Some individuals favor 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 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, remodeling into winter wonderlands. However which cities see probably the most snow?
In case you’re contemplating transferring to a brand new space however aren’t positive 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 can assist you transfer with confidence. Learn on to be taught extra and uncover if certainly one of these cities is best for you.
How we measure the snowiest cities
For our functions of figuring out the “snowiest” cities, this listing will give attention to cities that obtain the best common seasonal snowfall totals. Some cities might even see extra days with measurable snowfall however decrease common totals, so we gained’t embody them.
Hold studying to see Redfin’s rankings of the snowiest cities within the U.S. with a inhabitants of 75,000 or extra.
What are the snowiest cities within the U.S.?
1. Syracuse, New York
Common annual snowfall: 127.8 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 192.1 inches (1992-93)
The snowiest metropolis within the U.S. is Syracuse, NY. Syracuse can also be the rainiest and one of many 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 way stronger and extra widespread within the winter because of the bigger temperature distinction between the air and water.
Typically, lake-effect techniques stall over the area, inflicting snowstorms that may cowl town in ft of snow inside a day. Due to this, Upstate New York is understood for a number of 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 town that receives probably the most snow. Syracuse has gained the vast majority of the years relationship again to 1951, however Buffalo has gained the previous three and presently holds the trophy.
Probably the most snow Syracuse has seen in a single storm occurred throughout the Storm of the Century in 1993, when 42.9 inches fell in two days.
Syracuse houses on the market | Syracuse homes for lease | Syracuse residences for lease
2. Erie, Pennsylvania
Common seasonal snowfall: 104.3 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 166.3 inches (2017-18)
The small metropolis of Erie, PA is second on our listing. 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 realm does see robust storms: Just lately, Erie was hit with over 5 ft of snow throughout the holidays as a result of a lake impact storm.
Erie houses on the market | Erie homes for lease | Erie residences for lease
3. Rochester, New York
Common seasonal snowfall: 102 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 161.7 inches (1959-60)
Rochester is the third-snowiest metropolis within the U.S., once more due to the lake impact. Just like Syracuse, it receives an abundance of snowfall from Lake Ontario. Nevertheless, it’s positioned additional west than Syracuse, that means there’s much less alternative for chilly air to cross over the lake, leading to decrease snowfall totals. Additionally just like Syracuse, Rochester is understood for extra frequent gentle and average snow, nevertheless it has seen many robust storms.
Probably 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.
Rochester houses on the market | Rochester homes for lease | Rochester residences for lease
4. Buffalo, New York
Common seasonal snowfall: 95.4 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 199.4 inches (1976-77)
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.
Nevertheless, Buffalo is notorious for experiencing particularly intense and slim snow bands, leading to blizzards which might drop many ft of snow in a day. Probably the most well-known snowstorm is the Blizzard of 1977, which dropped greater than 100 inches of snow in three days. Extra not too long ago, the Christmas week storm of 2022 dropped over 4 ft of snow together with hurricane-force winds, inflicting widespread injury and disruptions.
So, whereas Buffalo could obtain much less common snowfall than its neighbors, it sees a number of the strongest storms and quickest snow accumulation. Buffalo’s one-day snowfall document of 33.9 inches is rivaled solely by Syracuse on this listing.
Buffalo houses on the market | Buffalo homes for lease | Buffalo residences for lease
5. Boulder, CO
Common seasonal snowfall: 92.8 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 152.0 inches (2019-20)
Boulder, CO, the primary metropolis on our listing 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 degree, Boulder advantages from upslope circulate, the place moisture from the east rises quickly over the steep Rockies and condenses into precipitation. As a result of frequently-cold temperatures, this precipitation typically falls as snow throughout the winter. The colder air temperatures additionally result in extraordinarily lengthy snow seasons that final from September to June.
Moreover, regardless that it’s solely 30 miles from Denver, Boulder receives greater than twice the quantity of snow. That is primarily as a result of Boulder’s pristine location within the shadow of the steep Flatiron vary. When winter storm techniques hit the Flatirons, they drop big quantities of snow with a view to ascend shortly, most of which falls on Boulder.
Nevertheless, Boulder’s winters aren’t the freezing snowscapes some would possibly count on. Whereas the realm does get loads of snow, it not often lingers quite a lot of days due to robust daylight and comparatively delicate temperatures. The typical winter excessive is round 47°F, with 60°F days not unusual. In comparison with locations like Syracuse, the place the common winter excessive is 34°F, Boulder’s winters are comparatively delicate (minus the dramatic temperature swings).
