When it comes to the annual total snowfall in the United States, we rank third in the world behind Japan and Canada. Some places in the US hardly get any snow at all. And some areas of the US get A TON.
Since winter is coming, and many places are starting to get snowfall, we thought we’d get out the tape measure and see which states get the most snowfall. We used Saturday Night Science to measure data on snowfall from the NOAA.
You should enjoy the snow now because global warming means that we might not see much snowfall in the future.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table
What state has the most snow annually? The state with the most snow annually is Vermont.
So join us as we brave the brutal weather and bring you America’s Snowiest States.
For more reading, check out:
The 10 Snowiest States In America
1. Vermont
Annual Snowfall: 90.22 inches
More On Vermont: Biggest Cities
We’re going to take our snowmobile to Vermont, our snowiest state, where about 90.22 inches of snow comes down every year. It’s not even close. Vermont’s the snow king of America.
In 1970 – the whole state of Vermont averaged 318 inches of snow. For the whole state! That’s 26 feet! Even as late as Memorial Day, it’s not untypical for Vermont to get a dusting.
Here’s a typical Saturday morning in Vermont. And here’s that same afternoon.
Yes, Vermont takes the prize for the snowiest of all snows.
When I lived in Vermont for 15 years it was the whitest state in the nation and had more cows than people but that eventually changed…. but the black people I remember were nice and popular and liked by the white people… I don’t remember any racism up there… But who knows now… Adios from the mountains of Guatemala
2. Alaska
Annual Snowfall: 77.31 inches
More On Alaska: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
Now we’re getting to some deep stuff. Alaska is our second snowiest state, where the average depth every year is about 65 inches.
Did you know native eskimos here have more than 50 words for snow? It’s true. But don’t get all full of yourself snow. They also have 1,000 words for reindeer.
Valdez, Alaska, a small town, is the second snowiest town in America – where, because of a weird weather phenomena that involves cold air rushing south and moist air from the Gulf of Alaska – they get about 326 inches of snow every year.
But drive 30 minutes east of Valdez to Thompson Pass, and you’ll find one of the snowiest places on the planet. Thompson Pass gets 550 inches of snow per year and in the winter of 1952, this region got 974 inches – or 81 feet of snow.
That’s the snowiest town in the USA. But the snowiest PLACE in the nation is a teeny Ranger station on Mt. Rainier in Washington State which gets an astounding 671 inches, or nearly 56 feet, per year. During the winter of 1971, the Paradise Ranger Station recorded 93.5 feet of snow
I live in Alaska and we do pay taxes. Only in anchorage do you not have to pay for taxes. Driving to anchorage is 41 miles but we do not have much traffic due to population.
3. New Hampshire
Annual Snowfall: 68.99 inches
More On New Hampshire: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
Here in New Hampshire, 68.99 inches of snow falls every year.
You can always tell when someone’s from New Hampshire. They have a huge coat on, big ugly boots, a snowblower and a Subaru.
One thing you have to really worry about here in New Hampshire – and in all of the New England states – are noreaster snowstorms. These are tropical storms that form in the Atlantic and move up the east coast, where they meet cold air. The amount of snow that results can be crippling.
Mt. Washington in New Hampshire is a notoriously dangerous place, where snowfalls can be 25 feet deep each winter, and where snow gusts can be up to 161 miles an hour. You don’t want to be at the top of Mt Washington when a storm hits.
I live in New Hampshire, which is arguably one of the BEST states to live in. Unemployment may as well not exist, every home has an owner, and poverty is basically imaginary here.
If you ask a Granite Stater if they’re hungry, they might ask what ‘hunger’ is. And the schools- In my town, every high schooler gets a free MacBook Air. The weather is still s****y, though.
4. Maine
Annual Snowfall: 68.91 inches
More On Maine: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
We can barely see snow the snow is so deep. But we’re almost done with our journey. Just to the east of New Hampshire is Maine, which gets on average, 77 inches of snow every year. That’s a lot.
You can bet that every winter day, all 1 million people here in Maine are just waiting in anticipation for the next 12 incher that’s bound to come in the next few weeks.
You know you’re in Maine when you see insanely high stop signs around town. That’s because the snow gets so deep here, they have to make road signs taller.
Here’s a fun fact: Each winter in the US, one septillion snowflakes fall to the ground. That’s 26 zeroes!
I live in Maine andI am very proud of our accomplishments
5. Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 66.97 inches
More On Colorado: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
Movin on, we come to our fifth snowiest state in the USA, Colorado, which gets an average of 67 inches of snow accumulation each year.
