Glistening white rooftops, white walks, a white Christmas, to sit beside the window and watch the falling flakes; snowfalls are one of the best things on earth. There’s something about the sight of those cold, white flakes that warms you inside even as it slowly brings on the chill outside. There’s nothing like watching the first snowfall of the year. But not all places on earth gets them.
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Snowiest Cities in the World
Here are ten lucky cities that gets to showcase a glossy white winter each year.
10. Buffalo, NY, US
Buffalo has a reputation for snowy winters. Snow cover last from late December into early March, but periods of bare ground are not uncommon. Over half of the annual snowfall comes from the lake effect process. Due to the prevailing winds, areas south of Buffalo receive much more lake effect snow than locations to the north. The most well-known snowstorm in Buffalo’s history was the Blizzard of ’77.
9. Denver, Colorado
Denver is the largest city and capital State of Colorado. It is a consolidated city and county located in the South Platte River Valley, east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Denver lies within the semi-arid, continental climate zone. Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with periods of snow and low temperatures alternating with periods of mild weather. Snowfall is common throughout the late fall, winter and early spring, averaging at 53.5 inches.
8. Aomori, Japan
Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tōhoku region of Japan. Aomori and its surrounding area are famous for heavy snowfall, the heaviest among all Japanese cities and among the heaviest in the world. In February 1945 the city recorded a maximum snow cover of 82 inches. The heavy snowfalls are caused by several winds that collide around the city that makes the air rise and cool, resulting in quick, thick cloud formation followed by intense precipitation.
7. Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio, located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie. The lake effect snow is typical in Cleveland from mid-November until the surface of Lake Erie freezes around late January or early February. The lake effect also causes differences in snowfall across the city. Snowfalls exceeding 100 inches are not uncommon as the city ascends into the Heights on the east, where the region is known as the ‘Snow Belt’ begins.
6. Moscow, Russia
Moscow, the second-most populous city in Europe is the northernmost and coldest megacity and metropolis on Earth. The lowest ever recorded temperature was −42.2 °C (−44.0 °F) in January 1940. Snowfall often begins at the end of November and melts by mid-March. Snow cover – which is usually found for three to five months- varies each year but is usually formed at the beginning of November and melts in the beginning of April.
5. Quebec, Canada
Quebec is a province in east-central Canada. Because of the influence of both storm systems from the core of North America and the Atlantic Ocean, precipitation is abundant throughout the year, with over 120 in. of snow in many areas. The all-time record of the greatest precipitation in winter was in the winter of 2007–2008, with more than five meters of snow in the area of Quebec City, the average amount received per winter is around three meters. Quebec saw the “Century’s Snowstorm” in March of 1971, with more than 16 in. snowfall in Montreal and that of 31 in. in Mont Apica within 24 hours.
4. Syracuse, New York, United States
Syracuse in New York, United States has a humid continental climate and is known for its snowfall. With 115.6 inches on average, the Syracuse metro area receives more snow on average than any other large city in the United States. Syracuse constantly wins the Golden Snowball Award, among Upstate cities. Its record so far is 192.1 inches. The high snowfall is a result of the fact that the city receives both lake effect from nearby Lake Ontario and nor’easter snow. Snow most often falls in small daily doses, over a period of several days. But larger snowfalls occur occasionally, especially in the northern suburbs.
3. Akita, Japan
Akita, the capital city of Akita Prefecture, Japan, has a humid subtropical climate characterized with cold, very snowy, winters, and very warm, humid summers. Monthly averages range from −0.1 °C in January to 24.5 °C in August. Due to its location near the Sea of Japan coast, Akita receives heavy snowfall, with just above 161 in. per season, with snow cover lasting from December to March.
2. Sapporo, Japan
Sapporo is the fourth-largest city in Japan by population and the largest city on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. With an average snowfall of 248 in., Sapporo is one of the few metropolises in the world with get such heavy a snowfall, enabling it to hold snow festivals and events. Sapporo holds the Sapporo Snow Festival every year in February. In 2006, the number of visitors at the Sapporo Snow Festival marked 1,985,000.
1. Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in the U.S. state of Alaska. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. Valdez is the snowiest place in the United States, with an average of almost 300 inches per year.