What s the wettest town in the world

The top 10 wettest places on Earth

If you thought your weather sucks, wait until you learn about these places.

Technically speaking, the wettest place on Earth must be the Mariana Trench which has 10,000 meters of water above it. Smug responses aside, when meteorologists class regions by ‘wetness’ what they’re mainly looking at is the annual amount of precipitation. This is measured in millimeters or inches and includes rainfall, snow, drizzle, fog — anything wet. Bearing this classification in mind, the wettest places on Earth can be ranked as follows.

#10 Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China — 8,169mm

Éméi Shān (峨眉山; 3099m) is one of China‘s four sacred Buddhist Mountains. It’s the highest among all the famous sight-seeing mountains in China, but also the wettest place in the nation. All that rainfall doesn’t seem to disrupt the scenery one bit, though. Here trees are verdant almost all the year around and locals call it the most peaceful place on Earth.

#9 Kukui, Maui, Hawaii — 9,293 mm

In March of 1942, Puu Kukui recorded nearly 2565.4 mm of rainfall, which stands as the greatest precipitation total ever recorded in one month in the United States. Puu Kukui also holds the annual rainfall record for the United States with more than 17902 mm of rain in 1982.

#8 Mt Waialeale, Kuai, Hawaii — 9,763 mm

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Kuai is home to many dormant volcanoes, but Mount Waialeale plenty of flowing each year — and I don’t mean lava. The name Waialeale means “rippling water” or “overflowing water” in Hawaiian and it couldn’t be more fitting. This mountain gets more than five times the amount of rainfall of other mountain peaks on Kaua’i.

#7 Big Bog, Maui, Hawaii – 10,272mm

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Big Bog is a rain gauge on the edge of Haleakala National Park on Maui Island. It’s a major tourist attraction attracting thousands each year who come to see its beautiful scenery, and the wettest out of all three mountains in Hawaii included in this list.

#6 Debundscha, Cameroon, Africa — 10,299mm

Debundscha has a very long rainy season and a very short dry season, thanks to its proximity to the equator. Behind Debundscha we can find the giant Mount Cameroon towering above. This mountain rises from the coast of the South Atlantic ocean and blocks rain forming clouds from passing. Instead, all that rain is being dumped in Debundscha.

#5 San Antonio de Ureca, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea — 10,450 mm

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

San Antonio de Ureca is located some 37 mi (or 60 km) South of Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea. It is the wettest place in the Africa.

#4 Cropp River, New Zealand — 11,516 mm

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Most of New Zealand’s rain falls in its mountains, but the wettest place in the country is the Cropp River in the Hokitika River catchment. It’s only 9 km long but it sure does get a lot of rainfall.

#3 Tutunendo, Colombia, South, America — 11,770 mm

Credit: Discover Something New

Tutunendo is a small town in Choco department, with a population of fewer than 1,000. Here the climate is like a tropical rainforest stereotype — extreme warmth, high humidity, lack of wind, and significant precipitation. If that wasn’t enough, there are two rainy seasons which bucket ample rain. The neighboring city of Quibdo is considered the wettest city in the world.

#2 Cherrapunji, India — 11,777 mm

Rope bridge in Cherrapunji. Credit: Buena Vibra

Because of the elevation of Cherrapunji, air that blows over the plains below is cooled as it rises to the higher elevation. This cooling of the air causes the moisture trapped in the air to condense, forming clouds, which then release rain.

#1 Mawsynram, India — 11,871 mm

Credit: Veg Momos

Topping the list as the wettest place in the world is Mawsynram, a village in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya state in north- eastern India. A few times a year, torrents of water turn the streets of the village into waterfalls. Every year this village is battered by nearly 12 meters of rain but the villagers are used to it — they only mind when they have to plug the leaking holes in their homes.

Wettest Places On Earth By Annual Rainfall

Some places in Hawaii receive more rainfall than anywhere else in the world.

Rainfall patterns vary widely across the world and are dependent on several factors. The topography of the land, nearness to water bodies, latitude, prevailing temperatures, wind patterns, etc., all act together to influence the volume of precipitation in a place.

The Wettest Places In The World

Mawsynram, India

Mawsynram, located in the Meghalaya State in India, is the wettest place in the world. It receives an annual rainfall of 11,871 millimeters. The mountainous terrain of the surrounding land forces the northward-moving warm moist monsoon winds coming from the Bay of Bengal to converge over Mawsynram. The Khasi Hills where Maysynram is located is directly in the path of this airflow. Uplift over these hills by vigorous winds blowing in the region constantly cools down the vapor bearing clouds which then fall in the form of rain. The high rainfall makes the region have numerous rivers and waterfalls. The dwellers of Mawsynram have adapted to the wet conditions and never leave the house without an umbrella. The residents make basket-like covers with reeds to block out the rain as they work in the fields. December and January are the driest months in Mawsynram when the rainfall can trickle down to around 60 millimeters.

