# When do you expect the first snow of the season?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 27, 2022, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848 "2022-10-27T01:48:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/21 "2022-10-27T14:14:18Z")
NE Minnesota
Some years we get snow in October. In fact we had a couple of inches fall 2 weeks ago, but it melted by midday. In 1991 we had the famous Halloween Blizzard. It dropped 36.9 inches of snow in our area. But in an average year, I would say our first measurable snowfall is mid-November. Last snowfall is usually mid-April.
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### Author:  [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/22 "2022-10-27T14:18:25Z")
SW Montana–it can snow any month, but you expect snow any time after Labor Day and before June 1. We had a major forest fire 2 years ago in early September that thankfully was put out by significant snowfall the day after it blew up to 10,000 acres!
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### Author:  [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/23 "2022-10-27T14:28:48Z")
I’ll be surprised if we get snow in Southern Merrylande before Christmas - I think the long-range forecast is for less-than-normal precip this winter. I’m fine if we get none, but I know the grandkids would be broken hearted. Whatever happens happens, she says philosophically…
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/24 "2022-10-27T14:46:44Z")
We’ve had winters where there was so little snow that – back in the days when I did my own shoveling – I literally had no shoveling to do the entire winter. I would be mighty pissed if we had one of those winters again because I’m on a fixed-price snowplowing contract. Of course if I ever took a risk and declined the snowplowing service, we would get the Blizzard of the Century – guaranteed! At which point I wouldn’t be able to get any snowplowing service to even return my calls – also guaranteed.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/25 "2022-10-27T14:52:13Z")
Of course that same feast-or-famine problem applies from the plower’s end of the contract too.
Some years he’s vastly and happily overpaid to sit at home all winter watching bare pavement. Other years he earns the same money by working 24h/7d for a couple months straight trying to keep up with blizzard after blizzard. But with lots more expense for fuel, tires, deicing stuff, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/26 "2022-10-27T15:46:13Z")
Late November, usually insignificant accumulation. The weather can change a great deal just a few miles away as altitude increases and the warmth of the ocean gets further away.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/27 "2022-10-27T16:12:41Z")
I get that, but trust me, at the rates he charges this guy is well covered from ever being in a money-losing position even if it snowed every day! But I keep renewing with him because he’s danged reliable. A snowplowing service that only comes by when they feel like it is pretty much useless. Also, if a city plow comes by and messes up the driveway entrance after he’s done, he’ll be by in a flash to clear it out.
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee
Considering that he’s sometimes come by at 2 AM or 4 AM, apparently he never sleeps. He may well have a formidable coffee budget. ☕
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/28 "2022-10-27T16:56:40Z")
Central Oregon. Ours was yesterday! Just a dusting, but exciting nonetheless.
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### Author:  [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/29 "2022-10-27T17:05:39Z")
Here in Hampton Roads, I’d say late November for the first, early February for the latest-- but it rarely sticks for more than a couple of days.
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### Author:  [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/30 "2022-10-27T18:11:33Z")
Here in central Switzerland we had no significant snow last winter. I hope we don’t have a repeat. However, they already had to cancel ski races due to lack of snow and it’s much warmer than normal.
So I’m hoping for snow in the third week of January, with the last snow during Easter weekend.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/31 "2022-10-27T18:44:45Z")
> [@snowthx](#):
>
> Around Tahoe, it used to be expected that you’d have that first day on the slopes by Thanksgiving.
I Trick-or-Treated in the snow just about every year. In retrospect, that really limited the choice of costumes available. Caused a lot of confusion when I went to Disneyland and Cinderella wasn’t wearing hiking boots and the Pirates of the Carribean weren’t in Down Jackets.
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### Author:  [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/32 "2022-10-27T19:39:21Z")
> [@wolfpup](#):
>
> I’m on a fixed-price snowplowing contract.
Ah, the wonders of The Dope fulfilling it’s charter.
I had literally no idea that such a thing nor its presumably variable-price variant existed, or that this represented a household budgetary decision.
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### Author:  [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)
#### Post date: [October 27, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/33 "2022-10-27T22:52:38Z")
> [@Sandra\_Battye](#):
>
> So when do you expect the first and last snows?
First snow was last weekend around my area but for some reason, my tiny bit of the condo plantation didn’t receive it. It fell a block south of me and two blocks west of me, but not right here. Still it counts because it was a measurable amount. It melted immediately. But hey, that’s Minnesnowta. The last snowfall, which also melts immediately, is usually mid-April.
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### Author:  [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2022, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/34 "2022-10-28T02:47:10Z")
Ah, always the optimist! Lol
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2022, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/35 "2022-10-28T02:49:01Z")
Update to my earlier post.
First snow - today, but it was kind of freakish. The actual air temps were several degrees above freezing, so it was all light snow blowing down from the Rockies, and melting immediately on contact with any solid surface. But it actually went on, driven by the wind, for 4ish hours. Zero accumulation, but created a very low visibility day.
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### Author:  [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2022, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/36 "2022-10-28T03:18:47Z")
Northwest Idaho, elevation 2500’. First snow usually the last two weeks in October; in my 17 years here we’ve had snow as late as June 10th.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2022, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/37 "2022-10-28T12:42:00Z")
I live at 11,200 feet in elevation. I’ve seen snow on the 4th of July.
I’m currently in Denver for a few days though. We got a dusting here yesterday. My Wife said we got about 8 inches of snow at our house in the mountains.
I rarely miss work because of snow. Ya have to have a good 4x4 where I live with good ground clearance and tires. I do remember once I did not go in on October 10th, we got about 2 feet, and I said the heck with it.
I have my own plow. Chained up on all 4 wheels. Warn winch on the back. Its a pretty good rig. When I had my hip replaced 2 years ago I hired a guy to plow for us, I was recovering. I ended up pulling his stuck ass out 4 times. He did not ask to renew the plowing contract.
We get a LOT of snow.
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### Author:  [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)
#### Post date: [October 28, 2022, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/38 "2022-10-28T12:56:04Z")
South West England here and if, Big If, we get any snow at all, I would expect 1 day’s worth sometime around February. Possibly not settling for more than a day. Last year we had none. Day time temperatures right now are still around 18C (65F).
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### Author:  [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/39 "2022-10-29T02:36:18Z")
> [@enipla](#):
>
> I live at 11,200 feet in elevation. I’ve seen snow on the 4th of July.
I used to (about three decades ago now) spend a great deal of time in Leadville Colorado, (10,152ft) both summer and wintertime. And indeed, one glorious (?) July 4th, we were watching fireworks going up through light snow.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2022, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-you-expect-the-first-snow-of-the-season/973848/40 "2022-10-29T03:04:13Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#):
>
> > [@wolfpup](#):
> >
> > I’m on a fixed-price snowplowing contract.
>
> Ah, the wonders of The Dope fulfilling it’s charter.
> I had literally no idea that such a thing nor its presumably variable-price variant existed, or that this represented a household budgetary decision.
I gather that snow is extremely rare to non-existent in your part of the world, the part of the world where I note that everyone walks around upside-down. Also, a part of the world that doesn’t actually have real winters as we Canucks typically experience them.
Even here, however, snowplowing services are mostly for businesses and most households don’t have it. Most folks either shovel or use snowblowers. The sort of folks who enlist snowplowing services are typically the same ones who have lawn mowing and landscaping services in the summer – namely those who are either too old and decrepit to do it themselves, or else have cardiac or other medical issues that make it unsafe. Or sometimes, like my friend who runs a business from home, they just have no time for that kind of stuff.
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