Counties in Minnesota by annual precipitation

Steele County had the highest annual precipitation of 87 counties in 2016, at 48.73 inches. Clearwater County had the lowest, at 23 inches. The median was 34.39 inches and the figure for Minnesota was 33.54 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest48.73Steele County
Median34.3987 counties
Minnesota33.54History

Map of counties, 2016

Aitkin County: 35.13 inchesAnoka County: 37.62 inchesBecker County: 28.69 inchesBeltrami County: 24.22 inchesBenton County: 34.09 inchesBig Stone County: 26.23 inchesBlue Earth County: 46.65 inchesBrown County: 42.43 inchesCarlton County: 35.46 inchesCarver County: 36.96 inchesCass County: 28.8 inchesChippewa County: 34.25 inchesChisago County: 36.46 inchesClay County: 27.4 inchesClearwater County: 23 inchesCook County: 37.49 inchesCottonwood County: 39.74 inchesCrow Wing County: 35.2 inchesDakota County: 38.15 inchesDodge County: 46.45 inchesDouglas County: 27.33 inchesFaribault County: 42.8 inchesFillmore County: 48.59 inchesFreeborn County: 47.42 inchesGoodhue County: 44.15 inchesGrant County: 25.46 inchesHennepin County: 38.58 inchesHouston County: 48.57 inchesHubbard County: 26.32 inchesIsanti County: 37.43 inchesItasca County: 30.18 inchesJackson County: 38.37 inchesKanabec County: 38.72 inchesKandiyohi County: 33.36 inchesKittson County: 28.59 inchesKoochiching County: 30.2 inchesLac qui Parle County: 31.7 inchesLake County: 35.12 inchesLake of the Woods County: 28.37 inchesLe Sueur County: 43.75 inchesLincoln County: 30.43 inchesLyon County: 31.81 inchesMcLeod County: 33.1 inchesMahnomen County: 27.48 inchesMarshall County: 27.48 inchesMartin County: 40.74 inchesMeeker County: 31.33 inchesMille Lacs County: 35.96 inchesMorrison County: 34.39 inchesMower County: 47.57 inchesMurray County: 34.14 inchesNicollet County: 40.99 inchesNobles County: 36.51 inchesNorman County: 28.26 inchesOlmsted County: 44.64 inchesOtter Tail County: 29.87 inchesPennington County: 25.23 inchesPine County: 37.66 inchesPipestone County: 31.81 inchesPolk County: 27.7 inchesPope County: 29.63 inchesRamsey County: 40.35 inchesRed Lake County: 25.64 inchesRedwood County: 36.9 inchesRenville County: 35.54 inchesRice County: 45.49 inchesRock County: 31.59 inchesRoseau County: 28.78 inchesSt. Louis County: 33.61 inchesScott County: 37.51 inchesSherburne County: 33.58 inchesSibley County: 35.86 inchesStearns County: 32.5 inchesSteele County: 48.73 inchesStevens County: 27.01 inchesSwift County: 30.86 inchesTodd County: 31.09 inchesTraverse County: 24.22 inchesWabasha County: 44.39 inchesWadena County: 30.47 inchesWaseca County: 48.4 inchesWashington County: 39.15 inchesWatonwan County: 48.36 inchesWilkin County: 26.87 inchesWinona County: 46.7 inchesWright County: 34.52 inchesYellow Medicine County: 32.37 inches
  • Under 28
  • 28 to 31
  • 31 to 34
  • 34 to 37
  • 37 to 43
  • 43 and over
inches, 2016. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Steele County: 48.73 inchesSteele County48.73Fillmore County: 48.59 inchesFillmore County48.59Houston County: 48.57 inchesHouston County48.57Waseca County: 48.4 inchesWaseca County48.4Watonwan County: 48.36 inchesWatonwan County48.36Mower County: 47.57 inchesMower County47.57Freeborn County: 47.42 inchesFreeborn County47.42Winona County: 46.7 inchesWinona County46.7Blue Earth County: 46.65 inchesBlue Earth County46.65Dodge County: 46.45 inchesDodge County46.45Rice County: 45.49 inchesRice