The 2023-2024 Top 25 Snowiest Cities in The United States With Most Snow
Top 25 Snowiest US Cities Were Updated 6/30/2024 8:00 PM
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The Top 25 snowiest US cities over 100,000 and we will add them as we find them and as the new 2020 census becomes available..
The first number is the current spot the city is on the snow mountain last updated. The second number is where the city was at the end of the last season. We will be switching it to how the city started this season and then the current updated place as the cities receive snowfall totals.
This is where the Top Twenty Five Snowiest US Cities leading so far in the Golden Snow Globe Contest will be updated. Does your city have what it takes to stay in the top 25? All of the cities will be on a rolling system with only the top 25 snowiest cities here on the main page. That means that if your city is number 25 and another city passes yours, poof, your city is gone from this section. Can your city stay in the top twenty-five is the question? Our guess is that there will be some bouncing around especially at the beginning.
| Standings on 6/30 |
and Cities |
2010 City |
2023 – 2024 |
Average Snow |
| 1 | Anchorage, Alaska **** |
291,826 |
133.3 |
77.9 |
| 2 | Boulder, Colorado ** |
108,250 |
93.7 |
91.8 |
| 3 |
Lakewood, Colorado ** |
142,980 |
75.2 |
57.7 |
| 4 | Buffalo, New York |
261,310 |
71.3 |
95.4 |
| 5 | Syracuse, New York |
145,170 |
60.8 |
127.8 |
| 6 | Rochester, New York |
210,565 |
52.5 |
102.0 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, Colorado ** |
416,427 |
50.6 |
32.5 |
| 8 | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
188,040 |
47.5 |
77.6 |
| 9 | Green Bay, Wisconsin * |
104,057 |
47.1 |
55.6 |
| 10 | Denver, Colorado ** |
600,158 |
44.6 |
??? |
| 11 | Madison, Wisconsin * |
233,209 |
43.3 |
51.8 |
| 12 | Worcester, Mass |
181,045 |
42.5 |
72.9 |
| 13 | Manchester, New Hampshire |
109,565 |
37.8 |
??? |
| 14 | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
113,934 |
37.2 |
61.4 |
| 15 | Boise, Idaho ** |
205,671 |
36.9 |
17.6 |
| 16 | Fort Collins, Colorado ** |
143,986 |
36.9 |
50.7 |
| 17 | Des Moines, Iowa * |
203,433 |
35.0 |
36.5 |
| 18 | Billings, Montana ** |
104,170 |
35.0 |
57.4 |
| 19 | Spokane, Washington *** |
208,916 |
32.6 |
45.4 |
| 20 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin * |
594,833 |
32.6 |
48.7 |
| 21 | Flint, Michigan |
102,434 |
32.0 |
52.1 |
| 22 | Lansing, Michigan |
114,297 |
30.7 |
50.2 |
| 23 | South Bend, Indiana |
101.168 |
30.3 |
64.5 |
| 24 | Minneapolis, Minnesota * |
382,578 |
29.5 |
51.2 |
| 25 | Reno, Nevada *** |
225,221 |
28.4 |
20.9 |
Reading about all this mess in Erie makes me have no regrets packing up and moving back home to Arizona back in 2016. The only thing i regret here is the hot summers.
While i love and miss the snow, this winter seems to be the extreme since you all seem to be getting it all so early on in the season. It seems at this rate you all could easily have the snowiest winter on record if i remember right unless you hit a massive dry spell. I hope for the best for you all and please be safe up there.
Well the monthly snowfall record has been smashed in the literated I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a seasonal snowfall record broken I think the only question left to be answered is Will erie make it to 200″ for the season
Hi Kimberly, I’m hoping Erie at least breaks the all-time seasonal snow record and I think you all will. That 200-inch mark is pretty hard to hit and it will be fun watching it play out. Good Luck
I seen syracuse had 191 one
Time i dont remember the year
My son keeps telling me to move to AZ Kayli but I do not like the heat, dry heat or not. Right now I’m in NC for awhile and it’s too hot here for me in the summers. I do have a lot of family in AZ though and they love it. Especially right now
According to the Erie Times today, we are now at 113.8 inches of snow for the season in Erie with 113.3 of that falling in the mth of Dec alone. Just 5 more inches of snow and we get into the top 10 snowiest seasons of all. We need to see if we’re going to hit the # 1 spot on that list. I can tell you based on what I’m seeing out my windows, yes we will be in the top 10 worst seasons by the end of today.
This depends on how you look at it. Is it the 10 worst or the 10 best winter seasons? !!! Winters like this make spring, summer and fall that much better, too. Hard to imagine walking to the mail box in shorts this time of year … Or in the summer imagining snow higher than the mailbox, as it is now. I absolutely love the seasons!!!!
Love? This? Are you one of the two bicyclists I saw riding past my house along 38th Street today in Erie as another foot of snow was coming down?
