10 Worst Weather Cities in the US 2026: Ranked by Cloud Cover, Rain, and Snow
Quick Reference
- #1 worst weather city: Quillayute, Washington. 240 cloudy days a year, 83 percent humidity, 210 days of rain.
- Rainiest: Hilo, Hawaii. 128 inches of rain a year across 277 rainy days.
- Snowiest pair: Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Top five coldest, top three snowiest.
- Ranked by: cloud cover, rain, snow, humidity, and wind, from NOAA climate normals.
Quillayute, Washington sits through 240 cloudy days a year and collects 104.5 inches of rain across 210 rainy days, which is how a place most Americans have never heard of ends up at the top of the worst weather cities in the US list. Weather rankings like this one come from NOAA climate normals, not opinion, and the numbers are consistent enough that the top of the list has barely moved in decades. Below is the full top ten, what the data says about each city, and what the forecast looks like if you live in one of them.
How We Define “Worst” Weather
Worst is a comfortable word to throw around, but on a ranked list it has to mean something specific. The criteria we use here are the same ones the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) tracks in its long-term climate normals: sunshine, sky conditions, precipitation, humidity, and wind. A city that scores poorly across most of those categories lands on the list. A city with one extreme (Phoenix heat, for instance) does not, because its other metrics balance out.
A few notes before you read on. The rankings reflect long-run averages, not any single year. They also do not factor in dangerous weather, which is a separate conversation. A city can have pleasant averages and still sit in tornado alley. And worst is always in the eye of the reader: if you love rain, Hilo is paradise, not punishment.
The 10 Worst Weather Cities in the US
1. Quillayute, Washington
Quillayute is not really a city. It is a weather-reporting station on the Olympic Peninsula, tucked into the rainforest corridor that catches storms rolling in off the Pacific. The numbers are what earn it the top spot: 240 cloudy days a year (tied with Astoria for cloudiest in the country), 83 percent relative humidity (the most humid reading on the list), 104.5 inches of annual rainfall, and 210 days a year when measurable rain falls. If you want to see the sun, you plan around it.
2. Astoria, Oregon
Astoria sits at the mouth of the Columbia River, about three hours south of Quillayute, and it shares the same coastal storm track. It ties Quillayute at 240 cloudy days a year and posts 69.6 inches of rain across 191 wet days. The third-place finish in annual wetness is the headline number, but the real story is relentlessness: Astoria does not get hit with a single dramatic weather event. It gets hit with a low, grey sky that does not lift.
3 and 4. Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
These two Upper Peninsula cities share the third and fourth spots because their numbers are almost interchangeable. They rank fourth and fifth among the coldest US cities and second and third among the snowiest. Both also land seventh and eighth on the rainiest list. Lake-effect snow off Lake Superior is the culprit for the snowfall totals, and the latitude handles the cold. If your idea of a good winter is nine months of it, this is the corner of the country to live in.
5 and 6. Syracuse and Binghamton, New York
Syracuse and Binghamton sit close enough on the map that their weather patterns line up, and both New York cities run near each other in the rankings. Syracuse is the fourth rainiest US city with 171 wet days and the fourth snowiest with 111.6 inches of snow a year. Binghamton is tenth rainiest at 162 days and sits among the top ten cloudiest with 212 cloudy days annually. Both cities are parked along the St. Lawrence storm track and take turns with cold air masses sweeping in from the west and north, which keeps the weather pattern unsettled almost year-round.
7. Elkins, West Virginia
Elkins is the Appalachian entry on the list. It ties Syracuse for fourth rainiest US city and posts 211 cloudy days, just behind Binghamton. Mountain weather is a big part of the story: the Allegheny ridges wring moisture out of the air and dump it on the valleys, and the same terrain keeps the clouds low and the skies grey.
8. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is the warm-weather entry. It lands in the top ten wettest cities at 59.74 inches of rain a year and posts 75.5 percent average humidity, also top ten. Summers are the season the numbers are built on: living in New Orleans from June through September without air conditioning is a serious ask. The city is also vulnerable to hurricane activity through late summer and autumn, which the NOAA averages do not capture but which sits over every forecast.
9. Eugene, Oregon
Eugene joins Astoria as the second Oregon city on the list. It logs 209 cloudy days a year and posts average relative humidity that ties New Orleans for eighth place overall. The upside, if you live there: the same moisture and mild temperatures that earn the ranking also drive a thriving evergreen timber industry. Grey skies and a healthy forest are two sides of the same coin.
10. Hilo, Hawaii
Hawaii is usually pictured as sun and sand, but Hilo on the Big Island is the wettest city in America. It posts 128 inches of annual rainfall and 277 rainy days a year, both number one on the national list. In any given day, there is at least a 75 percent chance that measurable rain will fall somewhere in Hilo. Climb six miles up-slope from the city limits and the annual rainfall exceeds 200 inches, which is closer to a rainforest than a beach town.
The Rankings at a Glance
| Rank | City | Headline number |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quillayute, WA | 240 cloudy days, 83 percent humidity, 104.5 inches rain |
| 2 | Astoria, OR | 240 cloudy days, 69.6 inches rain across 191 wet days |
| 3 & 4 | Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie, MI | Top five coldest, top three snowiest |
| 5 & 6 | Syracuse and Binghamton, NY | Syracuse: 111.6 inches snow. Binghamton: 212 cloudy days. |
| 7 | Elkins, WV | Tied fourth rainiest, 211 cloudy days |
| 8 | New Orleans, LA | 59.74 inches rain, 75.5 percent humidity |
| 9 | Eugene, OR | 209 cloudy days, ties New Orleans on humidity |
| 10 | Hilo, HI | 128 inches rain, 277 rainy days (both #1 nationally) |
Why Pacific Northwest Cities Own the Top of the List
Three of the top nine worst weather cities sit along the Pacific Northwest coast: Quillayute, Astoria, and Eugene. The reason is a geographic setup called orographic lift. Moist Pacific air pushes east, hits the Olympic and Cascade mountains, and cools as it rises. Cool air cannot hold as much water as warm air, so the moisture drops out as rain on the windward side. The same system that soaks Washington and Oregon rainforests leaves the inland deserts bone dry on the other side of the mountains.
The practical effect for residents is a long grey season that starts in October and breaks around July. Gardening by the Moon still works in this region, but the planting window skews later because soil temperatures lag until late spring. If you use the Farmers’ Almanac planting calendar here, watch the frost dates as closely as the lunar phase.
Why Great Lakes Cities Dominate the Snow Rankings
Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Syracuse, and Binghamton all share one feature: they are downwind of a very large body of water. Lake Superior, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawrence corridor feed the jet stream cold, moisture-rich air, and when that air hits land it releases the water as snow. The effect is strongest from late November through February, and a single lake-effect event can drop two feet of snow on one side of a city and leave the other side dry.
If you live in one of these cities, the long-range forecast matters more than the seven-day. Farmers’ Almanac publishes an extended winter forecast for the Great Lakes region each August, and the Best Days calendar flags the good and bad days for outdoor projects when the snow is off.
What a Year Actually Looks Like in a Worst-Weather City
Averages are useful but abstract. Here is what a year on the ground tends to look like, broken out by region.
- Pacific Northwest (Quillayute, Astoria, Eugene): eight months of grey-and-drizzle, one cold month, two months of genuine summer, one month of transition. Gardening is productive in the wet months if you pick the right crops. Outdoor events are weekday-only plans in July and August.
- Upper Peninsula and Great Lakes (Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Syracuse, Binghamton): five months of snow, three months of spring and mud, three months of summer, one month of autumn. Outdoor projects compress into May through October. Roofs and gutters need attention every fall.
- Appalachian highlands (Elkins): cloudy and cool most of the year, short warm summer, shoulder seasons long and damp. Garden soil stays wet, so raised beds help.
