The subject of temperature variability has always been a popular topic among people who like to talk about the weather. The quip, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few hours," is a popular one in areas where the weather changes frequently.
But exactly how much does the weather change from one day to the next? Where are the places where it changes a lot, and where are the places where it doesn't? Before now, it was hard to quantify those answers. But with the tables we've created below, it's easy to see.
Click on the links below to view the tables for the daily change in high temperature, low temperature, and precipitation in each of our 990 monitored United States locations.
The following table ranks how much precipitation changed day-to-day in 2023 in each of the 990 locations we monitor. The more changeable the weather is, the higher the rank. Locations with little changeability are ranked lower in this list. Occasionally, a city will be listed more than once. This occurs because the city is big enough to have multiple observation locations, and each location may experience different weather.
The "Precip Change" column is what the ranking is based on, and is based on the percentage of days that change from dry to precipitation, and vice versa. The more it rains or snows one day, and then not the next, and vice versa, the higher the rank. Desert areas where it is almost always dry, or wet areas where it almost always rains, are ranked lower.
The "Precip to Dry" column reflects the percentage of days that are dry following a wet (precipitation) day. The percentage of wet days following a wet day is the "Precip to Precip" column. "Dry to Dry" is the percentage of days that are dry following a dry day. Finally, "Dry to Precip" is the percentage of dry days that are followed by a precipitation day.
Rank | Zip | City | Precip Change | Precip to Dry |
Precip to Precip | Dry to Dry | Dry to Precip |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 99712 | Prudhoe Bay, AK | 52.04% | 84.47% | 15.53% | 87.22% | 12.78% |
2 | 99709 | Utqiagvik, AK | 45.79% | 59.00% | 41.00% | 81.44% | 18.56% |
3 | 99611 | Kenai, AK | 44.41% | 72.73% | 27.27% | 83.92% | 16.08% |
4 | 99780 | Northway, AK | 43.62% | 86.36% | 13.64% | 94.00% | 6.00% |
5 | 99709 | Bettles, AK | 41.50% | 56.52% | 43.48% | 83.64% | 16.36% |
6 | 99737 | Fort Greely, AK | 40.41% | 65.96% | 34.04% | 83.44% | 16.56% |
7 | 35401 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 38.69% | 60.38% | 39.62% | 75.00% | 25.00% |
8 | 99760 | Kotzebue, AK | 38.43% | 46.20% | 53.80% | 71.54% | 28.46% |
9 | 99615 | King Salmon, AK | 37.68% | 38.95% | 61.05% | 64.29% | 35.71% |
10 | 99688 | Nome, AK | 36.65% | 41.44% | 58.56% | 72.00% | 28.00% |
11 | 99588 | Glennallen, AK | 36.49% | 50.34% | 49.66% | 78.26% | 21.74% |
12 | 35007 | Calera, AL | 36.00% | 58.33% | 41.67% | 78.44% | 21.56% |
13 | 99501 | Anchorage, AK | 35.83% | 51.12% | 48.88% | 83.22% | 16.78% |
