Saskatoon Snowfall Totals & Accumulation Averages
This page pulls together information on when, how much and how often Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has snow.
There are data and descriptions here of how many days it snows and the total amount of snowfall that Saskatoon usually gets. There are also monthly and yearly counts of the days that Saskatoon 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 Saskatoon Water Treatment Plant near Victoria Park along the South Saskatchewan RIver.
How Often it Snows in Saskatoon
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.9 | January | 5.1 | 13 |
| 4.0 | February | 3.7 | 9 |
| 3.9 | March | 4.1 | 10 |
| 1.5 | April | 1.9 | 5 |
| 0.3 | May | 0.8 | 2 |
| 0.1 | September | 0.3 | 1 |
| 1.7 | October | 2.7 | 7 |
| 4.9 | November | 4.7 | 12 |
| 6.0 | December | 5.5 | 14 |
| 28.4 | Year | 28.9 | 73 |
When Saskatoon Has Its First & Last Snowfalls
The first snowfall of winter for Saskatoon usually arrives in October or November, but can show up as early as September.
The season's last snowfall typically happens in April although in some years a late snow lands in May.
Saskatoon is normally free of snow every year from June to August.
How Many Snowstorms Saskatoon Gets
Most days of snowfall in Saskatoon leave less than five centimetres (2 inches) of fresh snow on the ground. For four days a year on average, the amount of new snow totals at least five cm.
Big snowstorms of over ten cm a day typically happen once a year. Major blizzards that dump 25 cm or more in one day have occasionally happened, but are not normally expected here.
| 5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
25 cm 9.8 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| March | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| October | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Year | 4.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
How Much Snow Normally Accumulates in Saskatoon
For about 124 days, more than one-third of the year, Saskatoon has at least a centimetre of snow on the ground. In mid-winter the snowpack averages 20 cm deep.
Generally the snow cover builds in late December and is deepest in late January and February. The snow melts quickly in late March and is gone by the end of April.
| 1 cm 0.4 inches |
5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
20 cm 7.9 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.0 | 30.1 | January | 26.5 | 11.8 |
| 28.1 | 26.6 | February | 21.7 | 12.3 |
| 23.5 | 18.7 | March | 14.2 | 7.8 |
| 2.6 | 1.4 | April | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| 0.2 | 0.1 | May | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2.0 | 0.4 | October | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| 9.5 | 1.9 | November | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| 26.8 | 15.2 | December | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| 123.7 | 94.3 | Year | 67.4 | 34.1 |
Reference
Environment Canada. Meteorological Service of Canada. Canadian Climate Normals. 1981-2010 Climate Normals & Averages.