Rain totals by ZIP code
Where the numbers come from
Airport weather stations send an hourly report called a METAR; we read them from NOAA's Aviation Weather Center. Its remarks include a rain group: according to the National Weather Service ASOS User's Guide, "Prrrr" is all precipitation since the last hourly report in hundredths of an inch, "P0000" means only a trace fell, and no group at all normally means no precipitation (the ASOS User's Guide notes the group is also left out when the rain sensors have a problem). We add up those hourly groups for the last 1, 6 and 24 hours. When the gauge data for an hour were missing, the station sends "PNO"; we show that hour as missing and count it as no rain.
Snow and freezing rain count too: the NWS says the ASOS tipping bucket is heated so it melts frozen precipitation and measures it as liquid, so a snowy day shows up as liquid inches.
Why your own rain gauge may show a different number
- Distance: the nearest NWS station is often at an airport, miles from your yard. Rain, and especially thunderstorm rain, can change a lot over a few miles.
- Time window: this tool counts the 24 hours up to the newest hourly report. A gauge you empty every morning counts from morning to morning.
- Gauge and placement: wind, trees and a roof edge can make a backyard gauge catch too little or too much. Our page how rainfall is measured explains the common errors.
Want the rain at your exact address? A rain gauge or a home weather station with a rain sensor measures your own yard. Our rain gauges page and weather station quiz help you choose.
Quick answers
How much rain did we get last night?
Enter your ZIP code above: the chart shows the rain per hour for the last 24 hours, so you can read off the night hours. Times are shown in UTC, the time used in the station reports.
Is 1 inch of rain a lot?
In many places, yes, for a single day (our reading). Whether it is "a lot" depends on how fast it fell and what is normal where you live; see is that a lot of rain?
What does "Trace" mean?
Rain fell, but less than 0.01 inch, the smallest amount the gauge records. The station reports this as P0000.
Why does it say no complete rain record?
Not every station reports rain, and some miss hourly reports. The tool tries the three nearest stations and only shows a 24-hour total when at least 18 of the last 24 hourly reports have gauge data.
Does it work outside the U.S.?
No. It uses U.S. ZIP codes and National Weather Service stations only.
More live data: barometric pressure today.
Sources: NOAA Aviation Weather Center Data API (station reports) · National Weather Service API (nearest stations) · NWS: ASOS heated tipping bucket · NWS ASOS User's Guide (hourly precipitation remark) · U.S. Census Bureau: Gazetteer Files (ZCTA)