County45.49Olmsted County: 44.64 inchesOlmsted County44.64Wabasha County: 44.39 inchesWabasha County44.39Goodhue County: 44.15 inchesGoodhue County44.15Le Sueur County: 43.75 inchesLe Sueur County43.75Faribault County: 42.8 inchesFaribault County42.8Brown County: 42.43 inchesBrown County42.43Nicollet County: 40.99 inchesNicollet County40.99Martin County: 40.74 inchesMartin County40.74Ramsey County: 40.35 inchesRamsey County40.35Cottonwood County: 39.74 inchesCottonwood County39.74Washington County: 39.15 inchesWashington County39.15Kanabec County: 38.72 inchesKanabec County38.72Hennepin County: 38.58 inchesHennepin County38.58Jackson County: 38.37 inchesJackson County38.37Dakota County: 38.15 inchesDakota County38.15Pine County: 37.66 inchesPine County37.66Anoka County: 37.62 inchesAnoka County37.62Scott County: 37.51 inchesScott County37.51Cook County: 37.49 inchesCook County37.49Isanti County: 37.43 inchesIsanti County37.43Carver County: 36.96 inchesCarver County36.96Redwood County: 36.9 inchesRedwood County36.9Nobles County: 36.51 inchesNobles County36.51Chisago County: 36.46 inchesChisago County36.46Mille Lacs County: 35.96 inchesMille Lacs County35.96Sibley County: 35.86 inchesSibley County35.86Renville County: 35.54 inchesRenville County35.54Carlton County: 35.46 inchesCarlton County35.46Crow Wing County: 35.2 inchesCrow Wing County35.2Steele County: 48.73 inchesSteele County48.73Fillmore County: 48.59 inchesFillmore County48.59Houston County: 48.57 inchesHouston County48.57Waseca County: 48.4 inchesWaseca County48.4Watonwan County: 48.36 inchesWatonwan County48.36Mower County: 47.57 inchesMower County47.57Freeborn County: 47.42 inchesFreeborn County47.42Winona County: 46.7 inchesWinona County46.7Blue Earth County: 46.65 inchesBlue Earth County46.65Dodge County: 46.45 inchesDodge County46.45Rice County: 45.49 inchesRice County45.49Olmsted County: 44.64 inchesOlmsted County44.64Wabasha County: 44.39 inchesWabasha County44.39Goodhue County: 44.15 inchesGoodhue County44.15Le Sueur County: 43.75 inchesLe Sueur County43.75Faribault County: 42.8 inchesFaribault County42.8Brown County: 42.43 inchesBrown County42.43Nicollet County: 40.99 inchesNicollet County40.99Martin County: 40.74 inchesMartin County40.74Ramsey County: 40.35 inchesRamsey County40.35Cottonwood County: 39.74 inchesCottonwood County39.74Washington County: 39.15 inchesWashington County39.15Kanabec County: 38.72 inchesKanabec County38.72Hennepin County: 38.58 inchesHennepin County38.58Jackson County: 38.37 inchesJackson County38.37Dakota County: 38.15 inchesDakota County38.15Pine County: 37.66 inchesPine County37.66Anoka County: 37.62 inchesAnoka County37.62Scott County: 37.51 inchesScott County37.51Cook County: 37.49 inchesCook County37.49Isanti County: 37.43 inchesIsanti County37.43Carver County: 36.96 inchesCarver County36.96Redwood County: 36.9 inchesRedwood County36.9Nobles County: 36.51 inchesNobles County36.51Chisago County: 36.46 inchesChisago County36.46Mille Lacs County: 35.96 inchesMille Lacs County35.96Sibley County: 35.86 inchesSibley County35.86Renville County: 35.54 inchesRenville County35.54Carlton County: 35.46 inchesCarlton County35.46Crow Wing County: 35.2 inchesCrow Wing County35.2
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
inches
Change on 2015
1Steele County48.73+20.1%
2Fillmore County48.59+37%
3Houston County48.57+35.7%
4Waseca County48.4+19.3%
5Watonwan County48.36+47.8%
6Mower County47.57+16.7%
7Freeborn County47.42+15.2%
