The 5 Snowiest States In America For White Winters And Holiday Seasons

If snow is what you’re after this winter season, then know this: There are some states much more likely to deliver. Yep, while the sun-kissed lands of Florida bask in average daily temperatures pushing 75 degrees Fahrenheit throughout December, there is snow falling by the blizzard load in other corners of the United States. But which state sees the most? Where all but guarantees a white winter and snowed-in holiday season?

This guide has the answer. It drills down into data taken from World Population Review and USA.com — and sourced from over 18,000 weather stations across the country, no less — to reveal the spots that get the most white stuff of all. Specifically, it pinpoints the five states with the overall highest average annual snowfall counts up until 2010.

It’s a must-read for anyone looking to ski the pistes or get cozy beside the fire while a snowstorm blows outside, especially since these snow-covered states are tempting travel prospects in their own right. Yep, from the breathtaking parks, mountains, and wildlife of Alaska, America’s least-visited state, to the iconic ski fields of Colorado, to the forest-clad mountains of New England, there’s plenty to stoke winter wanderlust here.

Read more: How To Pack Just One Carry-On For A Week-Long Vacation

Vermont

Stealing first place on both World Population Review’s and USA.com’s list of the snowiest states in the USA, Vermont is a veritable winter wonderland throughout the whole cold season. According to the statistics, it’s the only state on our list that manages to push average snowfall counters above 80 inches, and even gets close to 90, with a total average of 89.25 inches a year between 1980 and 2010.

The generous snowpack here is due to a combination of unique geographical and topographical features. There are three main factors: An almost complete dearth of low-altitude coastal regions; a position that’s perfectly in the line of snowstorms swinging in from the northeast off the Atlantic Ocean; and a string of mountain ranges. On top of that, Vermont can even get lake effect snow — a phenomenon that sees freezing air from Canada collide with warmer air in the US lakes region, creating huge snow dumps in the process — off the waters of Lake Champlain.

So, where to go? Vermont has enchanting mountain towns and ski destinations aplenty. Of the lot, it’s the Stowe Mountain Resort that gets the highest snowfall of all. Head there to ski 116 trails across two separate mountains. Or just cozy up in a mountain B&B or slope-side sports hotel with its own heated pool. Your choice.

Maine

Maine comes in as the second snowiest state overall, and the second snowiest in New England after Vermont. In the 30-year period after 1980, the Pine Tree State saw an average annual snowfall count of just a touch over 77 inches. That’s more than Montana and South Dakota put together!

Thing is, Maine is a state of two halves when it comes to snow. There’s the coastal region, and then there are the mountains back from the salty Atlantic shoreline. It’s common to get huge dumps of up to 110 inches per year up high, while the beaches get as little as 50 inches in all.

The little town of Caribou, which you can find tucked into the far northeastern edge of the state, claims the title of the official snowiest settlement in the territory. It once saw a record 132 days with snowfall in a row, per Only In Your State! There’s skiing in Maine, too, you know. Head for Sugarloaf in the Carrabassett Valley, where over 50 miles of groomed, tree-lined runs await in a resort that’s been running for 75 years.

New Hampshire

Triangle-shaped New Hampshire rolls from the US-Canada border to the Atlantic Ocean, which it meets with the laidback beach town of Rye and the serene sand dunes of quiet Seabrook Beach. Further north, the peaks rise and rise to top out at New England’s highest point, some 6,288 feet above sea level on the summit of Mount Washington (per National Geographic). Things get a lot colder up there than they do nearer the ocean, which helps crank up the snowfall counter.

Yep, New Hampshire ranks third on our list, with an average snowfall depth of 71.4 inches. It’s a hefty total, much of it down to that chilly northern corner of the state — maps reveal that some areas of the upper part of New Hampshire saw over 200 inches of snow in the winter of 2024-25, while coastal spots received less than 50 inches (via Medium).

If you do decide to head north on your hunt for powder, then the little town of Groveton would be a good stop, since it’s officially the snowiest town in NH. Alternatively make for one of the local ski resorts, such as Bretton Woods, which SKI Magazine ranked as the number one snowiest resort in the east of the US in 2025.

Colorado

Snow heads will be pleased to see that the Centennial State climbs into the top four snowiest parts of the USA with a salopettes-soaking 67.3 inches of the white stuff across the winter season. This is the state with the absolute best skiing in the US, after all — it’s got the chic mountain wonderland of Aspen, the luxury ski getaway of Vail, and the old mining town come winter sports hub of Breckenridge, to name just three.

The main reason for CO’s snow prowess? That has to be the altitude. Some high-up places — such as Wolf Creek Pass, for example — can surpass 600 inches of snow over the course of a single winter, per Colorado State University! And it tends to be great snow for skiers and boarders, too, since much of it is formed at very low temperatures, ensuring the power on the pistes is light, airy, and perfect for carving.

You should plan ahead for winter visits to Colorado, though. Major roadways like the I-70 from Denver into the mountains can get very clogged up with traffic when the ski season gets a-rolling. Meanwhile, other roads will shut completely, like the soaring Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, the highest paved road in North America, which usually closes to thru drivers after Labor Day.

Alaska

No list of the snowiest corners of the USA could possibly skip Alaska — this is the only part of the country that spills over into the Arctic Circle, after all! What’s more, the colossal Last Frontier, as the territory is aptly known, is home to an estimated 100,000 individual glaciers, making it the most glacier-covered of all states.

So, it’s cold enough! That’s probably why the Haines 40NW weather station, which straddles the US-Canada border some 50 minutes outside of its namesake town of Haines, the adventure capital of Alaska, managed to clock up a recording of 8.2 inches on December 25, 2024, and how the state as a whole returns a figure of 64.46 inches of snowfall across the whole season.

It’s a fine location to find yourself during the chillier months, what with the Glacier Bay National Park beckoning just on the doorstep. That vast reserve of over three million acres runs from low-lying rainforests on the shoreline up to glistening ice fields, and a winter visit is prime for spotting the Northern Lights doing their thing over the snow-capped mountains.

Methodology

We took our top five snowiest states from a ranking published by World Population Review. It used data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which offers detailed information on snow depth and snowfall at thousands of weather station locations across the United States at any given time. We then cross referenced that with another list published by USA.com.

Specifically, the World Population Review rankings focused on average annual snowfall in each state of the country from 1980 to 2010. That means our ranking should reveal the territories with the most snowfall overall, not just the states that have peak snowfall at certain locations, such as high mountain locations.

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.

Read the original article on Islands.