Of the 56 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. Grand Rapids, Michigan receives a foot and a half less snow than Buffalo. For 17 of the 56 largest US cities, the annual snowfall normally adds up to over two feet (60 centimetres).
Major cities included in these snowfall rankings represent the 56 metropolitan areas in the United States with the biggest populations, all those with over one million people in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau. A completelist of America's 56 largest urban centers is available here.
There are some smaller cities that get even more snow than Rochester. Most notable isSyracuse New York with an average of 128 inches of snow a year, andErie 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 ofsnow averages for all major US cities andrecent snowfall amounts.
| City | Yearly Snowfall | |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | Centimetres | |
| Rochester, New York | 102.0 | 259.1 |
| Buffalo, New York | 95.4 | 242.3 |
| Grand Rapids, Michigan | 77.6 | 197.1 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 63.8 | 162.1 |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | 51.9 | 131.8 |
| Hartford, Connecticut | 51.7 | 131.3 |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | 51.2 | 130.0 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | 49.2 | 125.0 |
| Denver, Colorado | 49.0 | 124.5 |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 48.7 | 123.7 |
| Detroit, Michigan | 45.0 | 114.3 |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 44.1 | 112.0 |
| Chicago, Illinois | 38.8 | 98.6 |
| Providence, Rhode Island | 36.6 | 93.0 |
| New York, New York | 29.8 | 75.7 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 28.2 | 71.6 |
| Indianapolis, Indiana | 25.5 | 64.8 |
City links take you to more detailed information on snowfall, snowstorms and snow accumulation for that location.
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.
| City | Days |
|---|---|
| Rochester, New York | 65 |
| Buffalo, New York | 60 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 51 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 46 |
| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 40 |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | 38 |
| Detroit, Michigan | 38 |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 35 |
| Denver, Colorado | 31 |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | 31 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 28 |
| Chicago, Illinois | 28 |
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).Climate Normals.