Some people prefer sunny weather, others like the rain. However, there’s something uniquely enchanting about snow. Every year throughout the country, snow blankets homes in a relaxing, white layer that silences the city sounds and signifies the beginning of the holiday season.
While snow is fairly common across the northern U.S., some cities see a much larger amount than others, transforming into winter wonderlands. But which cities see the most snow?
If you’re considering moving to a new area but aren’t sure where to choose, we’re here to help. Whether you like warm, sunny cities year-round and are making a list of places to avoid, or love a cold and snowy winter, Redfin has compiled a list of the snowiest cities in the U.S. to help you move with confidence. Read on to learn more and discover if one of these cities is right for you.
How we measure the snowiest cities
For our purposes of determining the “snowiest” cities, this list will focus on cities that receive the highest average seasonal snowfall. Some cities may see more days with measurable snowfall but lower average totals, so we won’t include them. Additionally, this list will focus on the highest seasonal snowfall totals, not annual.
Keep reading to see Redfin’s rankings of the snowiest cities in the U.S.
What are the snowiest cities in the U.S.?
1. Syracuse, New York
- Average seasonal snowfall: 127.8 inches
- Record seasonal snowfall: 192.1 inches
The snowiest city in the U.S. is Syracuse, NY. Syracuse is so snowy because of its location near the Great Lakes, often seeing strong lake effect snowstorms. Lake effect precipitation happens when older air that enters the region from the west or northwest travels east over the relatively warmer lakes, turning into heavy rain or snow. Syracuse is just east of Lake Ontario, so it sees this pattern frequently. The lake effect is much stronger and more common in the winter due to the larger temperature difference between the air…