Best Weather Cities in the US 2026: Top 10 Sunniest Spots
The 10 best weather cities in the US, ranked by sunshine, dry heat, and low humidity. See which desert and coastal spots top the Farmers' Almanac list.
Quick Reference
- #1 best weather city: Yuma, Arizona. 2.65 inches of rain a year, 17 rainy days, 90 percent sunshine.
- Sunniest runner-up: Las Vegas, Nevada at 85 percent sunshine with only 26 rainy days.
- Driest relative humidity: Phoenix, Arizona at 37 percent.
- Coastal outlier: San Diego, California. Pacific storm track usually misses the city.
- Ranked by: sunshine, low humidity, low precipitation, temperature mildness, calm winds, from the 2002 Farmers’ Almanac analysis of NOAA climate normals.
Yuma, Arizona sits under the sun roughly 90 percent of the year and collects just 2.65 inches of rain across only 17 rainy days, which is how a town most Americans have never visited ends up at the top of the best weather cities list. The ranking comes from the 2002 Farmers’ Almanac analysis of NOAA climate normals, not opinion, and the desert Southwest has held the top of the list for decades. Below is the full top ten, what the data says about each one, and the honest trade-offs even the best weather cities carry.
How We Picked the Best Weather Cities
Best is a comfortable word to throw around, but on a ranked list it has to mean something specific. The 2002 Farmers’ Almanac built the list using the same long-run metrics the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tracks in its climate normals: temperature, sky conditions, precipitation, humidity, and wind. The working assumption was plain English. Heat is good. Rain, sleet, and snow are not. A city that scored well across most of those categories earned a spot.
A few notes before you read on. The rankings reflect long-run averages, not any single year. They do not score severe weather like tornadoes or hurricanes, which is a separate conversation. And best is always in the eye of the reader. If you love four seasons, San Diego looks monotonous; if you hate humidity, Yuma looks like paradise.
The 10 Best Weather Cities in the US
1. Yuma, Arizona. The top of the list by almost every dry-and-sunny metric. Average annual precipitation is 2.65 inches across only 17 rainy days per year, and the sun shines roughly 90 percent of the time. Yuma is also third among the least-humid cities in the country at 38 percent relative humidity. The trade-off is summer heat. Average temperatures hit at least 100°F from June 4 to September 24, and 105°F from June 22 to August 26. Locals will cheerfully remind you it is a dry heat.
2. Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas comes in second to Yuma on the metrics that matter here: 4.19 inches of annual precipitation, only 26 rainy days per year, and sunshine 85 percent of the time. Between November and March the city is as close to weather-perfect as any US destination, which is part of why its tourism economy never sleeps.
3. Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix ties Las Vegas for 85 percent annual sunshine and owns the lowest relative humidity on the list at 37 percent. It ranks fifth overall for least annual precipitation at 7.11 inches and eighth for fewest rainy days at 36. Like Yuma, it pays for these numbers in July and August, when triple-digit afternoons are the rule rather than the exception.
4. El Paso, Texas. El Paso earns its place on abundant sunshine, very low relative humidity, scant rainfall, and relatively mild winters. It does not lead any single metric, but it stays near the top of all of them.
5. Reno, Nevada. Reno trades the brute heat of Yuma and Phoenix for a wider daily temperature swing. The daily range often exceeds 45°F, which means afternoons above 90°F can be followed by evenings that call for a light wrap. Rain, when it falls, mostly comes as afternoon summer thunderstorms. Humidity stays very low in summer and moderately low in winter.
6. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Albuquerque has an arid climate with abundant sunshine, low humidity, and scant precipitation. The seasonal range of temperatures is wide but tolerable, which is a polite way of saying you will need both a sun hat and a coat depending on the month.
7. Winslow, Arizona. Made famous by a song, Winslow earns its spot by the numbers. It ranks seventh least humid in the country at 46 percent relative humidity and eighth driest with annual precipitation totaling only 7.64 inches.
8 and 9. Bishop and Bakersfield, California. Both California cities ranked, respectively, third and fourth driest in the country. Bishop averages only 29 rainy days per year. Bakersfield averages 37. They share the eastern-California rain-shadow geography that keeps Pacific storms at bay.
10. San Diego, California. The only coastal entry on the list, and an outlier in pattern rather than numbers. San Diego sees low marine clouds at night and early morning through spring and summer, but they burn off as the day warms. The storm track from the Pacific usually sits well to the north, keeping most clouds and precipitation out of the region. The exception is the Santa Ana winds that blow in September and October. Aside from those, temperatures stay comfortable year-round.
