Average first snow date by city
Which U.S. cities see snow first? This table ranks weather stations by the median date of the first measurable snowfall (0.1 inch or more in a day), computed from the last 30 snow seasons of NOAA daily records. It also shows the first 1-inch snowfall, average yearly snowfall, and white Christmas odds.
| City | State | First measurable snow (median) | First 1"+ snow (median) | Avg snowfall / season | White Christmas chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Washington | NH | Sep 19 | Oct 9 | 285.1" | 97% |
| Bettles | AK | Sep 27 | Oct 5 | 96.7" | 100% |
| Fairbanks | AK | Oct 1 | Oct 11 | 61.4" | 100% |
| Kotzebue | AK | Oct 3 | Oct 26 | 67.7" | – |
| McGrath | AK | Oct 4 | Oct 16 | 80.8" | 100% |
| Tanana | AK | Oct 9 | Oct 19 | 57.8" | – |
| Cheyenne | WY | Oct 9 | Oct 13 | 62.2" | 33% |
| Lander | WY | Oct 7 | Oct 9 | 83.8" | – |
| Great Falls | MT | Oct 11 | Oct 19 | 66.9" | 43% |
| Casper | WY | Oct 5 | Oct 9 | 73.2" | – |
| Anchorage | AK | Oct 17 | Oct 25 | 78.8" | 100% |
| Marquette (station 2) | MI | Oct 17 | Oct 22 | 199.2" | 90% |
| Billings | MT | Oct 19 | Oct 27 | 57.9" | 47% |
| King Salmon | AK | Oct 19 | Nov 4 | 47.5" | 62% |
| Denver | CO | Oct 20 | Oct 29 | 47.0" | 37% |
| St. Paul Island | AK | Oct 19 | Nov 10 | 69.9" | – |
| Duluth | MN | Oct 27 | Nov 8 | 87.4" | 93% |
| Glasgow | MT | Oct 23 | Nov 8 | 41.3" | 60% |
| Scottsbluff | NE | Oct 30 | Nov 1 | 41.4" | 40% |
| International Falls | MN | Oct 26 | Nov 6 | 70.3" | 83% |
| Ely | NV | Oct 23 | Nov 1 | 56.7" | – |
| Sault Ste. Marie | MI | Oct 27 | Nov 6 | 126.6" | 89% |
| Colorado Springs | CO | Oct 25 | Nov 13 | 34.2" | 21% |
| Helena | MT | Nov 2 | Nov 5 | 38.3" | – |
| Havre | MT | Oct 27 | Nov 8 | 40.4" | 46% |
| Grand Forks | ND | Oct 27 | Nov 10 | 47.2" | 86% |
| Bismarck | ND | Oct 31 | Nov 10 | 47.9" | 73% |
| Caribou | ME | Oct 30 | Nov 10 | 120.7" | 83% |
| Aberdeen | SD | Nov 2 | Nov 19 | 40.2" | 60% |
| Yakutat | AK | Nov 1 | Nov 10 | 152.0" | – |
| Pocatello | ID | Oct 30 | Nov 16 | 38.6" | 60% |
| Pembina | ND | Nov 2 | Nov 2 | 39.7" | – |
| St. Cloud | MN | Nov 4 | Nov 14 | 47.0" | 74% |
| Goodland | KS | Oct 31 | Nov 16 | 29.0" | 33% |
| Fargo | ND | Nov 2 | Nov 12 | 48.8" | 81% |
| Missoula | MT | Nov 4 | Nov 13 | 44.2" | 63% |
| Rochester (Minnesota) | MN | Nov 2 | Nov 18 | 50.6" | 80% |
| Binghamton | NY | Nov 4 | Nov 13 | 85.6" | 63% |
| Sioux Falls | SD | Nov 6 | Nov 12 | 43.0" | 47% |
| North Platte | NE | Nov 2 | Nov 16 | 29.4" | 23% |
| Watertown | SD | Nov 6 | Nov 17 | 40.6" | 76% |
| Kodiak | AK | Nov 1 | Nov 19 | 70.4" | – |
| Alamosa | CO | Nov 2 | Nov 16 | 26.8" | 30% |