I’m so stressed now from all this I can barely think straight. If we get a rapid thaw, some roads will even be more impassable than they are now from all the ruts in the road. Very rough on the car. I need to be able to get to work. Anxiety level is very high right now. No place to put more snow…the roof over hang is not looking good. So love is not the word. If it had came gradually…alright, trees are pretty draped in snow, but some trees & shrubs are bending so bad they’re about to snap in two. Nope, not happy with this mess.
I don’t blame you Kaleen. That’s a lot of snow for any of us to deal with all at once. I still can’t remember getting that much in that short of time. Hopefully, by now things are getting back to normal.
While I would accept unconditional surrenders, I would not count Buffalo or especially Syracuse out just yet. One good wind shift under the right conditions and they could be back in this. At least until Lake Erie freezes. After that it would be tough for BUF to catch up. But those sneaky folks in Syracuse…..Seems to me that Lake Ontario doesn’t ice over as quickly as Lake Erie…..
C’mon, Alan. This Old Man Winter Freakshow, by far exceeding anything in my 68 years here on the North Coast, including the Thanksgiving spanking he gave us in ’56, has provided us already winter-weary (It’s only officially 5 days old.) wonderlanders with such a massive lead that even the snow troopers in Syracuse and Buffaluffalo would bet against themselves on this winter’s winner.
Patrick…is there anything like a ten-run rule in this contest?
Hey Pat and ha to the 10 run rule. I suppose if Erie can get a 10 foot lead on the rest of us then maybe but probably not
The lead is shrinking although not fast enough but I do think this still may turn into a fun contest. Plus I think it’s 5 innings for the 10 run rule if I remember from when I used to coach Little League. So that means Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb 
Rochester says “what’s up?” : – )
What’s up Big Red. Time to do a snow dance in The Roc
Hey Alan, it’s not too often that Lake Ontario freezes completely over which does give Syracuse, Rochester an advantage with some northerly winds. Throw in a clipper or two and a few Nor’Eaters that hang east of Erie and it’s game on again. Lake Erie is getting close to freezing over but Erie will still find some pockets to grab some snow from. It could end up being a fun season
Snowmageddon has struck. The City of Erie is CLOSED. We are at four feet of new snow since Christmas eve and still climbing. Snow emergency declared…..
We win! City is shut down…streets are impassable…state of emergency…it’s illegal to drive without snow tires or chains!
Damn I miss that good old Erie lake effect snow I’m sitting down here in Lebanon Ohio and we we can still see the grass….. looks like that record for single month snowfall of 67 in back in December of 1989 is going to fall will you hit a hundred in New Year’s only time will tell
Hi Kimberly! I’m from Erie and now live in Fairborn, OH. I really do miss the Erie snows!
According to what they are saying here in Erie, we got 53 inches in 30 hours and we are at 92.5 inches for the month of December with another possible 21 inches coming tonight / tomorrow. We are untouchable here. We will break every different record there is….why, because we are ERIE!! HA! HA!
Yes i remember dec 89′ 67″ for the month figured that would get clobered
Eat our snow balls you lesser cities. ERIE STRONG 2017-18!
Ha, the lead is melting away a little bit Glenn
It was 80+, then 70+ and as of right now it’s 60+. A lot of snow season to go but I will admit right now it’s looking good for Erie. Good Luck 
Um 133 – 63 is 70 i believe so still a big lead
No, Kim! 69.2 is WAY less than 70 inches. Let’s get real now
, Of course, I am messing with you 
The point is that it’s under 80 inches which it used to be, lol. Yeah, I’m just grasping in the air right now. Next is under 60 inches though 
Erie just was declared State of disaster 59inches in two days 97 inches this month. Still snowing..
They even closed the Mall, when does that ever happen!!
I know!! Never! Not once since it was built in the 1970s.
Let the 2017 / 2018 battle begin !!!!
Erie here just checking in to begin another no-fun winter on the North Coast. Lake effect snow machine has kicked into gear early. Snowed every-stinking-day this week and it’s not even winter yet. You can have it. I don’t want it. It’s too white for me.
I was just adding up the snowfall from Friday and Today Pat. A two day total of 12.4 inches so far at the Erie airport
Pat, Sorry to say but todays little flurries are still coming down. Close to 2″ an hour most of the day and still coming. This storm is sitting between Cleveland and Buffalo and the sun only shone thru for a couple of hours today. Guess we got the White Christmas this year. Far cry from the Motorcycle rides the last two Christmas Days.
Thanks for the great work with the site. Jerre
It’s no typo. From 37″ to 73″ in a little over 24 hours and still coming down here in Erie. Ain’t seen anything like this since…well, ever in my 68 years. Add these arctic temperatures to the mix and what do you get? Hell on earth!
Now now cant be hell too cold and they say hell will never feeeze over so its just a winter “wonder”land……wonder meaning when will it stop…..my philosophy is if ya have the cold ya need the snow. If ya aint got snow the cold is pointless
Erie just got tired of playing pass the globe. We decided to take a Christmas wish and take a giant leap in totals. Only don’t like the ideal of going out to clean it up.
It is nice to see that my home place is holding up to its snowy reputation. Alan, if you happen to be a Kantian, I know you!
Absolutely James! Hard to drive by that empty lot where the school once stood!