The Rankings at a Glance
| Rank | City | Headline metric | Annual rain | Rainy days | Sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuma, AZ | Sunniest + nearly driest | 2.65 in | 17 | 90% |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | Low rain, high sun | 4.19 in | 26 | 85% |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Lowest humidity (37%) | 7.11 in | 36 | 85% |
| 4 | El Paso, TX | Mild winters, dry air | – | – | – |
| 5 | Reno, NV | Wide daily range | – | – | – |
| 6 | Albuquerque, NM | Arid, sunny, four seasons | – | – | – |
| 7 | Winslow, AZ | 7th least humid (46%) | 7.64 in | – | – |
| 8 | Bishop, CA | 3rd driest nationally | – | 29 | – |
| 9 | Bakersfield, CA | 4th driest nationally | – | 37 | – |
| 10 | San Diego, CA | Mild coast, marine layer | – | – | – |
Why the Desert Southwest Dominates This List
Seven of the ten cities sit in the desert Southwest, and the reason is geography. The Sonoran and Mojave deserts are squeezed between the Pacific storm track and the Rocky Mountains. Moisture coming off the ocean loses most of its water crossing the Sierra Nevada and the Transverse Ranges. What reaches Yuma, Phoenix, and Las Vegas is dry air, high pressure, and a great deal of sunshine. Add in a desert horizon that rarely holds cloud cover for long, and you get the combination our ranking rewards.
If you are comparing this list to our 10 worst weather cities, notice how neatly they sit on opposite sides of the continent. The wet coastal Northwest owns the worst end of the list. The dry inland Southwest owns the best. That is the climate normals speaking, not us.
What a Year Looks Like in a Best-Weather City
On paper the rankings read like weather heaven. The lived experience is more nuanced. In Yuma, the calendar splits into two seasons: a long, dry, punishingly hot summer where temperatures cross 100°F for almost four straight months, and a cool, dry winter where daytime highs sit in the 70s and evenings occasionally demand a jacket. Rain is an event, not a routine. Many Yuma residents plan outdoor projects between November and March.
San Diego is the outlier. Summer mornings open under a thin marine layer. By noon the sun is usually through, and the afternoon sits in the high 70s. Winters are mild, wet enough to green the hills but rarely heavy. The city’s weather calendar is measured in subtle weeks, not sharp seasons.
Trade-offs Even the Best Weather Cities Have
No list is free. The desert Southwest cities pay for their sunshine in summer heat and, in the last decade, in rising wildfire smoke drifting in from California. Reno and Albuquerque deliver wide daily swings that can catch newcomers out. San Diego pays a premium cost of living and shoulders periodic Santa Ana fire weather. Bishop and Bakersfield inherit Central Valley air quality in fire years.
Put plainly, every one of these cities has a month or a pattern locals learn to plan around. The ranking measures averages, not daily comfort. For anyone comparing cities for a move, pair the climate data with lived-experience reading and, if possible, a visit in the season that concerns you most.
If You Are Considering a Move, Plan Around the Season
Climate normals tell you what most years look like, not what this year will. If you are scouting a desert city, visit in July so the summer does not surprise you. If coastal California is on the list, visit during a Santa Ana event in early autumn. And remember our long-range forecast tracks the seasons ahead so you can plan a move, a trip, or a growing season against real outlook data.
For a fuller picture of American weather extremes, our cloudiest states ranking covers the opposite end of the sunshine scale. Pairing the two gives you a useful mental map of where the clear skies live and where they do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best weather city in the US?
By the long-run numbers, Yuma, Arizona. It leads on sunshine at roughly 90 percent, posts only 2.65 inches of precipitation across 17 rainy days a year, and ranks third for lowest relative humidity. The trade-off is a summer that averages at least 100°F from June 4 to September 24.
Which US city has the most sunshine?
Yuma at about 90 percent possible annual sunshine. Las Vegas and Phoenix tie for second at 85 percent. The Desert Southwest owns the top of this metric because the Pacific storm track drops most of its moisture crossing the Sierra Nevada and the Rockies before air reaches these cities.
Is the list still accurate today?
The ranking is based on the 2002 Farmers’ Almanac analysis of NOAA climate normals. Climate normals update every ten years and the top of the list has barely moved. The desert Southwest cities and San Diego still post the same sunshine, humidity, and precipitation profiles.
Why is San Diego the only coastal city on the list?
The Pacific storm track usually sits well to the north of San Diego, keeping most clouds and heavy precipitation out of the region. The city sees low marine clouds at night and early morning through spring and summer, but they burn off by mid-day. That combination of mild temperatures and mostly dry afternoons is rare on any US coast.
What about Hawaii and Florida?
Neither makes the list once you factor in humidity, rainfall, and severe weather. Hilo, Hawaii posts 128 inches of annual rain, which puts it near the top of our worst weather cities ranking instead. Florida cities score well on sunshine but lose points to humidity and hurricane risk.
