimeters | -7.7% |
| 2006 | 789.24 millimeters | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 750.17 millimeters | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 817.45 millimeters | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 839.14 millimeters | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 802.92 millimeters | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 799.35 millimeters | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 725.96 millimeters | -9.2% |
| 2013 | 811.21 millimeters | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 796.81 millimeters | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 868.93 millimeters | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 826.1 millimeters | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 871.91 millimeters | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 923.79 millimeters | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 938.01 millimeters | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 813.39 millimeters | -13.3% |
| 2021 | 834.52 millimeters | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 797.21 millimeters | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 815.2 millimeters | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 858.66 millimeters | +5.3% |
| 2025 | 810.4 millimeters | -5.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 810.4 millimeters is below the median for high income countries, which is 891.63 millimeters, 91% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 795.14 millimeters | 706.8 millimeters | 884.71 millimeters | 10 |
| 1950s | 781.05 millimeters | 703.07 millimeters | 873.47 millimeters | 10 |
| 1960s | 762.21 millimeters | 699.13 millimeters | 832.21 millimeters | 10 |
| 1970s | 807.72 millimeters | 724.39 millimeters | 902.82 millimeters | 10 |
| 1980s | 855.23 millimeters | 764.8 millimeters | 933.3 millimeters | 10 |
| 1990s | 858.63 millimeters | 764.48 millimeters | 908.11 millimeters | 10 |
| 2000s | 797.94 millimeters | 750.17 millimeters | 858.42 millimeters | 10 |
| 2010s | 836.5 millimeters | 725.96 millimeters | 938.01 millimeters | 10 |
| 2020s | 821.57 millimeters | 797.21 millimeters | 858.66 millimeters | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More climate change data for United States
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 274,482 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 60,922 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 213,560 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 229.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7,627 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 107,381 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 89,068 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 18,313 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 336.11 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 654.05 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual precipitation in United States?
- Annual precipitation in United States was 810.4 millimeters in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual precipitation recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 938.01 millimeters in 2019.
- What is the lowest annual precipitation recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 699.13 millimeters in 1966.
- How does United States rank for annual precipitation?
- United States ranks 116th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual precipitation rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual precipitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total annual precipitation—rain and snow—calculated as the sum of daily averages, reported as the depth of water falling to Earth's surface, excluding fog and dew.