Annual Precipitation Comparison
Climate

California vs Nevada: Annual Precipitation

Nevada is drier overall than California.

California flag
California
CA • West
22.2 in
Average annual rain and snowfall combined, measured in inches.
Nevada flag
Nevada
NV • West
Winner
9.5 in
Average annual rain and snowfall combined, measured in inches.

Visual Comparison

California 22.2 in
Nevada 9.5 in

Difference: 12.7 inches — Nevada leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for annual precipitation.

California #11 · 22.2 in
Nevada #1 · 9.5 in
Best Worst

10 Best States — Annual Precipitation

Lower is better
#1 Nevada flag Nevada
9.5 in
#2 Utah flag Utah
12.2 in
#3 Wyoming flag Wyoming
12.9 in
#4 Arizona flag Arizona
13.6 in
#5 New Mexico flag New Mexico
14.6 in
#6 Montana flag Montana
15.3 in
#7 Colorado flag Colorado
15.9 in
#8 North Dakota flag North Dakota
17.8 in
#9 Idaho flag Idaho
18.9 in
#10 South Dakota flag South Dakota
20.1 in
Selected states
#11 California flag California
22.2 in

California ranks 11th and Nevada ranks 1st nationally for annual precipitation.

Related Context

Precipitation & Climate

Rain and snow affect agriculture, flood risk, water supply, and outdoor lifestyle.

Metric
California
Nevada
Sunny Days / Year
146 days
158 days
Average Temperature
59.4°F
49.9°F
Summer Temperature
73.4°F
69.0°F
Winter Temperature
46.2°F
32.2°F

What This Means

California vs Nevada: Annual Precipitation in context

Nevada has a annual precipitation of 9.5 in, compared with 22.2 in in California. Average annual rain and snowfall combined, measured in inches.

California
22.2 in
Nevada
9.5 in
Difference
12.7 inches

People Also Ask

California vs Nevada Annual Precipitation — Common Questions

Q What is California's annual precipitation?

California's annual precipitation is 22.2 in.

Q What is Nevada's annual precipitation?

Nevada's annual precipitation is 9.5 in.

Q Which state has a lower annual precipitation — California or Nevada?

Nevada is drier overall than California.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.