List of snowiest places in the United States by state
Thelist of snowiest places in the United States by stateshows average annualsnowfalltotals for the period from mid-1985 to mid-2015. Only places in the official climate database of theNational Weather Service,a service ofNOAA,are included in this list. Some ski resorts and unofficial weather stations report higher amounts of snowfall than places on this list. Official weather stations are usually located in populated places and snowfall statistics for isolated and unpopulated areas are often not recorded.
Mount RainierandMount BakerinWashingtonare the snowiest places in the United States which have weather stations, receiving 645 inches (1,640 cm) annually on average. By comparison, the populated place with the highest snowfall in the world is believed to beSukayu Onsenin theSiberian-facingJapanese Alps.Sukayu Onsen receives 694.5 inches (1,764 cm) (nearly 58 feet) of snow annually. Nearby mountain slopes may receive even more.[1]
The amount of snow received at weather stations varies substantially from year to year. For example, the annual snowfall at Paradise Ranger Station inMount Rainier National Parkhas been as little as 266 inches (680 cm) in 2014-2015 and as much as 1,122 inches (2,850 cm) in 1971–1972.[2]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Mount_Rainier_from_30%2C000_feet.jpg/250px-Mount_Rainier_from_30%2C000_feet.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Tuckerman_Ravine_Stevage.jpg/250px-Tuckerman_Ravine_Stevage.jpg)
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![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Snow_Storm_DVIDS362913.jpg/250px-Snow_Storm_DVIDS362913.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Hawaii_Big_Island_Kona_Hilo_063_%286878868712%29.jpg/250px-Hawaii_Big_Island_Kona_Hilo_063_%286878868712%29.jpg)
State | Place | Average annual snowfall[3] | elevation of weather station[4] | coordinates[4] | Other snowy areas (limited or unofficial data) and notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.Washington | Paradise,Mount Rainier | 645.5 inches (1,640 cm) | 5,400 feet (1,600 m) | 46°47′N121°44′W/ 46.79°N 121.73°W | Mount Baker,645 inches (1,640 cm) annually.[5] |
2.Oregon | Timberline Lodge Ski Area | 551 inches (1,400 cm) | 5,960 feet (1,820 m) | 45°20′N121°43′W/ 45.33°N 121.71°W | Crater Lake,533 inches (1,350 cm) annually.[6] |
3.Utah | Alta | 456.9 inches (1,161 cm) | 8,730 feet (2,660 m) | 40°36′N111°38′W/ 40.60°N 111.64°W | Brighton Ski Resort,411.1 inches (1,044 cm) annually.[7] |
4.California | Soda Springs | 411.6 inches (1,045 cm)[8] | 6,885 feet (2,099 m) | 39°19′N120°23′W/ 39.32°N 120.38°W | Sugar Bowl Ski Resort2.5 miles east of Soda Springs, 500 inches (1,300 cm) annually.[9]Lake Helen at Mount Lassen[10]and Kalmia Lake in the Trinity Alps are estimated to receive 600-700 inches of snow per year.Tamarackin Calaveras County holds the record for the deepest snowfall on earth (884 inches (2,250 cm)). |