Cherrapunji, India

Cherrapunji is located only 15 kilometers from Mawsynram in Meghalaya. It is the second wettest place in the world. Cherrapunji receives an annual rainfall of 11,777 millimeters. The region stands at 4500 feet above sea level on the Khasi Hills and receives its rainfall from the monsoon winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal. During the summer season, temperatures can rise as high as 23 degrees Celsius and dip down to as low as 7 degrees Celsius in the winter months.

Tutunendo, Colombia

Tutunendo is a municipality in Colombia in South America. It receives extremely heavy rainfall and is the world’s third wettest place. Persistent, apparently constant clouds and rain shape the climate of this place. Autumn is the wettest time of the year in Tutunendo. During the driest months of the year, February and March, precipitation still occurs about 20 days a month. Throughout the year, the skies remain cloudy with only three to four hours of sunshine each day.

Cropp River, New Zealand

Cropp River is a river flowing for 9 km in New Zealand before draining into the Whitcombe River. The Cropp River region recorded 1,049 millimeters of rainfall on December 12th to 13th, 1995, the highest ever registered in New Zealand in 48 hours. It is the fifth rainiest place on Earth.

Other Extremely Wet Destinations

Other wet places in the world in regard to the amount of rainfall they receive are San Antonio de Ureca, Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea, which receives 10,450 millimeters of rainfall annually; Debundscha, Cameroon, Africa (10,299 millimeters); Big Bog, Maui, Hawaii (10,272 millimeters); Mt. Waialeale Kauai, Hawaii (9,763 millimeters); Kukui, Maui, Hawaii (9,293 millimeters); and Emei Shan, Sichuan Province, China (8,169 millimeters).

10 of the Wettest Places in the World

Weather patterns are very different from one part of the world to another. There are those that are hot for prolonged periods, others are cold for similar periods and some even experience an equal mixture of the two. This article will focus on the areas where rain is very predominant to make them wet.

Take a look at the following ten of the wettest places in the world and you can make your own decision on whether you will be able to travel there. The wetness of these places is mostly measured by the amount of rainfall received annually among other factors.

Cherrapunji, India

This place in India receives approximately 498 inches of rainfall every year qualifying it to be the wettest place. Due to the heavy rains pounding this place, soil have been washed away making it poor for farming.

Despite its wetness, the local vegetation is largely xerophyte with the climate being subtropical highland. It will be a good place for you to tour when in India and see the many rain resorts established by the local administration.

Mawsynram, India

This one is also in India and suitable to be one of the wettest places globally. The rainfall records indicate that Mawsynram receives around 461 inches every year and found its way to the Guinness book of records in 1985 for recording 1,000 inches of rainfall. The average temperatures at this place ranging between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.

You will come across an unusual stone named megalith while there are many waterfalls, making it a suitable destination for tourists. Make sure you have visited this place at least once in your lifetime.

Waialeale, USA

This is the third wettest place on earth and you will find it in the United States. With 451 inches of rainfall every year, Waialeale has one of the greenest vegetation that has resulted in a rise of plant species like Dabutia Waialealae, Melisope Waialealae and Astelia Waialealae.

Visiting this place will offer you the opportunity of studying the plant species and knowing more about their existence. Its high rainfall saw the emergence of a lake that still stands strong to date and a good feature for sightseeing.

Debundscha, Cameroon

This village is in the African country of Cameroon and has an annual rainfall of 404.6 inches. Debundscha is located at the bottom of Mount Cameroon which is the continent’s highest peak. This mountain, that stands tall at 4095 meters, blocks the rain clouds and that has been the biggest contributing factor to the high rains experienced every year. Also, its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean on the southern part makes Debundscha a rainfall hub. It is the fourth wettest place in the world and first in Africa.

Quibdo, Columbia

You will find this wet place in Columbia. Its annual rainfall averages 353.9 inches and that can hugely be attributed to the fact that it sits at the banks of River Atrato. The local climate is mostly tropical wet with cloudy rainforests turning the place to be evergreen. Its proximity to the Panama Canal can as well explain why it ranks at number 5 in the world’s wettest places.

Bellenden Ker, Australia

This place in Queensland, Australia records an annual rainfall figure of about 340 inches and qualifies to be among the top ten wettest places in the world. The heavy rains pounding this area have sustained Mulgraves River and Russell River while waterfalls have developed in big numbers. Some of the common falls at this place include Clamshell Falls, Whites Falls, Nandroya Falls, Wallicher Falls and Silver Creek Falls. Apart from the wet conditions, there is a lot to sightsee at Bellenden Ker thus it will be a good destination to tour.

