Let it snow, let it snow ... in all 50 states
This column concludes our series of articles featuring the wettest, the driest and the snowiest places across the country, plus some updated rainfall data on the wettest city, Hilo, Hawaii.
The snowiest places in each of the 50 states
This list includes state, average annual snowfall (in inches) and the location.
Alabama: 5.3, Valley Head
Alaska: 551.5, Thompson Pass
Arizona: 243.0, Sunrise Mountain
Arkansas: 16.2, Gravette
California: 470.7, Soda Springs
Colorado: 435.6, Wolf Creek Pass
Connecticut: 106.8, Norfolk
Delaware: 18.7, Wilmington
Florida: 0.2, Milton Station
Georgia: 6.1, Clayton
Hawaii: Traces, various mountain stations
Idaho: 283.5, Mullan Pass
Illinois: 42.8, Chicago's Midway Airport
Indiana: 76.6, South Bend
Iowa: 43.8, Dubuque
Kansas: 46.0, McDonald
Kentucky: 23.6, Covington
Louisiana: 1.9, Plain Dealing
Maine: 118.0, Rangeley
Maryland: 95.9, Oakland
Massachusetts: 85.0, West Cummington
Michigan: 235.8, Herman
Minnesota: 83.3, Duluth
Mississippi: 4.9, Cleveland
Missouri: 25.5, Bethany
Montana: 305.5, Kings Hill
Nebraska: 59.3, Mullen
Nevada: 241.0, Marlette Lake
New Hampshire: 315.4, Mount Washington
New Jersey: 39.8, Sussex
New Mexico: 164.9, Red River
New York: 226.7, Old Forge
North Carolina: 57.8, Grandfather Mountain
North Dakota: 56.5, Bowman
Ohio: 97.0, Chardon
Oklahoma: 31.6, Boise City
Oregon: 529.9, Crater Lake
Pennsylvania: 121.6, Corry
Rhode Island: 55.5, North Foster
South Carolina: 8.7, Caesar's Head
South Dakota: 193.0, Lead
Tennessee: 16.7, Tazewell
Texas: 23.9, Borger
Utah: 516.3, Alta
Vermont: 220.0, Mount Mansfield
Virginia: 51.8, Burkes Garden
Washington: 680.3, Paradise Ranger Station
West Virginia: 157.8, Terra Alta
Wisconsin: 138.7, Gurney
Wyoming: 285.4, Bechler Ranger Station
Wettest U.S. city, including Hawaii
Hilo, on the eastern, windward side of the Big Island, averages a whopping 126.69 inches of rainfall on an annual basis, making it the wettest city in the entire 50 states.
In 1990, Hilo gauged an incredible 211.22 inches of rain. In the higher elevations west of town, more than 300 inches has fallen in some years, including 1990.
As I mentioned in the July 15 'Gems' article, Mount Waialeale, on the island of Kauai, is the wettest spot in the entire world with an average rainfall of 460 inches.
My thanks goes out to Barb Neal of Hayden for the Hilo, Hawaii rainfall data.
North Idaho weather review
The summer of 2013 thus far has been a real 'scorcher' as predicted across much of the country from coast-to-coast, border-to-border.
Locally in North Idaho, we've been very warm since late June with many hot 'Sholeh Days' at or above 90 degrees and very little in the way of significant rainfall thanks to a strong upper-level high pressure area camped over the Inland Northwest.
We did see some brief scattered thunderstorms overnight early Wednesday, but they dropped just .05 inches at Post Falls, .12 inches in Coeur d'Alene and .16 inches at Hayden, barely a 'spit in the ocean.'
Our fire danger levels remain 'high' throughout the region. Burn permits are still being issued in Kootenai County, but on a limited basis. Recreational campfires and cooking fires are not yet regulated until the danger levels reach stages 1 or 2 later this season.
Due to even worse drought conditions over most other regions west of the Rockies, the 2013 wildfire season promises to be one of the worst in recorded history, especially in California and the long-parched southwestern states.
Longer-term, Randy Mann and I see less precipitation than normal and hotter than usual temperatures persisting over North Idaho and the rest of the Inland Empire for at least the next 60 days, possibly longer. We 'huckleberry hounds' will have to be very careful in the woods this season along with everyone else. Happy picking.
Cliff Harris is a climatologist who writes a weekly column for The Press. His opinions are his own. Email sfharris@roadrunner.com
Weekly Weather Almanac
• Week's warmest temperature: 94 degrees on July 20
• Week's coldest temperature: 51 degrees on July 16
• Weekly precipitation: 0.12 inches
• Precipitation month to date: 0.47 inches
• Normal precipitation month to date: 0.66 inches
• Precipitation month to date last year: 2.61 inches
• Precipitation year to date: 15.16 inches
• Normal precipitation year to date: 14.71 inches
• Precipitation last year to date: 29.09 inches
• Normal annual precipitation: 26.77 inches
• Total precipitation last year: 43.27 inches
• Precipitation predicted this year: 28.40 inches
• Wettest month on record (since 1895): 9.91 inches in December 1933
• Record annual precipitation: 43.27 inches in 2012
• All-time least annual precipitation: 15.18 inches in 1929
Readings taken week ending Sunday, 4 p.m., July 21