Let’s see Syracuse beat 100″! Ha ha!!
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Ouch, Buffalo jumped from 13 to 5 with Stella, and could catch Erie for third before all is said and done for the season. Guess you can never count Buffalo out (although I was hoping we would have the wackiest, mildest winter ever and finish in 13th).
Buffalo has been climbing fast. I think Buffalo has a real chance at moving into the #3 slot. May be too late to think higher than that but it’s not over yet
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Rochester is up to 2 feet + from the March 14-15 storm. Expected another 5-10 inches by the end of the 16th.
Still below season average. Syracuse all the way.
I’m on the fence about it. It’s a win, after all.
Derek, I was not implying that the storm would push Rochester ahead of Syracuse (That would be ridiculous as Syracuse was getting a similar amount of snow in the storm). I was just giving an update as to how the #2 spot was faring as the storm came to an end.
I don’t think Derek meant that you were implying anything Jane. I actually thought that Rochester was going to melt away some of the lead Syracuse has with that last storm but like you mentioned, it turn out to be pretty much a push. Binghamton ended up the big winner in the NY Golden Snowball contest with the storm. http://www.goldensnowball.com
Quite the storm it was. Ended up pushing both Syracuse and Rochester over their seasonal snow totals.
Erie is going to make a last ditch effort to take second place this week……
Erie di manage to at least move into the #3 spot on the snow mountain. A long ways to go to reach the top of it though Alan
Who knows, maybe another month to go.
Hard to believe how personally some folks take this contest and how indignant they become when they disagree with your stats as if you’ve one reason to over or underestimate your figures. I’m guessing you spend hours per week collecting them and I am grateful to you for taking your time and making the effort to make a miserable season more enjoyable. Thank you and to heck with the overly competitive, too serious-minded doubting Thomases or Swans.
Erie did receive 0.5″ on April 7th officially bringing our total to 78.6″ barely sneaking above Worcester 78.3″ Thanks for doing a great job, makes the winter go faster.
You are right Greg and Thanks for posting that. I’ve dropped the ball the last week or so on keeping the snow stats updated. I did just get a new update in though so everything should be all up to date, for now anyways
Patrick rules!!!!!!
Lol
I don’t mind it, Patrick. Most of the posts are sincere here nad the ones that aren’t humor me most of the time. You’re right about this site. It’s about having some fun each season as most of us wait for it to pass by and it does seem to speed it up
I enjoy putting the 30 – 50 hours a week into the snow contest during the thick of things when it’s close. It was another fun season that will soon be just a memory in the record books. Thanks for the kind words BTW 
Syracuse’s stats don’t add up. This season, it hasn’t snowed more than 40 inches. The snowiest month was November with around 19 inches. Since then, it’s been pretty slow. Don’t believe this table.
Yeah, you are right Swan, I pretty much just look around to see if it is snowing anywhere and come up with a ballpark figure. These are the number I just kind of came up with for Syracuse and threw up on the website. I do the same with the other 70+ cities I keep track of
But if you really are serious about how Syracuse’s Snowfall Totals add up for the 2016-2017 Snow Season, here they are as of 2/18.
October -0.2
November – 25.2
December – 37.2
January – 8.4
February – 32.4
Patrick, thanks for setting Swan straight. Most of us realize how much work it takes checking official statistics and compiling all of this data. Love the site and follow your updates often. Thank you!
Thanks, Steve, I wasn’t trying to be mean or anything. just setting the record straight when I’m called out. Thanks again
Hi Patrick, thank you for the stats. Could you give me the website where I can get daily stats for Syracuse? I live in Syr and I still can’t believe it snowed 32.4 inches in February. Half the month, it was balmy! My estimate is that the most it snowed the entire month is around 10-12 inches. December 37.2 inches? The reason November got 25.2 is that one particular storm gave around 19-20. But we didn’t have a decent storm in December. I still am ambivalent about the numbers. Cheers.
Hi Swan, try doing what I have below and you should be able to pull up the snow stats.
Go to http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=bgm
!) Location – Scroll down to Syracuse Hancock AP and click it.
2) Product – Check the box Monthly summarized data.
3) Options – Change the date to 2016-2017 and the Variable to Snowfall.
4) Click go and you should come up with what I posted in the picture below. Hey, you all think this is easy updating snow stats twice a day? Joking lol
yeah his population for Salt Lake City Metro and Boise Idaho are also incorrect. SLC is about 4 times the population of Boise. I did find where he got his numbers thru a google search but Salt Lake City is a lot bigger than Boise. Made me smile. Boise Is ranked one of the top 3 of the highest populated cities of Idaho. If 4 more people move out of Idaho ~ they will have to turn the lights off….
Those figures are (correct) census numbers, but only account for population within city limits. Yes, SLC metro is a lot larger than Boise metro, but that doesn’t make his numbers wrong.
