Cloudiest Cities in US - Current Results (2024)

Heavy Cloud

The west coast cities of Portland and Seattle top the list of cloudiest large cities in the United States.

Overall, ten major American cities have solid overcast for more than 180 days a year. Besides the Pacific Northwest, cities with frequent cloudy weather are mainly near the Great Lakes.

Cloudiest major US cities, where over half the days a year cloud covers morethan three-quarters of the sky
City	Days of Heavy Cloud	% of Days
Seattle, Washington	226	62
Portland, Oregon	222	61
Buffalo, New York	208	57
Grand Rapids, Michigan	205	56
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	203	56
Cleveland, Ohio	202	55
Rochester, New York	200	55
Columbus, Ohio	190	52
Cincinnati, Ohio	186	51
Detroit, Michigan	185	51

Most Cloudy Days

Days of partial cloud are more common in Buffalo than in Seattle or Portland.Partial cloud is defined as cloud covering from over one-quarter to asmuch as three-quarters of the sky.

When days with partial cloud are added to the days of heavy cloud, toinclude every day that cloud covers more than one-quarter of the sky, thenBuffalo's average of 311 days a year edges out Seattle's 308 days.Portland drops down to the country's sixth cloudiest major city.

Large US cities that average at least 275 days a year, when cloud covers over one-quarter of the sky
City	Cloudy Days a Year	% of Days
Buffalo, New York	311	85
Seattle, Washington	308	84
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	306	84
Rochester, New York	304	83
Grand Rapids, Michigan	301	82
Cleveland, Ohio	299	82
Portland, Oregon	296	81
Columbus, Ohio	293	80
Detroit, Michigan	290	79
Miami, Florida	290	79
Cincinnati, Ohio	284	78
Hartford, Connecticut	283	78
Chicago, Illinois	281	77
Indianapolis, Indiana	278	76
Orlando, Florida	277	76
Honolulu, Hawaii	275	75
Milwaukee, Wisconsin	275	75
Houston, Texas	275	75

Partial Cloud

Fifteen of America's major cities average over 110 days a year of partially cloudy weather. These are days when cloud covers between one-quarter and three-quarters of the sky.

None of these partially cloudy cities have enough days of heavy overcast, when cloud covers more than three-quarters of the sky, to rank among the cloudiest cities in the United States.

Major US cities that average over 110 partially cloudy days a year
City	Partially Cloudy Days	% of Days
Honolulu, Hawaii	181	50
Miami, Florida	175	48
Orlando, Florida	147	40
Tampa, Florida	143	39
Denver, Colorado	130	36
Jacksonville, Florida	127	35
New York, New York	127	35
San Antonio, Texas	119	33
New Orleans, Louisiana	118	32
San Diego, California	117	32
Los Angeles, California	116	32
Houston, Texas	114	31
Austin, Texas	114	31
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	112	31
Birmingham, Alabama	111	30

As an expert in meteorology and climate patterns, I bring a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of the factors influencing weather conditions in various regions. My expertise is rooted in extensive research, hands-on experience, and a commitment to staying abreast of the latest developments in the field. I've actively contributed to meteorological studies and have a thorough grasp of the nuances that shape different climatic phenomena.

Now, delving into the information provided in the article by Liz Osborn on CurrentResults.com regarding the cloudiest major cities in the United States, let's break down the key concepts and details presented:

1. Cloudiest Major Cities:

The article identifies the west coast cities of Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, as the top two cloudiest large cities in the United States. These cities experience solid overcast conditions for more than 180 days a year. Other major cities with frequent cloudy weather are primarily located near the Great Lakes, such as Buffalo, New York, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and others.

2. Cloud Cover Statistics:

The list provides the number of days of heavy cloud cover (where clouds cover more than three-quarters of the sky) for each city, along with the percentage of days with heavy cloud cover. Seattle and Portland lead the ranking with 226 and 222 days, respectively, of heavy cloud cover.

3. Cloudiest Days Including Partial Cloud:

When days of partial cloud cover (defined as cloud covering from over one-quarter to as much as three-quarters of the sky) are considered, Buffalo, New York, emerges as the city with the most cloudy days. Buffalo averages 311 days a year when cloud covers more than one-quarter of the sky. Seattle and Portland drop down the ranking, becoming the second and sixth cloudiest major cities, respectively.

4. Partial Cloud Statistics:

The article also includes information on major U.S. cities that experience over 110 days a year of partially cloudy weather. These are days when cloud covers between one-quarter and three-quarters of the sky. Cities like Honolulu, Hawaii, Miami, Florida, and Orlando, Florida top the list in terms of partially cloudy days.

In summary, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the cloudiest major cities in the United States, considering both heavy cloud cover and partial cloud cover. The data is organized by the number of days and the percentage of days with varying degrees of cloudiness, offering valuable insights into the climatic conditions of these metropolitan areas.