- Gulf Coast (New Orleans): short mild winter, long humid summer, active hurricane season in August and September. Air conditioning is not optional. Outdoor work happens at dawn or dusk from June through September.
- Windward Hawaii (Hilo): warm and wet year-round with small seasonal variation. Daily rain is the norm, but showers tend to be short and the sun usually returns within the hour.
How These Cities Compare to the Best Weather Cities
The sibling list, the 10 best weather cities in the US, uses the same five criteria and lands in very different places: the interior Southwest, central California, and parts of the high plains. The contrast is useful because it shows how narrowly the rankings hinge on geography. Swap a coastal mountain range for an inland desert and cloudy 240 days a year becomes sunny 300 days a year. Neither list is a value judgment. A city that ranks worst on weather may rank first on schools, jobs, or quiet.
If You Live in a Worst-Weather City, Plan Around the Seasons
You cannot change the weather, but you can plan around it. A few practical moves for readers in any of the ten cities above.
- Check the long-range weather forecast before booking travel, outdoor weddings, or planting. The seven-day forecast will not tell you whether a storm window is open in three months.
- Use the Gardening by the Moon calendar in combination with your local frost dates. In wet climates the lunar guidance needs a frost guardrail.
- For snow country, read the snowiest places in the US list and see how your city stacks up. The ranking may give you planning data.
- If thunderstorms or tornadoes are a concern in your region, cross-reference this list with America’s stormiest cities for the severe-weather picture.
Know the weather. Plan the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the worst weather cities in the US?
The ten worst weather cities in the US, ranked by NOAA climate normals covering cloud cover, rain, humidity, and snowfall, are Quillayute, WA; Astoria, OR; Marquette, MI; Sault Ste. Marie, MI; Syracuse, NY; Binghamton, NY; Elkins, WV; New Orleans, LA; Eugene, OR; and Hilo, HI. Quillayute holds the top spot with 240 cloudy days, 83 percent humidity, and 210 rainy days a year.
What city in the US has the worst weather?
Quillayute, Washington is the US location with the worst weather by the standard ranking criteria. It ties Astoria, Oregon as the cloudiest spot in the country (240 cloudy days a year), carries the highest relative humidity on the list at 83 percent, and posts 104.5 inches of rain across 210 rainy days. It is technically a weather-reporting station rather than a city, but it is the benchmark the national rankings use.
Why is Hilo, Hawaii on the worst weather list?
Hilo is the wettest city in America. It posts 128 inches of rain a year spread across 277 rainy days, both national records. The rainfall comes from trade winds pushing moist Pacific air up against the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, where it cools and releases the moisture. Six miles up-slope from Hilo the annual rainfall exceeds 200 inches. Hawaii’s reputation for perfect weather is earned on the leeward side of the islands; the windward side, where Hilo sits, is another story.
What makes a city the worst for weather?
Five criteria drive the ranking: sunshine, sky conditions, precipitation, humidity, and wind. A city that scores poorly across most of those lands on the list. A city with a single extreme (intense summer heat, say) but strong marks elsewhere usually stays off. The data comes from NOAA climate normals, which are long-term averages rather than single-year snapshots.
Which US cities get the most snow?
Marquette and Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan sit at the top of the snow rankings, second and third nationally, with lake-effect snow off Lake Superior doing most of the work. Syracuse, New York is right behind with 111.6 inches of annual snowfall. For a deeper look see the Farmers’ Almanac list of snowiest places in the US.
Do these rankings change from year to year?
The top of the list is stable because it is built on long-term averages (NOAA climate normals are updated every ten years). Short-term swings in rainfall or snowfall rarely shift the rankings; a wet year in Phoenix will not put it on the list. Climate trends do eventually move the numbers, but the movement is slow. The cities at the top have been at the top for decades.
Is it bad to live in a worst-weather city?