I know that Valdez, Alaska, doesn’t have 100,000 residents, but I believe it qualifies as the snowiest city in the Untied States, by far. They average 327″ per year. That’s just over 27′! Their snowiest month of the year is December, when they average 6′ of the stuff.Their annual average snowfall bests our second snowiest city, Crested Butte, Colorado, by over 9 feet! I’m from New Orleans, and it doesn’t surprise me in the least that neither of these places have 100,000 people willing to live there! (It was 71 degrees here in Middle Georgia today, but the bright sunshine and blooming daffodils made it feel less frigid.)
@John
I’m not sure about that…plenty of places off the Great Lakes get prodigious snowfall amounts as well, with many getting upwards of 300 and sometimes over 400 inches a year…averages, I am not sure of, but those totals are pretty routine for some places in those areas.
CARIBOU MAINE highest snowfall to date
I saw the snow stats for Caribou a few days ago mainegirl. I think Caribou was at 78.4 inches. Impressive
Sure it’s impressive , but … look at Redfield New York. https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/lake-effect-snow-great-lakes-interior-northeast-late-january-2017
Redfield and The Tug are impressive but.. check these out. Redfield could be on the list https://weather.com/news/weather/news/snow-season-200-inches-2016-2017
As of mid-February Redfield, NY had 309 inches of snow…
Tug Hill Plateau east of Lake Ontario gets absolutely hammered with snow because Ontario is too deep to freeze, so they don’t get the break some of the heavier snow places off Lake Erie south of Buffalo like Ellicottville and Randolph get when the lake freezes by late January usually.
I know those places in the Sierra-Nevada mountains get absolutely hammered as well, but that really isn’t fair, they are mountains, lol
“Don’t count us out yet, Syracuse.”
~ Joseph E. Sinnot – Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania
There are about 10 cities that I never count out Mayor and Erie is right near the top of the list
If this is indeed the Mayor Sinnott, I have seen a lot of pictures posted by folks from Erie and it is a beautiful city from the pictures I have seen…
Mayor Sinnot,
Welcome aboard. I’m thinking we could arrange for some of Edinboro’s snow to be covertly snuck into to snow measuring machine at the airport. Shhhhhh, don’t let Patrick DeCoursey hear about this, or there will be HAIL TO PAY!
A penalty of minus 10 inches has been imposed on Erie, PA. due to Dave Beardsley conspiring to pad the snow totals in Erie
Well you can count Buffalo out of this year unless we get a monster late snow.
We’re taking a snow vacation this year, hanging out at number 13 as I write this in March.
Yeah, not too often we see buffalo this far down in the line-up Val. Buffalo’s snow totals are almost the exact same as they were this time last season. This season to date is 48.2 inches. Last season to date was 40.0 inches.
You guys forgot about Truckee, Ca, blows them all away with current ytd, take a look!
I didn’t forget Truckee, Ca Chris, they are just a little shy of the 100,000 population requirement as of the 2010 census. Truckee has a pop of around 16,000. Do you know how much snow they are up to now though for the season? I’m curious and I know it’s a lot.
Nobody lives there…other than people who are gluttons for punishment or work at the ski resorts…
LOL. Mr Mayor…..Lake Ontario is equally ice free and warm for this time of the year and better suited for lake effect this weekend than Lake Erie. As an Erie resident I share your enthusiasm and I am STILL waiting to get out in the woods on snowshoes, but “science” would indicate that Erie may not take the trophy this year….
Something doesn’t add up here in Rochester – On 12/15/16 the count went up 3 inches, yet we got much more snow than that on this day. I am in the city, so the snowfall total at the airport (where it is measured?) could not possibly be that different. I shoveled on 3 occasions over the course of the day and each time I was removing several inches of snow.
This brings me to my next question…is there a delay in the reporting or calculation sometimes?
Hi, Jane and yes there will always be a delay in the snow stats on the site for a couple of reasons. The first being that I have to wait until The National Weather Service posts them on their website which is 2 to 3 times a day. Most of the NWS stations post around 5-6 PM each evening pretty regularly. Then it’s kind of a crap shoot. Some will post around 10:30 and others around 1 in the morning.
The other reason for delays is me. This is a one man show which I do pretty much just for fun. It normally takes close to a couple of hours to gather all of the different cities snow stats and put them in order each update. I try my best to get to updates in each day but it doesn’t always happen. When there is a lot of snow flying in a lot of cities I will normally blow off my other work and put in about 8 hours a day on the snow site which also includes answering emails, comments and so on. I do love doing it, though. As for Rochester, you are right about how it probably didn’t add up as far as what you saw posted. I think Rochester puts out an update at something like 5:30 in the morning and most of the time I am sleeping. Once I wake up I normally catch up on some other work and then jump into the snow stats. I did just get an update in and WTG Rochester. Set a new date record with 10.6 inches yesterday, 12/15 breaking the old record of 7.5 inches back in 1901. Now in second place Jane
I just looked at a NWS listing of snowfall totals date 12/17/16 for my area of Binghamton, NY. At that point we had a total of 53.6 inches which would put at the top of the list but we appear nowhere on the list.
The area of Binghamton Ny is the population over 100,000. That is what they go by. If it was under 100 K then look at the tug hill area for the record. They get over 200 inches of snow a year in that area of NY.
