Most of us make our holiday travel plans well in advance, before knowing what the winter forecast will bring. We hope those plans won’t be changed by what we eventually learn. Well, the verdict is in. We have an “intense, stormy winter” ahead for some parts of the country, according to the 2025-2026 winter forecast report provided by AccuWeather.
Those planning to travel to central and eastern states in early December and early February should prepare themselves, as this will likely be a “bookend winter,” where storms will rage in the opening and final weeks of the season, according to the report. That early burst of winter will be good for skiers, but the midwinter lull could bring trouble to the slopes.
Storms are predicted to surge from Canada into the Midwest before pushing toward the mid-Atlantic and New England in early December. And the storm track is expected to shift early February from the Plains and Mississippi Valley into the Appalachians, Midwest and the Northeast.
Though snowfall will be greater than last winter in some places, totals may still finish below the historical average. Here’s what that breakdown looks like nationwide.
Snow departures from historical averages (photo: AccuWeather)Top 12 Snowiest Places (2025/2026 Winter Season)
Snow is definitely coming to the Midwest, the Plains to the Ohio Valley, and throughout the Pacific Northwest, but these 12 cities will see the most of it.
1. Buffalo, New York
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 90-100 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 77.6 inches
- Historical average: 95.4 inches
Buffalo usually starts seeing its first lasting flakes mid-November. The city experiences what is called a lake-effect snow belt, where moisture coming off of the Great Lakes gets added to cold air and deposits localized snow. In the blizzard of 1977, Buffalo saw nearly 200 inches of snow for the season.
What snow lovers can do in Buffalo: Check out the city’s two ski resorts, Kissing Bridge or Holiday Valley, for downhill skiing and snowboarding.
2. Minneapolis, Minnesota
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 48-55 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 29.2 inches
- Historical average: 51.2 inches
Minneapolis starts seeing its first lasting flakes early to mid-November. The city experiences fickle weather. It’s known for bringing in a lot of snow in a matter of days, or in other years, steady over three months. The Halloween Blizzard of 1991 is one of Minneapolis’ most famous snowfalls, which brought in 28.4 inches of snow in just three days.
What snow lovers can do in Minneapolis: Check out the city’s 20 miles of trails used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in places like Theodore Wirth Regional Park.
3. Bismark, North Dakota
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 45-50 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 25.3 inches
- Historical average: 50.5 inches
The first snow in Bismark usually happens in October. The city has had a string of blizzard in its history, too, the greatest recorded snowfall being in winter of 1996 when 103.1 inches fell before December 31.
What snow lovers can do in Bismark: Grab the fam and head over to Tom O’Leary Sledding Hill. There is a warming house on site. Bring your fastest tubes and maybe some cocoa in a canteen, too.
4. Salt Lake City, Utah
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 44-48 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 18.1 inches
- Historical average: 51.9 inches
The first snow in Salt Lake City usually happens in early November. Though the city could see around 50 inches this year, the snowfall at the ski resorts in Cottonwood Canyon could get up to 500 inches.
What snow lovers can do in Salt Lake City: Beyond the epic ski resorts in Cottonwood Canyon, you can also visit the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics where there are guided tours of bobsled tracks and other winter sports historic venues.
5. Denver, Colorado
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 42-48 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 47.1 inches
- Historical average: 49.4 inches
Denver usually has its first snow that stick in mid-October. The city is placed at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Depending where you are, you could experience the least or worse of the snowfall. The airport area gets much less snow than the western and southwestern suburbs.
What snow lovers can do in Denver: Visit Rocky Mountain National Park to enjoy stunning winter scenery as you snowshoe.
6. Boston, Massachusetts
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 36-40 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 28.1 inches
- Historical average: 49.2 inches
Boston usually sees its first flakes in November, but the snow doesn’t stick well until December. January is when Boston sees the most snow. The city’s snow record is from 2015, when it gathered about 108 inches in a season.
What snow lovers can do in Boston: Visit Boston’s annual “Snowport,” a German winter market where you can grab a cocoa, enjoy holiday lights, browse unique shops, dine, and/or partake in activities like iceless curling.
7. Spokane, Washington
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 35-40 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 29.6 inches
- Historical average: 45.4 inches
Spokanite here! Our city usually sees its first real snow around Thanksgiving. That’s how you know the holidays have rolled in, we always say. December is our snowiest month, with winter 2008/2009 being our biggest snow year, with 132.6 inches.
What snow lovers can do in Spokane: Our city has embraced “fat biking,” which is exactly what it sounds like, off-load, snowy terrain, fat-tire biking. Bikes can be rented from North Division Bicycle. Grab one and hit up your favorite trail. You can plow through 3-4 inches of snow easily, on one of these things.
8. Chicago, Illinois
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 32-38 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 17.6 inches
- Historical average: 38.4 inches
Chicago usually sees its first snow around Halloween each year. January is the city’s snowiest month, with an average of 11.3 inches. But the most it saw in a single season was in 1978-79 when 21 inches of snow came in two days making the total to 89.7 inches for the three winter months.
What snow lovers can do in Chicago: Chicago is magical for ice skating. Glide across the ice in the iconic Millennium Park, as you take in the winter scenery and city views.
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 28-35 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 34 inches
- Historical average: 44.1 inches
Snow first falls around November/Decemeber in Pittsburgh. The city has a history of February blizzards, like Snowmageddon of 2010, which brought 21.1 inches of snow in.
What snow lovers can do in Pittsburg: Ever wanted to try dogsledding? Head to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for a history lesson on dog mushing before touring the dog yard and hopping on a sled pulled by a team of Alaskan huskies going 20 mph.
10. New York, New York
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 17-21 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 12.9 inches
- Historical average: 29.8 inches
New York City sees its first flakes in December, and is one of the most magical places to spend the holidays, for those who don’t mind a busy city. Coastal storms known as nor’easters are NYC’s most significant snow source. The city’s biggest single-day snowfall was on January 23, 2016, when it saw 27.3 inches of snow within 24 hours.
What snow lovers can do in New York City: Taking a stroll through Central Park is a must when winter has swept over the city. You can also cross-country ski in Central Park, or in Brooklyn at Prospect Park. Go ice skating at Wollman Rink in the Central Park, or at Rockefeller Center, Brookfield Place, or beneath the Brooklyn Bridge.
11. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 14-18 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 8.1 inches
- Historical average: 23.1 inches
Philadelphia will likely see its first snow in December, but it does see snow in November once every five years. The snowiest winter in the history of the city was the 2009/2010 winter season, which brought in 78.7 inches of snow.
What snow lovers can do in Philadelphia: As someone who grew up in Alaska, I can say that ice sculptures will bring you to your knees in awe, and there will be over 100 on display at Carlisle Ice Art Fest this season, just outside of Philly. It’ll be a weekend of ice sculpture carvings, demonstrations, and a well-stocked ice bar.
12. Kansas City, Missouri
- This year’s snowfall forecast: 13-18 inches
- Last year’s snowfall: 22 inches
- Historical average: 18.2 inches
Snow is predicted to fall in Kansas City for the first time around the end of November. The city’s historical heaviest snowfall was on March 23, 1912, when it saw 20.5 inches in a single day. Kansas City has a sophisticated plowing system that involves community volunteers and realtime tracking in an app.
What snow lovers can do in Kansas City: Visit Ya Ya’s Alpaca Farm for a cozy evening out in the winter snow with the warmest, cutest animals. Alpaca undergarments and socks are gaining popularity for those who hike and backpack the colder months.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac does not provide predictions specific to a city, but we cover its detailed winter report, broken down by region, here.
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