By NOAA's count, the cloudiest place in the US is Cold Bay, Alaska, with about 304 cloudy days a year. In the lower 48 states, the cloudiest spot is the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire (244), and the cloudiest towns sit on the Pacific Northwest coast, with Quillayute, Washington and Astoria, Oregon at 239 each. Seattle (226) and Portland (222) are close behind, and both get more cloudy days than Buffalo, Pittsburgh or Cleveland.
These figures come from NOAA's Comparative Climatic Data, which counts the average number of clear, partly cloudy and cloudy days a year at weather stations across the country. Here is how the cloudiest places compare.
What is the cloudiest city in the US?
Cold Bay, a small community on the Alaska Peninsula, tops NOAA's table with about 304 cloudy days a year and only 10 clear ones. Alaska holds most of the top spots. Juneau, the state capital, averages about 280 cloudy days, and Anchorage about 239. Coastal Alaska sits under almost constant cloud from the North Pacific and the Bering Sea.
Which US places have the most cloudy days?
These are the 20 weather stations in the 50 states that average 215 or more cloudy days a year. Places with the same number share a rank.
| Rank | Place | Cloudy days a year | Clear days a year | Years of record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cold Bay, Alaska | 304 | 10 | 42 |
| 2 | St. Paul Island, Alaska | 287 | 18 | 66 |
| 3 | Juneau, Alaska | 280 | 44 | 47 |
| 4 | Yakutat, Alaska | 278 | 41 | 48 |
| 5 | Annette, Alaska | 265 | 40 | 41 |
| 6 | Valdez, Alaska | 251 | 57 | 26 |
| 7 | King Salmon, Alaska | 245 | 51 | 42 |
| 8 | Mount Washington, New Hampshire | 244 | 44 | 73 |
| 9 | Quillayute, Washington | 239 | 51 | 29 |
| 9 | Astoria, Oregon | 239 | 50 | 40 |
| 9 | Bethel, Alaska | 239 | 62 | 34 |
| 9 | Anchorage, Alaska | 239 | 61 | 44 |
| 13 | Kodiak, Alaska | 232 | 59 | 25 |
| 14 | Olympia, Washington | 228 | 52 | 54 |
| 15 | Seattle, Washington | 226 | 58 | 51 |
| 15 | McGrath, Alaska | 226 | 67 | 55 |
| 17 | Homer, Alaska | 225 | 65 | 15 |
| 17 | Talkeetna, Alaska | 225 | 67 | 10 |
| 19 | Portland, Oregon | 222 | 68 | 47 |
| 20 | Unalakleet, Alaska | 215 | 83 | 4 |
Some stations have short records. Unalakleet has only 4 years and Talkeetna 10, so treat those two with care.
What is the cloudiest city in the lower 48?
Leave Alaska out and only six stations average 215 cloudy days or more. Five of them are in Washington and Oregon.
| Place | Cloudy days a year | Clear days a year |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Washington, New Hampshire | 244 | 44 |
| Quillayute, Washington | 239 | 51 |
| Astoria, Oregon | 239 | 50 |
| Olympia, Washington | 228 | 52 |
| Seattle, Washington | 226 | 58 |
| Portland, Oregon | 222 | 68 |
Mount Washington is a mountain summit weather observatory rather than a town, so among places people actually live, the Pacific Northwest coast is the cloudiest corner of the lower 48. Quillayute is the weather station on Washington's Olympic coast, near La Push and Forks.
How do other grey cities compare?
The Great Lakes and the northern Appalachians have a reputation for grey skies, and the numbers back it up. They still fall short of the Pacific Northwest.
| Place | Cloudy days a year | Clear days a year |
|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, New York | 212 | 52 |
| Elkins, West Virginia | 212 | 48 |
| Buffalo, New York | 208 | 54 |
| Burlington, Vermont | 206 | 58 |
| Syracuse, New York | 205 | 63 |
| Erie, Pennsylvania | 205 | 63 |
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | 205 | 64 |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 203 | 59 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 202 | 66 |
| Chicago, Illinois | 176 | 84 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | 164 | 98 |
| New York City (Central Park) | 132 | 107 |
Is Seattle the cloudiest city in America?
No, though it is near the top. Seattle averages about 226 cloudy days a year and 58 clear ones. What makes it feel so grey is the winter. NOAA counts about 25 cloudy days in an average Seattle December and 24 in January, against 11 in July. Portland follows the same pattern, with about 26 cloudy days in December and 10 in July.
Cloudy is not the same as rainy. Seattle gets about 39 inches of rain a year, less than many East Coast cities, but it falls lightly on about 156 days under low cloud. The full month by month picture is on our Seattle and Portland Grey Index pages.
Which US cities have the fewest cloudy days?
The desert Southwest. Yuma, Arizona averages about 242 clear days a year, roughly four times as many as Seattle.
| Place | Cloudy days a year | Clear days a year |
|---|---|---|
| Yuma, Arizona | 52 | 242 |
| Phoenix, Arizona | 70 | 211 |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | 73 | 210 |
| San Diego, California | 102 | 146 |
How does NOAA count a cloudy day?
NOAA sorts each day by its average sky cover during daylight hours. A day is clear when cloud covers 0 to 3/10 of the sky, partly cloudy at 4/10 to 7/10 and cloudy at 8/10 to 10/10. The figures are averages over each station's period of record, which is why the years of record are shown above. Clear, partly cloudy and cloudy days add up to the whole year.
Why do cloudy days matter?
Fewer clear days means less strong sunlight reaching you. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that "clouds, smog, old age, and having dark-colored skin reduce the amount of vitamin D your skin makes" (NIH ODS). Our guide to vitamin D in Pacific Northwest winters covers how much adults need and where to get it.
FAQ
What is the cloudiest city in the US?
By NOAA's count, Cold Bay, Alaska, with about 304 cloudy days a year. Juneau, Alaska's capital, has about 280. In the lower 48 the cloudiest station is the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire (244), and the cloudiest towns are Quillayute, Washington and Astoria, Oregon, at 239 each.
Is Seattle the cloudiest city in America?
No. Seattle averages about 226 cloudy days a year, which puts it behind several Alaska towns, Mount Washington and its Pacific Northwest neighbours Quillayute, Astoria and Olympia. It is still cloudier than Buffalo (208), Pittsburgh (203) or Cleveland (202).
Which US cities have the fewest cloudy days?
Desert cities in the Southwest. Yuma, Arizona averages about 52 cloudy days a year, Phoenix 70 and Las Vegas 73.
How does NOAA decide a day is cloudy?
A day counts as cloudy when cloud covers 8/10 or more of the sky on average during daylight hours. Clear means 0 to 3/10 and partly cloudy means 4/10 to 7/10.
Ray™'s take: If you live somewhere near the top of this list, you already know the forecast. Plan your day around it with our Morning, Afternoon and Evening lineups, and see more grey cities in The Grey Index, including London.
Sources and method
Cloudy, partly cloudy and clear days: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Comparative Climatic Data, table of mean number of days clear, partly cloudy and cloudy (data file), annual means over each station's period of record, read on 10 November 2026. Rainfall and days with rain for Seattle: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Sea-Tac Airport. This page is for education and is not medical advice.