Actually, it’s not area. It’s census population for the city. If it was area, Syracuse would be well over 500k. And it’s taken from the airport. If you really care about BNG, goldensnowball.com has you covered. But you’ll never see BNG here.
Hoping this post as a new item and not a reply to another…..
It looks like the upper air temperature over Lake Erie will abruptly drop around December 8th to level that should fire up the Lake Erie snow machine. That should put Erie and / or BUF into higher numbers depending upon the wind direction. It will of course have the potential to do the same for NY locations off of Lake Ontario.
Either way this should be the first real snowfall and cold air for many areas and it looks like that cold air will be around through at least the 17th with the models hinting at even colder air filtering in after that.
A request folks….Let’s keep this fun. It is all in fun of course and I know I’ll still enjoy following this whether Erie is still within the count or not in the years ahead. The truth be known….A great many small locations see a heck of a lot more snow that any of our larger cities, so the winner’s bragging rights are almost always beaten by some little town with 125 residents
It will be fun to see how what you said plays out Alan
My gut feeling is that this will be an overactive lake effect season all in all. Something that it seems has been missing for the few seasons.
This is all about having fun to help us all get pass the colder months a little faster. All in all, we have a great group of visitors to the site that make it a lot of fun. This season will be no different
Looks like SYR is winner, er losing… again. Strong start to the season.
I need to move south. Really need to. This just gets old. It’s a dubious honor, to be sure.
@Alan Jordano
Funny you say that about the little towns. I grew up in a town 25-30 min south of Erie. Cambridge Springs. Year in and year out we would get significantly more snow than Erie. The reason being the precipitation would actual be building up right over Erie from the lake, jump on the downward jet stream and UNLEASH on us. I remember so many winters making walking tunnels in the snow drifts (6ft plus deep). It took until the middle of June one year to make up all our snow days, lol. Since then I moved to Pittsburgh. Watching the tragic news today with the accident on 90 brings back bad memories. We had a light dusting and 38 degrees at 8:30am on my way to work down here.
Cambridge Springs! Home to the Riverside Inn. Just had dinner there a week ago. Yes, it is still hanging in there despite some tough times over recent years. Yep, all about the wind direction with lake effect. There were actually a bunch of accidents on I-90 from Erie back to Michigan. Not quite a continuous string, but you could definitely follow the carnage. No one died here, but the Interstate was shut down for 19 hours while they cleaned up the mess and conducted an accident investigation. With one critical and two serious I am reasonably sure that they had to do that in case anyone did die. There were 7 moderate and a whole bunch of lucky walking wounded……
This was true when I lived in Edinboro, PA, too. I now live in Syracuse, but places north of us that do not qualify as “cities” (like Oswego and Fulton, NY) often get significantly more snow than we do but do not make it onto these lists. What does it say that I seem to always live in the snowiest of places!?
Erie doesn’t qualify anymore.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/data/mc-map-population-estimates-cities-2014-htmlstory.html
I may be wrong but I believe this follows the 10 year census, not yearly figures. It is likely though that the number will still be below 100,000 before court challenges……So who knows what the final tally will be…..
Joe, it is like Alan said in his comment. All of the cities are Grandfathered in until the next census in 2020. Just like the snow stats are official stats from the National Weather Service, we also use the official numbers for the populations.
Sorry Joe estimates don’t count
Cuse Cuse Cuse!!!
Yo! We got this! Snowacuse comes out swinging in 2016!
Binghamton, NY, through 11/20/16, 18.5 inches (13.5 today). About 60 miles south of Syracuse caught a persistent lake affect snow band off Georgian Bay -> Toronto -> Lake Ontario -> Ithaca, NY. Still snowing.
Looks like Erie has over 100,000 people again and will be eligible. http://www.goerie.com/census-challenge-puts-erie-population-back-above-100000
Not looking good for the 2020
http://www.goerie.com/eries-population-falls-below-100000-again
Erie can just challenge the count again in 2020 and it should be no worries.
http://www.goerie.com/article/20160115/NEWS02/301159942/erie-one-of-largest-resettlement-spots-for-refugees-statewide
I am shocked that there aren’t more posts regarding the April snow which has propelled Syracuse into first. I guess it is just “old news” and predictable that Syracuse is in the familiar top spot. Thank you, Patrick, for continuing to update this website day after day and year after year.
I hear you Steve about the lack of post/posts
I have had some changes going on in my life the last year or so and I have been having a hard time finding the time I need to make posts like I use to. I have been lucky finding the time to at least get the snow stats updated regularly. Most likely come next season I will bring another person or two aboard to do some posting on the bog end of the site. Thanks!
I wasn’t referring to your lack of posts, Patrick; you do plenty. I thought others would be chiming in a little bit more often.
Check out Chardon Oh. They average 107″ a year. If you live here you can live anywhere.
I gotcha Kevin
I agree, the comments have been pretty quiet this season. I think part of it is because of how little snow a lot of the Northeast received and the other reason could be because we have the Facebook group now. That’s been pretty active whenever there is snow in the air. If anyone wants to join the group it’s at https://www.facebook.com/groups/861746940543642/ There is a good mix or men and women of all ages from all over the United States.