14 | 99775 | Fairbanks, AK | 35.52% | 49.70% | 50.30% | 84.30% | 15.70% |
15 | 36695 | Mobile, AL | 35.40% | 57.47% | 42.53% | 74.87% | 25.13% |
16 | 99639 | Bethel, AK | 35.33% | 35.78% | 64.22% | 65.63% | 34.38% |
17 | 72801 | Russellville, AR | 35.29% | 61.18% | 38.82% | 76.47% | 23.53% |
18 | 99603 | Seldovia, AK | 35.25% | 37.57% | 62.43% | 69.07% | 30.93% |
19 | 99603 | Homer, AK | 34.95% | 40.48% | 59.52% | 72.73% | 27.27% |
20 | 35212 | Birmingham, AL | 34.78% | 59.78% | 40.22% | 77.72% | 22.28% |
21 | 72718 | Bentonville, AR | 34.67% | 56.48% | 43.52% | 79.52% | 20.48% |
22 | 35813 | Madison, AL | 34.55% | 56.57% | 43.43% | 77.84% | 22.16% |
23 | 99827 | Skagway, AK | 34.18% | 39.29% | 60.71% | 73.83% | 26.17% |
24 | 99517 | Anchorage, AK | 34.02% | 42.86% | 57.14% | 76.97% | 23.03% |
25 | 72712 | Bentonville, AR | 33.58% | 55.56% | 44.44% | 79.07% | 20.93% |
26 | 71854 | Texarkana, AR | 33.58% | 56.38% | 43.62% | 78.33% | 21.67% |
27 | 72041 | Stuttgart, AR | 33.46% | 58.00% | 42.00% | 80.81% | 19.19% |
28 | 99517 | Anchorage, AK | 32.83% | 49.14% | 50.86% | 85.71% | 14.29% |
29 | 35661 | Muscle Shoals, AL | 32.72% | 53.85% | 46.15% | 77.90% | 22.10% |
30 | 99556 | Iliamna, AK | 32.61% | 42.38% | 57.62% | 79.20% | 20.80% |
31 | 72315 | Blytheville, AR | 32.47% | 59.30% | 40.70% | 80.00% | 20.00% |
32 | 72903 | Fort Smith, AR | 32.35% | 60.27% | 39.73% | 77.89% | 22.11% |
33 | 36201 | Oxford, AL | 32.13% | 54.00% | 46.00% | 80.23% | 19.77% |
34 | 99645 | Palmer, AK | 32.00% | 48.44% | 51.56% | 82.31% | 17.69% |
34 | 99676 | Talkeetna, AK | 32.00% | 41.46% | 58.54% | 81.98% | 18.02% |
34 | 36615 | Mobile, AL | 32.00% | 59.04% | 40.96% | 79.69% | 20.31% |
37 | 99615 | Kodiak, AK | 31.80% | 31.36% | 68.64% | 67.54% | 32.46% |
38 | 36081 | Troy, AL | 31.75% | 54.90% | 45.10% | 81.98% | 18.02% |
38 | 72701 | Fayetteville, AR | 31.75% | 57.14% | 42.86% | 80.87% | 19.13% |
40 | 72202 | Little Rock, AR | 31.02% | 57.50% | 42.50% | 79.90% | 20.10% |
41 | 99664 | Seward, AK | 30.58% | 34.97% | 65.03% | 77.89% | 22.11% |
42 | 71913 | Hot Springs, AR | 30.29% | 56.25% | 43.75% | 80.41% | 19.59% |
42 | 71730 | El Dorado, AR | 30.29% | 56.47% | 43.53% | 81.48% | 18.52% |
44 | 36303 | Midland City, AL | 30.18% | 58.02% | 41.98% | 81.44% | 18.56% |
45 | 36421 | Andalusia, AL | 29.93% | 56.99% | 43.01% | 83.98% | 16.02% |
46 | 36401 | Evergreen, AL | 29.82% | 56.84% | 43.16% | 84.44% | 15.56% |
47 | 72537 | Gassville, AR | 29.78% | 51.72% | 48.28% | 80.54% | 19.46% |
48 | 36108 | Montgomery, AL | 29.41% | 52.87% | 47.13% | 81.62% | 18.38% |
49 | 95521 | McKinleyville, CA | 29.15% | 40.19% | 59.81% | 78.05% | 21.95% |
50 | 71601 | Pine Bluff, AR | 28.94% | 47.56% | 52.44% | 79.06% | 20.94% |
51 | 99827 | Haines, AK | 28.77% | 32.80% | 67.20% | 78.79% | 21.21% |
52 | 99686 | Cordova, AK | 26.53% | 26.07% | 73.93% | 72.29% | 27.71% |
53 | 86001 | Flagstaff, AZ | 24.63% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 85.94% | 14.06% |
