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

 Missouri Average Annual Precipitation

Missouri 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 county, 1960-2010
Columbia 40.28 22.6 112 52 1 7 15 25
Kansas City 37.68 19.8 106 51 3 6 12 27
St Louis 38.75 19.4 111 46 1 7 13 19
Springfield 44.97 17.8 108 55 2 8 16 34
  • Missouri Annual Precipitation Average - 42.23 inches, 24th wettest state in the U.S.
  • Missouri Tornado Average - 26.5 per year - 7th most in the U.S.
  • Largest reported Tornado in Missouri from 1950-2011, 5/10/2008 - 1,760 yards / 1 miles wide
  • Date with highest number of reported Tornadoes in Missouri from 1950-2011, May 4th - 43 tornadoes
  • Average time of occurrence of reported Tornadoes in Missouri from 1950-2011 - 3:36 pm
  • Missouri Annual Lightning Density - 15.1 flashes per square mile - 7th highest in U.S.
  • Record Driest year in Missouri from 1895-2012 - 1953, avg precipitation 25.35 inches 
  • Record Wettest year in Missouri from 1895-2012 - 2008, avg precipitation 57.34 inches   

Missouri Precipitation Records

  • Driest location ranked by lowest annual average precipitation: Tarkio, northwest Missouri, 33.52"
  • Wettest location ranked by highest annual average precipitation: Puxico, southeast Missouri, 50.75"
  • Snowiest location ranked by highest annual average snowfall: Bethany, northern Missouri, 25.3"
  • State precipitation record for 24 hours - Edgerton, northwest Missouri, 7/20/1965, 18.18"
  • State precipitation record for 1 year - Portageville, southeast Missouri, 1957, 92.77"
  • State snowfall record for 24 hours - Neosho, southwest Missouri, 3/16-17/1970, 27.0"
  • State snow record for 1 season - Oregon, northwest Missouri, 1888-1889, 74.0"
  • Based on temperature variation, precipitation, wind and severe weather, Springfield, Missouri the top city in the United States with the most weather variety
  • An EF-5 tornado with winds greater than 200 mph struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011. The tornado became the single deadliest since modern record-keeping began in 1950 with 157 fatalities and 1,000 injuries 
  • November 1904 is the driest month on record for Missouri: State average precipitation was only 0.22”
  • A world record rainfall occurred at Holt, Missouri on June 22, 1947 when it rained 12 inches in just 42 minutes. This averages to over 1/4 of an inch of rainfall per minute
  • During the winter of 1924, a major rain, sleet, and snow storm prevailed over Missouri. Three-fourths of the state was covered by a solid sheet of ice for two weeks

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