This fun contest is for cities over 100,000 in population based on the official US census taken every 10 years.
Ha!
We hit Patrick and y’all with one last snowball! Blop!
Go Snowacuse!
Lol E, I have a feeling I won’t be calling this anytime soon though
Go ‘Cuse!
Just to touch on this……This contest has rules and it looks like Erie may be eliminated by a technicality even though as others have pointed out, “Erie” truly does encompass a wider area. But once you start bending the rules this will become more of a debate chat room and the fun will be lost. C’est la vie! (This is life)
In the meantime however…..Looking at my long term forecast….Erie may get one more parting shot at the title the first full week of April as cold air pours across the lake and the Lake Erie Snow Machine may spring back to life. We’ll see…..
I thought Erie was going to come out on top that last snowfall Alan. I was surprised to see Syracuse move to the top to be honest. It’s winding down but still enough time left as long as the cold sticks around…
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Looks like the normal top 2 are going to run away with it, and duke it out.
As I made the call 3 years ago Erie won’t be in the competition as they would soon be under 100K population. It was all over the local news this summer, Current population is 96,542 and shrinking. That is down from 153K in 1978 So in fairness to other communities that get a heck of a lot more snow than Erie such as Jamestown NY etc. Erie should be eliminated from competition.
I understand what you are saying – technically – but a lot of the weather counts are taken at the airport – which is in Millcreek. Just because the city’s population has fallen underneath doesn’t mean the combined erie/millcreek has. Over the last 20 years, the two are so closely interspersed I think that Erie should be allowed to stay in the competition. The city works like a bigger city because the two municipalities work in combination.
yep – I double checked- the snow counts are taken at NOAA which is at the airport which is in Millcreek.
Boo-hoo! I’ll be so sad when the census is taken in four years and we’re (Erie) eliminated from the contest. For what will there be to live? Perish the thought. I think I’ll go out and shovel.
Seriously this subject keeps coming up every year and seems to be very childish to continue bringing it up…the next census isnt until to 2020. It is just a fun contest, would almost think your bitter that Erie has been at the top of the snow mountain this year. Besides I dont think Erie will be heart broken if they get taken off the list. Like Nina stated if you take the Erie/Millcreek population as a whole it clears the population requirements by a long shot and yes the Erie Airport is located in the Millcreek area. ~shrugs~ this subject will come up again next year Im sure.
Patrick explained last year that Erie could not be taken out until the official census in 2020 so until then lets just enjoy the contest.
This thread is down right hilarious!
According to the NY Times this a.m., the snowfall for the season is 30.3″. The official snow total is taken at Central Park, not JFK.
The official totals from who Rich. I’m pretty sure that the 3 totals I look at are all official for NYC. Those are JFK, LaGuardia and Central Park. I look at all 3 and go with the location that shows the highest total. I believe a good part of the time it is Central PArk but right now it is the location that I have listed.
Keep an eye out for Buffalo/ Rochester, NY- 24+ inches are expected in some spots!!!
Welcome back Buffalo and Rochester! Erie was getting lonely at the top of the heap!!
Syracuse been vacationing in Bermuda all winter so far. ;^)
Staring tomorrow, Feb 1 we’re back on the clock; get ready for a Syracuse snowfal-smackdown in February; and no more funny buziness from Wooster or Lowell with the biased ref calls.
Mt Mitchell NC got 66 inches. Why are they not on list?
Because they don’t have 100,000 residents…
Same old, same old. Every year the wanna-be’s start whining about how much more snow they have than those listed as front-runners. If you can’t wait until the population demographics change with the next census or don’t like the rules, start your own stupid contest, but bear in mind that there are towns the size of yours around the cities that are leading that receive a lot more than the leaders. And the second thing is why do you want to win this?
Exactly, a couple of towns that received sizeable snowfall from the latest lake-effect blast (nowhere near their season total).
…OSWEGO COUNTY…
PARISH 37.0 652 AM 2/11 BROADCAST MEDIA
MEXICO 37.0 655 AM 2/11 SOCIAL MEDIA
HASTINGS 31.0 600 AM 2/11 TRAINED SPOTTER
OSWEGO 26.5 600 AM 2/11 COCORAHS
SCRIBA 20.0 500 AM 2/11 TRAINED SPOTTER
This “snowband” is moving south today. Syracuse to add more to their total.
Does Mt. Mitchell have 100,000 people?
I can tell you that most of us in Erie, PA don’t want to win this contest. lol Well, all except the plow drivers. As usual though, we are up there competing. lol
I want to win it I miss Erie and the snow I down in cowtown Ohio now where 35″ for the season is considered a bad season way to much snow and cold…..PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
Lol Kimberly
It may be time for you to do a snow dance there 
The article “Kyle” links to is from 2013, there is newer data that shows Erie over 100,000. Not that it matters much if any city is above or below 100,000 by a hundred or two, unless you really have no life at all except counting snowflakes.
https://suburbanstats.org/population/pennsylvania/how-many-people-live-in-erie
Erie shouldn’t even be on the list. They need to update the population information. http://www.goerie.com/article/20150521/NEWS02/305219909/eries-population-sinks-to-lowest-in-nearly-a-century
The population totals are from 2010, which I believe was when the US had the last census. After the next census, Erie will be probably off the list.
