The 10 Cities With The Most Snow This Year
It is still too early to know whether any U.S. cities will set annual snowfall records this year, as significant snowfall can continue well into spring. That said, several cities have already broken single-day or single-storm records. Providence, for example, received 36 inches during a recent Nor’easter, based on data from T.F. Green Airport’s weather station, bringing its seasonal total to 68 inches — just shy of its all-time record of 73 inches set in 1995/1996.
A handful of other large cities still have a shot at record annual totals, but would need another foot or more of snow. Syracuse and Rochester would require heavy lake-effect snow off Lake Erie, while Boston and New York City would need to be struck by another Nor’easter.
The 10 snowiest large U.S. cities so far this season — all with populations over 100,000 — have each accumulated more than 60 inches. Some of these cities, including Syracuse, Buffalo, Erie, and Rochester, routinely reach or exceed that mark due to lake-effect storms off Lake Erie. Their all-time seasonal records reflect just how extreme snowfall can get in the region: Syracuse recorded 207 inches in 1992/1993, Buffalo 199 inches in 1976/1977, Rochester 161 inches in 1959/1960, and Erie 166 inches in 2017/2018. Cleveland, situated on Lake Erie’s southern shore, is another major city in the region that regularly sees heavy snowfall.
Climate Crisis 247 compiled this list of the 10 snowiest major U.S. cities (population 100,000+) for the 2025–2026 winter season, based on snowfall totals through March 3. Data was sourced from NOAA, Accuweather, and GoldenSnowGlobe. Because large cities contain multiple weather stations and snowfall can vary considerably across wide geographic areas, totals are typically drawn from a single, traditionally designated station. New York City, for instance, spans 469 square miles and has nearly two dozen stations — yet the one in Central Park serves as the official benchmark. According to the City University of New York, the NOAA CESSRST Network alone operates 19 stations across four of the five boroughs.
It is worth noting the broader context: snowfall totals across the U.S. are generally declining. According to Climate Central, nearly two-thirds (64%) of locations now receive less snow than they did in the early 1970s, a trend researchers attribute to a warming climate driven by human activity. The consequences extend to industries that depend on snow. “We experienced one of the worst early-season snowfalls in the Western U.S. in over 30 years,” said Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts, in comments to The New York Times.
These are the 10 US cities which have received the most snow this winter:
Syracuse, New York — 133.5 inches, well above the seasonal average of 98 inches at this point in the year. Syracuse is a perennial leader in snowfall, driven by lake-effect snow off Lake Erie.
Rochester, New York — 107.6 inches, above the average of 75.3 inches, also due to lake-effect snow.
South Bend, Indiana — 91.1 inches, well above the 53-inch average, fueled by Lake Michigan lake-effect snow bands.
Buffalo, New York — 87.9 inches, above the normal average of 75 inches, the result of multiple lake-effect storms.
Worcester, Massachusetts — 76.8 inches, above the 53-inch average, driven largely by the same Nor’easter that impacted New York City and Boston.
Grand Rapids, Michigan — Approximately 73 inches, boosted in part by Lake Michigan.
Providence, Rhode Island — Around 68.5 inches. The late-February Blizzard of ’26 alone deposited 36 inches — an all-time single-storm record for the state.
Binghamton, New York — 68 inches, mostly from lake-effect systems.
Erie, Pennsylvania — 67 inches. Situated on the southeastern shore of Lake Erie, southwest of Buffalo, Syracuse, and Rochester, Erie is often called Pennsylvania’s snowiest city.
Flint, Michigan — 65 inches, comparable to nearby cities such as Lansing, Pontiac, and Ann Arbor. Flint lies roughly 70 miles directly north of Detroit.
These rankings may shift before the season ends. Late-season blizzards occasionally sweep through the Rockies, and Denver can pick up more than 20 inches of snow during this period.
