(Stacker) — During the past winter, parts of California experienced massive amounts of rain and snow. Though it momentarily eased the frequent drought periods that had been affecting the state, the surge in rainfall flooded roads, knocked out power, and broke levees. Fueled by multiple converging atmospheric rivers, the state’s infrastructure was not able to capture all of the excess water, meaning water shortages could again return during future dry spells.

Climate change can both intensify rainfall and also extend droughts. Warmer temperatures increase rates of evaporation, pulling more water from the ocean and causing more precipitation overall. Data indicates single-day precipitation extremes are happening more frequently. Conversely, more evaporation also dries out surface water and soil, leaving less fresh water available. Even as the moist air from oceans and other sources returns to land as rain, sleet, or snow, inconsistent wind patterns and currents mean it isn’t distributed evenly. That’s why even as some counties experienced their wettest year on record, others experienced their driest.

Nationwide, 43% of counties reported precipitation over the past year greater than their long-term average. A 1,000-year event dumped 25 inches of rainfall over 24 hours in Fort Lauderdale on April 13. Nevada desert regions experienced thunderstorms and heavy rain in June. Severe weather through the mid-Atlantic in August brought tennis ball-sized hail to West Virginia and softball-sized hail and flash flooding in Maryland.

Using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, Stacker identified counties in New York that received the most precipitation from September 2022 to August 2023 compared to their average annual precipitation from 1901 to 2000. In the case of a tie, the amount of precipitation over the past year served as a tiebreaker.

Read on to see which counties reported more precipitation over the past year than usual.

50. Genesee County

Precipitation over the past year: 37.4 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 3.4 inches above average (#31 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 9.7 inches below statewide average

49. New York County

Precipitation over the past year: 48.6 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 3.7 inches above average (#40 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.5 inches above statewide average

48. Rockland County

Precipitation over the past year: 50.5 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 3.7 inches above average (#43 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.3 inches above statewide average

47. Bronx County

Precipitation over the past year: 48.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 3.8 inches above average (#43 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.7 inches above statewide average

46. Putnam County

Precipitation over the past year: 50.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.0 inches above average (#36 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.6 inches above statewide average

45. Orleans County

Precipitation over the past year: 36.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.3 inches above average (#26 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 10.4 inches below statewide average

44. Delaware County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.0 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.4 inches above average (#37 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.2 inches below statewide average

43. Chautauqua County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.1 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 4.5 inches above average (#24 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.0 inches above statewide average

42. Monroe County

Precipitation over the past year: 36.9 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.0 inches above average (#21 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 10.3 inches below statewide average

41. Schoharie County

Precipitation over the past year: 43.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.0 inches above average (#24 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.5 inches below statewide average

40. Yates County

Precipitation over the past year: 37.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.2 inches above average (#26 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 9.8 inches below statewide average

39. Dutchess County

Precipitation over the past year: 49.0 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.4 inches above average (#31 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.9 inches above statewide average

38. Niagara County

Precipitation over the past year: 37.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.5 inches above average (#17 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 9.4 inches below statewide average

37. Oswego County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.6 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.5 inches above average (#28 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.4 inches above statewide average

36. Cortland County

Precipitation over the past year: 46.6 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.5 inches above average (#24 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.5 inches below statewide average

35. Greene County

Precipitation over the past year: 48.4 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.6 inches above average (#31 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.2 inches above statewide average

34. Schuyler County

Precipitation over the past year: 39.4 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.7 inches above average (#21 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 7.7 inches below statewide average

33. Ontario County

Precipitation over the past year: 38.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 5.9 inches above average (#18 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 8.9 inches below statewide average

32. Chemung County

Precipitation over the past year: 40.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.2 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 6.3 inches below statewide average

31. Seneca County

Precipitation over the past year: 39.6 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.2 inches above average (#18 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 7.6 inches below statewide average

30. Tompkins County

Precipitation over the past year: 43.2 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.6 inches above average (#22 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.9 inches below statewide average

29. St. Lawrence County

Precipitation over the past year: 45.2 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.8 inches above average (#13 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.9 inches below statewide average

28. Washington County

Precipitation over the past year: 44.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.8 inches above average (#17 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.4 inches below statewide average

27. Saratoga County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.9 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 6.9 inches above average (#20 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.7 inches above statewide average

26. Oneida County

Precipitation over the past year: 52.1 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.0 inches above average (#18 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 5.0 inches above statewide average

25. Cayuga County

Precipitation over the past year: 44.0 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.0 inches above average (#16 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.1 inches below statewide average

24. Onondaga County

Precipitation over the past year: 45.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.4 inches above average (#15 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.3 inches below statewide average

23. Madison County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.8 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.4 inches above average (#16 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.7 inches above statewide average

22. Erie County

Precipitation over the past year: 45.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.5 inches above average (#9 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.4 inches below statewide average

21. Tioga County

Precipitation over the past year: 44.5 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.6 inches above average (#15 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.6 inches below statewide average

20. Lewis County

Precipitation over the past year: 53.1 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.8 inches above average (#15 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 6.0 inches above statewide average

19. Montgomery County

Precipitation over the past year: 46.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.8 inches above average (#14 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.8 inches below statewide average

18. Schenectady County

Precipitation over the past year: 45.0 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.9 inches above average (#12 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.2 inches below statewide average

17. Otsego County

Precipitation over the past year: 49.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.9 inches above average (#16 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.1 inches above statewide average

16. Ulster County

Precipitation over the past year: 55.2 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 7.9 inches above average (#19 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 8.0 inches above statewide average

15. Rensselaer County

Precipitation over the past year: 47.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.0 inches above average (#18 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 0.1 inches above statewide average

14. Fulton County

Precipitation over the past year: 53.9 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.3 inches above average (#14 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 6.7 inches above statewide average

13. Albany County

Precipitation over the past year: 45.6 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.3 inches above average (#13 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.6 inches below statewide average

12. Chenango County

Precipitation over the past year: 49.5 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.4 inches above average (#16 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.3 inches above statewide average

11. Herkimer County

Precipitation over the past year: 55.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 8.9 inches above average (#9 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 8.6 inches above statewide average

10. Orange County

Precipitation over the past year: 52.9 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.3 inches above average (#17 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 5.8 inches above statewide average

9. Warren County

Precipitation over the past year: 51.5 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.5 inches above average (#10 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 4.3 inches above statewide average

8. Jefferson County

Precipitation over the past year: 48.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 9.5 inches above average (#8 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.2 inches above statewide average

7. Clinton County

Precipitation over the past year: 44.4 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.0 inches above average (#7 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 2.7 inches below statewide average

6. Columbia County

Precipitation over the past year: 50.5 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.0 inches above average (#12 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.3 inches above statewide average

5. Broome County

Precipitation over the past year: 49.0 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.1 inches above average (#12 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 1.9 inches above statewide average

4. Sullivan County

Precipitation over the past year: 55.9 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 10.3 inches above average (#13 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 8.8 inches above statewide average

3. Franklin County

Precipitation over the past year: 50.3 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 11.3 inches above average (#5 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 3.2 inches above statewide average

2. Hamilton County

Precipitation over the past year: 59.1 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 12.2 inches above average (#5 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 11.9 inches above statewide average

1. Essex County

Precipitation over the past year: 55.7 inches
Comparison to 1901-2000 average: 14.8 inches above average (#3 rainiest September-August period since 1895)
Comparison to state’s precipitation over past year: 8.6 inches above statewide averageThis story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 44 states.