| Elko | NV | Nov 7 | Nov 26 | 41.6" | 56% |
| Huron | SD | Nov 6 | Nov 10 | 41.5" | 63% |
| Juneau | AK | Nov 4 | Nov 10 | 82.9" | 23% |
| Eau Claire (Chippewa Valley Airport) | WI | Nov 5 | Nov 21 | 54.3" | 73% |
| Pueblo | CO | Nov 8 | Nov 21 | 25.9" | 10% |
| Youngstown-Warren | OH | Nov 6 | Nov 19 | 64.7" | 45% |
| Valentine | NE | Nov 6 | Nov 6 | 34.7" | 37% |
| Wausau | WI | Nov 8 | Nov 20 | 63.1" | 89% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul | MN | Nov 9 | Nov 24 | 50.3" | 73% |
| Alpena | MI | Nov 8 | Nov 19 | 77.0" | 75% |
| Marquette | MI | Nov 8 | Nov 14 | 98.2" | 80% |
| Syracuse Hancock | NY | Nov 9 | Nov 22 | 117.9" | 63% |
| Salt Lake City | UT | Nov 8 | Nov 24 | 48.2" | 50% |
| Rochester (New York) | NY | Nov 8 | Nov 22 | 97.2" | 50% |
| Grand Rapids | MI | Nov 10 | Nov 24 | 77.1" | 63% |
| Mason City | IA | Nov 10 | Nov 30 | 42.1" | 54% |
| Houghton Lake | MI | Nov 10 | Nov 16 | 64.4" | 73% |
| Burlington (Vermont) | VT | Nov 8 | Nov 21 | 83.9" | 67% |
| Gustavus | AK | Nov 7 | Nov 11 | 77.8" | 58% |
| Cleveland | OH | Nov 12 | Nov 22 | 59.4" | 43% |
| Spokane | WA | Nov 13 | Nov 13 | 45.7" | 48% |
| Buffalo | NY | Nov 10 | Nov 21 | 96.0" | 63% |
| Erie | PA | Nov 13 | Nov 17 | 99.6" | – |
| Sioux City | IA | Nov 11 | Nov 26 | 33.8" | 37% |
| La Crosse | WI | Nov 12 | Dec 3 | 44.4" | 67% |
| Akron-Canton | OH | Nov 10 | Nov 26 | 44.9" | 34% |
| Madison | WI | Nov 12 | Nov 24 | 49.0" | 63% |
| Lansing | MI | Nov 14 | Nov 25 | 47.8" | 63% |
| Elkins | WV | Nov 14 | Nov 22 | 63.1" | 33% |
| Winnemucca | NV | Nov 12 | Nov 30 | 23.7" | 38% |
| Green Bay | WI | Nov 14 | Nov 24 | 56.1" | 63% |
| Flint | MI | Nov 14 | Nov 26 | 52.1" | 63% |
| Grand Junction | CO | Nov 12 | Nov 29 | 16.9" | 40% |
| Flagstaff | AZ | Nov 9 | Nov 28 | 83.3" | – |
| Grand Island | NE | Nov 16 | Dec 8 | 26.3" | 37% |
| Milwaukee | WI | Nov 15 | Dec 2 | 47.4" | 47% |
| Clayton | NM | Nov 17 | Nov 25 | 21.4" | – |
| Dubuque | IA | Nov 13 | Nov 25 | 41.7" | 44% |
| Norfolk (Nebraska) | NE | Nov 13 | Nov 23 | 28.8" | 47% |
| Saginaw | MI | Nov 17 | Nov 25 | 50.2" | 48% |
| South Bend | IN | Nov 17 | Nov 21 | 61.9" | 48% |
| Des Moines | IA | Nov 18 | Nov 28 | 37.5" | 43% |
| Pittsburgh | PA | Nov 15 | Dec 3 | 42.1" | 27% |
| Muskegon | MI | Nov 17 | Nov 24 | 78.8" | 61% |
| Waterloo | IA | Nov 14 | Nov 26 | 37.9" | 50% |
| Albany | NY | Nov 14 | Nov 26 | 57.1" | 33% |
| Beckley | WV | Nov 19 | Dec 4 | 49.3" | 26% |
| Bangor | ME | Nov 22 | Nov 23 | 73.9" | – |
| Fort Wayne | IN | Nov 18 | Dec 6 | 31.9" | 33% |
| Mansfield | OH | Nov 14 | Dec 5 | 45.1" | 41% |
| Bluefield | WV | Nov 14 | Dec 5 | 37.4" | 24% |
