Louisiana Annual Rainfall and Climate Data, see below for individual cities 

 Louisiana Average Annual Precipitation

Louisiana city precipitation totals

City

Avg Annual Precip

Avg Annual Snow

 Avg # days of Precip

Avg # thunderstorm days

Avg # hail days

 Avg # severe thunderstorm watches per year Avg # tornado watches per year # of tornadoes reported in parish, 1960-2010
Baton Rouge 63.08 0.2 110 72 1 12 6 32
Lake Charles 57.19 0.3 103 76 1 12 7 70
New Orleans 64.19 0.2 114 69 1 11 3 13
Shreveport 51.30 1.5 98 57 2 8 14 59
  • Louisiana Annual Precipitation Average - 60.09 inches, 2nd wettest state in the U.S.
  • Louisiana Tornado Average -  24.6 per year - 11th most in the U.S.
  • Largest reported Tornado in Louisiana from 1950-2011, 4/24/2010 - 3,080 yards / 1.75 miles wide
  • Average time of occurrence of reported Tornadoes in Louisiana from 1950-2011 - 1:23 pm
  • Louisisana Annual Lightning Density - 19.7 flashes per square mile - 2nd highest in U.S. 
  • Record Driest year in Louisisana from 1895-2012 - 1924, avg precipitation 38.35 inches 
  • Record Wettest year in Louisisana from 1895-2012 - 1991, avg precipitation 80.58 inches  

Louisiana Precipitation Records

  • Driest location ranked by lowest annual average precipitation: Red River Lock #1, central Louisiana, 46.46"
  • Wettest location ranked by highest annual average precipitation: Thibodaux, southeastern Louisiana, 69.95"
  • Snowiest location ranked by highest annual average snowfall: Plain Dealing, northeastern Louisiana, 1.9"
  • State precipitation maximum for 24 hours - Hackberry, southwestern Louisiana, 8/29/1962, 22.00"
  • State precipitation maximum for 1 year - New Orleans, southeastern Louisiana, 1991, 113.74"
  • State snow maximum for 24 hours - Rayne, south-central Louisiana, 2/14-15-1895, 24.0" 
  • State snow maximum for 1 season - Rayne, south-central Louisiana, 1894-1895, 24.0" 
  • On August 31, 2005 during Hurricane Katrina, 80% of New Orleans was flooded, with some parts of the city under 15 feet of water
  • Rains of as much as 20 inches in a month have occurred in most Louisiana cities, and rainfall as much as 10 inches in 24 hours are not rare. Only Hawaii averages more annual precipitation than Louisiana
  • Louisiana temperature averages and extremes, precipitation and temperature data for all U.S. states and interesting Top 10 U.S. climate extremes

Data sources: National Climatic Data Center, Severe thunderstorm / tornado watch data period is 1999 - 2008, NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Tornado climate data - NOAA Storm Prediction Center, State lightning flash density average - 1997-2011, Vaisala