Special Report
Places With the Biggest Snowfall in History in Every State
Published:
Last Updated:
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow, right? But for how long, though? One foot of accumulated snow will suffice for a lot of fun games outside, but this is not a realistic expectation nowadays, at least not on a regular basis. A new snowstorm will blanket the U.S. from California to Maine–a 2,500 mile stretch.
Total snowfall has decreased in many parts of North America, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One reason why is changes in precipitation — more is coming in the form of rain due to climate change. One exception is the Great Lakes region, which now gets more snow than in the past. This is because for every degree rise in Fahrenheit the atmosphere can hold 4% more water. The longer the lakes don’t freeze, the more evaporation there is, leading to possibly more lake-effect snow.
The amount of snow in urban areas may be diminishing, but overall snowfall may not be trending down so significantly — it just comes in longer stretches, over a period of several days. This was not always the case.
Records date back to 1872, when Kings County, or Brooklyn, got 27 inches, or more than 2 feet of snow, in just one day.
This may seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. Imagine getting 6 feet and 4 inches in 24 hours, which occurred in Boulder County, Colorado in 1921. This is the largest single-day snowfall on record. It’s enough to bury you.
Maybe you don’t have to worry. Until about half a century ago, it was normal during a typical winter for more than 50 inches of snow to fall on at least one day – two exceptions are in Oregon in 2009 and Montana in 2006. Over the last decade, record single-day snowfall has exceeded 50 inches only once.
The popular and longest continuously-running periodical in North America, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, predicts that the 2018-2019 winter season will be warmer than usual, except in the Southwest. It’ll be cold, but not frigid.
To determine the county with the most snowfall in recorded history in every state, 24/7 Wall St. looked at data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Click here to see the places with the biggest snowfall in history in every state.
Alabama: Etowah County
> 1-day record: 1 foot and 8 inches
> Date: March 13, 1993
See all stories featuring: Alabama
[in-text-ad]
Alaska: Valdez-Cordova Census Area
> 1-day record: 5 feet and 2 inches
> Date: December 29, 1955
See all stories featuring: Alaska
24/7 Wall St.
Arizona: Coconino County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 6 inches
> Date: January 21, 2010
See all stories featuring: Arizona
Arkansas: Clay County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 1 inch
> Date: January 22, 1918
See all stories featuring: Arkansas
[in-text-ad-2]
California: Yuba County
> 1-day record: 6 feet and 3 inches
> Date: January 14, 1952
See all stories featuring: California
Colorado: Boulder County
> 1-day record: 6 feet and 4 inches
> Date: April 15, 1921
See all stories featuring: Colorado
[in-text-ad]
Connecticut: New Haven County
> 1-day record: 3 feet
> Date: February 9, 2013
See all stories featuring: Connecticut
Delaware: Kent County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 1 inch
> Date: February 19, 1979
See all stories featuring: Delaware
Florida: Santa Rosa County
> 1-day record: 4 inches
> Date: March 6, 1954
See all stories featuring: Florida
[in-text-ad-2]
Georgia: Murray County
> 1-day record: 1 foot and 8 inches
> Date: March 14, 1993
See all stories featuring: Georgia
Hawaii: Maui County
> 1-day record: 6.5 inches
> Date: February 2, 1936
See all stories featuring: Hawaii
[in-text-ad]
Idaho: Benewah County
> 1-day record: 5 feet
> Date: January 22, 1982
The Gem State tied its own record the following year — in the spring.
Idaho: Owyhee County
> 1-day record: 5 feet
> Date: May 2, 1983
See all stories featuring: Idaho
Illinois: Adams County
> 1-day record: 2 feet
> Date: February 28, 1900
See all stories featuring: Illinois
Indiana: St. Joseph County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 2 inches
> Date: January 8, 2011
See all stories featuring: Indiana
[in-text-ad-2]
Iowa: Taylor County
> 1-day record: 2 feet
> Date: April 20, 1918
See all stories featuring: Iowa
Kansas: Pratt County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: March 28, 2009
See all stories featuring: Kansas
[in-text-ad]
Kentucky: Pike County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 2 inches
> Date: March 3, 1942
See all stories featuring: Kentucky
24/7 Wall St.
