Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation

Transylvania County had the highest annual precipitation of 100 counties in 2019, at 80.25 inches. Union County had the lowest, at 40.72 inches. The median was 49.29 inches and the figure for North Carolina was 51.15 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Lowest40.72Union County
Median49.29100 counties
North Carolina51.15History

Map of counties, 2019

Alamance County: 45.29 inchesAlexander County: 52.67 inchesAlleghany County: 58.62 inchesAnson County: 43.18 inchesAshe County: 58.55 inchesAvery County: 58.8 inchesBeaufort County: 45.33 inchesBertie County: 49.89 inchesBladen County: 46.35 inchesBrunswick County: 52.66 inchesBuncombe County: 55.08 inchesBurke County: 56.03 inchesCabarrus County: 48.18 inchesCaldwell County: 58.43 inchesCamden County: 51.41 inchesCarteret County: 51.03 inchesCaswell County: 46.48 inchesCatawba County: 50.44 inchesChatham County: 45.46 inchesCherokee County: 67.27 inchesChowan County: 50.17 inchesClay County: 71.49 inchesCleveland County: 45.44 inchesColumbus County: 48.47 inchesCraven County: 46.27 inchesCumberland County: 46.19 inchesCurrituck County: 50.65 inchesDare County: 45.79 inchesDavidson County: 49.37 inchesDavie County: 46.43 inchesDuplin County: 50.98 inchesDurham County: 45.27 inchesEdgecombe County: 45.88 inchesForsyth County: 50.49 inchesFranklin County: 48.85 inchesGaston County: 50.27 inchesGates County: 50.61 inchesGraham County: 74.06 inchesGranville County: 46.16 inchesGreene County: 47.93 inchesGuilford County: 51.2 inchesHalifax County: 46.6 inchesHarnett County: 47.34 inchesHaywood County: 67.84 inchesHenderson County: 65.92 inchesHertford County: 50.52 inchesHoke County: 45.64 inchesHyde County: 48.44 inchesIredell County: 49.66 inchesJackson County: 76.01 inchesJohnston County: 53.46 inchesJones County: 45.77 inchesLee County: 45.45 inchesLenoir County: 47.16 inchesLincoln County: 48.6 inchesMcDowell County: 65.35 inchesMacon County: 76.69 inchesMadison County: 56.33 inchesMartin County: 49.27 inchesMecklenburg County: 48.63 inchesMitchell County: 58.05 inchesMontgomery County: 47.16 inchesMoore County: 44.21 inchesNash County: 47.94 inchesNew Hanover County: 50.7 inchesNorthampton County: 48.3 inchesOnslow County: 45.65 inchesOrange County: 45.53 inchesPamlico County: 48.15 inchesPasquotank County: 51.71 inchesPender County: 50.65 inchesPerquimans County: 51.18 inchesPerson County: 44.95 inchesPitt County: 47.29 inchesPolk County: 62.52 inchesRandolph County: 49.3 inchesRichmond County: 44.85 inchesRobeson County: 43.72 inchesRockingham County: 48.29 inchesRowan County: 44.38 inchesRutherford County: 53.51 inchesSampson County: 51.58 inchesScotland County: 44.25 inchesStanly County: 47.47 inchesStokes County: 51.17 inchesSurry County: 54.24 inchesSwain County: 76.38 inchesTransylvania County: 80.25 inchesTyrrell County: 48.78 inchesUnion County: 40.72 inchesVance County: 46.4 inchesWake County: 48.03 inchesWarren County: 46.2 inchesWashington County: 49.2 inchesWatauga County: 59.02 inchesWayne County: 52.32 inchesWilkes County: 56.01 inchesWilson County: 49.84 inchesYadkin County: 49.08 inchesYancey County: 62 inches
  • Under 46
  • 46 to 47
  • 47 to 49
  • 49 to 51
  • 51 to 58
  • 58 and over
inches, 2019. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2019

