White Christmas

25 Snowiest Cities in America, from Detroit to Rochester

The Daily Beast figures out which major cities have seen the most snow in the last year.

Clockwise from top left: AP Photo (2), Getty Images (2)

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-tease_axny7b — Total snowfall has dropped in recent years, as average winter temperatures have increased—but you can’t keep a good blizzard down. Just in time for the brunt of holiday travel, a snowstorm descended on the Midwest yesterday, promising up to 12 inches of snow for the middle states.

To rank the snowiest cities in the U.S., The Daily Beast considered average snowfall per month during the winter months of the last year (December 2011–March 2012 and to date December 2012) of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. Data on the number of days per month during that period with a maximum and minimum temperature equal or less than 32 degrees was used for a tie breaker.

Clockwise from top left: AP Photo (2), Getty Images (2)

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-boise_eera0u — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 1.92

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 0

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 17.8

Charlie Litchfield / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-indianapolis_sxaudv — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 1.92

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 2.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 15

Michael Conroy / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-seattle_fllkkr — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 2.22

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 0.4

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 6.2
Stephen Brashear / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-columbus-ohio_r2no3f — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 2.44

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 2.4

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 14.8

Kiichiro Sato / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-toledo_l6kxh9 — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 3.88

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.6

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 19.6
J.D. Pooley / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-chicago_dmhm0h — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 3.96

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.4

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18.4
Scott Olson / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-lincoln_irjmaz — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 4.048

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 22.6

Nati Harnik / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-colorado-springs_cezpba — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 4.12

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 2.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 23.2
Jay Janner, Colorado Springs Gazette / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-omaha_opxyiu — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 4.56

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 4.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 21

Nati Harnik / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-salt-lake-city_i4cm0g — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 4.62

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 1.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 19

Steve C. Wilson / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-des-moines_au1znj — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 4.72

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 4.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 19.4
Steve Pope / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-detroit_oximkq — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 5.08

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18.4

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-fort-wayne_ok5m9z — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 5.6

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18.4

Michele Quattrin, mQn Photography / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-milwaukee_mulkmu — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 6

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 4.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18.8

Darren Hauck / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-akron_nma1cj — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 6.16

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18
Ken Love, Akron Beacon Journal, MCT / Newscom

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-minneapolis_d5zowy — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 6.22

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 9.6

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 22.2

Tom Dahlin / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-pittsburgh_qmgbw9 — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 7.06

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 2.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 17

Keith Srakocic / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-buffalo-ny_md48ga — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 7.2

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.4

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18

John Normile / Getty Images

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-madison_ri4ngn — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 7.44

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 5.6

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 20.6
Andy Manis

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-cleveland_dgmzhy — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 7.48

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 15.6
Amy Sancetta / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-spokane_mjz6cn — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 8.06

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 6.2

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 23.2
Ingrid Barrentine / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-denver_fuy3zw — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 8.84

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 23.2

Ed Andrieski / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-grand-rapids_squxtc — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 10.38

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.6

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 18.4

Emily Zoladz, Grand Rapids Press / AP Photo

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-rochester_r97gdl — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 11.38

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 3.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 19

WAYNE SCARBERRY

galleries/2012/12/21/25-snowiest-cities-in-america-from-detroit-to-rochester/25-snowiest-cities-anchorage_prjlmh — Avg. snowfall per winter month (inches): 21.94

Avg. days with max. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 20.8

Avg. days with min. temp. ≤ 32° per winter month: 28

Bill Roth, Anchorage Daily News, MCT / Getty Images

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