Raleigh - Extreme Daily Precipitation for Each Year

This page lists the biggest rainstorms or snowstorms of the year in Raleigh, North Carolina along with the date they occurred. The information answers questions like: When was the last time more than five inches of precipitation landed on Raleigh in a single day? What was the rainiest day of 2019?

The list gives the highest daily precipitation for each year in Raleigh and the date that it happened. A date with a plus sign beside it means the same amount of moisture also fell on at least one other day earlier that year.

These records go back to 1893, with a few years missing data. During that time the heaviest downpour measured for a single day was 6.45 inches (163.8 millimetres) on October 8, 2016.

Since 1945 the precipitation extremes were observed at Raleigh—Durham International Airport. Before then, the weather station was at Raleigh State University.

Most precipitation in one day for recent years in Raleigh
Inches Date Milli­metres
2.85 December 17, 2023   72.4
3.35 September 30, 2022   85.1
4.96 October 09, 2021   126.0
2.94 November 12, 2020   74.7
1.98 April 08, 2019 50.3
3.31 April 15, 2018 84.1
4.51 April 24, 2017 114.6
6.45 October 08, 2016 163.8
2.10 June 18, 2015 53.3
4.21 July 15, 2014 106.9
5.14 June 07, 2013 130.6
2.08 August 19, 2012 52.8
4.31 August 06, 2011 109.5
2.30 May 17, 2010 58.4
Highest daily precipitation recorded at Raleigh each year
Inches Date Milli­metres
2.97 November 11, 2009 75.4
4.72 September 06, 2008 119.9
2.19 October 26, 2007 55.6
5.64 June 14, 2006 143.3
2.08 July 28, 2005 + 52.8
2.82 July 29, 2004 71.6
1.98 August 15, 2003 50.3
5.33 October 11, 2002 135.4
2.45 July 27, 2001 62.2
2.31 August 01, 2000 58.7
4.84 September 05, 1999 122.9
3.03 August 16, 1998 77.0
4.18 July 24, 1997 106.2
4.96 September 06, 1996 126.0
4.05 October 04, 1995 102.9
3.64 October 14, 1994 92.5
2.08 April 05, 1993 52.8
3.78 August 12, 1992 96.0
2.67 July 11, 1991 67.8
2.65 March 29, 1990 67.3
2.51 August 17, 1989 63.8
1.71 April 19, 1988 43.4
3.44 August 31, 1987 87.4
4.18 August 20, 1986 106.2
1.97 November 21, 1985 50.0
3.01 January 10, 1984 76.5
3.17 March 18, 1983 80.5
2.82 June 10, 1982 71.6
2.04 October 25, 1981 51.8
3.35 June 25, 1980 85.1
2.49 September 05, 1979 63.2
3.37 April 26, 1978 85.6
2.60 September 08, 1977 66.0
2.75 September 10, 1976 69.9
3.12 November 12, 1975 79.2
1.57 January 28, 1974 39.9
3.22 February 02, 1973 81.8
2.70 September 29, 1972 68.6
2.64 October 01, 1971 67.1
2.21 July 10, 1970 56.1
2.21 September 20, 1969 + 56.1
1.96 July 11, 1968 49.8
3.34 June 18, 1967 84.8
1.80 September 19, 1966 45.7
2.29 June 12, 1965 58.2
2.95 August 31, 1964 74.9
4.55 November 06, 1963 115.6
3.80 November 09, 1962 96.5
1.90 August 20, 1961 48.3
2.60 July 29, 1960 66.0
2.99 August 30, 1959 75.9
2.99 December 28, 1958 75.9
4.33 May 11, 1957 110.0
2.31 September 26, 1956 58.7
4.12 August 17, 1955 104.6
4.04 October 15, 1954 102.6
2.68 September 27, 1953 68.1
3.52 August 31, 1952 89.4
1.51 August 22, 1951 38.4
3.00 May 14, 1950 76.2
2.83 August 28, 1949 71.9
2.15 September 29, 1948 54.6
3.97 October 28, 1947 100.8
3.02 May 26, 1946 76.7
3.59 September 15, 1945 91.2
1944
1943
1942
1941
1940
3.00 August 18, 1939 76.2
2.56 September 19, 1938 65.0
2.31 April 25, 1937 58.7
2.90 July 30, 1936 73.7
3.28 August 20, 1935 83.3
3.96 November 29, 1934 100.6
2.64 April 16, 1933 67.1
3.56 May 27, 1932 90.4
4.83 July 04, 1931 122.7
1.58 July 23, 1930 40.1
5.96 October 01, 1929 151.4
3.32 September 18, 1928 84.3
2.41 September 01, 1927 61.2
1.97 July 24, 1926 50.0
1.95 August 04, 1925 49.5
2.10 June 29, 1924 53.3
2.74 September 22, 1923 69.6
2.48 August 16, 1922 63.0
1921
3.89 November 16, 1920 98.8
2.15 August 30, 1919 54.6
2.08 April 20, 1918 52.8
3.41 October 30, 1917 86.6
2.52 July 24, 1916 64.0
5.27 August 03, 1915 133.9
3.05 July 14, 1914 77.5
2.79 September 03, 1913 70.9
1.93 April 22, 1912 49.0
1.59 October 17, 1911 40.4
2.55 April 17, 1910 64.8
2.74 June 17, 1909 69.6
5.70 August 24, 1908 144.8
2.63 June 13, 1907 66.8
2.03 September 23, 1906 51.6
2.89 August 09, 1905 73.4
3.04 September 14, 1904 77.2
2.92 July 28, 1903 74.2
1.53 February 02, 1902 38.9
2.95 May 22, 1901 74.9
2.29 July 27, 1900 58.2
2.50 April 07, 1899 63.5
3.21 May 16, 1898 81.5
2.09 April 09, 1897 53.1
2.89 February 06, 1896 73.4
2.30 April 08, 1895 58.4
3.97 October 09, 1894 100.8
2.68 August 28, 1893 68.1
Reference

Jay Lawrimore. 2016. Global Summary of the Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 

Raleigh - Extremes
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