Transylvania County: 80.25 inchesTransylvania County80.25Macon County: 76.69 inchesMacon County76.69Swain County: 76.38 inchesSwain County76.38Jackson County: 76.01 inchesJackson County76.01Graham County: 74.06 inchesGraham County74.06Clay County: 71.49 inchesClay County71.49Haywood County: 67.84 inchesHaywood County67.84Cherokee County: 67.27 inchesCherokee County67.27Henderson County: 65.92 inchesHenderson County65.92McDowell County: 65.35 inchesMcDowell County65.35Polk County: 62.52 inchesPolk County62.52Yancey County: 62 inchesYancey County62Watauga County: 59.02 inchesWatauga County59.02Avery County: 58.8 inchesAvery County58.8Alleghany County: 58.62 inchesAlleghany County58.62Ashe County: 58.55 inchesAshe County58.55Caldwell County: 58.43 inchesCaldwell County58.43Mitchell County: 58.05 inchesMitchell County58.05Madison County: 56.33 inchesMadison County56.33Burke County: 56.03 inchesBurke County56.03Wilkes County: 56.01 inchesWilkes County56.01Buncombe County: 55.08 inchesBuncombe County55.08Surry County: 54.24 inchesSurry County54.24Rutherford County: 53.51 inchesRutherford County53.51Johnston County: 53.46 inchesJohnston County53.46Alexander County: 52.67 inchesAlexander County52.67Brunswick County: 52.66 inchesBrunswick County52.66Wayne County: 52.32 inchesWayne County52.32Pasquotank County: 51.71 inchesPasquotank County51.71Sampson County: 51.58 inchesSampson County51.58Camden County: 51.41 inchesCamden County51.41Guilford County: 51.2 inchesGuilford County51.2Perquimans County: 51.18 inchesPerquimans County51.18Stokes County: 51.17 inchesStokes County51.17Carteret County: 51.03 inchesCarteret County51.03Duplin County: 50.98 inchesDuplin County50.98New Hanover County: 50.7 inchesNew Hanover County50.7Currituck County: 50.65 inchesCurrituck County50.65Pender County: 50.65 inchesPender County50.65Gates County: 50.61 inchesGates County50.61Transylvania County: 80.25 inchesTransylvania County80.25Macon County: 76.69 inchesMacon County76.69Swain County: 76.38 inchesSwain County76.38Jackson County: 76.01 inchesJackson County76.01Graham County: 74.06 inchesGraham County74.06Clay County: 71.49 inchesClay County71.49Haywood County: 67.84 inchesHaywood County67.84Cherokee County: 67.27 inchesCherokee County67.27Henderson County: 65.92 inchesHenderson County65.92McDowell County: 65.35 inchesMcDowell County65.35Polk County: 62.52 inchesPolk County62.52Yancey County: 62 inchesYancey County62Watauga County: 59.02 inchesWatauga County59.02Avery County: 58.8 inchesAvery County58.8Alleghany County: 58.62 inchesAlleghany County58.62Ashe County: 58.55 inchesAshe County58.55Caldwell County: 58.43 inchesCaldwell County58.43Mitchell County: 58.05 inchesMitchell County58.05Madison County: 56.33 inchesMadison County56.33Burke County: 56.03 inchesBurke County56.03Wilkes County: 56.01 inchesWilkes County56.01Buncombe County: 55.08 inchesBuncombe County55.08Surry County: 54.24 inchesSurry County54.24Rutherford County: 53.51 inchesRutherford County53.51Johnston County: 53.46 inchesJohnston County53.46Alexander County: 52.67 inchesAlexander County52.67Brunswick County: 52.66 inchesBrunswick County52.66Wayne County: 52.32 inchesWayne County52.32Pasquotank County: 51.71 inchesPasquotank County51.71Sampson County: 51.58 inchesSampson County51.58Camden County: 51.41 inchesCamden County51.41Guilford County: 51.2 inchesGuilford County51.2Perquimans County: 51.18 inchesPerquimans County51.18Stokes County: 51.17 inchesStokes County51.17Carteret County: 51.03 inchesCarteret County51.03Duplin County: 50.98 inchesDuplin County50.98New Hanover County: 50.7 inchesNew Hanover County50.7Currituck County: 50.65 inchesCurrituck County50.65Pender County: 50.65 inchesPender County50.65Gates County: 50.61 inchesGates County50.61
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019
inches
Change on 2018
1Transylvania County80.25-20.7%
2Macon County76.69-8.7%
3Swain County76.38-1.5%
