Skip to content

Does It Snow In New York?

    If you plan on traveling to New York in the wintertime, you likely want to know what the weather will be like. One question people ask us a lot is “does it snow in New York?” 

    The winter months in New York state come with a lot of snow. If you’re traveling to New York in the winter, you can expect cold weather and snowy conditions. While this state does get snow every winter, it falls below the national average. New York typically gets an average of 55.32 inches of snow annually, while the US average is 28 inches. 

    Are you excited to see the snow in New York this winter? Today, we’re going to discuss when it snows in New York and what you can expect if you travel to this state in the winter. Keep reading to learn more. 

    Average Temperature

    Does It Snow In New York?

    Every winter season, people in the state of New York look forward to the snow falling. The winter season will start in December with light snowfall. The state will receive the heaviest of its snowfalls in January and February. Once March comes around, the snow usually becomes lighter until spring arrives.

    In most regions of New York, there won’t be an early or late snowfall out of season. However, in the Adirondacks and other parts of the northern lowlands of New York, the snow may start as early as November and could last as late as April. 

    That being said, every region in New York is a different story. It could be sunny and clear on one side of the state, while another side is receiving heavy snowfall. While New York City doesn’t see overwhelming snow, areas like Rochester and Niagra Falls will receive more. 

    Upstate New York Snow Falls

    How Much Snow Does New York Get?

    The annual average snowfall in New York state is 55.32 inches. The following chart shows the average snowfall each month for the state:

    January15.6 inches
    February13.7 inches
    March12 inches
    April1.6 inches
    May0.1 inches
    June0 inches
    July0 inches
    August0 inches
    September0 inches
    October0.3 inches
    November2.6 inches
    December13.3 inches

    Now, that is the average of all regions combined. Keep in mind that some areas of the state get a lot more snow than others. 

    Anew York Average High Temperature - Coldest Month

    New York Weather Statistics

    • average temperature – 53 °F (12 °C).
    • average high temperature – 106 °F (41 °C)
    • average low temperature – 15 °F (-9 °C)
    • average wind speed – 24 mph
    • average rainfall – 41 inches
    • wettest month – July
    • average monthly snowfall – 4.5 inches
    • annual snowfall – 55 inches
    • coldest month – January
    • snowiest month – February

    Average Snowfalls in New York For Each City

    If you’re planning on visiting New York City, you won’t have to deal with as much snow as other areas of the state. A blizzard isn’t likely to ruin your day trip to Central Park. However, if you want to go to a ski resort in New York, you may want to visit Lake Placid or Syracuse. 

    To give you a better idea of how much snow falls in New York state, let’s take a look at the average snowfall per city annually.

    • New York City- 25. 1 inches
    • Poughkeepsie- 32.8 inches
    • Elmira- 37.9 inches
    • Albany- 59.1 inches
    • Saratoga Springs- 62.4 inches
    • Ithaca- 64.4 inches
    • Glens Falls- 58 inches
    • Massena- 69.4 inches
    • Niagara Falls- 76.1 inches
    • Binghamton- 83.4 inches
    • Utica- 88.3 inches
    • North Creek- 90.9 inches
    • Buffalo- 94.7 inches
    • Jamestown- 97.5 inches
    • Rochester- 99.5 inches
    • Lake Placid- 102 inches
    • Watertown- 112.1 inches
    • Colden- 116.4 inches
    • Syracuse- 123.8 inches
    • Old Forge- 177.3 inches
    Anew York Average High Temperature Early March

    Does New York Get Snowstorms?

