Some individuals choose sunny climate, others just like the rain. Nevertheless, there’s one thing uniquely enchanting about snow. Yearly all through the nation, snow blankets houses in a soothing, white layer that silences the town sounds and signifies the start of the vacation season.
Whereas snow is pretty widespread throughout the northern U.S., some cities see a a lot bigger quantity than others, reworking into winter wonderlands. However which cities see probably the most snow?
When you’re contemplating transferring to a brand new space however aren’t certain the place to decide on, we’re right here to assist. Whether or not you want heat, sunny cities year-round and are making a listing of locations to keep away from, or love a chilly and snowy winter, Redfin has compiled a listing of the snowiest cities within the U.S. that will help you transfer with confidence. Learn on to be taught extra and uncover if one in all these cities is best for you.
How we measure the snowiest cities
For our functions of figuring out the “snowiest” cities, this record will deal with cities that obtain the very best common seasonal snowfall totals. Some cities may even see extra days with measurable snowfall however decrease common totals, so we received’t embrace them.
Hold studying to see Redfin’s rankings of the snowiest cities within the U.S. with a inhabitants of 75,000 or extra.
The snowiest metropolis within the U.S. is Syracuse, NY. Syracuse can be the rainiest and one in all the cloudiest cities within the nation.
Syracuse is so snowy due to its location close to the Nice Lakes, typically seeing robust lake-effect snowstorms. Lake-effect precipitation occurs when older air that enters the area from the west or northwest travels east over the comparatively hotter lakes, turning into heavy rain or snow. Syracuse is simply east of Lake Ontario, so it sees this sample often. The lake impact is far stronger and extra widespread within the winter because of the bigger temperature distinction between the air and water.
Generally, lake-effect techniques stall over the area, inflicting snowstorms that may cowl the town in ft of snow inside a day. Due to this, Upstate New York is understood for among the heaviest snowfall on this planet. That is what prompted the most important Upstate cities to compete for the Golden Snowball Award, which is awarded yearly to the town that receives probably the most snow. Syracuse has received nearly all of the years courting again to 1951, however Buffalo has received the previous three and presently holds the trophy.
Essentially the most snow Syracuse has seen in a single storm occurred through the Storm of the Century in 1993, when 42.9 inches fell in two days.
The small metropolis of Erie, PA is second on our record. As one of many snowbelt cities, Erie sees most of its snow from lake impact storms off Lake Erie. Nevertheless, as a result of the chilly air that causes storms doesn’t cross as a lot of the lake as different cities like Syracuse (from Lake Ontario), snow is usually lighter.
Regardless, the world does see robust storms: Lately, Erie was hit with over 5 ft of snow through the holidays as a consequence of a lake impact storm.
Rochester is the third-snowiest metropolis within the U.S., once more because of the lake impact. Much like Syracuse, it receives an abundance of snowfall from Lake Ontario. Nevertheless, it’s positioned additional west than Syracuse, that means there may be much less alternative for chilly air to move over the lake, leading to decrease snowfall totals. Additionally just like Syracuse, Rochester is understood for extra frequent mild and average snow, however it has seen many robust storms.
The most intense snowstorm within the metropolis’s historical past occurred from February 28-March 2, 1900. This storm dropped 43.5 inches of snow over 63 straight hours, inflicting the deepest snowpack Rochester has ever seen.
The final of the Upstate New York cities, Buffalo is the fourth-snowiest metropolis within the U.S. Like Syracuse and Rochester, Buffalo will get most of its snow from robust lake impact snowstorms.
So, whereas Buffalo might obtain much less common snowfall than its neighbors, it sees among the strongest storms and quickest snow accumulation. Buffalo’s one-day snowfall file of 33.9 inches is rivaled solely by Syracuse on this record.
Boulder, CO, the primary metropolis on our record within the Rocky Mountains, is the fifth-snowiest metropolis within the nation. The keys to Boulder’s snowy winters are its elevation and site.
At 5,430 ft above sea stage, Boulder advantages from upslope move, the place moisture from the east rises quickly over the steep Rockies and condenses into precipitation. Because of the frequently-cold temperatures, this precipitation typically falls as snow through the winter. The colder air temperatures additionally result in extraordinarily lengthy snow seasons that final from September to June.
Moreover, despite the fact that it’s solely 30 miles from Denver, Boulder receives greater than twice the quantity of snow. That is primarily due to Boulder’s pristine location within the shadow of the steep Flatiron vary. When winter storm techniques hit the Flatirons, they drop large quantities of snow with a view to ascend rapidly, most of which falls on Boulder.
Nevertheless, Boulder’s winters aren’t the freezing snowscapes some would possibly anticipate. Whereas the world does get loads of snow, it hardly ever lingers various days because of robust daylight and comparatively gentle temperatures. The typical winter excessive is round 47°F, with 60°F days not unusual. In comparison with locations like Syracuse, the place the typical winter excessive is 34°F, Boulder’s winters are comparatively gentle (minus the dramatic temperature swings).