How do you rank cities if I hate heat?
San Diego is the only entry on the list where summer afternoons rarely cross the 80s. Reno offers a wide daily range, so hot afternoons cool into comfortable evenings thanks to the 45°F daily swing.
Where can I see the data behind the ranking?
The numbers come from NOAA climate normals, a long-term dataset the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updates every ten years. The 2002 Farmers’ Almanac analysis pulled the figures cited in this article.
Peter Geiger
Peter Geiger is the Editor Emeritus of the Farmers' Almanac. Read his full biography.
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- Peter Geiger
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- Peter Geiger
Not sure what sadochist thinks that anyplace who has triple digits all summer long, with maybe lows in the 90’s is a good place to live. Where is Death Valley on this list? It’s dry and plenty warm, in the summer.
Summers in Bakersfield, for example, are HOT, super HOT, so hot that combined with the tasteful cow and factory worker air that it’s hard to breath. (worst air pollution in the country) The winters are dismal, cold without any chance of snow or anything fun besides the chance of death.
San Diego, as horrible as is it sounds, is always sunny. Doesn’t get nearly as cold, never a frost by the coast, with it’s almost year round temp 70 (summers) – 60 (a cold winter day) With the warm Santa Annas maybe getting to 80, low 90’s in the east, for a few days out of the year. It’s a hard life for those who can afford it.
PAYSON AZ,SHHH IT’S A SECRET,FOUR MODERATE SEASONS,BEAUTIFUL PONDERSOSA FORESTS AND CLEAR MOUNTAIN LAKES,LOW COST OF LIVING,NO POLLUTION..
Well, it’s not 2002 anymore so the cities with the best places to live based on weather needs to be updated. I have to now disagree that CA should be in the mix. The economy here is one of the worst and most expensive. No longer a great place to raise a family or have your kids come home. I’d like to see an overall rating with a great town, friendly people, average income and mostly nice weather throughout the year. Any one know? I live in Manhattan Beach, CA. Great town, great weather, but it’s too crowded, too many cars, houses butt up against each other, no yards, expensive and not friendly.
All the top cities are desert cities. I live in albuquerque and it can be 25 degrees but the sun is always shining!!!!!!!! Humidity is the worst, You never feel clean. But i dont know how reno is ahead of Albuquerque it snows like 30-40 inches a year in reno, it snows once or twice if were are lucky in albuquerque
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico have the best weather of all. Denver can be cold, but it seldom lasts long. Just when you’re tired of snow, it warms up and melts away. Summers can be hot, in the city but no humidity, and nights cool down, and escape to the mountains. Where else can you ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon? No place else besides Colorado.
If the method to select these cities was statistical, then you can’t interject the words “best” and “worst” in your criteria. Statistics are objective. “Best” and “worst” are subjective. Some people LOVE cloudy weather. Some people LOVE snow. Some people LOVE cool or cold conditions. Some people LOVE rain. Yes, some people love the opposite too, but you already assume that. The point is that you can’t assume that. BEST for some people is a place that is always cloudy, cool, and maybe drizzly. For others, it is hot and sunny, for some it may be cold and sunny, and for yet others it may be warm and cloudy, maybe with thunderstorms. Everyone is DIFFERENT. Please understand that.
Best weather is in San Jose CA, average temp is 80, with blue skies and low humidity, 15 inches of rain per year ( Dec – Feb). Never rains between May to October, always can plan an outdoor event without worry, no afternoon showers or lightining
Places I have lived:
Arkansas
Colorado
California (southern and northern)
Washington State
Wyoming
Carolina (that is South Carolina)
New York
Toronto
My favorite for weather—hands down are the Carolinas. 4 distinct seasons, seldom extreme (with a possible hurricane), a lot of sunshine, torrential rains from time to time just to keep it interesting, and maybe twice a year a gentle snowfall (or ice storm yuk). Its humid in the summer no doubt, but from a perspective of people, cost of living, history, and the sheer character (or lack of) of the people, its my favorite place. Keep the desert give me K’lina in the Pines.
Central Marin county is very nice but oh so expensive. That’s just north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you like being active, I think Colorado is the best state for weather. (I personally prefer a cooler, sunny climate with 4 distinct seasons and zero mugginess) The summers are mild and dry, no bugs, this last one it only reached 90 a couple of days (which I happened to be in San Antonio…110 every day), and my wife and I could bike, hike, play tennis every day. 300 days of sunshine. I look at Pikes Peak every day. Skiing every weekend. So if you like to stay fit, have fun, try CO. If you prefer to swing by Taco Bell at lunch and spend the afternoon in front of the boob tube, then try Vegas, El Paso, Phoenix.