    Snowstorms aren’t unheard of in New York. Many years, parts of the state will receive blizzards, snow squalls, and storms. If you plan on moving to New York, you should keep supplies in case of a bad winter storm. Some of the biggest snowstorms the state has ever had were:

    • February 12, 2006- one of the largest blizzards the state has ever received came through the east coast cities and left 26.9 inches of snow on the ground. 
    • Winter Storm Joans hit New York on January 23, 2016, and continued to storm through the next day. The blizzard conditions put both New York and New Jersey into a state of emergency. 
    • Boxing Day of 1947 wasn’t a fun day to enjoy the holiday season in New York. The city was dumped with 26.4 inches of snow, leaving many people stranded without heat.
    • The Great White Hurricane took through Maine and other parts of the US in March of 1888. While New York didn’t get hit as badly as other states, they still received 22 inches of snow.
    • Another big snowstorm occurred on February 25, 2010, when there was a snowfall of 20.9 inches. This happened merely a couple of weeks after Washington and Maryland got hit with a massive snowstorm as well.
    • January 7th and 8th in 1996 were fun days for students of New York state. A blizzard swept through the state leaving 20.2 inches in New York City and up to 30 inches in other parts of the state. There was so much snow that school was closed for multiple days in a row. 
    Lake Effect Snow - Coldest Month

    Does New York City Get A Lot Of Snow?

    Out of all the locations in New York, New York City gets the least amount of snow. While many parts of the state get hit with cold temperatures and heavier snowfalls, the same can’t be said about the city that never sleeps. It’s rare for the city to be blanketed with snow for long.

    New York City is a coastal city, which means that it will have milder temperatures and it won’t snow as often. When a location is level with the coast, it won’t snow. Since New York City isn’t level to the coast, it still receives snow. However, it doesn’t receive as much snow as regions in elevated areas.

    What Is The Snowiest Part Of New York?

    When Fox Weather listed the 7 US cities that receive the most snow, 3 cities from New York made the list. 

    • Syracuse, NY gets the most snow in all of the US. A lot of the snow comes from Lake Ontario, which Syracuse is right next to. The total snowfall each year can accumulate to around 11 feet of snow.
    • Rochester, NY also gets hit with a lot of snow. Just like Syracuse, Rochester is neighboring to Lake Ontario. However, it also has Lake Eerie on the other side, allowing it to get hit with nearly 100 inches of snow each year.
    • Buffalo is the other big city in New York. However, winter is the exact opposite as it is in New York City. Buffalo is on the opposite side of the state as NYC. The city receives a lot of snow from Lake Eerie.
    New York Rainy Days

    What To Do In New York In Winter

    There are a lot of fun things to do in New York during the winter time. However, it will depend on what area of the state you visit. New York City and nearby areas have less snow, making it easier to get around to many different locations without weather interfering. However, if you want to visit a ski resort, you should book a trip near the mountains.

    Ice skating is a very popular activity, with many places to go around the state. Tourists also enjoy taking a walk through Central Park and other parks within the state. One of the great things about New York is that the coffee culture is very popular. If you get cold enjoying an outdoor activity, there’s a coffee shop on nearly every block to find a warming beverage.

    If you are visiting New York City in December, there are many festivities you can enjoy. Of course, one of the biggest attractions is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. This tree lights up the city every year. The tallest one ever setup was 100 feet tall and had 25,000 crystals on it.

    However, New York City isn’t the only spectacular part of the state during the month of December. Many cities light up during this time of year, giving people all over the state something to look forward to.

    New York Great Time Comfort Level Late September

    Final Thoughts

    Does it snow in New York? Yes, it snows every winter in New York. In most cities, the snow will start falling in December. However, some towns in the mountains may get snow in November. In most areas, the snow will continue through to March, but in colder areas, it may stick around until April.

    Syracuse gets the most snow, while New York City gets the least. This has a lot to do with their locations in the state. New York City is a coastal city, so it gets milder winters from the ocean. Syracuse is on the other side of the state and is located beside Lake Ontario, so it receives more snow.

    Many years bring snow on Christmas day in New York. The state is very beautiful this time of year because it goes all out with the holiday decorations, which light up the state. When it snows, these holiday lights and decorations look even more beautiful. Tourists love to go to New York for holiday shopping in the snow.