The sixth-snowiest metropolis within the U.S. is Duluth, MN. Throughout the lengthy winter, Duluth repeatedly sees snow, and experiences extraordinarily chilly climate for months on finish. The truth is, Duluth is the fourth-coldest main metropolis within the contiguous U.S.
Duluth is exclusive in that it sits on the western facet of Lake Superior, which might usually make it a drier metropolis. Nevertheless, Lake Superior is massive sufficient and much sufficient north for it to supply lake impact precipitation alongside all of its shores that may unfold far inland. That, mixed with different storms that blow by way of through the spring and fall, make it a really chilly and snowy metropolis.
Flagstaff is the seventh-snowiest metropolis within the U.S., receiving over seven ft of snow per 12 months on common. The town is especially snowy due to its excessive elevation (6,900 ft above sea stage) and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Regardless that the town is comparatively far south, the altitude brings loads of chilly air and signifies that any moisture transferring over the world will seemingly fall close to the town.
Flagstaff advantages from an analogous phenomenon as Boulder, however moisture comes from the Pacific Ocean as a substitute of the Midwest.
Snow has been comparatively widespread currently, too. The 2022-23 season was the second-snowiest on file, and 2024-25 is beginning off robust; the native Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort simply had its earliest opening day in historical past.
Surprisingly, Anchorage, AK, the northernmost main metropolis within the U.S., is simply the eighth snowiest. It’s because Anchorage is surrounded by tall mountains and fjords, which causes a big portion of the frequent Pacific storms to dump most of their snow and rain earlier than they attain the town. Nevertheless, the town nonetheless receives loads of snow and gives beautiful vistas year-round.
Different Alaskan cities, akin to Juneau (87.6 inches) and Homer (100.6 inches), obtain extra snow than Anchorage on common, however are too small for this record.
Lately, through the present 2023-24 season, Anchorage totaled 133.3 inches of snow – the second-snowiest season on file. Snow fell as late as Could that season.
Grand Rapids, MI, is the ninth-snowiest metropolis within the U.S. Much like many different cities on the record, the town sees most of its snow from lake impact storms. Grand Rapids is simply to the east of Lake Michigan, that means if chilly air is blowing from the west or southwest, snow is more likely to fall within the space. Nevertheless, these wind patterns normally solely final for round 12 hours at a time, that means the area sees a lot decrease snowfall totals than the highest spots on this record.
The most important one-day snowfall ever recorded in Grand Rapids occurred through the well-known Blizzard of January 26-27 in 1978. 16.1 inches of snow fell in 24 hours, with as much as 30 inches or extra in some localized areas.
Final on our record is Worcester, MA. Worcester is simply the fourth metropolis on the record to not profit from the lake impact. As a substitute, the world sees most of its snow from Nor’easters, that are storms that end result from robust, chilly air from the northeast hitting the comparatively hotter waters of the Atlantic Ocean. These storms can produce very robust snowstorms throughout New England and even additional south.
The truth is, the January 2015 Blizzard, which was a Nor’easter, dumped 34.5 inches of snow – a single-storm file.
Curiously, Worcester receives practically 30 inches extra snow on common than coastal cities like Boston and Windfall. That is due to its inland location and proximity to larger elevation, inflicting decrease temperatures and extra winter precipitation.
The outright snowiest place in the USA is a tossup between Mount Rainier (Tahoma) and Mount Baker (Kulshan) in Washington State. These mountains obtain a median of 640–663 inches of snowfall annually, however have seen as a lot as 1,122 and 1,140 inches respectively – the very best totals on this planet.
The mountains obtain a lot snow due to their excessive elevation and proximity to frequent moisture from the Pacific Ocean. One of many lowest-elevation ski resorts within the U.S., The Summit at Snoqualmie, additionally advantages from this sample. Late-season snow at larger elevations is very widespread.
How is snowfall altering?
There are three elements obligatory for snow:
Chilly air (round 32 levels Fahrenheit)
Moisture (excessive relative humidity)
Rising air (required for clouds and precipitation)
This development is already taking place and is projected to worsen. The truth is, the 2023-2024 winter was the warmest on file within the contiguous U.S., with many calling it “The Misplaced Winter.” Chilly and snow had been largely absent throughout massive swaths of the nation.
So, because the world warms, the snowiest cities within the U.S. will seemingly see much less snow sooner or later.
Methodology
This record accommodates seasonal snowfall information for main cities with over 75,000 residents, measured from July 1st by way of June thirtieth.
Information comes from the Nationwide Facilities for Environmental Info (NCEI) and its father or mother administration, the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
