Places With Record-Breaking Snowfall This Month

December marks the start of the meteorological winter in the United States, a time of year when much of the country is prone to freezing temperatures, as well as frequent snowfall. While snow tends to be most common in January and February, some major cities across the country regularly report half a dozen inches or more of snowfall in December. Cumulatively, the 56 largest metro areas in the U.S. get an average of nearly 1,080 inches of snow annually – and over 20% of that snow falls in December. 

Historical records from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that in 11 states, the all-time, single-day snowfall record was set in the month of December. These states include Wisconsin, where a historic 26 inches of snow fell in Clark County on December 27, 1904, and Indiana, where 33 inches were reported in Washington County, two days before Christmas in 2004. 

So far this month, there have already been over half a dozen places in the U.S. where snowfall totals have broken local December precipitation records. 

Using data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate Crisis 247 identified the places where daily December snowfall totals have already broken historic records in 2025. We reviewed single-day record snowfall totals in the month of December for thousands of weather stations across the country, and identified those that reported new record highs in the first two weeks of December 2025. For context, we also included the highest single-day volume of snowfall ever recorded at the broader state level, as reported by NOAA’s State Climate Extremes Committee. Supplemental data on the elevation and location of weather stations are also from NOAA. 

The weather stations on this list are spread across seven counties in Montana and Ohio. Among them, new single-day December snowfall records range from 3.5 inches to 8.0 inches. These new highs exceed previous local records – some of which have stood for decades – by anywhere from 0.2 inches to 2.1 inches. 

Historical precipitation norms in these places, as reported by NOAA, further underscore just how unusual levels of snowfall have been so far this December. Only two weeks into the month, and the record levels of snowfall reported at the weather stations on this list have already exceeded 20th century average precipitation totals across the broader county for the entire month of December, often by several inches. 

7. Hannibal Locks And Dam Weather Station in Ohio

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 3.5 inches (Dec. 14, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 3.0 inches (Dec. 7, 1984)
• Weather station location: Monroe County, OH, 620 ft. above sea level (operational for 49 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Monroe County, OH: 3.2 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Ohio: 30 inches (April 20, 1901 in Trumbull County, OH;  900 ft. above sea level)

6. Weather Forecast Office Wilmington in Ohio

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 5.8 inches (Dec. 13, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 4.8 inches (Dec. 12, 2010)
• Weather station location: Clinton County, OH, 1,053 ft. above sea level (operational for 30 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Clinton County, OH: 3.1 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Ohio: 30 inches (April 20, 1901 in Trumbull County, OH;  900 ft. above sea level)

5. Saco 1 NNW Weather Station in Montana

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 6.2 inches (Dec. 11, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 6.0 inches (Dec. 10, 2010)
• Weather station location: Phillips County, MT, 2,185 ft. above sea level (operational for 49 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Phillips County, MT: 0.4 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Montana: 48 inches (May 29, 1982 in Chouteau County, MT;  4,295 ft. above sea level)

4. Lakeview Weather Station in Ohio

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 6.4 inches (Dec. 2, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 6.2 inches (Dec. 27, 2012)
• Weather station location: Logan County, OH, 991 ft. above sea level (operational for 76 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Logan County, OH: 2.5 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Ohio: 30 inches (April 20, 1901 in Trumbull County, OH;  900 ft. above sea level)

3. Sidney 1 S Weather Station in Ohio

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 6.5 inches (Dec. 2, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 6.0 inches (Dec. 21, 1960)
• Weather station location: Shelby County, OH, 940 ft. above sea level (operational for 77 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Shelby County, OH: 2.6 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Ohio: 30 inches (April 20, 1901 in Trumbull County, OH;  900 ft. above sea level)

2. Chester Weather Station in Montana

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 7.8 inches (Dec. 13, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 5.7 inches (Dec. 2, 2025)
• Weather station location: Liberty County, MT, 3,132 ft. above sea level (operational for 124 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Liberty County, MT: 0.4 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Montana: 48 inches (May 29, 1982 in Chouteau County, MT;  4,295 ft. above sea level)

1. Glasgow 14 NW Weather Station in Montana

• Heaviest December snowfall ever recorded at weather station: 8.0 inches (Dec. 11, 2025)
• Previous record December snowfall reported at weather station: 6.4 inches (Dec. 5, 2021)
• Weather station location: Valley County, MT, 2,163 ft. above sea level (operational for 74 years)
• Average total December precipitation in Valley County, MT: 0.4 inches 
• Single-day record snowfall across Montana: 48 inches (May 29, 1982 in Chouteau County, MT;  4,295 ft. above sea level)