Driest Cities in the United States

The ten driest cities in the United States as measured by average annual rainfall. The list is dominated by southwestern cities with both Arizona and Nevada having 3 cities on the list while California has two and Colorado and Texas has one city each.

Driest Cities in the United States

1) Yuma, Arizona - 2.65 inches of annual rainfall

Yuma, Arizona tops the list as the driest city in the United States as it receives just 2.65 inches of rain per year on average. Not only is Yuma the driest city in the USA it is also the sunniest city in the United States and the world. Yuma is located in southwestern Arizona and has a population of 90,000.

2) Las Vegas, Nevada - 4.19 inches

The so called Entertainment Capital of the World city of Las Vegas ranks 2nd with just 4.19 inches of annual average rainfall. Las Vegas is the 28th most populous city in the United States with a population of 570,000 in the city itself and 1.8 million people in the greater Las Vegas area.

3) Bishop, California - 5.61 inches

Bishop, California is located in eastern California north of Death Valley National Park and ranks 3rd on the list of driest cities in the United States with 5.61 inches of average annual rain. Some 3,500 people live in Bishop.

4) Bakersfield, California - 5.72 inches

Bakersfield is located in south-central California about 100 miles north of Los Angeles and ranks 4th on the list with 5.72 inches of yearly average rainfall. Over 800,000 live in the greater metro Bakersfield area which makes the city the 63rd largest metropolitan area in the country.

5) Phoenix, Arizona - 7.11 inches

Phoenix is the capital city of Arizona and one of the largest cities in the United States with a population of 1.6 million in the city itself and 4.3 million people in the greater metro area. The large population is due in no small part to the sunny dry warm weather in Phoenix and with just 7.11 inches of average annual rain Phoenix is the 5th driest city in the United States.

6) Alamosa, Colorado - 7.13 inches

Alamosa is located in the south-central part of Colorado in the San Luis Valley and ranks 6th on the list with 7.13 inches of average yearly rain. Alamosa has an elevation of 7,500 feet and a population of 8,000.

7) Reno, Nevada - 7.49 inches

The Biggest Little City in the World as Reno is sometimes called ranks 7th with annual yearly rainfall of 7.49 inches. Reno is 4th largest city in Nevada with a population of 340,000 people in the greater Reno area.

8) Winslow, Arizona - 7.64 inches

The Eagles must have been standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona because of its great dry weather as Winslow ranks 8th on the list of driest cities in the United States with 7.64 inches of average rain per year. Winslow is located in central Arizona about 70 miles east of Flagstaff and has a population of about 10,000.

9) El Paso, Texas - 7.82 inches

El Paso is located in the extreme western portion of Texas and ranks 9th on the list with 7.82 inches of average yearly rain. El Paso is well known for its dry climate. It is the 6th largest city in Texas and the 22nd largest city in the United States with a population of 670,000 in the city and 750,000 in the metro area.

10) Winnemucca, Nevada - 7.822

Winnemucca, Nevada rounds out the list with 7.822 inches of yearly rainfall on average. Winnemucca is located in north-central Nevada right along Route 80 and has a population of 7,200.

Sources: http://web2.airmail.net/danb1/usrecords.htm