Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation

Owsley County had the highest annual precipitation of 120 counties in 2022, at 58.73 inches. Henderson County had the lowest, at 40.84 inches. The median was 48.26 inches and the figure for Kentucky was 49.31 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest58.73Owsley County
Lowest40.84Henderson County
Median48.26120 counties
Kentucky49.31History

Map of counties, 2022

Adair County: 50.18 inchesAllen County: 52.45 inchesAnderson County: 47.61 inchesBallard County: 45.08 inchesBarren County: 51.71 inchesBath County: 48.22 inchesBell County: 53.21 inchesBoone County: 45.98 inchesBourbon County: 45.37 inchesBoyd County: 43.22 inchesBoyle County: 48.62 inchesBracken County: 48.43 inchesBreathitt County: 56.79 inchesBreckinridge County: 49.51 inchesBullitt County: 46.35 inchesButler County: 48.65 inchesCaldwell County: 46.46 inchesCalloway County: 45.62 inchesCampbell County: 45.91 inchesCarlisle County: 46.7 inchesCarroll County: 47.69 inchesCarter County: 43.97 inchesCasey County: 51.04 inchesChristian County: 45.85 inchesClark County: 48.3 inchesClay County: 57.96 inchesClinton County: 54.62 inchesCrittenden County: 44.57 inchesCumberland County: 52.02 inchesDaviess County: 44.6 inchesEdmonson County: 51.11 inchesElliott County: 47.19 inchesEstill County: 53.21 inchesFayette County: 46.36 inchesFleming County: 47.6 inchesFloyd County: 51.24 inchesFranklin County: 47.51 inchesFulton County: 51.48 inchesGallatin County: 45.85 inchesGarrard County: 48.21 inchesGrant County: 47.02 inchesGraves County: 47.49 inchesGrayson County: 50.33 inchesGreen County: 49.7 inchesGreenup County: 42.42 inchesHancock County: 48.6 inchesHardin County: 48.77 inchesHarlan County: 55.38 inchesHarrison County: 44.9 inchesHart County: 51.18 inchesHenderson County: 40.84 inchesHenry County: 48.08 inchesHickman County: 49.61 inchesHopkins County: 47.85 inchesJackson County: 55.27 inchesJefferson County: 45.07 inchesJessamine County: 46.61 inchesJohnson County: 51.15 inchesKenton County: 46.37 inchesKnott County: 53.87 inchesKnox County: 54.37 inchesLarue County: 49.06 inchesLaurel County: 52.92 inchesLawrence County: 47.38 inchesLee County: 56.5 inchesLeslie County: 58.23 inchesLetcher County: 51.35 inchesLewis County: 47 inchesLincoln County: 50.26 inchesLivingston County: 44.84 inchesLogan County: 50.24 inchesLyon County: 45.65 inchesMcCracken County: 45.67 inchesMcCreary County: 54.17 inchesMcLean County: 45.51 inchesMadison County: 49.35 inchesMagoffin County: 52.76 inchesMarion County: 48.72 inchesMarshall County: 45.66 inchesMartin County: 50.75 inchesMason County: 48.04 inchesMeade County: 47.59 inchesMenifee County: 51.15 inchesMercer County: 47.37 inchesMetcalfe County: 50.96 inchesMonroe County: 52.68 inchesMontgomery County: 48.84 inchesMorgan County: 50.41 inchesMuhlenberg County: 47.56 inchesNelson County: 47.41 inchesNicholas County: 45.88 inchesOhio County: 48.14 inchesOldham County: 47.26 inchesOwen County: 47.16 inchesOwsley County: 58.73 inchesPendleton County: 47.54 inchesPerry County: 56.79 inchesPike County: 52.05 inchesPowell County: 53.14 inchesPulaski County: 51.77 inchesRobertson County: 46.56 inchesRockcastle County: 52.13 inchesRowan County: 47.88 inchesRussell County: 51.58 inchesScott County: 45.94 inchesShelby County: 47.65 inchesSimpson County: 53.49 inchesSpencer County: 47.06 inchesTaylor County: 49.29 inchesTodd County: 46.05 inchesTrigg County: 45.87 inchesTrimble County: 49.96 inchesUnion County: 42.2 inchesWarren County: 49.88 inchesWashington County: 48.17 inchesWayne County: 52.72 inchesWebster County: 46.55 inchesWhitley County: 54.82 inchesWolfe County: 53.83 inchesWoodford County: 47.09 inches
  • Under 46
  • 46 to 47
  • 47 to 48
  • 48 to 50
  • 50 to 53
  • 53 and over
inches, 2022. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2022

