Counties in Virginia by annual precipitation

Lee County had the highest annual precipitation of 132 counties in 2021, at 51.83 inches. Danville city had the lowest, at 31.94 inches. The median was 40.6 inches and the figure for Virginia was 40.86 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest51.83Lee County
Lowest31.94Danville city
Median40.6132 counties
Virginia40.86History

Map of counties, 2021

Accomack County: 39.43 inchesAlbemarle County: 36.2 inchesAlleghany County: 40.15 inchesAmelia County: 40.58 inchesAmherst County: 40.26 inchesAppomattox County: 35.85 inchesArlington County: 42.93 inchesAugusta County: 39.06 inchesBath County: 40.02 inchesBedford County: 38.94 inchesBland County: 39.55 inchesBotetourt County: 40.04 inchesBrunswick County: 42.22 inchesBuchanan County: 49.19 inchesBuckingham County: 35.22 inchesCampbell County: 35.05 inchesCaroline County: 42.22 inchesCarroll County: 42.74 inchesCharles City County: 48.56 inchesCharlotte County: 37.8 inchesChesterfield County: 44.86 inchesClarke County: 35.36 inchesCraig County: 40.74 inchesCulpeper County: 37.2 inchesCumberland County: 37.37 inchesDickenson County: 45.99 inchesDinwiddie County: 44.23 inchesEssex County: 42.81 inchesFairfax County: 39.44 inchesFauquier County: 35.97 inchesFloyd County: 41.1 inchesFluvanna County: 36.5 inchesFranklin County: 37.25 inchesFrederick County: 34.74 inchesGiles County: 38.05 inchesGloucester County: 47.31 inchesGoochland County: 39.07 inchesGrayson County: 44.29 inchesGreene County: 37.92 inchesGreensville County: 43.81 inchesHalifax County: 36.39 inchesHanover County: 42.88 inchesHenrico County: 45.47 inchesHenry County: 38.39 inchesHighland County: 41.79 inchesIsle of Wight County: 48.96 inchesJames City County: 48.57 inchesKing and Queen County: 45.07 inchesKing George County: 38.05 inchesKing William County: 44.69 inchesLancaster County: 45.01 inchesLee County: 51.83 inchesLoudoun County: 36.19 inchesLouisa County: 38.39 inchesLunenburg County: 40.82 inchesMadison County: 38.15 inchesMathews County: 45.45 inchesMecklenburg County: 42.41 inchesMiddlesex County: 45.91 inchesMontgomery County: 38.6 inchesNelson County: 39.02 inchesNew Kent County: 47.45 inchesNorthampton County: 39.77 inchesNorthumberland County: 42.88 inchesNottoway County: 40.55 inchesOrange County: 36.03 inchesPage County: 36.9 inchesPatrick County: 43.4 inchesPittsylvania County: 35.04 inchesPowhatan County: 39.76 inchesPrince Edward County: 37.83 inchesPrince George County: 47.96 inchesPrince William County: 34.76 inchesPulaski County: 38.6 inchesRappahannock County: 38.84 inchesRichmond County: 42.84 inchesRoanoke County: 39.68 inchesRockbridge County: 39.89 inchesRockingham County: 37.58 inchesRussell County: 43.46 inchesScott County: 48.11 inchesShenandoah County: 33.97 inchesSmyth County: 42.96 inchesSouthampton County: 46.75 inchesSpotsylvania County: 39.67 inchesStafford County: 34.24 inchesSurry County: 48.04 inchesSussex County: 45.87 inchesTazewell County: 42.84 inchesWarren County: 35.64 inchesWashington County: 43.99 inchesWestmoreland County: 42 inchesWise County: 46.6 inchesWythe County: 41.39 inchesYork County: 47.15 inchesAlexandria city: 42.95 inchesBristol city: 44.78 inchesBuena Vista city: 38.97 inchesCharlottesville city: 36 inchesChesapeake city: 47.81 inchesColonial Heights city: 47.83 inchesCovington city: 39.36 inchesDanville city: 31.94 inchesEmporia city: 43.38 inchesFairfax city: 40.62 inchesFalls Church city: 42.05 inchesFranklin city: 49.05 inchesFredericksburg city: 36.93 inchesGalax city: 43.44 inchesHampton city: 43.63 inchesHarrisonburg city: 36.82 inchesHopewell city: 49.41 inchesLynchburg city: 36.47 inchesManassas city: 35.36 inchesManassas Park city: 35.98 inchesMartinsville city: 37.96 inchesNewport News city: 45.84 inchesNorfolk city: 42.13 inchesNorton city: 45.87 inchesPetersburg city: 47.57 inchesPoquoson city: 43.59 inchesPortsmouth city: 44.81 inchesRadford city: 37.07 inchesRichmond city: 45.03 inchesRoanoke city: 38.98 inchesSalem city: 38.38 inchesStaunton city: 37.12 inchesSuffolk city: 51.13 inchesVirginia Beach city: 43.07 inchesWaynesboro city: 36.59 inchesWilliamsburg city: 49.05 inchesWinchester city: 34.88 inches
  • Under 37
  • 37 to 39
  • 39 to 41
  • 41 to 43
  • 43 to 46
  • 46 and over
  • No data
inches, 2021. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Lee County: 51.83 inchesLee County51.83Suffolk city: 51.13 inchesSuffolk city51.13Hopewell city: 49.41 inchesHopewell city49.41Buchanan County: 49.19 inchesBuchanan County49.19Franklin city: 49.05 inchesFranklin city49.05Williamsburg city: 49.05 inchesWilliamsburg city49.05Isle of Wight County: 48.96 inchesIsle of Wight County48.96James City County: 48.57 inchesJames City County48.57Charles City County: 48.56 inchesCharles City County48.56Scott County: 48.11 inchesScott County48.11Surry County: 48.04 inchesSurry County48.04Prince George County: 47.96 inchesPrince George County47.96Colonial Heights city: 47.83 inchesColonial Heights city47.83Chesapeake city: 47.81 inchesChesapeake city47.81Petersburg city: 47.57 inchesPetersburg city47.57New Kent County: 47.45 inchesNew Kent County47.45Gloucester County: 47.31 inchesGloucester County47.31York County: 47.15 inchesYork County47.15Southampton County: 46.75 inchesSouthampton County46.75Wise County: 46.6 inchesWise County46.6Dickenson County: 45.99 inchesDickenson County45.99Middlesex County: 45.91 inchesMiddlesex County45.91Norton city: 45.87 inchesNorton city45.87Sussex County: 45.87 inchesSussex County45.87Newport News city: 45.84 inchesNewport News city45.84Henrico County: 45.47 inchesHenrico County45.47Mathews County: 45.45 inchesMathews County45.45King and Queen County: 45.07 inchesKing and Queen County45.07Richmond city: 45.03 inchesRichmond city45.03Lancaster County: 45.01 inchesLancaster County45.01Chesterfield County: 44.86 inchesChesterfield County44.86Portsmouth city: 44.81 inchesPortsmouth city44.81Bristol city: 44.78 inchesBristol city44.78King William County: 44.69 inchesKing William County44.69Grayson County: 44.29 inchesGrayson County44.29Dinwiddie County: 44.23 inchesDinwiddie County44.23Washington County: 43.99 inchesWashington County43.99Greensville County: 43.81 inchesGreensville County43.81Hampton city: 43.63 inchesHampton city43.63Poquoson city: 43.59 inchesPoquoson city43.59Lee County: 51.83 inchesLee County51.83Suffolk city: 51.13 inchesSuffolk city51.13Hopewell city: 49.41 inchesHopewell city49.41Buchanan County: 49.19 inchesBuchanan County49.19Franklin city: 49.05 inchesFranklin city49.05Williamsburg city: 49.05 inchesWilliamsburg city49.05Isle of Wight County: 48.96 inchesIsle of Wight County48.96James City County: 48.57 inchesJames City County48.57Charles City County: 48.56 inchesCharles City County48.56Scott County: 48.11 inchesScott County48.11Surry County: 48.04 inchesSurry County48.04Prince George County: 47.96 inchesPrince George County47.96Colonial Heights city: 47.83 inchesColonial Heights city47.83Chesapeake city: 47.81 inchesChesapeake city47.81Petersburg city: 47.57 inchesPetersburg city47.57New Kent County: 47.45 inchesNew Kent County47.45Gloucester County: 47.31 inchesGloucester County47.31York County: 47.15 inchesYork County47.15Southampton County: 46.75 inchesSouthampton County46.75Wise County: 46.6 inchesWise County46.6Dickenson County: 45.99 inchesDickenson County45.99Middlesex County: 45.91 inchesMiddlesex County45.91Norton city: 45.87 inchesNorton city45.87Sussex County: 45.87 inchesSussex County45.87Newport News city: 45.84 inchesNewport News city45.84Henrico County: 45.47 inchesHenrico County45.47Mathews County: 45.45 inchesMathews County45.45King and Queen County: 45.07 inchesKing and Queen County45.07Richmond city: 45.03 inchesRichmond city45.03Lancaster County: 45.01 inchesLancaster County45.01Chesterfield County: 44.86 inchesChesterfield County44.86Portsmouth city: 44.81 inchesPortsmouth city44.81Bristol city: 44.78 inchesBristol city44.78King William County: 44.69 inchesKing William County44.69Grayson County: 44.29 inchesGrayson County44.29Dinwiddie County: 44.23 inchesDinwiddie County44.23Washington County: 43.99 inchesWashington County43.99Greensville County: 43.81 inchesGreensville County43.81Hampton city: 43.63 inchesHampton city43.63Poquoson city: 43.59 inchesPoquoson city43.59
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inches
Change on 2020
1Lee County51.83-23.7%
2Suffolk city51.13-20.6%
3Hopewell city49.41-30.3%
4Buchanan County49.19-20.9%
5Franklin city49.05-29.3%
5Williamsburg city49.05-30.8%
7Isle of Wight County48.96-27.7%
8James City County48.57-30.4%
9Charles City County48.56-30.2%
10Scott County48.11-23.3%
11Surry County48.04-32.8%
12Prince George County47.96-31.4%
13Colonial Heights city47.83-30.5%
14Chesapeake city47.81-22.2%
15Petersburg city47.57-30.9%
16New Kent County47.45-29.6%
17Gloucester County47.31-29.5%
18York County47.15-30.5%
19Southampton County46.75-32.4%
20Wise County46.6-25.7%
21Dickenson County45.99-22.2%
22Middlesex County45.91-28.5%