Andagoya, Columbia

This Columbian village has an annual rainfall of 281 inches and has frequently hit the 300 mark. Nevertheless, it is among the wettest places you will ever come across in the world and a good place to spend your vacation. Puddles are very common at this place with inhabitants having to endure precipitation but not to a level of saturation. It got the name from a conquistador from Spain called Pascual de Andagoya.

Henderson, Canada

This is a lake in British Columbia as well and receives an average rainfall of 256 inches annually. It is located at the Vancouver Island and has a big fish sanctuary established within its borders to cash in on the high rainfall. Temperatures should never worry you if you are planning to visit this place as they are moderate and favorable for tourists coming from any climatic zone around the world.

Kikori, Papua New Guinea

Kikori is found in Papua New Guinea and it has an annual rainfall of 242.9 inches making it the ninth wettest place on earth. It is located on the delta of River Kikori and is covered by dense forests where oil exploration takes place. The chief soil type at this place is clay with many rivers rising up as a result of the wetness that spreads out all year. It is a good place to learn about oil exploration.

Dawei, Myanmar

This place, formerly known as Tavoy, records rainfall of around 214.6 inches every year and is located in the south eastern parts of Asia. Dawei is along River Dawei with all the waters ending up in Andaman Sea. You will come across one of the best hunting reserves in the world while its landscape is generally mountainous. Locals here farm rice as the staple food while tungsten and tin are predominant minerals. You will also notice that production of timber is very common at this place.

Wet places have a lot to offer tourists. These top ten wettest places on earth can show reality and you should strive to get the best from your visit. They are not the only ones as there are several wet places on earth where you can consider spending your vacation. You just need to make your choices wisely and consider widely because that wet place might be in your own country.

What is the wettest place on Earth?

Those who live along the «wet coast» – which is what people living in Puget Sound or the lower mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island affectionately call their home – might think that they live in the wettest place on Earth. Then again, people living in the Amazon rain forest might think that there lush and beautiful home is the dampest place in the world.

But in truth, all these places come up dry (pun intended!) compared to the one place that has held the title for wettest point on Earth many times in its history. And that place is none other than Mawsynram, India, which experiences an annual average rainfall of 12 meters. And yet, this curious region in northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent is an exercise in extremes, either drowning in rainwater, or starving for it.

When it comes to describing locations on planet Earth in terms of «wet», some clarifications are needed. What we are talking about is average annual precipitation – i.e. rainfall, snow, drizzle, fog, etc. – measured in mm (or inches). This is necessary because otherwise, the «wettest» place on Earth would be the Mariana Trench, which has over 10,000 meters (36,000 feet) of water on top of it.

Also, based on rainfall. the wettest place on Earth has been known to change from time to time. In recent years, that title has gone to the town of Mawsynram, a village located in the East Khasi Hills district of northeastern, India. With an average annual rainfall of 11,872 millimetres (467.4 in), it is arguably the wettest place on Earth.

However, it is often in competition with the neighboring town of Cherrapunjee, which is located just 15 km (9.3 mi) to the west of Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district in northeastern India. The city’s yearly rainfall average stands at 11,777 millimetres (463.7 in), so it too has held the title.

The reason for these town experiencing so much precipitation has to do with the local climate. Situated within a subtropical highland climate zone, it experiences a lengthy and powerful monsoon season. In once instance, the monsoon season lasted for 2 years straight with no reported break in the rain!

Surprisingly, the high rainfall is a result of the region’s elevation and not the monsoon season alone. Huge amounts of warm air condense and fall as rain when they encounter the Khasi Hills. The topography of the region forces the very moist clouds up and down, forcing them to empty their accumulated water over the region.

Beyond northeastern India, there are several other locations on the planet that experience over a meter (3.28 feet) of annual precipitation. For instance, the town of Tutunendo, Colombia, experiences an average of 11,770 mm (463.38 in) of annual rainfall. The area actually experiences two rainy seasons a year, so precipitation is pretty much the norm.

Next up, there is Mount Waialeale, a shield volcano located on the island of Kaua’i on the Hawaiian Islands. As the the second highest point on the island, its name literally means «rippling water» (or «overflowing water»), and for good reason! This mountain has had an average of 11,500 mm (452 in) of rainfall since 1912.

However, in 1982, its summit experienced 17,300 mm (683 in), making it the wettest place on Earth in that year. And between 1978-2007, Big Bog – a spot in Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui, Hawaii – experienced an average of 10,300 mm (404 in) of rainfall, putting it in the top ten.

