Average Monthly Rainfall by ZIP Code Map
When the rain falls matters as much as how much you get. Two places with the same yearly total can garden very differently — one with steady rain all year, the other soaked in winter and bone-dry by July. This map shows your average rainfall month by month for your ZIP code, so you can see your wet and dry seasons and plan watering around them.
How to use the map: enter your ZIP code in the search box below, or click the map, to see the average rainfall for each month in inches. The chart prints each month’s value, marks your wettest and driest months, and shows the yearly total. Use the pattern to spot your driest stretch — the time of year your plants will lean hardest on you for water. If the site already has your ZIP code, the map opens with it filled in. One ZIP fills in every layer at once, so you can switch tabs to compare frost, heat or rainfall without searching again.
Monthly Rainfall
Average rainfall by month
Monthly Rainfall
Monthly rainfall figures on this map are calculated from a 30-year average of climate data from 1991 to 2020, which gives you a stable baseline rather than one unusual year. Treat each month as a normal range; any single month can come in far wetter or drier. Adjust for your microclimate, since slope, rain shadow, and soil all change how much water actually reaches the root zone.
Monthly rainfall is one climate filter. Pair it with your average annual rainfall, AHS heat zone, and USDA hardiness zone for the full picture before ordering plants.
What Is Average Monthly Rainfall?
Average monthly rainfall is the typical precipitation a location receives in each calendar month, in inches, averaged over decades. Laid out across the year, it reveals your rainfall pattern — whether your climate is evenly watered, summer-wet, winter-wet, or marked by a sharp dry season.
Why Monthly Rainfall Tells You More Than the Annual Total
An annual rainfall number tells you the size of the bucket; the monthly pattern tells you when it gets filled. A 40-inch climate that delivers most of its rain in winter leaves a long, dry summer your garden has to survive on irrigation, while a 40-inch climate with steady summer storms barely needs the hose. The monthly view is what actually drives your watering schedule.
Which Months Get the Most Rain?
It depends entirely on your region. Much of the eastern United States is fairly even or summer-peaked; the West Coast is strongly winter-wet with dry summers; the Southwest sees a summer monsoon; and the Gulf Coast is wet much of the year. The chart above shows your own pattern so you do not have to guess — look for the tallest bars (your wettest months) and the shortest (the dry season to plan around).
How to Use Monthly Rainfall When Choosing Plants
- Find your dry season. The shortest bars are when plants depend on you most — size your irrigation and mulch for that stretch.
- Match plants to the pattern. Mediterranean and dry-summer plants suit winter-wet climates; moisture-lovers want steady year-round rain or regular watering.
- Time planting to the rain. Setting out new plants just before your wettest months gives roots the best free start.
- Remember soil and drainage. A wet month on sandy soil still drains fast; the same rain on clay can stay soggy.
How Accurate Is a Monthly Rainfall Map?
It is a strong regional estimate, but every month varies year to year, and local terrain — a rain shadow, a coastline, an urban heat island — can shift your real numbers. Use the pattern for planning and confirm with a nearby weather station or your own rain gauge for irrigation design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is average monthly rainfall?
It is the typical amount of precipitation a location receives in each month of the year, measured in inches and averaged over about 30 years. Together, the months show your rainfall pattern across the seasons.
Which month has the most rain in my area?
Use the map and ZIP lookup above — your wettest and driest months are different from the next region over. The tallest bars are your rainiest months; the shortest mark the dry season to plan watering around.
Why does monthly rainfall matter more than the yearly total?
Because timing drives watering. Two areas with the same annual total can have completely different gardens if one has steady rain and the other has a long dry season. The monthly pattern tells you when your plants will need help.
How much should I water during my dry months?
Enough to make up the gap between what your plants need and what falls from the sky. The map shows your low-rainfall months; in those stretches, deep, infrequent watering plus mulch usually keeps established plants healthy.
How accurate is a monthly rainfall map?
It is a solid 30-year average, but any single month can run much wetter or drier, and local terrain shifts the real numbers. Use it for planning and check a local station or rain gauge for precise irrigation.
Sources and Further Reading
- Food Forest Nursery’s own calculation from 1991–2020 gridded precipitation data — the monthly base data behind this map. Lower 48 states: gridMET daily precipitation; Alaska and Hawaii: Daymet V4 R1 monthly precipitation; both on a grid of about 4 km (2.5 miles). For each calendar month we total the precipitation, counting snow as its water equivalent, then average that month across the 30 years.
- NOAA regional precipitation patterns — context for seasonal rainfall across the U.S.
Next step: match your rainfall pattern to plants that fit your whole climate. Use the Plant Finder, or pair this with the annual rainfall map, heat zone map, and hardiness zone map. Pair it with the average monthly temperature map.