54 | 99901 | Ketchikan, AK | 24.04% | 22.45% | 77.55% | 72.53% | 27.47% |
55 | 99801 | Juneau, AK | 23.88% | 22.58% | 77.42% | 72.22% | 27.78% |
56 | 86046 | Grand Canyon Village, AZ | 23.53% | 47.73% | 52.27% | 88.04% | 11.96% |
57 | 86047 | Winslow, AZ | 23.08% | 74.60% | 25.40% | 92.38% | 7.62% |
58 | 94621 | Alameda, CA | 22.88% | 64.18% | 35.82% | 90.69% | 9.31% |
59 | 86036 | Page, AZ | 22.34% | 61.43% | 38.57% | 91.13% | 8.87% |
60 | 96067 | Mount Shasta, CA | 21.69% | 36.26% | 63.74% | 85.64% | 14.36% |
60 | 94589 | Napa, CA | 21.69% | 54.29% | 45.71% | 89.60% | 10.40% |
62 | 99615 | Cold Bay, AK | 20.61% | 16.60% | 83.40% | 55.81% | 44.19% |
63 | 86301 | Prescott, AZ | 20.51% | 57.81% | 42.19% | 90.91% | 9.09% |
64 | 99835 | Sitka, AK | 20.14% | 19.27% | 80.73% | 76.67% | 23.33% |
65 | 95961 | Olivehurst, CA | 19.93% | 52.38% | 47.62% | 89.90% | 10.10% |
66 | 95354 | Modesto, CA | 19.49% | 55.56% | 44.44% | 91.39% | 8.61% |
67 | 85546 | Safford, AZ | 19.19% | 79.49% | 20.51% | 90.95% | 9.05% |
68 | 85714 | Tucson, AZ | 19.05% | 65.31% | 34.69% | 91.07% | 8.93% |
69 | 93940 | Monterey, CA | 18.75% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 90.48% | 9.52% |
69 | 92106 | Coronado, CA | 18.75% | 57.58% | 42.42% | 93.69% | 6.31% |
71 | 94550 | Livermore, CA | 18.01% | 49.15% | 50.85% | 90.61% | 9.39% |
72 | 86409 | Kingman, AZ | 17.58% | 65.31% | 34.69% | 92.86% | 7.14% |
73 | 85621 | Nogales, AZ | 16.61% | 52.94% | 47.06% | 91.82% | 8.18% |
74 | 91504 | Burbank, CA | 15.75% | 56.00% | 44.00% | 93.27% | 6.73% |
75 | 85215 | Mesa, AZ | 15.50% | 69.44% | 30.56% | 92.77% | 7.23% |
76 | 92327 | Daggett, CA | 15.38% | 84.21% | 15.79% | 95.74% | 4.26% |
77 | 95343 | Merced, CA | 15.07% | 46.00% | 54.00% | 91.89% | 8.11% |
78 | 92833 | Fullerton, CA | 14.71% | 50.94% | 49.06% | 94.06% | 5.94% |
79 | 92363 | Needles, CA | 14.34% | 76.47% | 23.53% | 94.54% | 5.46% |
80 | 90007 | Los Angeles, CA | 14.02% | 50.00% | 50.00% | 93.33% | 6.67% |
81 | 93727 | Fresno, CA | 13.92% | 54.90% | 45.10% | 95.50% | 4.50% |
82 | 85055 | Phoenix, AZ | 13.55% | 75.86% | 24.14% | 93.85% | 6.15% |
82 | 91709 | Chino, CA | 13.55% | 45.10% | 54.90% | 93.69% | 6.31% |
84 | 85024 | Phoenix, AZ | 13.19% | 73.53% | 26.47% | 95.40% | 4.60% |
84 | 85260 | Scottsdale, AZ | 13.19% | 64.71% | 35.29% | 94.14% | 5.86% |
86 | 90250 | Inglewood, CA | 12.87% | 48.89% | 51.11% | 94.27% | 5.73% |
87 | 93301 | Bakersfield, CA | 12.50% | 47.92% | 52.08% | 95.09% | 4.91% |
88 | 93230 | Hanford, CA | 11.76% | 42.22% | 57.78% | 94.27% | 5.73% |
89 | 93534 | Lancaster, CA | 11.03% | 55.26% | 44.74% | 96.15% | 3.85% |
If this data feeds your inner weather geek, you'll probably be interested in the amazing amount of weather data available from ForecastWatch. Likewise, if you're looking to assess your own forecasting accuracy or would like to make more informed decisions about a weather provider you're considering or already use, we can provide data to help you.
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