As a native from the Pacific Northwest, I am no stranger to rain. According to KOMO News, Seattle averages only about 58 sunny days a year with. While it may seem at first that Seattle is the rainy capital of the world, it doesn't even come close. Seattle averages 37 inches of rain per year. New Orleans averages 64 inches per year. Seattle is tied with Portland, OR for 134th in the nation in terms of annual rainfall. New Orleans ranks at number 3.
Seattle often gets labeled as the rainiest place in the country and these assumptions are not far-fetched. In terms of annual cloudy days per year, Seattle easily makes the top five with 226 cloudy days per year (with most all the sunny days occupying the summer months). One might ask how New Orleans nearly doubles the statistics of the legendary rainy city and the answer falls with the rain itself.
It rains with a purpose in New Orleans
I must confess I did not know the meaning of the word until I moved to the Crescent City. A typically sunny day in New Orleans can easily convert into a torrential rainstorm within an hour or less. Instead of drizzling all day, it may rain like it's the end of the world for 20 minutes and match three weeks worth of rainfall in the major cities of the Northwest. Before embarking to New Orleans, be sure to take these bits of advice into account when you notice rain in the forecast.
Use An Umbrella
Yes, yes, I know. Growing up back home taught me to never bother with an umbrella. This rule doesn't apply in the south. Unless you want to look like you just walked out of the shower when showing up for your dinner date, do yourself the favor and save yourself the misery of being caught off guard in a sudden New Orleans rainstorm. You can get a solo umbrella which is small and doesn't take up much space at all.
Waterproof Your Shoes
New Orleans is a city under sea level and it rains heavily too. The combo results in massive flooding that members of the Northwest crowd might find foreign. I managed to trash a pair of lightweight Vans within the first two months of moving to the city by making the mistake of wearing them on a stormy night out. By the end of the night I might as well had fallen asleep in a water-filled bathtub wearing them. Mud also presents a problem because any place with grass and dirt instantly becomes something out of those Mud Run 5Ks. Do your feet and your shoes a favor by investing on a sturdy waterproof coating. You'll thank yourself later.
Better Yet, Get a Designated Pair of Shoes For The Rain
If you know it's going to rain and you will be spending a great deal of time outdoors, purchasing a designated rain boot may be a good purchase. You can never know what may happen in New Orleans.
Wear A Rain Pancho
I'm not personally a fan but needless to say, there are many people out there that are. My past experience with the pancho remains strictly within the water rides in Disneyland but their purpose in New Orleans is just as handy. Goofy yes, but they sure as hell do their job well. Save your North Face rain jackets for hiking in the rainy Cascades.
Know The Sky
There may be some days where it's a constant steady rain but those days are rare. Most of the time (especially in the summer and spring) the rain will soak everything for less than 10 minutes and go away. Think to yourself the following before taking your mid-afternoon stroll.
- Has the sky darkened significantly in the past 20 minutes?
- Do you hear thunder?
- Is the wind picking up?
If you experience these three signals there is a good chance you are about to experience a sudden rain storm. Your lovely stroll through the park with your cat or significant other is likely to be interrupted by a thunderstorm in which you must trug home with a thoroughly upset cat.
- Is the sky a light grey?
- Has it been drizzling for the past hour or so?
- No signs of thunder?
If you experience these three signals you are currently witnessing a normal "Seattle Day" or in New Orleans terms, a "Netflix Day". You have nothing to worry about except feeling somewhat damp. Grab yourself a North Face or a flannel overcoat and pretend you're in Seattle. These days are few and considered to be incredibly depressing by Louisiana locals and you can expect very few people to be out and about.