Snowiest Cities in United States

Of the 51 largest American cities, two are shovelling far more snow than any of the rest. Rochester, New York gets the most snow among major cities in the United States, with a yearly average of over 100 inches (over 255 centimetres). Nearly eight feet of snow also buries nearby Buffalo in a typical year.

The third-ranking major US city for snow doesn't even come close to Buffalo and Rochester. Compared with the northern New York state cities, Cleveland, Ohio receives just two-thirds the amount of snow. For 16 of the 51 largest US cities, the annual snowfall normally adds up to over two feet (60 centimetres).

Major cities included in these snowfall rankings represent the 51 metropolitan areas in the United States with the biggest populations, all those with over one million people in 2010, according to the US Census Bureau. A complete list of America's 51 largest urban centers is available here.

There are some smaller cities that get even more snow than Rochester. Most notable is Syracuse New York with an average of 128 inches of snow a year, and Erie Pennsylvania which receives 104 inches of snow annually.

The snowfall totals are averages based on weather data collected from 1991 to 2020 for the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. You can also view a summary of snow averages for all major US cities and recent snowfall amounts.

City links take you to more detailed information on snowfall, snowstorms and snow accumulation for that location.

Most Days With Fresh Snow

These major US cities receive at least 0.1 inches (0.25 centimetres) of new snow for an average of 25 days or more a year.