Owsley County: 58.73 inchesOwsley County58.73Leslie County: 58.23 inchesLeslie County58.23Clay County: 57.96 inchesClay County57.96Breathitt County: 56.79 inchesBreathitt County56.79Perry County: 56.79 inchesPerry County56.79Lee County: 56.5 inchesLee County56.5Harlan County: 55.38 inchesHarlan County55.38Jackson County: 55.27 inchesJackson County55.27Whitley County: 54.82 inchesWhitley County54.82Clinton County: 54.62 inchesClinton County54.62Knox County: 54.37 inchesKnox County54.37McCreary County: 54.17 inchesMcCreary County54.17Knott County: 53.87 inchesKnott County53.87Wolfe County: 53.83 inchesWolfe County53.83Simpson County: 53.49 inchesSimpson County53.49Bell County: 53.21 inchesBell County53.21Estill County: 53.21 inchesEstill County53.21Powell County: 53.14 inchesPowell County53.14Laurel County: 52.92 inchesLaurel County52.92Magoffin County: 52.76 inchesMagoffin County52.76Wayne County: 52.72 inchesWayne County52.72Monroe County: 52.68 inchesMonroe County52.68Allen County: 52.45 inchesAllen County52.45Rockcastle County: 52.13 inchesRockcastle County52.13Pike County: 52.05 inchesPike County52.05Cumberland County: 52.02 inchesCumberland County52.02Pulaski County: 51.77 inchesPulaski County51.77Barren County: 51.71 inchesBarren County51.71Russell County: 51.58 inchesRussell County51.58Fulton County: 51.48 inchesFulton County51.48Letcher County: 51.35 inchesLetcher County51.35Floyd County: 51.24 inchesFloyd County51.24Hart County: 51.18 inchesHart County51.18Johnson County: 51.15 inchesJohnson County51.15Menifee County: 51.15 inchesMenifee County51.15Edmonson County: 51.11 inchesEdmonson County51.11Casey County: 51.04 inchesCasey County51.04Metcalfe County: 50.96 inchesMetcalfe County50.96Martin County: 50.75 inchesMartin County50.75Morgan County: 50.41 inchesMorgan County50.41Owsley County: 58.73 inchesOwsley County58.73Leslie County: 58.23 inchesLeslie County58.23Clay County: 57.96 inchesClay County57.96Breathitt County: 56.79 inchesBreathitt County56.79Perry County: 56.79 inchesPerry County56.79Lee County: 56.5 inchesLee County56.5Harlan County: 55.38 inchesHarlan County55.38Jackson County: 55.27 inchesJackson County55.27Whitley County: 54.82 inchesWhitley County54.82Clinton County: 54.62 inchesClinton County54.62Knox County: 54.37 inchesKnox County54.37McCreary County: 54.17 inchesMcCreary County54.17Knott County: 53.87 inchesKnott County53.87Wolfe County: 53.83 inchesWolfe County53.83Simpson County: 53.49 inchesSimpson County53.49Bell County: 53.21 inchesBell County53.21Estill County: 53.21 inchesEstill County53.21Powell County: 53.14 inchesPowell County53.14Laurel County: 52.92 inchesLaurel County52.92Magoffin County: 52.76 inchesMagoffin County52.76Wayne County: 52.72 inchesWayne County52.72Monroe County: 52.68 inchesMonroe County52.68Allen County: 52.45 inchesAllen County52.45Rockcastle County: 52.13 inchesRockcastle County52.13Pike County: 52.05 inchesPike County52.05Cumberland County: 52.02 inchesCumberland County52.02Pulaski County: 51.77 inchesPulaski County51.77Barren County: 51.71 inchesBarren County51.71Russell County: 51.58 inchesRussell County51.58Fulton County: 51.48 inchesFulton County51.48Letcher County: 51.35 inchesLetcher County51.35Floyd County: 51.24 inchesFloyd County51.24Hart County: 51.18 inchesHart County51.18Johnson County: 51.15 inchesJohnson County51.15Menifee County: 51.15 inchesMenifee County51.15Edmonson County: 51.11 inchesEdmonson County51.11Casey County: 51.04 inchesCasey County51.04Metcalfe County: 50.96 inchesMetcalfe County50.96Martin County: 50.75 inchesMartin County50.75Morgan County: 50.41 inchesMorgan County50.41
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022
inches
Change on 2021
1Owsley County58.73+6.3%
2Leslie County58.23+12%
3Clay County57.96+2.6%
4Breathitt County56.79+12.1%
4Perry County56.79+15.9%
6Lee County56.5-0.7%
