These Are the 10 States That Get the Most January Snow

10. Massachusetts

Massachusetts may not have the most snowfall in January on our list, but they aren’t losing. On January 27th, 1997, Worcester County received a massive 31.9 inches. Before that, the most snow in January was 24 inches in Barnstable County on January 23, 2005. The average for the snowiest town for the month of January is 19.3 inches.

9. Maine

The state of Maine is no stranger to epic amounts of snowfall. Though it is snowy in January, it isn’t the month with the most snowfall. On January 28th, 2015, Androscoggin received 28 inches of snow, which is the most snow in one day of January. Over the course of three days around January 1st, 1963, it totaled 52 inches of snow, which is massive considering it’s almost 6 feet of snow. The typical average of snow in Maine during January is only 24 inches, at most.

8. Wisconsin

People in the state of Wisconsin know their winters aren’t for the faint of heart. They can be downright brutal, but remember, this is only entry number nine on our list of the ten highest-ranking snowy states in the month of January! Typically, in central and east central Wisconsin in January, the snowfall amounts to 25 – 30 inches and 40 inches to the north.

In Hurley, Wisconsin, the residents have made peace with the epic proportions of snow they might receive at any one time. In January 1997, the town received a whopping 103 inches in snow! We’ve done the math for you; they received over 8.5 feet of snow. Now, that’s a lot of shoveling!

7. Vermont

Vermont’s snowiest combined two-day period in the first month of the year happened on January 3rd, 2010, in the amount of 35.3 inches in Chittenden. The area with the most snowfall in January is Mount Mansfield, where they get 40.9 inches on average.

6. Wyoming

Some of the places to see the most snowfall in Wyoming are in the northwest. They are Moose, Moran, and Yellowstone Park. The safe haven for flora and fauna in Yellowstone gets approximately 35 – 65 inches of snow in the month of January annually! Moose gets approximately 40 inches, and Moran gets 39 inches.

During the April snowstorm in 2023, Casper saw 37.5 inches in one day. In January of 2023, Jackson received over 40 inches in a 48-hour period, making it the most snowfall recorded in Wyoming during January ever. The all-time record for snowfall in January goes back to March 21, 1919, when Johnson County saw 49 inches of snow.

5. New Hampshire

New Hampshire may be a small state, but it is perfectly capable of receiving crazy amounts of snow in one day. The average with the most snowfall in January happens in Coos, with them receiving 41.4 inches. On January 28th, 2015, Rockingham saw a two-day combination equalling 42.2 inches of snow. They have not gotten a huge amount of snow in one day during January in a very long time, which just paves the way for it to happen in 2024!

4. Michigan

The state of Michigan is one of those states where the weather remains winter-like for the length of the winter. It typically has snow and slush, which equates to massive amounts of salt and brine dumped on the roadways. If you know anything about metal and that combination, you know that vehicles don’t last very long in Michigan, and it’s not just because of bad drivers! The salt/brine mixture is highly corrosive and will basically eat any metal parts on your vehicle. The snowiest January in Michigan award goes to Tahquamenon Falls Park for accumulating 46.1 inches during the month. The snowiest one day in January award goes to Alger County at the Chatham Expressway weather station of 24 inches on January 28th, 1996!

3. Colorado

Colorado is a state known for its majestic natural beauty, but there is little that compares to its mountain snowfall. January isn’t typically when the highest snowfalls happen, but it is still impressive considering. The record-holding January day happened in Mineral County back on January 14th, 1997, when 55 inches of snow fell in one day. That’s almost 6 feet of snow at one time! Typically, Steamboat Springs rakes in the most snowfall in January at 46.6 inches.

2. New York

New York is one of the snowier states in the U.S. throughout the winter, not just in January. In Sherman, New York, they see approximately 62 inches of snow in January! On January 6th, 1988, Lewis County made the record for the most snowfall in one day at 47.5 inches. The two-day total beginning the same day in Lewis County was 69.3 inches. The three-day snowfall quantity went to Erie County in November 2014, which added up to 86.5 inches or 7.2 feet of snow! That is some very serious snow. The schools may have given up for the year at that point.

1. Alaska

When anyone pictures Alaska, it’s hard to do so without picturing frigid temperatures and snow. January is a month filled with plenty of snowfall, but it is not the most. The place that does receive the most snowfall is Valdez. Their January snowfall average is 66.6 inches. The snowiest January day on record happened on January 2nd, 2012, with 42 inches in a 24-hour period. The thing with having over six feet of snow in Alaska is that it doesn’t melt quickly. What little it does melt refreezes in the evening. Alaska is number one on our list, but it shouldn’t really shock anyone.

Alaska gets extreme weather for a good bit every year. Approximately 67 inches of snow in January could very well be on top of snow that hasn’t melted from December. The January snow might stick around for a long time, too. February through April are also strong winter months in Alaska. The amount of cold, wind, and snow that our faraway state receives is phenomenal. There is a reason so few people call it home. It isn’t for the weak or those who get cold easily!