5.Alaska | Valdez | 314.1 inches (798 cm) | 95 feet (29 m) | 61°08′N146°21′W/ 61.13°N 146.35°W | Alyeska Resort,669 inches (1,700 cm) annually.[11] |
6.New Hampshire | Mount Washington | 282.1 inches (717 cm) | 6,270 feet (1,910 m) | 44°16′N71°18′W/ 44.27°N 71.30°W | Elevation of weather station. |
7.Colorado | Climax | 273.8 inches (695 cm) | 11,350 feet (3,460 m) | 39°22′N106°11′W/ 39.37°N 106.19°W | Wolf Creek PassSki Area. 387 inches (980 cm) annually.[12] |
8.Wyoming | Burgess Junction | 257.8 inches (655 cm) | 8,050 feet (2,450 m) | 44°46′N107°31′W/ 44.77°N 107.52°W | Grand Targhee Resort,500 inches (1,300 cm) annually.[9] |
9.New York | High Market(West Turin) | 214.2 inches (544 cm) | 1,816 feet (554 m) | 43°21′N75°15′W/ 43.35°N 75.25°W | Syracusenamed snowiest city in U.S., 123.8 inches (314 cm) annually.[13] |
10.Michigan | Herman | 214 inches (540 cm) | 1,667 feet (508 m) | 46°40′N88°22′W/ 46.67°N 88.37°W | |
11.Vermont | Mount Mansfield | 211.9 inches (538 cm) | 3,866 feet (1,178 m) | 44°32′N72°49′W/ 44.53°N 72.82°W | Jay Peak Resort,350 inches (890 cm) annually.[14] |
12.Idaho | Island Park | 211.8 inches (538 cm) | 6,298 feet (1,920 m) | 44°25′N111°22′W/ 44.42°N 111.37°W | Lookout Pass,400 inches (1,000 cm) annually.[15] |
13.South Dakota | nearLead | 195.9 inches (498 cm) | 6,120 feet (1,870 m) | 44°14′N103°48′W/ 44.24°N 103.80°W | |
14.Montana | Mystic Lake | 184.3 inches (468 cm) | 6,560 feet (2,000 m) | 45°14′N109°44′W/ 45.24°N 109.73°W | Cooke City,200.7 inches (510 cm) annually.[16]Higher totals common atBig Sky. |
15.West Virginia | Terra Alta | 175.0 inches (444 cm) | 2,582 feet (787 m) | 39°27′N79°33′W/ 39.45°N 79.55°W | |
16.Wisconsin | Hurley | 162.2 inches (412 cm) | 1,500 feet (460 m) | 46°27′N90°11′W/ 46.45°N 90.19°W | |
17.New Mexico | Red River | 151.1 inches (384 cm) | 8,661 feet (2,640 m) | 36°43′N105°25′W/ 36.71°N 105.41°W | Taos Ski Valley,300 inches (760 cm)[17] |
18.Maine | Eustis | 123.8 inches (314 cm) | 1,163 feet (354 m) | 45°08′N70°26′W/ 45.14°N 70.44°W | |
19.Arizona | Bright Angel Ranger Station | 118.4 inches (301 cm) | 8,320 feet (2,540 m) | 36°13′N112°04′W/ 36.21°N 112.06°W | Arizona Snowbowl,260 inches (660 cm).[18]Sunrise Park Resort,250 inches (640 cm).[19]Hawley Lake168 inches (430 cm).[20] |
20.Nevada | Wild Horse Reservoir | 118.2 inches (300 cm) | 6,265 feet (1,910 m) | 41°40′N115°48′W/ 41.67°N 115.80°W | |
21.Ohio | Chardon | 109.2 inches (277 cm) | 1,291 feet (393 m) | 41°35′N81°12′W/ 41.58°N 81.20°W | |
22.Maryland | Oakland | 105.9 inches (269 cm) | 2,408 feet (734 m) | 39°25′N79°25′W/ 39.41°N 79.41°W | |
23.Pennsylvania | Erie | 103.0 inches (262 cm) | 650 feet (200 m) | 42°08′N80°05′W/ 42.13°N 80.08°W | |
24.North Carolina | Mount Mitchell | 91 inches (230 cm) | 6,684 feet (2,037 m) | 35°46′N82°16′W/ 35.76°N 82.27°W | |
25.Minnesota | Duluth | 86.5 inches (220 cm) | 651 feet (198 m) | 46°47′N92°06′W/ 46.79°N 92.10°W | |
26.Tennessee | Mount Le Conte | 82.9 inches (211 cm) | 6,345 feet (1,934 m) | 35°40′N83°26′W/ 35.66°N 83.44°W | |
27.Connecticut | Norfolk | 77 inches (200 cm) | 1,167 feet (356 m) | 41°59′N73°12′W/ 41.99°N 73.20°W | |