7Harlan County55.38+4.7%
8Jackson County55.27-5.5%
9Whitley County54.82-9%
10Clinton County54.62-7.6%
11Knox County54.37-5.6%
12McCreary County54.17-10.8%
13Knott County53.87+15.7%
14Wolfe County53.83-0.8%
15Simpson County53.49-1%
16Bell County53.21-2.4%
16Estill County53.21-11.4%
18Powell County53.14-13%
19Laurel County52.92-8.5%
20Magoffin County52.76+14.1%
21Wayne County52.72-10.4%
22Monroe County52.68-5.9%
23Allen County52.45-3.6%
24Rockcastle County52.13-10.3%
25Pike County52.05+4.5%
26Cumberland County52.02-7.7%
27Pulaski County51.77-10.8%
28Barren County51.71-13.5%
29Russell County51.58-10.5%
30Fulton County51.48-5.1%
31Letcher County51.35+12.3%
32Floyd County51.24+13.8%
33Hart County51.18-19.4%
34Johnson County51.15+19.1%
34Menifee County51.15-11.8%
36Edmonson County51.11-17.9%
37Casey County51.04-13.9%
38Metcalfe County50.96-14.1%
39Martin County50.75+8.2%
40Morgan County50.41+1.4%
41Grayson County50.33-17.8%
42Lincoln County50.26-14.5%
43Logan County50.24-4.3%
44Adair County50.18-13.2%
45Trimble County49.96-7.4%
46Warren County49.88-12.8%
47Green County49.7-17.7%
48Hickman County49.61-8.2%
49Breckinridge County49.51-11.4%
50Madison County49.35-15.5%
51Taylor County49.29-16.9%
52Larue County49.06-18.9%
53Montgomery County48.84-13.2%
54Hardin County48.77-17.6%
55Marion County48.72-18.3%
56Butler County48.65-10.5%
57Boyle County48.62-18.5%
58Hancock County48.6-3.1%
59Bracken County48.43-3.3%
60Clark County48.3-15.5%
61Bath County48.22-12.6%
62Garrard County48.21-17%
63Washington County48.17-18.4%
64Ohio County48.14-5.5%
65Henry County48.08-12.7%
66Mason County48.04-6.8%
67Rowan County47.88-11.4%
68Hopkins County47.85-0.3%
69Carroll County47.69-6.8%
70Shelby County47.65-16.5%
71Anderson County47.61-18.8%
72Fleming County47.6-10.3%
73Meade County47.59-10.9%
74Muhlenberg County47.56-0.7%
75Pendleton County47.54+2.9%
76Franklin County47.51-17.5%
77Graves County47.49-11.9%
78Nelson County47.41-18.1%
79Lawrence County47.38+7%
80Mercer County47.37-20.2%
81Oldham County47.26-13.8%
82Elliott County47.19+1.3%
83Owen County47.16-8%
84Woodford County47.09-20%
85Spencer County47.06-17.1%
86Grant County47.02+3%
87Lewis County47-7.6%
88Carlisle County46.7-8.7%
89Jessamine County46.61-20.3%
90Robertson County46.56-7.2%
91Webster County46.55+5.2%
92Caldwell County46.46-6.2%
93Kenton County46.37+1.4%
94Fayette County46.36-18.7%
95Bullitt County46.35-17.3%
96Todd County46.05-2.4%
97Boone County45.98-3.5%
98Scott County45.94-16.7%
99Campbell County45.91+1.5%
100Nicholas County45.88-11.3%
101Trigg County45.87-9.1%
102Christian County45.85-4.5%
102Gallatin County45.85-3.2%
104McCracken County45.67-8.4%
105Marshall County45.66-14.5%
106Lyon County45.65-10.7%
107Calloway County45.62-16.8%
108McLean County45.51+4.6%
109Bourbon County45.37-14.9%
110Ballard County45.08-4.4%
111Jefferson County45.07-15.7%
112Harrison County44.9-9.1%
113Livingston County44.84-12.5%
114Daviess County44.6-0.1%
115Crittenden County44.57-8.9%
116Carter County43.97-7.6%
117Boyd County43.22-9%
118Greenup County42.42-10.5%
119Union County42.2-0.2%
120Henderson County40.84+3.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total precipitation from January to December, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, not the reading at one weather station. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties (Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_kentucky_by_2022,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Kentucky by annual precipitation, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/kentucky-counties?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Owsley County, with 58.73 inches in 2022, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Henderson County, with 40.84 inches in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Annual precipitation: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings