Brace yourself, winter is coming. You’ll sense its imminent arrival with a chill that creeps into the air. A chill that forces us to don our grandma-knit scarves, mukluks and tacky holiday sweaters. For snow lovers, where are the Snowiest Cities in America and exactly how much annual snowfall do these cities accumulate?
Upon winter’s arrival, frost will cover your windows and icicles will form on your roof’s edges if you live in a cooler climate. If you’re lucky enough to live in a snowy region, snowmen and snow angels will start to decorate local lawns.
While the seasonal change might not be as dramatic in your area, some American cities experience Snowmageddons of sorts.
WeatherDB researched and ranked the 30 snowiest cities in the contiguous United States. The ranking uses 30-year average monthly snowfall totals as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and prioritizes U.S. cities with populations over 6,000.
#30. Susanville, California
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Annual Snowfall: 109.4 inches Population: 17,384Record Snowfall: 43 inches – Jan. 3, 1901
#29. Lincoln City, Oregon
Annual Snowfall: 110.6 inches Population: 7,926Record Snowfall: 58 inches – Dec. 31, 2012
#28. Dallas, Oregon
Annual Snowfall: 110.6 inches Population: 14,632Record Snowfall: 58 inches – Dec. 31, 2012
#27. Oswego, New York
Annual Snowfall: 111.8 inches Population: 18,140Record Snowfall: 40 inches – Dec. 8, 1958
#26. Fulton, New York
Annual Snowfall: 111.8 inches Population: 11,852Record Snowfall: 40 inches – Dec. 8, 1958
#25. Woodland Park, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 112.1 inches Population: 7,147Record Snowfall: 42 inches – April 23, 1997
#24. Corry, Pennsylvania
Annual Snowfall: 113.4 inches Population: 6,589Record Snowfall: 23 inches – Nov. 15, 1916
#23. Middlebury, Vermont
Annual Snowfall: 116.2 inches Population: 6,518Record Snowfall: 26 inches – Jan. 30, 1925
#22. Cortland, New York
Annual Snowfall: 117.3 inches Population: 19,271Record Snowfall: 33 inches – Feb. 14, 1914
#21. Meadville, Pennsylvania
Annual Snowfall: 120.5 inches Population: 13,370Record Snowfall: 23.1 inches – Nov. 25, 1950
#20. Ashtabula, Ohio
Annual Snowfall: 120.5 inches Population: 19,144Record Snowfall: 68 inches – April 26, 1943
#19. Jackson, Wyoming
Annual Snowfall: 122.1 inches Population: 9,646Record Snowfall: 31 inches – Dec. 30, 1923
#18. Syracuse, New York
Annual Snowfall: 123.8 inches Population: 144,575Record Snowfall: 36 inches – March 14, 1993
#17. Baldwinsville, New York
Annual Snowfall: 123.8 inches Population: 7,371Record Snowfall: 30 inches – Jan. 6, 1910
#16. Littleton, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 136.2 inches Population: 43,276Record Snowfall: 36 inches – Oct. 23, 1906
#15. Evergreen, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 136.2 inches Population: 8,942Record Snowfall: 36 inches – April 15, 1921
#14. Batavia, New York
Annual Snowfall: 141.9 inches Population: 15,472Record Snowfall: 22 inches – April 11, 1994
#13. Jamestown, New York
Annual Snowfall: 145.9 inches Population: 30,916Record Snowfall: 23 inches – March 17, 1936
#12. Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 162.6 inches Population: 12,036Record Snowfall: 24 inches – Dec. 28, 1973
#11. Marquette, Michigan
Annual Snowfall: 178.6 inches Population: 21,438Record Snowfall: 27 inches – Oct. 23, 1929
#10. Aspen, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 178.8 inches Population: 6,607Record Snowfall: 25 inches – March 24, 1965
#9. Truckee, California
Annual Snowfall: 189.7 inches Population: 16,100Record Snowfall: 48 inches – Jan. 11, 1911
#8. Boulder, Colorado
Annual Snowfall: 193.3 inches Population: 100,403Record Snowfall: 37 inches – April 18, 1920
#7. Sturgis, South Dakota
Annual Snowfall: 197.5 inches Population: 6,602Record Snowfall: 53 inches – March 14, 1988
#6. Spearfish, South Dakota
Annual Snowfall: 197.5 inches Population: 10,470Record Snowfall: 53 inches – March 14, 1988
#5. Ishpeming, Michigan
Annual Snowfall: 203.3 inches Population: 6,500Record Snowfall: 27 inches – Oct. 23, 1929
#4. Houghton, Michigan
Annual Snowfall: 207.7 inches Population: 7,692Record Snowfall: 23 inches – Jan. 3, 1895
#3. Berlin, New Hampshire
Annual Snowfall: 281.2 inches Population: 10,009Record Snowfall: 25.5 inches – Feb. 10, 1969
#2. South Lake Tahoe, California
Annual Snowfall: 407.4 inches Population: 21,359Record Snowfall: 45 inches – April 4, 1958
#1. Park City, Utah
Annual Snowfall: 411.1 inches Population: 7,656Record Snowfall: 33 inches – Dec.12, 1968
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Editor’s Note: Thanks to Weather DB fpr providing this Guest ARTICLE by Cindy Kabiru. Although one of my favorite Colorado ski towns, Keystone, did not make the top 30, I’m happy to see many of my Colorado other favorites.