But they’re used to it here. People in Colorado will wear snowboots to funerals, so you know they’ll wear them to job interviews.
Colorado’s biggest blizzard came in 1913, when 45 inches of snow fell in Denver alone, and unknown amounts fell in the highest elevations of the Rockies.
Colorado snow is actually different than the snow in other regions. Because of the unique Rocky Mountain landscape, and the nearby desert climate, snowfall here is drier and more powdery than snow in other states, which is typically wetter and heavier. Hence, every day in Colorado…is a powder day.
I live in Colorado. We have the Broncos and JstuStudios. Stereotypes in a nutshell
6. Michigan
Annual Snowfall: 64.98 inches
More On Michigan: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
We’re off to the winter wonderland that is the state of Michigan, which gets an average of 64.98 inches of snow each and every year.
While this is life in Miami each winter, this is life in Michigan. Yuck.
Here’s a fun fact – it’s said that no two snowflakes are alike. But that’s not true. Because in 1988, a scientist in Michigan found two identical snow crystals. That’s fabulous!
While the lower part of the state gets a lot of snow, the Upper Peninsula might as well be the north pole. Actually, that’s not even true, because most of Michigan gets more snow than the north pole does each year – by about 3 inches.
Michigan is one of the greatest states to live and to visit! Not only are we surrounded by 4 out of 5 of the biggest fresh water lakes in the US with awesome diverse beaches…we also have great people, great agriculture, good green energy, good tourism. great fishing, great hunting, and outstanding students. I’m from Grand Rapids, live in Bay City, and work in Saginaw.
There’s nothing bad about living in Michigan. We have luscious wildlife, great beaches, and a determined people. Come join us! If you dare! lol
7. Wyoming
Annual Snowfall: 56.46 inches
More On Wyoming: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
We’re gonna hop back on the sled to go to our next stop along our snow tour of America and arrive in Wyoming.
Here in the Cowboy state, they get about 56.46 inches of the wet stuff each year.
Most of the snowfall in Wyoming happens along the western side of the state, since the Rocky Mountains – and specifically, Grand Teton section of the Rockies, blocks most of the snow from reaching the state’s high plains to the east. In these mountains, they might get 200 inches of snow a year. On the plains, it’s closer to 30 inches.
But it’s the wind that’s the big problem in Wyoming. Sometimes, the wind is so bad during snowfalls that large drifts form, and it’s hard to measure how deep the snow really is.
In 1949, Wyoming experienced one of the worst blizzards of all time. It started on January 2nd – as a really nice day. But a surprise three-day snowstorm hit, and it was so windy, and so intense, that entire communities were separated from one another for weeks. Several other blizzards followed throughout that winter.
76 people died that year, and the snow was so deep and packed in that they had to use dynamite to clear the roads.
I live in Cheyenne, Wyoming and its not boring here. Besides, we have a whole lot of nuclear weapons systems here…so does Montana and North Dakota ! See, we can be real fun if we choose to 😉
8. New York
Annual Snowfall: 55.69 inches
More On New York: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
We’re going to cross over Connecticut and take this thing down to New York State. It’s interesting that Connecticut is surrounded by states that get a lot of snow, but they don’t get that much themselves.
It seems that on any given day during winter, somewhere in New York, snow is coming down. Syracuse is the snowiest of all of New York’s cities – and is 5th in the world for major cities in terms of average snowfall every year. Syracuse gets about 123 inches, or 10 feet every year. That’s because it’s so close to Lake Ontario, which produces lake effect snow.
It had snowed so much in Syracuse in 1992, that the city approved a resolution that all snowfall would be illegal for the rest of the year. It…snowed two days later.
Buffalo, located next to Lake Erie, gets a lot of snow every year, too. In 2004, Buffalo got 7 feet in one day, the third highest amount in the city’s history.
The Blizzard of 1966 hit Rochester New York like a ton of ice bricks. Show it
If you’re old enough to remember that blizzard…then you’re kinda old.
IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FAVOURITE PLACE. SO MANY COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE VISITING IN NEW YORK. BECAUSE NEW YORK IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACE. AND NEW YORK FOOD ITEMS WAS SUPER AND DRESSINGS WAS VERY GOOD BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FAVOURITE PLACE. SO MANY COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE VISITING IN NEW YORK. BECAUSE NEW YORK IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACE. AND NEW YORK FOOD ITEMS WAS SUPER AND DRESSINGS WAS VERY GOOD BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.
9. Utah
Annual Snowfall: 50.22 inches
More On Utah: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
Off we go, to Utah, our ninth snowiest state, which gets just a teeny bit more snow each year than Wyoming does.