4Jackson County76.01-8.6%
5Graham County74.06-4.3%
6Clay County71.49-13%
7Haywood County67.84-4.1%
8Cherokee County67.27-13%
9Henderson County65.92-23.5%
10McDowell County65.35-28.7%
11Polk County62.52-24.1%
12Yancey County62-25.3%
13Watauga County59.02-27.4%
14Avery County58.8-25.6%
15Alleghany County58.62-29.8%
16Ashe County58.55-25.4%
17Caldwell County58.43-22.7%
18Mitchell County58.05-21%
19Madison County56.33-8.1%
20Burke County56.03-23.6%
21Wilkes County56.01-26.6%
22Buncombe County55.08-22.4%
23Surry County54.24-25.4%
24Rutherford County53.51-24.5%
25Johnston County53.46-14.6%
26Alexander County52.67-18.6%
27Brunswick County52.66-31.9%
28Wayne County52.32-20%
29Pasquotank County51.71-14.2%
30Sampson County51.58-24.7%
31Camden County51.41-11.3%
32Guilford County51.2-21.5%
33Perquimans County51.18-18.1%
34Stokes County51.17-23.1%
35Carteret County51.03-41.3%
36Duplin County50.98-32.3%
37New Hanover County50.7-45.2%
38Currituck County50.65-12.3%
38Pender County50.65-38.9%
40Gates County50.61-4.5%
41Hertford County50.52-9.1%
42Forsyth County50.49-19.1%
43Catawba County50.44-20.2%
44Gaston County50.27-14.7%
45Chowan County50.17-21.3%
46Bertie County49.89-19.7%
47Wilson County49.84-15.1%
48Iredell County49.66-23.2%
49Davidson County49.37-19.4%
50Randolph County49.3-27.6%
51Martin County49.27-19.8%
52Washington County49.2-25.1%
53Yadkin County49.08-26.2%
54Franklin County48.85-15.8%
55Tyrrell County48.78-24%
56Mecklenburg County48.63-14.2%
57Lincoln County48.6-19.6%
58Columbus County48.47-27.2%
59Hyde County48.44-30.5%
60Northampton County48.3-16.6%
61Rockingham County48.29-28.7%
62Cabarrus County48.18-23.7%
63Pamlico County48.15-38.1%
64Wake County48.03-22.9%
65Nash County47.94-15.7%
66Greene County47.93-26.5%
67Stanly County47.47-26.3%
68Harnett County47.34-28.6%
69Pitt County47.29-25.1%
70Lenoir County47.16-34.5%
70Montgomery County47.16-32.2%
72Halifax County46.6-19.6%
73Caswell County46.48-33.4%
74Davie County46.43-22.4%
75Vance County46.4-24.1%
76Bladen County46.35-31.2%
77Craven County46.27-39.2%
78Warren County46.2-22.9%
79Cumberland County46.19-27.7%
80Granville County46.16-27%
81Edgecombe County45.88-18.2%
82Dare County45.79-23.2%
83Jones County45.77-41.6%
84Onslow County45.65-46.1%
85Hoke County45.64-29%
86Orange County45.53-32.8%
87Chatham County45.46-29.7%
88Lee County45.45-29.8%
89Cleveland County45.44-22.8%
90Beaufort County45.33-30.7%
91Alamance County45.29-31.8%
92Durham County45.27-30.1%
93Person County44.95-34.1%
94Richmond County44.85-32.3%
95Rowan County44.38-27.3%
96Scotland County44.25-30.9%
97Moore County44.21-35.3%
98Robeson County43.72-31%
99Anson County43.18-31.2%
100Union County40.72-23.5%

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 North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019) [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 North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2019. 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 North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019. 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/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_north_carolina_2019,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019}},
  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/north-carolina-counties?period=2019. 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 North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2019
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/north-carolina-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties?period=2019.
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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Rank Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Transylvania County, with 80.25 inches in 2019, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Union County, with 40.72 inches in 2019.

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 North Carolina: more rankings