This contest relies on the Official Census taken every ten years…..not estimated totals. Erie is in until the 2020 count.
It’s been discussed in length. All population information is based on Census data. Erie is on the chart through at least 2020, after the next Census.
Told ya’ll we would make it happen……Probably will not stay on top for long as it may be a bit slow here for the next few days but given that wide open and warm lake….Never was much doubt that we would leapfrog to the top honors….
McKean, PA (south of Erie) got 3 feet in the last 48hrs. Crazy storm, y’all.
I live in McKean, PA just south of Erie, we just got another 15 inches since last night. It is pretty typical to get double to triple what Erie gets just south of Erie in the snow belt. The same goes for the towns in south western New York and all along the edge of Lake Erie up to Buffalo.
I figure Syracuse be moving up to top five by nights end being pounded near airport.
And not going to stop until Thursday morning.
The normal top 10 are storming back
It will be interesting to see how this week plays out. Some could catch up unless the top cities keep adding snow. Should be fun!
Looky…looky…looky. Dreary, bleary Erie doing its usual winter hokey-pokey. From 22 to 5 in a week and it’s been coming down non-stop since yesterday morning. Not supposed to stop until afternoon tomorrow with more forecast for the rest of the week. We are winter.
St. Louis, MO received its first measurable snowfall.
http://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=lsx&product=CLI&issuedby=stl
No flagstaff Arizona????? Easly 40+ in this year
I think last I checked Mike Flagstaff was over 50 inches on the season. Unfortunately, the contest is for cities with a population over 100,000. I am impressed though by the totals Flagstaff has this season including 30+ inches in the 1st week of January alone…
Its over 50in for 2016, no 2015 season included. I feel like it should still be placed on the rankings, maybe with an star denoting Pop. under 100,000. They are at 70,000 which is very fair.
Ah, why the 100,000 plus population limit? That’s like measuring how high people 6′ and above can jump but not including those who are 5′ tall. Pointless list. So pointless. Kids: don’t use this site if you’re trying to gather facts.
Linda,
The reason for that limit has to do with the major U.S. Cities, and the generally accepted value for “major” is 100,000 or more.
It’s more the equivalent of college athletics: there’s Division I, Division II, and Division III. In college athletics, Division I tends to get the biggest spotlight. Likewise, the site is basically looking at the “Division I” of the U.S. Cities. So, yes, the data is factual, at least as best as it can be for something that’s a one-man show (as is indicated, there are likely a few that aren’t showing but he’s working on it)!
Certainly not pointless, anyway.
Linda…. Lewis County in NY gets 100′s of inches a season…20-30 foot. They are not whining about not being included and neither should you!
Ok…..The Polar Vortex is scheduled to return to the Erie PA / Buffalo New York area for all of next week. lake Erie’s water temp is way above normal with zero ice. By the end of next week either city could make the jump and be right in contention or possibly even in first place.
It will at least get exciting for those in the Northeast for pretty much the 1st time this season Alan
So far and you know how things will change it is looking good for Buffalo from what I have been reading. Syracuse may need the winds to shift some to get some mega snowfall although at this point any snow will help. I haven’t seen anything on Erie yet other than the cold air moving in. Should be a fun week ahead with the lakes so warm 
It’s interesting to me how the great lakes totals are influenced by whether you live on the right side , or the wrong side: South Bend vs. Chicago, Buffalo vs. Detroit , or Toronto. Narrow snow bands that produce crazy localized amounts, with little, or nothing a few miles away. It’s like snow -making on a ski resort. I think it’s cheating. I always wanted to call someone else a cheater! Signed: a New England Patriot fan
Ha, Ha Don, I love it
A beautiful 2015 with nary a trace of the white stuff, BUT from nowhere we have shown up and are ready to play ball. Unleash the hounds!
oh pooh, I moved in October 2013 to Erie from the desert southwest for the snow and then i get overdosed on snow for two years in a row and now it wont even snow lol
ok ok its nice to have a break i sort of wish my first winter in Erie would have been like this one, where it allowed me to get acclimated
but noooo I move to Erie and someone or something decided to throw a ginormous snowball at me.
Im just waiting for the day that Erie and the rest of the northeast decides to finally march up the mountain and lay claims to what is theirs
just a random moment
lol someone heard me… that white stuff is falling pretty good right now
Good to hear Kayli
Although this season has been pretty exciting as far as it being close, none of our cities are in the hunt yet 
ROFL. Welcome to Erie Kayli !! I see we greeted you in fine fashion (2013-14 Snow Derby Champions). Years ago our factory rep moved into this area from Texas. His first snowstorm deposited 3 feet of snow in his driveway. All he had was a dirt shovel. Welcome to Erie !!!! He left within 12 months……..Hope you fared a little better than he did.