23Norton city45.87-25.1%
23Sussex County45.87-33.2%
25Newport News city45.84-30.2%
26Henrico County45.47-29.6%
27Mathews County45.45-29.7%
28King and Queen County45.07-30.2%
29Richmond city45.03-29.9%
30Lancaster County45.01-27.4%
31Chesterfield County44.86-31.4%
32Portsmouth city44.81-26.5%
33Bristol city44.78-26.2%
34King William County44.69-31.1%
35Grayson County44.29-37.5%
36Dinwiddie County44.23-30%
37Washington County43.99-27.3%
38Greensville County43.81-32%
39Hampton city43.63-30.5%
40Poquoson city43.59-31.2%
41Russell County43.46-27%
42Galax city43.44-38.8%
43Patrick County43.4-44.6%
44Emporia city43.38-32.9%
45Virginia Beach city43.07-28.1%
46Smyth County42.96-32.3%
47Alexandria city42.95-26.5%
48Arlington County42.93-26.2%
49Hanover County42.88-30.2%
49Northumberland County42.88-27.8%
51Richmond County42.84-28.1%
51Tazewell County42.84-29.5%
53Essex County42.81-29.4%
54Carroll County42.74-41.7%
55Mecklenburg County42.41-32.8%
56Brunswick County42.22-31%
56Caroline County42.22-26.6%
58Norfolk city42.13-29.3%
59Falls Church city42.05-25.2%
60Westmoreland County42-28.5%
61Highland County41.79-26.1%
62Wythe County41.39-37.8%
63Floyd County41.1-43.4%
64Lunenburg County40.82-29.3%
65Craig County40.74-33.1%
66Fairfax city40.62-25%
67Amelia County40.58-32.9%
68Nottoway County40.55-29.9%
69Amherst County40.26-40.3%
70Alleghany County40.15-26.7%
71Botetourt County40.04-34.3%
72Bath County40.02-28.9%
73Rockbridge County39.89-31.8%
74Northampton County39.77-30.9%
75Powhatan County39.76-34.3%
76Roanoke County39.68-39.6%
77Spotsylvania County39.67-29.7%
78Bland County39.55-34.7%
79Fairfax County39.44-26.9%
80Accomack County39.43-28.4%
81Covington city39.36-25.1%
82Goochland County39.07-35.1%
83Augusta County39.06-29.2%
84Nelson County39.02-38.3%
85Roanoke city38.98-39.4%
86Buena Vista city38.97-33.5%
87Bedford County38.94-43.5%
88Rappahannock County38.84-23.6%
89Montgomery County38.6-36.9%
89Pulaski County38.6-40.8%
91Henry County38.39-46.4%
91Louisa County38.39-35.3%
93Salem city38.38-40.5%
94Madison County38.15-33.1%
95Giles County38.05-37.1%
95King George County38.05-31.5%
97Martinsville city37.96-46.9%
98Greene County37.92-34.9%
99Prince Edward County37.83-38.6%
100Charlotte County37.8-39.6%
101Rockingham County37.58-23.2%
102Cumberland County37.37-39.5%
103Franklin County37.25-48.6%
104Culpeper County37.2-30.1%
105Staunton city37.12-29.8%
106Radford city37.07-38.1%
107Fredericksburg city36.93-32.1%
108Page County36.9-28.3%
109Harrisonburg city36.82-21.5%
110Waynesboro city36.59-32%
111Fluvanna County36.5-39.5%
112Lynchburg city36.47-48.4%
113Halifax County36.39-41.9%
114Albemarle County36.2-36.8%
115Loudoun County36.19-21.8%
116Orange County36.03-36.9%
117Charlottesville city36-37.7%
118Manassas Park city35.98-29.7%
119Fauquier County35.97-29.1%
120Appomattox County35.85-50.4%
121Warren County35.64-26.4%
122Clarke County35.36-23.6%
122Manassas city35.36-30.2%
124Buckingham County35.22-45.7%
125Campbell County35.05-51.1%
126Pittsylvania County35.04-47.4%
127Winchester city34.88-24.8%
128Prince William County34.76-32.6%
129Frederick County34.74-22.8%
130Stafford County34.24-36.3%
131Shenandoah County33.97-25%
132Danville city31.94-47.4%

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 Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021) [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 Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021. 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/virginia-counties?period=2021. 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 Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021. 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/virginia-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/virginia-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_virginia_by_2021,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021}},
  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/virginia-counties?period=2021. 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 Virginia by annual precipitation, 2021
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/virginia-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/virginia-counties?period=2021.
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 Virginia by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Lee County, with 51.83 inches in 2021, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Danville city, with 31.94 inches in 2021.

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 Virginia: more rankings