April is rainy season in the United States. Different places around the world have different rainy seasons. Let’s take a look at the rainiest place in the world. Then, let’s look at the driest.
Mawsynram is in the state of Meghalaya, India. It is known as the rainiest place on Earth. It rains an average of 467 inches a year there. The most rain it ever received was in 1985. It rained 1,000 inches. This set a world record for rainfall in a year. While it rains almost every day in Mawsynram, it is rainiest there from June to October. People in Mawsynram have adapted to life with so much rain. They grow grass on their roofs to stop the constant sound of raindrops. They weave bridges out of roots that absorb water and can withstand the rain.
Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest place in the world. It only receives an average of .03 inches of rainfall per year. It is so dry, NASA scientists study the Atacama Desert. They hope it will give them clues about life on other planets. When it does rain in the Atacama Desert, it is usually between January and March. Despite the lack of water, communities still manage to live in the Atacama Desert. They use fog catchers to take vapor out of the air. They use this for drinking water and agriculture.
What Do You Think? How rainy is it where you live? Find out how many inches of rain your community gets. Compare it to the Atamaca Desert and Meghalaya, India? How much drier is it in Atamaca Desert? How much wetter is it in Meghalaya, India?
Photo Credits: Top: Amit Rane/ephotocorp/Alamy Stock Photo; Bottom: Nathaniel Frey/iStock/Getty Images
