Snowiest States

Avg. Annual Snowfall
Avg. Annual Snowfall
1.New HampshireNew Hampshire174.35 in
2.MaineMaine92 in
3.VermontVermont80.2 in
4.AlaskaAlaska79.6 in
5.WyomingWyoming77.33 in
6.MichiganMichigan70.38 in
7.New YorkNew York61.21 in
8.UtahUtah58.2 in
9.MinnesotaMinnesota57.76 in
10.MassachusettsMassachusetts57.67 in
11.MontanaMontana49.81 in
12.WisconsinWisconsin46.23 in
13.West VirginiaWest Virginia44.17 in
14.North DakotaNorth Dakota43.4 in
15.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania42.24 in
16.OhioOhio40.4 in
17.South DakotaSouth Dakota39.83 in
18.ConnecticutConnecticut38.85 in
19.IowaIowa36.17 in
20.ColoradoColorado36 in
21.Rhode IslandRhode Island36 in
22.IndianaIndiana33.25 in
23.NebraskaNebraska31.19 in
24.IllinoisIllinois31.12 in
25.ArizonaArizona29.53 in
26.NevadaNevada27.92 in
27.IdahoIdaho25.17 in
28.New JerseyNew Jersey23.9 in
29.KansasKansas21.48 in
30.DelawareDelaware20.6 in
31.WashingtonWashington20.18 in
32.MarylandMaryland19.7 in
33.MissouriMissouri18.55 in
34.KentuckyKentucky16.35 in
35.New MexicoNew Mexico13.73 in
36.VirginiaVirginia13.12 in
37.OklahomaOklahoma8.9 in
38.OregonOregon8.82 in
39.TennesseeTennessee7.92 in
40.North CarolinaNorth Carolina5.88 in
41.ArkansasArkansas4.95 in
42.South CarolinaSouth Carolina3.4 in
43.TexasTexas2.88 in
44.AlabamaAlabama1.5 in
45.MississippiMississippi1.3 in
46.GeorgiaGeorgia1.13 in
47.CaliforniaCalifornia0.88 in
48.LouisianaLouisiana0.48 in
49.FloridaFlorida0.01 in
50.HawaiiHawaii0 in

America's Snowiest States

For many, winter means one thing: snow. When the temperature falls below the freezing point, and atmospheric conditions are just right, it can create beautifully serene landscapes and epic opportunities for winter sports enthusiasts. However, this natural phenomenon varies widely across the United States, with some states seeing an abundance of the white stuff, while others receive little to none. Key findings from the data include:

  • Topping the list is New Hampshire, which is crowned as the nation's snowiest state with an average annual snowfall of a whopping 174.35 inches. The other two states rounding out the top three, Maine and Vermont, also belong to the New England region, confirming the area's reputation as a winter wonderland.
  • A connection can be observed between many of the states that score high on the list and their proximity to large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes. For instance, Michigan, with an average of 70.38 inches of snow, and New York, with 61.21 inches, both demonstrate the well-known 'lake effect' snow phenomenon, thanks to their proximity to the Great Lakes.
  • Alaska, while one of the coldest states in the U.S., didn't feature as high on snowfall as one might expect. Its average annual snowfall of 79.6 inches places it fourth in the lineup. This highlights that high snowfall isn't solely tied to colder temperatures, but also depends on factors like moisture levels and atmospheric lift.
  • Hawai'i stands as the only U.S. state where no snowfall is recorded on average. However, if one were to venture up to the Mauna Kea or Mauna Loa peaks, they'd surely find a snowy surprise.
  • States in the southern region like Louisiana, Georgia, and Mississippi, with less than 2 inches of snow each year, underline the regional difference in snowfall across the U.S.

10 Snowiest States

Topping the list with the highest average Annual Snowfall is New Hampshire, establishing it as the snowiest state in the United States with a dazzling 174.35 inches of snow each year. Following closely, Maine blankets itself with an average of 92 inches of the white stuff annually, holding the second position. Vermont, graced with 80.2 inches of snow annually, sets it as the third snowiest state. Alaska, which is surprisingly fourth on the list, sees an average of 79.6 inches of snow each year despite being one of the coldest states. Wyoming claims the fifth spot with a respectable 77.33 inches of snowfall on a yearly average. Michigan witnesses plentiful 'lake effect' snowfalls, with an annual average snowfall of 70.38 inches, making it the sixth snowiest state. New York state also experiences this phenomenon and ranks seventh with an average snowfall of 61.21 inches. The states with the eighth, ninth, and tenth highest snowfalls are Utah, Minnesota, and Massachusetts, with annual averages of 58.2, 57.76, and 57.67 inches respectively. 10 Snowiest States based on 'Average Annual Snowfall':

  1. New Hampshire - 174.35 inches
  2. Maine - 92 inches
  3. Vermont - 80.2 inches
  4. Alaska - 79.6 inches
  5. Wyoming - 77.33 inches
  6. Michigan - 70.38 inches
  7. New York - 61.21 inches
  8. Utah - 58.2 inches
  9. Minnesota - 57.76 inches
  10. Massachusetts - 57.67 inches

By Region

Alabama

See Less
Alabama

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

1.5 in

#44

Alaska

See More
Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

79.6 in

#4

Arizona

See More
Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

29.53 in

#25

Arkansas

See More
Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

4.95 in

#41

California

See More
California

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

0.88 in

#47

Colorado

See More
Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

36 in

#20

Connecticut

See More
Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

38.85 in

#18

Delaware

See More
Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

20.6 in

#30

Florida

See More
Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

0.01 in

#49

Georgia

See More
Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

1.13 in

#46

Hawaii

See More
Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

0 in

#50

Idaho

See More
Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

25.17 in

#27

Illinois

See More
Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

31.12 in

#24

Indiana

See More
Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

33.25 in

#22

Iowa

See More
Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

36.17 in

#19

Kansas

See More
Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

21.48 in

#29

Kentucky

See More
Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

16.35 in

#34

Louisiana

See More
Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

0.48 in

#48

Maine

See More
Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

92 in

#2

Maryland

See More
Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

19.7 in

#32

Massachusetts

See More
Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

57.67 in

#10

Michigan

See More
Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

70.38 in

#6

Minnesota

See More
Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

57.76 in

#9

Mississippi

See More
Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

1.3 in

#45

Missouri

See More
Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

18.55 in

#33

Montana

See More
Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

49.81 in

#11

Nebraska

See More
Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

31.19 in

#23

Nevada

See More
Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

27.92 in

#26

New Hampshire

See More
New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

174.35 in

#1

New Jersey

See More
New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

23.9 in

#28

New Mexico

See More
New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

13.73 in

#35

New York

See More
New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

61.21 in

#7

North Carolina

See More
North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

5.88 in

#40

North Dakota

See More
North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

43.4 in

#14

Ohio

See More
Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

40.4 in

#16

Oklahoma

See More
Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

8.9 in

#37

Oregon

See More
Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

8.82 in

#38

Pennsylvania

See More
Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

42.24 in

#15

Rhode Island

See More
Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

36 in

#21

South Carolina

See More
South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

3.4 in

#42

South Dakota

See More
South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

39.83 in

#17

Tennessee

See More
Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

7.92 in

#39

Texas

See More
Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

2.88 in

#43

Utah

See More
Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

58.2 in

#8

Vermont

See More
Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

80.2 in

#3

Virginia

See More
Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

13.12 in

#36

Washington

See More
Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

20.18 in

#31

West Virginia

See More
West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

44.17 in

#13

Wisconsin

See More
Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

46.23 in

#12

Wyoming

See More
Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Avg. Annual Snowfall

77.33 in

#5