Boulder houses on the market | Boulder homes for lease | Boulder residences for lease
6. Duluth, Minnesota
Common seasonal snowfall: 90.2 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 140.1 inches (2022-23)
The sixth-snowiest metropolis within the U.S. is Duluth, MN. Throughout the lengthy winter, Duluth often sees snow, and experiences extraordinarily chilly climate for months on finish. In actual fact, 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 throughout the spring and fall, make it a really chilly and snowy metropolis.
Duluth houses on the market | Duluth homes for lease | Duluth residences for lease
7. Flagstaff, Arizona
Common seasonal snowfall: 90.1 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 153.9 inches (1948-49)
Flagstaff is the seventh-snowiest metropolis within the U.S., receiving over seven ft of snow per yr on common. The town is especially snowy due to its excessive elevation (6,900 ft above sea degree) and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Although town is comparatively far south, the altitude brings loads of chilly air and signifies that any moisture transferring over the realm will possible fall close to town.
Flagstaff advantages from an identical phenomenon as Boulder, however moisture comes from the Pacific Ocean as a substitute of the Midwest.
Snow has been comparatively widespread recently, too. The 2022-23 season was the second-snowiest on document, and 2024-25 is beginning off robust; the native Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort simply had its earliest opening day in historical past.
Flagstaff houses on the market | Flagstaff homes for lease | Flagstaff residences for lease
8. Anchorage, Alaska
Common seasonal snowfall: 77.9 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 134.5 inches (2011-12)
Surprisingly, Anchorage, AK, the northernmost main metropolis within the U.S., is barely 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 town. Nevertheless, town nonetheless receives loads of snow and gives beautiful vistas year-round.
Different Alaskan cities, resembling Juneau (87.6 inches) and Homer (100.6 inches), obtain extra snow than Anchorage on common, however are too small for this listing.
Just lately, throughout the present 2023-24 season, Anchorage totaled 133.3 inches of snow – the second-snowiest season on document. Snow fell as late as Might that season.
Anchorage houses on the market | Anchorage homes for lease | Anchorage residences for lease
9. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Common seasonal snowfall: 77.6 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 132.2 inches (1951-52)
Grand Rapids, MI, is the ninth-snowiest metropolis within the U.S. Just like many different cities on the listing, 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 listing.
The biggest one-day snowfall ever recorded in Grand Rapids occurred throughout 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.
Grand Rapids houses on the market | Grand Rapids homes for lease | Grand Rapids residences for lease
10. Worcester, Massachusetts
Common seasonal snowfall: 72.9 inches
File seasonal snowfall: 132.9 inches (1995-96)
Final on our listing is Worcester, MA. Worcester is simply the fourth metropolis on the listing to not profit from the lake impact. As an alternative, the realm 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.
In actual fact, the January 2015 Blizzard, which was a Nor’easter, dumped 34.5 inches of snow – a single-storm document.
Apparently, Worcester receives almost 30 inches extra snow on common than coastal cities like Boston and Windfall. That is due to its inland location and proximity to increased elevation, inflicting decrease temperatures and extra winter precipitation.
Worcester houses on the market | Worcester homes for lease | Worcester residences for lease
What’s the snowiest place within the U.S.?
The outright snowiest place in america is a tossup between Mount Rainier (Tahoma) and Mount Baker (Kulshan) in Washington State. These mountains obtain a mean of 640–663 inches of snowfall annually, however have seen as a lot as 1,122 and 1,140 inches respectively – the 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 increased elevations is particularly widespread.
How is snowfall altering?
There are three components crucial for snow:
Chilly air (round 32 levels Fahrenheit)
Moisture (excessive relative humidity)
Rising air (required for clouds and precipitation)
As a result of local weather change, many of the world is receiving extra precipitation. Nevertheless, the world can also be warming quickly, particularly within the far north and south, inflicting extra of this precipitation to fall as rain. Extra rain means much less snowpack and shrinking glaciers, resulting in disruptions to the worldwide water and meals provide. That is particularly obvious in mountainous areas, primarily at decrease elevations.
This development is already occurring and is projected to worsen. In actual fact, the 2023-2024 winter was the warmest on document within the contiguous U.S., with many calling it “The Lost Winter.” Chilly and snow have been largely absent throughout massive swaths of the nation.
So, because the world warms, the snowiest cities within the U.S. will possible see much less snow sooner or later.
Methodology
This listing accommodates seasonal snowfall information for main cities with over 75,000 residents, measured from July 1st by way of June thirtieth.
Knowledge comes from the Nationwide Facilities for Environmental Data (NCEI) and its dad or mum administration, the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