Erie here…I can barely see my garage 30′ from my kitchen window. You gotta love/hate this town.
I just moved from Erie, Pa to Fort Collins, Co. I guess wherever I go, the city ends up in the top three. Crazy!
Lol, Colorado has been active this season compared to last season RJ. At least you will feel like your home, to a point of course..
Come on Erie !!! You got to move up. The snow this morning is going to help the cause.
First real snow of the season right now.
Erie and Buffalo probably don’t stand a chance during an El Nino year though.
Buffalo finally got on the snow mountain at least Jim with 0.1 inches, lol. Erie moved up a handful. It will be interesting to see if Erie makes the top 25 by the end of the weekend.. Hopefully the El Nino weakens pretty soon..
I would not count Erie or BUF out just yet. This warm air has kept the lake water temperature well above normal. One good cold snap with the correct wind direction and we could be measuring snowfall by feet instead of inches. Either city could easily jump to somewhere between 4th and 7th place. Perhaps evenh igher than that.
I agree Alan. Just a few good lake effect events can put a lot of the NE cities where they normally are. A few storms and watch out for some of the other cities that were near the top last season like Boston. Boston had less than 3 inches this time last season and look what happened
Enjoy your website as I was born & raised in the Syracuse, NY area – living in FL now – guess why!!! Where are you Cuse??? Let’s get making some snow up there!!!
I just wanted to point out I live in Minneapolis. There is a storm passing through and another on its way. There is also over a half foot of snow on the ground right now.
Thanks for the heads up Ed. I’ve been keeping an eye on that storm and see that the Twin Cities are suppose to get some decent snow. If I have a chance later I will try to get an update in. If you haven’t already joined, we have a pretty good group of snow folks at https://www.facebook.com/groups/861746940543642/
Go ahead and take Erie off. People just wanna win on a technicality. Erie is usually high in the ranks, population means nothing. Removing us doesn’t take away our snowfall numbers, just out of a “rank” competition. No matter how you look at it, we’re still one of the ones to beat. As it is, some of you other cities, when national news programs report on snow fall totals in cities, Erie is one of the ones almost always mentioned. Some of you others have yet to be acknowledged in the snowfall race.
Patrick, I just wanted to say thank you for the fun but ive decided I wont follow this contest this year. Sort of need a break from the over competitiveness, it was fun while i was following it but then instead of sitting back and having a little fun people started moaning too much about cities being added and of course with Erie threatening the top five the whole lets take erie out of the picture because they are under 100000 just sort of spoiled everything for me. It just feels like all the fun that I think you intended for this has become an all out war. It has become, do whatever it takes to get to the top and reign there. Personally my suggestion to you but its not my site so its only a suggestion is if a city is currently in this contest then they should not be taken out of it later just because they fell below 100000 by a few hundred. Population will fluctuate all the time but I dont think erie is going to run out of people anytime soon nor any other city thats been pulled into the contest which by the way people crying about as well last year. Had you not pulled those other cities in last year the contest could have been completely different but honestly who cares its suppose to be fun. Lol Could really upset some people if you were to change the population requirement to 50000 instead but omgossh you would be so overwhelmed with people crying anyway good luck with this contest and to the future winners.
Hi Kayli, NOOO way can you leave us
It can be a little silly about how some of us take the competition and I’m sure I’ve made a post or two picking on someone’s city. I can guarantee though that none of my posts were every intended to be serious. In the several seasons that the National snow contest has been around, I think other than spammers I have blocked under 10 comments on here. I think that goes to show you what a great group of people that come and post to the site.
As for Erie and there is at least one other city that supposedly dropped below 100,000, maybe two, they are here at least until the next Census. I mentioned that in our Facebook and most agreed. We use the National Weather Service because they are the only official snow stats so I think going by the latest Cencus is the fairest thing to do. Besides the people from Erie are too much fun to get rid of
That said, Come on Erie, Start Making Some Babies 
lol i love your contest and you talked me into staying on board. I was going to move but something came up and I will be remaining in Erie.
Thank You for convincing me to stay and I promise it wasnt you. I dont mind some picking in fun but its like people are trying to take the fun out of it. I am not Erie or Pennsylvania raised but since moving here I have learned jack frost does not discriminate in the northeast. I wondered often why my father would have wanted to move from Maine to the Phoenix area of Arizona and now im beginning to see his logic XD but then again I think my logic is sound too move from the desert southwest back to the northeast where my father came from haha at least in Erie I dont have to worry about breaking a sweat when drinking hot cocoa
Ashtabula, OH has had an average annual snowfall of 120.5 inches over the last 30 years, which is 438% more than the national average (22.4 inches). 74% of Ashtabula’s snow fell during the winter months.
Thanks for the info Leslie
I wish the population there was over 100,000 so we could add Ashtabula, OH to the contest..
Chuck Great point when Erie beat syr.
last year by 6 inches my thought was do they Really have more than the reported 106000 pop. I Demanded a recount or adjustment ehr WHATEVER???
Ha Glenn, not happening
Erie is Grandfathered in until the next census.