| Dodge City | KS | Nov 24 | Dec 5 | 18.6" | 13% |
| Detroit | MI | Nov 20 | Dec 5 | 43.9" | 40% |
| Blue Hill Observatory | MA | Nov 14 | Dec 4 | 68.5" | 37% |
| Moline (Quad Cities) | IL | Nov 24 | Dec 1 | 35.8" | 34% |
| Omaha | NE | Nov 24 | Dec 7 | 26.2" | 38% |
| Chicago (O'Hare Airport) | IL | Nov 20 | Dec 4 | 38.3" | 39% |
| Boise | ID | Nov 22 | Dec 2 | 19.1" | 33% |
| Worcester | MA | Nov 18 | Nov 28 | 71.0" | – |
| Alpena (Wastewater Plant) | MI | Nov 24 | Nov 25 | 59.0" | 67% |
| Rockford | IL | Nov 20 | Dec 4 | 34.9" | – |
| Reno | NV | Nov 24 | Dec 10 | 20.4" | – |
| Columbus (John Glenn Airport) | OH | Nov 21 | Dec 12 | 26.6" | 23% |
| Concord | NH | Nov 20 | Dec 4 | 66.0" | 52% |
| Toledo | OH | Nov 22 | Dec 6 | 33.9" | 43% |
| Amarillo | TX | Nov 27 | Nov 29 | 17.2" | 13% |
| Williamsport | PA | Nov 22 | Dec 4 | 33.6" | 28% |
| Lincoln | NE | Nov 28 | Dec 9 | 25.2" | 38% |
| Dayton | OH | Nov 26 | Dec 8 | 24.2" | 23% |
| Indianapolis | IN | Nov 24 | Dec 12 | 24.4" | 23% |
| Albuquerque | NM | Nov 28 | Dec 22 | 7.4" | 0% |
| Portland (Maine) | ME | Nov 26 | Dec 6 | 66.1" | 40% |
| Peoria | IL | Nov 30 | Dec 6 | 26.1" | 28% |
| Topeka | KS | Nov 29 | Dec 16 | 17.0" | 20% |
| Charleston (West Virginia) | WV | Nov 26 | Dec 11 | 26.6" | 17% |
| Kansas City | MO | Dec 2 | Dec 14 | 17.7" | 30% |
| Yakima | WA | Nov 27 | Dec 2 | 20.7" | – |
| Hartford (Bradley Airport) | CT | Dec 3 | Dec 5 | 48.2" | – |
| Jackson (Kentucky) | KY | Nov 30 | Dec 18 | 22.4" | 17% |
| Cincinnati (Northern Kentucky Airport) | KY | Nov 29 | Dec 10 | 22.8" | 20% |
| Providence | RI | Dec 4 | Dec 8 | 36.6" | 7% |
| Pendleton | OR | Nov 30 | Dec 12 | 15.9" | 13% |
| Wichita | KS | Dec 4 | Dec 16 | 13.7" | 20% |
| St. Louis | MO | Dec 2 | Dec 14 | 16.4" | 23% |
| Asheville | NC | Dec 2 | Dec 22 | 10.6" | 10% |
| Springfield (Illinois) | IL | Dec 4 | Dec 12 | 21.5" | 20% |
| Columbia (Missouri) | MO | Dec 6 | Dec 13 | 15.4" | 18% |
| Bridgeport (Sikorsky Airport) | CT | Dec 7 | Dec 16 | 33.9" | 12% |
| Harrisburg | PA | Dec 5 | Dec 16 | 27.3" | 13% |
| Louisville | KY | Dec 7 | Jan 6 | 13.0" | 17% |
| Newark | NJ | Dec 8 | Dec 18 | 30.1" | 10% |
| Springfield | MO | Dec 6 | Jan 1 | 13.6" | 17% |
| Allentown | PA | Dec 8 | Dec 13 | 32.3" | 21% |
| Lexington | KY | Dec 9 | Jan 6 | 14.5" | 17% |
| Reading | PA | Dec 8 | Dec 18 | 27.4" | 12% |
| Islip | NY | Dec 12 | Dec 20 | 32.1" | 14% |
| New York (LaGuardia Airport) | NY | Dec 10 | Dec 20 | 28.2" | 7% |
| Bristol | TN | Dec 7 | Jan 2 | 8.6" | 10% |
| Huntington | WV | Dec 14 | Jan 2 | 15.6" | 11% |
| New York (JFK Airport) | NY | Dec 12 | Dec 24 | 25.2" | 10% |
