Guelph Snowfall Totals & Accumulation Averages
This page pulls together information on when, how much and how often Guelph, Ontario has snow.
There are data and descriptions here of how many days it snows and the total amount of snowfall that Guelph usually gets. There are also monthly and yearly counts of the days that Guelph normally has heavy snowstorms and deep snow accumulated on the ground. Plus there's information on when the city can expect its first and last snowfalls of the season.
All the numbers are long-term historical averages based on weather data gathered from 1981 to 2010 at the University of Guelph Arboretum.
How Often it Snows in Guelph
This first table lists monthly and yearly totals for amount of snow and how many days it snows at least 0.2 centimetres (0.08 inches).
| Days | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.7 | January | 3.5 | 9 |
| 9.6 | February | 2.9 | 7 |
| 5.9 | March | 0.7 | 2 |
| 1.6 | April | 0.0 | 0 |
| 0.1 | May | 0.0 | 0 |
| 0.4 | October | 0.0 | 0 |
| 3.4 | November | 0.2 | 0 |
| 11.0 | December | 3.1 | 8 |
| 44.7 | Year | 0.9 | 2 |
When Guelph Has Its First & Last Snowfalls
The first snowfall of winter for Guelph usually arrives in November, but can show up as early as October.
The season's last snowfall typically happens in March although in some years a late snow lands in April or even May.
Guelph is normally free of snow every year from June to September.
How Many Snowstorms Guelph Gets
Most days of snowfall in Guelph leave less than five centimetres (2 inches) of fresh snow on the ground. For ten days a year on average, the amount of new snow totals at least five cm.
Big snowstorms of over ten cm a day normally occur three or four times a year. But major blizzards that dump 25 cm or more in one day are rare events that don't happen every year. Storms this severe are most likely to appear in March.
| 5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
25 cm 9.8 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.1 |
| March | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| April | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Year | 10.3 | 3.4 | 0.3 |
How Much Snow Normally Accumulates in Guelph
For about 92 days a year, Guelph has at least a centimetre of snow on the ground. In mid-winter the snowpack averages around ten cm deep. The snow is typically deepest in February and often gone by April.
| 1 cm 0.4 inches |
5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
20 cm 7.9 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.3 | 25.3 | January | 16.3 | 4.3 |
| 22.7 | 21.0 | February | 12.8 | 7.7 |
| 18.5 | 14.8 | March | 11.5 | 3.3 |
| 1.6 | 0.4 | April | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 0.1 | 0.0 | October | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2.7 | 0.0 | November | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 17.7 | 12.0 | December | 7.7 | 0.0 |
| 91.5 | 73.4 | Year | 48.3 | 15.2 |
Reference
Environment Canada. Meteorological Service of Canada. Canadian Climate Normals. 1981-2010 Climate Normals & Averages.