Signs you’re from Utah: People fight over parking spaces on your streets. Your dog has trouble going pee all winter. And your Netflix usage spikes during a blizzard.
Some parts of this state get a couple feet. But other parts of the state get up to 80 inches.
I live in Utah and I honestly wasn’t surprised that we were on here the places that are not boring are the SLC area which is basically where the entire state is, Moab is a tourist area and it’s neat, and you have St. George which is a tourist area and it’s almost a suburb of Vegas and that’s about it the rest of the state is a desert with oil rigs.
10. Montana
Annual Snowfall: 48.8 inches
More On Montana: Biggest Cities | Average Rent
Montana gets 48.8 inches of snow a year. That’s 4 feet. To put that into perspective go get a ruler and hold it up 4 times. That’s 4 feet!
For additional perspective, the state with the least amount of snowfall each year is Hawaii, which gets 0.00 inches of snow a year.
Most of Hawaii hasn’t seen snow in decades, and many areas here may never see snow again for a long long time.
Here in Montana, it’s not uncommon for kids to be trick or treating in snow. Happens all the time. The average snowfall hits here on November 9th, and sometimes, snow begins in mid September.
Methodology: How did we determine the snowiest states for 2024?
To determine the snowiest states in the United States, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the National Centers for Environmental Information’s Daily Snow Reports. This report provides data on the average snowfall collected by measuring stations.
We took the average snowfall from each measuring station within each state and averaged the number of inches. We did not adjust any weights by population or area.
According to our methodology, the state with the most snowfall is Vermont. The state with the least? Hawaii.
Consider the results to be rough estimates for the snowfall in a state, as it’s not technically possible to measure that. For example, if the mountains get 100 inches of snow and the beach gets 0 in North Carolina, how much did “North Carolina” get?
Shoveling Our Way Out Of The Snowiest States In The US
There they are, the snowiest states in America. The places where people throw snowballs and build snowmen and fall down and break their arms more than anywhere else. And here is the state in the United States that gets the least snowfall every year and doesn’t have to pour salt on its sidewalks or put chains on its tires: Hawaii. No surprise here.
If you live in Vermont, or in any of the states we discussed, you have it rough for long stretches every year. And if you don’t live in a very snowy state, why not lend them a hand and help them dig out every now and then?
No? Okay then.
The snowiest states in the United States are Vermont, Alaska, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado, Michigan, Wyoming, New York, Utah, and Montana.
For more reading, check out:
Detailed List Of The Snowiest States In The US
Rank | State | Snowfall (in) |
---|---|---|
1 | Vermont | 90.22 |
2 | Alaska | 77.31 |
3 | New Hampshire | 68.99 |
4 | Maine | 68.91 |
5 | Colorado | 66.97 |
6 | Michigan | 64.98 |
7 | Wyoming | 56.46 |
8 | New York | 55.69 |
9 | Utah | 50.22 |
10 | Montana | 48.8 |
11 | Idaho | 47.75 |
12 | Wisconsin | 46.24 |
13 | Minnesota | 45.95 |
14 | Massachusetts | 42.34 |
15 | South Dakota | 40.85 |
16 | North Dakota | 39.51 |
17 | Connecticut | 36.86 |
18 | Pennsylvania | 36.32 |
19 | Rhode Island | 34.46 |
20 | West Virginia | 33.27 |
21 | Iowa | 30.47 |
22 | Nebraska | 28.36 |
23 | Ohio | 27.23 |
24 | Nevada | 26.16 |
25 | New Jersey | 22.13 |
26 | Indiana | 21.95 |
27 | Illinois | 21.64 |
28 | Maryland | 21.39 |
29 | New Mexico | 19.98 |
30 | Kansas | 15.39 |
31 | Virginia | 14.55 |
32 | Washington | 14.44 |
33 | Missouri | 13.01 |
34 | Delaware | 12.89 |
35 | Oregon | 12.87 |
36 | Kentucky | 10.03 |
37 | California | 9.56 |
38 | Arizona | 7.82 |
39 | Oklahoma | 6.23 |
40 | Tennessee | 4.67 |
41 | North Carolina | 4.34 |
42 | Arkansas | 3.83 |
43 | Texas | 1.33 |
44 | South Carolina | 1.11 |
45 | Alabama | 0.77 |
46 | Georgia | 0.72 |
47 | Mississippi | 0.68 |
48 | Louisiana | 0.2 |
49 | Florida | 0.01 |
50 | Hawaii | 0.0 |
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