| New York (Central Park) | NY | Dec 12 | Dec 17 | 28.2" | 8% |
| Wilmington (Delaware) | DE | Dec 16 | Jan 3 | 19.6" | 10% |
| Evansville | IN | Dec 16 | Dec 28 | 9.9" | 13% |
| Washington (Dulles Airport) | VA | Dec 14 | Dec 19 | 20.1" | 7% |
| Tulsa | OK | Dec 14 | Jan 8 | 8.7" | 10% |
| Midland-Odessa | TX | Dec 14 | Dec 28 | 4.0" | 3% |
| Paducah | KY | Dec 15 | Jan 6 | 9.2" | 10% |
| Oklahoma City | OK | Dec 22 | Dec 29 | 7.2" | 7% |
| Philadelphia | PA | Dec 18 | Dec 30 | 22.6" | 10% |
| Lubbock | TX | Dec 14 | Dec 27 | 6.8" | 10% |
| Roswell | NM | Dec 2 | Dec 5 | 8.2" | 16% |
| Baltimore | MD | Dec 16 | Dec 30 | 18.9" | 7% |
| Parkersburg | WV | Dec 24 | Jan 6 | 8.2" | – |
| Abilene | TX | Dec 6 | Dec 29 | 3.7" | 0% |
| Asheville (Airport) | NC | Dec 24 | Jan 6 | 9.5" | 7% |
| Washington (Reagan National Airport) | VA | Dec 19 | Jan 6 | 13.5" | 3% |
| Marshall | MO | Dec 18 | Dec 25 | 9.0" | – |
| Atlantic City | NJ | Dec 20 | Jan 5 | 18.3" | 7% |
| Roanoke | VA | Dec 22 | Jan 7 | 13.8" | 10% |
| Bowling Green | KY | Jan 2 | Jan 11 | 8.6" | 7% |
| Fayetteville | AR | Dec 24 | Jan 12 | 7.9" | – |
| Richmond | VA | Dec 31 | Jan 3 | 8.9" | 3% |
| Knoxville | TN | Dec 30 | Jan 15 | 4.7" | 8% |
| Lynchburg | VA | Dec 31 | Jan 5 | 12.5" | 3% |
| Wichita Falls | TX | Dec 27 | Jan 9 | 3.4" | 3% |
| Medford | OR | Dec 24 | Jan 9 | 4.0" | 4% |
| San Angelo | TX | Jan 6 | Dec 29 | 1.6" | 0% |
| Portland (Oregon) | OR | Dec 28 | Jan 11 | 4.6" | 7% |
| Bishop | CA | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | 5.0" | 0% |
| Greensboro | NC | Jan 6 | Jan 8 | 7.3" | 0% |
| Little Rock | AR | Jan 6 | Jan 22 | 5.0" | 3% |
| Memphis | TN | Jan 8 | Jan 15 | 3.5" | – |
| Little Rock (Adams Field) | AR | Jan 9 | Jan 25 | 5.0" | 3% |
| Raleigh | NC | Jan 11 | Jan 19 | 5.1" | 0% |
| Jackson (Mississippi) | MS | Jan 10 | Jan 9 | 0.9" | 0% |
| Huntsville | AL | Jan 15 | Feb 6 | 2.7" | – |
| Fort Smith | AR | Jan 9 | Jan 15 | 3.0" | 0% |
| Dallas | TX | Jan 9 | Jan 31 | 1.9" | – |
| Greer-Spartanburg | SC | Jan 16 | Jan 19 | 3.6" | 0% |
| Chattanooga | TN | Jan 15 | Jan 29 | 2.7" | – |
| Tupelo | MS | Jan 11 | Jan 16 | 1.8" | 4% |
| Norfolk (Virginia) | VA | Jan 9 | Jan 11 | 5.9" | 0% |
| Charlotte | NC | Jan 16 | Jan 17 | 3.5" | 0% |
| Danville | VA | Jan 17 | Jan 17 | 8.0" | 0% |
| Shreveport | LA | Jan 15 | Jan 21 | 1.1" | 0% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | TX | Jan 15 | Feb 2 | 2.0" | – |
| Wilmington (North Carolina) | NC | Jan 23 | Jan 21 | 1.0" | 0% |
Click any column heading to sort. One row per NOAA weather station (usually the main airport weather station for the city). 1995–2024 daily records. See the methodology.