28.Massachusetts | Ashburnham | 75.1 inches (191 cm) | 1,028 feet (313 m) | 42°38′N71°55′W/ 42.64°N 71.91°W | |
29.Indiana | South Bend | 66.8 inches (170 cm) | 752 feet (229 m) | 41°41′N86°15′W/ 41.68°N 86.25°W | |
30.Rhode Island | North Foster | 60.4 inches (153 cm) | 707 feet (215 m) | 41°51′N71°46′W/ 41.85°N 71.76°W | |
31.Virginia | Wise | 52.7 inches (134 cm) | 2,436 feet (742 m) | 36°59′N82°35′W/ 36.98°N 82.58°W | |
32.North Dakota | Fargo | 51.6 inches (131 cm) | 903 feet (275 m) | 46°53′N96°47′W/ 46.88°N 96.79°W | |
33.Nebraska | Harrisburg | 46.5 inches (118 cm) | 4,492 feet (1,369 m) | 41°34′N103°44′W/ 41.56°N 103.74°W | |
34.Iowa | Dubuque | 42.5 inches (108 cm) | 708 feet (216 m) | 42°30′N90°40′W/ 42.50°N 90.66°W | |
35.New Jersey | Sussex | 41.2 inches (105 cm) | 500 feet (150 m) | 41°13′N74°37′W/ 41.21°N 74.61°W | |
36.Illinois | Chicago | 38.5 inches (98 cm) | 858 feet (262 m) | 41°53′N87°38′W/ 41.88°N 87.63°W | |
37.Kansas | McDonald | 37.6 inches (96 cm) | 3,364 feet (1,025 m) | 39°47′N101°22′W/ 39.78°N 101.37°W | |
38.Kentucky | Closplint | 31.7 inches (81 cm) | 1,551 feet (473 m) | 36°54′N83°04′W/ 36.90°N 83.07°W | |
39.Oklahoma | Boise City | 30.8 inches (78 cm) | 4,175 feet (1,273 m) | 36°44′N102°31′W/ 36.73°N 102.51°W | |
40.Missouri | Edina | 22.0 inches (56 cm) | 795 feet (242 m) | 40°10′N92°10′W/ 40.17°N 92.17°W | |
41.Delaware | Wilmington | 21.9 inches (56 cm) | 114 feet (35 m) | 39°14′N75°33′W/ 39.24°N 75.55°W | |
42.Texas | Stratford | 20.2 inches (51 cm) | 3,699 feet (1,127 m) | 36°20′N102°04′W/ 36.34°N 102.07°W | |
43.Arkansas | Gravette | 16.0 inches (41 cm) | 1,211 feet (369 m) | 36°25′N94°27′W/ 36.42°N 94.45°W | |
44.South Carolina | Caesars Head | 7.2 inches (18 cm) | 3,180 feet (970 m) | 35°07′N82°38′W/ 35.11°N 82.63°W | Elevation of weather station |
45.Alabama | Valley Head | 6.1 inches (15 cm) | 1,043 feet (318 m) | 34°34′N85°37′W/ 34.56°N 85.61°W | |
46.Georgia | Dallas | 3.8 inches (9.7 cm) | 994 feet (303 m) | 33°56′N84°50′W/ 33.93°N 84.84°W | Highest peaks inAppalachian Mountainsget ca. 35 inches (89 cm) annually.[21] |
47.Mississippi | Hickory Flat | 2.9 inches (7.4 cm) | 435 feet (133 m) | 34°37′N89°11′W/ 34.62°N 89.19°W | |
48.Louisiana | Shreveport | 0.8 inches (2.0 cm) | 225 feet (69 m) | 32°31′N93°45′W/ 32.51°N 93.75°W | |
49.Florida | Milton | 0.2 inches (0.51 cm) | 9 feet (2.7 m) | 30°38′N87°02′W/ 30.63°N 87.04°W | |
50.Hawaii | – | 0.0 inches (0 cm) | – | – | Occasional snow above 6,200 feet (1,900 m) elevation.[22][23]TheMauna Loa Observatory– at an elevation of 11,150 feet (3,400 m) – averages 3.7 inches (9.4 cm) of snow per year.[24] |
References[edit]
- ^"Record Snow Depth (For an official site) Measured in Japan | Weather Extremes".www.wunderground.com.Retrieved27 Apr2019.
- ^Ashford, Mailing Address: 55210 238th Avenue East; Us, WA 98304 Phone: 360 569-2211 Contact."Annual Snowfall Totals - Mount Rainier National Park (U.S. National Park Service)".www.nps.gov.Retrieved2022-06-28.
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