As already noted, the «wettest place on Earth» changes over time. This should come as no surprise, considering that weather patterns have been known to shift, not only in the course of an average year, but also over the course of centuries and millennia.

Nevertheless, those places that experience over a meter of precipitation are generally found within the tropical regions of the world, places known for experiencing intense and prolonged rainy seasons, and where lush tropical rainforests have existed for thousands of years. Here is a recent list of the top 10 locations.

But with anthropogenic climate change becoming a growing factor in planetary weather systems, this too could be subject to change. In the coming decades, and centuries, who’s to say where the most precipitation will fall on planet Earth?

What is the Wettest Place on Earth?

Those who live along the “wet coast” – which is what people living in Puget Sound or the lower mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island affectionately call their home – might think that they live in the wettest place on Earth. Then again, people living in the Amazon rain forest might think that there lush and beautiful home is the dampest place in the world.

But in truth, all these places come up dry (pun intended!) compared to the one place that has held the title for wettest point on Earth many times in its history. And that place is none other than Mawsynram, India, which experiences an annual average rainfall of 12 meters. And yet, this curious region in northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent is an exercise in extremes, either drowning in rainwater, or starving for it.

Annual Rainfall:

When it comes to describing locations on planet Earth in terms of “wet”, some clarifications are needed. What we are talking about is average annual precipitation – i.e. rainfall, snow, drizzle, fog, etc. – measured in mm (or inches). This is necessary because otherwise, the “wettest” place on Earth would be the Mariana Trench, which has over 10,000 meters (36,000 feet) of water on top of it.

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Also, based on rainfall. the wettest place on Earth has been known to change from time to time. In recent years, that title has gone to the town of Mawsynram, a village located in the East Khasi Hills district of northeastern, India. With an average annual rainfall of 11,872 millimetres (467.4 in), it is arguably the wettest place on Earth.

However, it is often in competition with the neighboring town of Cherrapunjee, which is located just 15 km (9.3 mi) to the west of Mawsynram in the East Khasi Hills district in northeastern India. The city’s yearly rainfall average stands at 11,777 millimetres (463.7 in), so it too has held the title.

The reason for these town experiencing so much precipitation has to do with the local climate. Situated within a subtropical highland climate zone, it experiences a lengthy and powerful monsoon season. In once instance, the monsoon season lasted for 2 years straight with no reported break in the rain!

Surprisingly, the high rainfall is a result of the region’s elevation and not the monsoon season alone. Huge amounts of warm air condense and fall as rain when they encounter the Khasi Hills. The topography of the region forces the very moist clouds up and down, forcing them to empty their accumulated water over the region.

Seven Sisters’ falls, located in the East Khasi Hills district. Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Rishav999

Other Locations:

Beyond northeastern India, there are several other locations on the planet that experience over 10 meters (32.8 feet) of annual precipitation. For instance, the town of Tutunendo, Colombia, experiences an average of 11,770 mm (463.38 in) of annual rainfall. The area actually experiences two rainy seasons a year, so precipitation is pretty much the norm.

Next up, there is Mount Waialeale, a shield volcano located on the island of Kaua’i on the Hawaiian Islands. As the the second highest point on the island, its name literally means “rippling water” (or “overflowing water”), and for good reason! This mountain has had an average of 11,500 mm (452 in) of rainfall since 1912.

However, in 1982, its summit experienced 17,300 mm (683 in), making it the wettest place on Earth in that year. And between 1978-2007, Big Bog – a spot in Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui, Hawaii – experienced an average of 10,300 mm (404 in) of rainfall, putting it in the top ten.

Waialeale (or ‘Rippling Waters’) Lake, located atop Mount Waialeale on the island of Kaua’i, Hawaii. Credit: Wikipedia Commons/Volcantrek8

As already noted, the “wettest place on Earth” changes over time. This should come as no surprise, considering that weather patterns have been known to shift, not only in the course of an average year, but also over the course of centuries and millennia.

Nevertheless, those places that experience over 10 meters of precipitation are generally found within the tropical regions of the world, places known for experiencing intense and prolonged rainy seasons, and where lush tropical rainforests have existed for thousands of years. Here is a recent list of the top 10 locations.

But with anthropogenic climate change becoming a growing factor in planetary weather systems, this too could be subject to change. In the coming decades, and centuries, who’s to say where the most precipitation will fall on planet Earth?

We have written many interesting articles about rainfall and precipitation here at Universe Today. Here’s What are Tornadoes?, What is Tornado Alley?, Where do Hurricanes Occur?, What is a Warm Front?, and How Does Fog Form?

For more information, check out the US Geological Survey’s page on Precipitation: The Water Cycle and NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement page.

Astronomy Cast also has an episode on the subject – Episode 226: Weather