Louisiana: Terrebonne Parish
> 1-day record: 1 foot and 4 inches
> Date: February 15, 1895
See all stories featuring: Louisiana
Maine: Franklin County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 6 inches
> Date: December 22, 2008
See all stories featuring: Maine
[in-text-ad-2]
Maryland: Garrett County
> 1-day record: 3 feet
> Date: February 6, 2010
See all stories featuring: Maryland
Massachusetts: Worcester County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 8 inches
> Date: January 27, 2015
See all stories featuring: Massachusetts
[in-text-ad]
Michigan: Ontonagon County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 9 inches
> Date: March 13, 2006
See all stories featuring: Michigan
Minnesota: Lake County
> 1-day record: 3 feet
> Date: January 7, 1994
See all stories featuring: Minnesota
Mississippi: Marshall County
> 1-day record: 1 foot and 6 inches
> Date: December 23, 1963
See all stories featuring: Mississippi
[in-text-ad-2]
Missouri: Bates County
> 1-day record: 2 feet
> Date: February 2, 2011
See all stories featuring: Missouri
Montana: Lewis and Clark County
> 1-day record: 4 feet and 4 inches
> Date: March 9, 2006
See all stories featuring: Montana
[in-text-ad]
Nebraska: Banner County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: December 14, 1925
See all stories featuring: Nebraska
Nevada: Douglas County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 9 inches
> Date: April 4, 1958
See all stories featuring: Nevada
New Hampshire: Coos County
> 1-day record: 4 feet and 1 inch
> Date: February 25, 1969
See all stories featuring: New Hampshire
[in-text-ad-2]
New Jersey: Somerset County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: January 23, 2016
See all stories featuring: New Jersey
New Mexico: Socorro County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 5 inches
> Date: February 3, 1964
See all stories featuring: New Mexico
[in-text-ad]
New York: Oneida County
> 1-day record: 4 feet and 2 inches
> Date: February 1, 1966
See all stories featuring: New York
North Carolina: Yancey County
> 1-day record: 3 feet
> Date: March 13, 1993
See all stories featuring: North Carolina
North Dakota: Ward County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 3 inches
> Date: April 27, 1984
See all stories featuring: North Dakota
[in-text-ad-2]
Ohio: Trumbull County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: April 20, 1901
See all stories featuring: Ohio
Oklahoma: Woodward County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: February 23, 1971
See all stories featuring: Oklahoma
[in-text-ad]
Oregon: Malheur County
> 1-day record: 5 feet
> Date: April 8, 2009
See all stories featuring: Oregon
Pennsylvania: Wayne County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 5 inches
> Date: February 16, 1958
See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania
Rhode Island: Providence County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: February 7, 1978
See all stories featuring: Rhode Island
[in-text-ad-2]
South Carolina: Sumter County
> 1-day record: 1 foot and 9 inches
> Date: February 9, 1973
See all stories featuring: South Carolina
South Dakota: Lawrence County
> 1-day record: 4 feet and 4 inches
> Date: March 14, 1973
See all stories featuring: South Dakota
[in-text-ad]
Tennessee: Sevier County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 6 inches
> Date: March 14, 1993
See all stories featuring: Tennessee
24/7 Wall St.
Texas: Lipscomb County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 1 inch
> Date: March 28, 2009
See all stories featuring: Texas
Utah: Salt Lake County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 2 inches
> Date: December 2, 1982
See all stories featuring: Utah
[in-text-ad-2]
Vermont: Orleans County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 6 inches
> Date: February 5, 1995
See all stories featuring: Vermont
Virginia: Loudoun County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 1 inch
> Date: January 24, 2016
See all stories featuring: Virginia
[in-text-ad]
Washington: Pierce County
> 1-day record: 5 feet and 10 inches
> Date: November 26, 1955
See all stories featuring: Washington
West Virginia: Preston County
> 1-day record: 3 feet and 1 inch
> Date: February 21, 2003
See all stories featuring: West Virginia
Wisconsin: Iron County
> 1-day record: 2 feet and 2 inches
> Date: March 13, 2006
See all stories featuring: Wisconsin
[in-text-ad-2]
Wyoming: Johnson County
> 1-day record: 4 feet and 1 inch
> Date: March 21, 1924
See all stories featuring: Wyoming
Want to Retire Early? Start Here (Sponsor)
Want retirement to come a few years earlier than you’d planned? Or are you ready to retire now, but want an extra set of eyes on your finances?
Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help you build your plan to retire early. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free.
Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions.
Have questions about retirement or personal finance? Email us at [email protected]!
By emailing your questions to 24/7 Wall St., you agree to have them published anonymously on a673b.bigscoots-temp.com.
By submitting your story, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms, including via third parties.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