8Winona County46.7+25.9%
9Blue Earth County46.65+26.9%
10Dodge County46.45+21%
11Rice County45.49+11.7%
12Olmsted County44.64+20.6%
13Wabasha County44.39+17.7%
14Goodhue County44.15+13.5%
15Le Sueur County43.75+13.5%
16Faribault County42.8+23.3%
17Brown County42.43+42.9%
18Nicollet County40.99+22.4%
19Martin County40.74+21.9%
20Ramsey County40.35+9.8%
21Cottonwood County39.74+17.9%
22Washington County39.15-0.2%
23Kanabec County38.72+16.6%
24Hennepin County38.58+10.1%
25Jackson County38.37+18%
26Dakota County38.15-0.1%
27Pine County37.66+13%
28Anoka County37.62+7.5%
29Scott County37.51+7.4%
30Cook County37.49+3.5%
31Isanti County37.43+15.7%
32Carver County36.96+7.2%
33Redwood County36.9+32.3%
34Nobles County36.51+16%
35Chisago County36.46+4.7%
36Mille Lacs County35.96+10.4%
37Sibley County35.86+21.1%
38Renville County35.54+38%
39Carlton County35.46+15.2%
40Crow Wing County35.2+32%
41Aitkin County35.13+17.6%
42Lake County35.12+8.9%
43Wright County34.52+2.3%
44Morrison County34.39+19.4%
45Chippewa County34.25+25%
46Murray County34.14+2.9%
47Benton County34.09+3.6%
48St. Louis County33.61+7.9%
49Sherburne County33.58-0.1%
50Kandiyohi County33.36+20.1%
51McLeod County33.1+12.1%
52Stearns County32.5+11.7%
53Yellow Medicine County32.37+19%
54Lyon County31.81+11.7%
54Pipestone County31.81-4%
56Lac qui Parle County31.7+21.4%
57Rock County31.59+5.5%
58Meeker County31.33+11.5%
59Todd County31.09+12.2%
60Swift County30.86+13.7%
61Wadena County30.47+17.9%
62Lincoln County30.43+2.6%
63Koochiching County30.2+4.2%
64Itasca County30.18+6.3%
65Otter Tail County29.87+29.9%
66Pope County29.63+7.8%
67Cass County28.8+4.9%
68Roseau County28.78+9.5%
69Becker County28.69+9.8%
70Kittson County28.59+11.9%
71Lake of the Woods County28.37+7.9%
72Norman County28.26+39.1%
73Polk County27.7+34.5%
74Mahnomen County27.48+10.5%
74Marshall County27.48+27.9%
76Clay County27.4+26.3%
77Douglas County27.33+0.7%
78Stevens County27.01+4.8%
79Wilkin County26.87+40%
80Hubbard County26.32-4.7%
81Big Stone County26.23+12.2%
82Red Lake County25.64+25.6%
83Grant County25.46+4.3%
84Pennington County25.23+32.7%
85Beltrami County24.22-2.2%
85Traverse County24.22+12.1%
87Clearwater County23-7.2%

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 Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016) [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 Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016. 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/minnesota-counties?period=2016. 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 Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016. 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/minnesota-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/minnesota-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_minnesota_by_2016,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016}},
  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/minnesota-counties?period=2016. 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 Minnesota by annual precipitation, 2016
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/minnesota-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/minnesota-counties?period=2016.
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?

Steele County, with 48.73 inches in 2016, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Clearwater County, with 23 inches in 2016.

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 Minnesota: more rankings