Not necessarily. Many people love the rain, the snow, or the quiet that comes with a long grey season. The list is a statistical ranking, not a value judgment. A city with tough weather often has strong local identity, affordable housing, and good outdoor recreation in its better months. The rankings are useful for planning, not for deciding where to live.
Peter Geiger
Peter Geiger is the Editor Emeritus of the Farmers' Almanac. Read his full biography.
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oh man i hate the weather of seattle so much
I am surprised at the Sault Ste Marie submission. Marquette? Yes. They get more snow off Lake Superior. The Soo is just cloudy and cold. 6 out of 10 days are cloudy. I don’t mind clouds if it’s warm. In fact, my best days working in my gardens is on cloudy warm days. The problem with Mi. is its just too damn far north. The summers are short and can be hot and dry or cooler and damp but always short. You can have short, cool falls and get screwed out of fall color. November is ridiculous, gray for days and days on end. I cannot stand this state and the day I leave it forever will be one of the best days of my life. I have no idea how much snow I’ve shoveled in my life but I have no doubt it’s in the tons. And don’t even get me started on the summer tourists and the never ending festivals.
What would be an interesting on here is a list of cities that are good and bad at handling heatwaves/snow events.
Portland and Seattle sucks at both heat and cold and always have according to newspaper archives. Portland’s heat record is a staggering 107F actually which was a multi day 100+ event.
*Blue Skies* in Oregon usually means a grey/white tint to it not really that blue at all though when the NW wind is stronger it can get close to what you’d call blue.
Since wet and cloudy weather is assumed to be the worst, which I disagree with, and Hilo, HI is listed, then it’s a big oversight to not list places in Alaska such as Cold Bay and Juneau, with 304 and 280 days of clouds respectively.
Also, Whittier, Alaska with 198 inches of annual precipitation, Ketchikan with 155, and so on. Coastal Alaska beats any place in the lower 48 for clouds and rain.
I live in Northern CA which is known for its preponderance of sunny days but many of them are now marred by ugly chemtrail spraying and other weather modification ops of the past two decades.
Try St.Cloud Mn Horrible weather.I moved to McKinneyTx.It was gorgeous until the Govt decided to keep spraying..No im not nuts.70s one day.30s n snow next.Now look up.Its called Cloud Seeding..Been doing in since 60s.Started in SD when farmers needed rain.Noone will talk about it because they use it as population control.Look for groups on FB..Rich n Powerful…By the way Florida was HORRIBLE.Clouds.Rain.Cold.Not normal and getting worse.Az is nice…..But look at the x in the sky then don’t breathe!D
I think Miami, Florida has the best weather conditions. I’ve been 4 times
there,plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures
I disagree with what you’re calling the worst weather. Overcast is nice.
The worst weather is in Lubbock Texas. It is one of the windiest places on the planet. The heat can reach 110 in the summer, and it still gets freezing cold in the winter. And it’s also got notoriously volatile weather from day to day.
When it’s 110 outside and the wind is whipping dirt into your face at 40 mph all day, it feels like hell.
Boston is the worst for weather. OMG. I was so happy to get oug of there. Atlanta is the worst for air quality. Lots of sun, but traffic hell. For me, Brasstown NC is the best! Sunny days, mild winters, and mountain vistas at every turn.
Rick, glad you’re enjoying North Carolina!
“Happiness is not where you are but who you are”…I’m about to learn that in a BIG way. My family just left Florida for Utah. I’m 66…grew up in the Paradise of Sarasota…lived in north/central Fl since ’69. I’ve been to Egypt in 110 degrees…loved the experience. I caught a snowflake on my tongue in the Swiss Alps. I’ve traveled the USA and the world. The USA wins and Sarasota was the most lovely place of all, for me. I have 2 choices…go or stay. I’m wrapping my head around making this experience “an extended vacation.” I’m thinking Utah is a good combination of Egypt and the Alps. I’ll keep my suitcase ready. 🙂 As long as we’re in North America we’re good! Happy Travels!