Where is the most rain in the world?
The wettest place on Earth, where is it?
Well, in a previous article named “Where is the driest place in the world?”, we listed out the top 10 driest spots on Earth. In which, the first spot belongs to Dry Valleys, Antarctica. It seems surprising that it’s located in the coldest place instead of the hottest place on the planet, right?
Back to the main topic of today’s post, well, do you think there are any surprises when it comes to “where is the most rain in the world”? Keep scrolling down and then you will know where it is, interesting facts about this place, and other places with the most rainfall in the world annually.
- See also: Where is the driest place in the world?
Where is the most rainfall in the world?
For years, Mawsynram, India has been known as the wettest place on Earth, based on the average rainfall that it receives annually. Mawsynram receives an annual rainfall of 11,871 millimeters (467.33 inches) on average.
Mawsynram is a small village in the East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya state, northeastern India. As per the Guinness Book of World Records, this Indian village got 26,000 millimeters (over 1000 inches) of rainfall in 1985.
Interestingly, before Mawsynram has been recognized for the title of the wettest place in the world, Cherrapunji - another Indian town, holds this title. Now, Cherrapunji is known as the second wettest place on Earth, receiving 11,777 mm (463.66 inches) of average annual rainfall.
For years, Mawsynram, India is known as the wettest place on Earth
Cherrapunji is also located in the East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya state, India. It’s just 15 km (9.3 miles) away from Mawsynram. Sometimes, people confuse these 2 places and think that they are the same. Of course, they are different. Also, there is often the argument about which one of these two villages should hold the title of the wettest or the rainiest place in the world.
You now have the answer to the question “Where is the most rain in the world?”. Let’s move on to the next part of this writing to learn about the weather and climate in Mawsynram as well as interesting facts about this place.
Weather and climate in Mawsynram
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Mawsynram, India has a subtropical highland climate, featuring a long monsoon season and a brief dry season. Mawsynram’s weather is also characterized by amazingly showery weather.
Where is the most rain in the world: Mawsynram, India has a subtropical highland climate
Precipitation during the monsoon season
On average, Mawsynram receives more than 10,000 millimeters (394 inches) of rainfall in a typical year. The vast majority of Mawsynram’s annual precipitation falls during the monsoon season, between April and October. In which, May, June, July, and August are the rainiest months in this place, seeing average precipitation of more than 1,000 millimeters (39 inches). In particular, Mawsynram even receives >2000 millimeters (>79 inches) of rainfall in June and July.
Temperatures
Mostly due to its high altitude, Mawsynram rarely sees truly hot weather. The average annual temperature there is 17.1°C (62.8°F). Months between May and August have higher temperatures than the rest of the year, ranging from around 19°C (66°F) to just above 20°C (68°F).
Mostly due to its high altitude, Mawsynram rarely sees truly hot weather
The dry season in Mawsynram
Along with the long monsoon season, Mawsynram also has a short but much drier season, taking place from December to February. During the dry season, the rainiest place on Earth receives just a little rainfall that doesn’t exceed 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) on average. Noticeably, the average precipitation in Mawsynram in December is just 11 millimeters (0.4 inches).
After knowing where is the most rain in the world and basic things about its climate and weather, now it’s time for us to get some of the most interesting facts about Mawsynram.
Along with the long monsoon season, Mawsynram also has a short but much drier season
Other interesting facts about Mawsynram, India
Here are more fascinating facts about the rainiest place on Earth that you might now know.
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Mawsynram sits at a height of about 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) above sea level. That’s one of the main reasons for the mild temperatures mostly all year round there.
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The term “Maw” in the name “Mawsynram” means “stone” in English, and this word comes from the native Khasi language.
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Mawsynram locals use grass to sound-insulate huts from deafening rains during the showery weather.
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The enormous rainfall makes Mawsynram have a lot of waterfalls and rivers. Unsurprisingly, this area is also overwhelmingly lush and green.
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To protect themselves against rain, people living in Mawsynram use an item called “knup” which is made of reeds, bamboo, and grass or leaves. “Knup” functions as an umbrella though it doesn’t look like a normal umbrella at all. Well, looking at the picture below, well, do you see that it looks somewhat like a turtle shell? Instead of holding like the way we use an umbrella, “knup” is worn over the head and back. It’s not necessary to continually hold it in place.
These are some of the most interesting facts about “where is the most rain in the world” - Mawsynram. Let’s move on to learn about other places that also experience extremely huge rainfall.
“Knup” functions as an umbrella though it doesn’t look like a normal umbrella at all
Other places with the most rainfall in the world annually
Well, apart from Mawsynram and Cherrapunji, many other places also have very high rainfall annually. So, when it comes to “where is the most rain in the world,” why don’t we take a look at other places with the most rainfall in the world annually.
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Tutunendo, Colombia
Receiving an average annual rainfall of up to 11,770 millimeters (463 inches), Tutunendo, Colombia, South America is one of the rainiest places on Earth. Interestingly, there are 2 rainy seasons in Tutendo, so, it’s not surprising that this area is pretty much teeming with rain all year round.
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Cropp River, New Zealand
Cropp River in New Zealand may only be 9 kilometers in length, but it gets so huge precipitation annually. The average annual rainfall there is 11,516 millimeters (453 inches).
Where is the most rain in the world: Equatorial Guinea, San Antonio de Ureca is known as the wettest part of the African Continent
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San Antonio de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea
Located in Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea, San Antonio de Ureca is known as the wettest part of the African Continent. San Antonio de Ureca has a short dry season that lasts from November to March. The rest of the year, it experiences heavy rains. On average, this place has 10,450 millimeters (411 inches) of annual rainfall.
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Debundscha, Cameroon
Another place that gets a lot of rain yearly is Debundscha, Cameroon in Africa. The average annual rainfall found there is 10,299 mm (405 inches). About Debundscha’s location, it’s a village lying at the foot of Mt. Cameroon - the highest peak in the Africa continent.
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Where is the most rain in the world, other places?
Big Bog (Maui, Hawaii), Emei Shan (Sichuan Province, China), Mt. Waialeale (Kauai, Hawaii), Kukui (Maui, Hawaii), etc are other places that receive more than 8,000 millimeters (314 inches) of rainfall annually on average.
Debundscha, Cameroon
Wrapping up
Recently, we learned some of the most interesting things and facts about Mawsynram - the wettest place on Earth. Besides, we also listed out some other places that also experience extraordinarily heavy rainfall during the whole year. And that’s all for today’s post “Where is the most rain in the world?” hope you found it useful and interesting!
Sources:
theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/07/where-is-the-worlds-rainiest-city
escape.com.au/escape-travel/the-top-10-wettest-places-on-earth/news-story/993eaffca1d3d5fabc0c9d73bef06b96
bbc.co.uk/earth/story/20150827-the-wettest-place-on-earth
tenrandomfacts.com/mawsynram/
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