How much rain can a hurricane make, and does the storm size matter?

Storms big and small can produce a lot of rain. What matters most is how fast they’re moving, as an atmospheric scientist and educator explains.

By: Zachary Handlos, Georgia Institute of Technology, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 12, 2026

Words: 1,320

Last Updated: 5 days, 14 hours ago

By Zachary Handlos, Georgia Institute of Technology

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

How much rain can a hurricane make, and how much do big versus small hurricanes make? – Naarah, age 8, Pittsburgh

Hurricanes can produce enormous amounts of rain, adding up to trillions of gallons of water. But the …

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