This Snowy City In Upstate NY Is The ‘Snow Capital of America’ — Known For 10 Feet Of Annual Snow And Lake-Effect Storms

It’s officially snow season. ❄️ And while New York City got its first glimpse of snowflakes a few weeks ago, there’s one place in the state where towering snowbanks, white-out mornings, and plows rumbling before sunrise are simply business as usual. Upstate New Yorkers already know it well, but many New York City locals don’t even realize what’s going on up there! According to new data from the Golden Snow Globe National Snowfall Contest, Syracuse, New York was officially the snowiest major city in the U.S. during the 2024–2025 winter season — topping every other city in the country with a population over 100,000. And this wasn’t a fluke either. It was just another chapter in a very snowy legacy. America’s snowiest major city, by the numbers --------------------------------------------- Let’s get this straight. Syracuse isn’t just snowy — it’s ***historically* snowy in a way that no other major U.S. city can match. As mentioned earlier, [according to the Golden Snow Globe report](https://goldensnowglobe.com/current-top-10-snowiest-cities/), Syracuse claimed the 2024–2025 championship, earning yet another national title in a contest that tracks snowfall totals across America’s largest cities. But what’s even more impressive is that Syracuse has now logged 39 years as the snowiest spot in NY since 1952, more than any other city in the state— and plenty more than its neighbor Buffalo, NY in second place at just seven wins. Each year, the Central New York city averages nearly 115 inches in total, [according to Almanac](https://www.almanac.com/what-are-snowiest-cities-us), and last year finished with a total of 121.6 inches, [according to CNY Weather](https://www.cnyweather.com/wxsnowsummary.php)— the highest amount since 2006 – 07. For context: that’s over 10 feet of snow every winter, year after year. And it’s not slowing down either, according to weather experts. Just like the [Farmers’ Almanac predicted a terrible winter for New York City](https://secretnyc.co/nyc-winter-weather-predictions-2025-2026/), Syracuse will get it even worse if you can fathom that — between 120-140 inches of snow for winter 2025 – 26 [as reported early on by local Syracuse meteorologist Jim Teske](https://www.localsyr.com/weather/new-storm-team-2025-26-winter-outlook/). As of December 15, 2025, Syracuse has already recorded 41.7 inches of snow**, nearly *double* its normal snowfall for that date historically (22.3 inches), so it’s safe to say it’s going to only keep getting snowier. A snow dynasty decades in the making ------------------------------------ Long before snowfall rankings and viral winter maps, Syracuse had already cemented its reputation as America’s snow capital . The city’s most legendary season came in the [winter of 1992–1993](https://www.syracuse.com/weather/2018/03/blizzard_of_93_storm_of_the_century.html), when an astonishing 192.1 inches of snow fell—more than 16 feet in just a few months . That winter also delivered the infamous “Blizzard of the Century,” when Syracuse was buried under nearly 43 inches of snow over two days in March, including a single-day record of 42.9 inches in just 24 hours . Why Syracuse keeps winning the snowiest title --------------------------------------------- So you may be asking yourself, why do they get so much snow? Here’s the science behind it all. Year after year, Syracuse finds itself directly in the crosshairs of lake-effect snow , thanks to its location just southeast of Lake Ontario. Cold westerly winds sweep across the lake’s relatively warm surface, picking up moisture before slamming into the rising terrain of Onondaga County and the nearby Tug Hill Plateau, where that moisture gets wrung out as heavy, relentless snow . It’s this perfectly positioned geography that has allowed Syracuse to dominate snowfall totals for decades, and one of the most fascinating natural snow-producing machines out there. How Syracuse actually enjoys all that snow ------------------------------------------ For a city that gets buried nearly every winter, Syracuse surprisingly doesn’t hide from the cold — it actually really leans into it. Starting with its wanderlust downtown, Clinton Square Ice Rink becomes the city’s winter living room and the ultimate activity while it’s blustering down. Set among historic buildings and glowing lights, it’s Syracuse’s answer to Rockefeller Center, complete with skate rentals, a warming room, and a festive evening buzz. Just beyond the city, winter adventure ramps up fast too. Within 30–45 minutes , there’s so many winter activities to partake in—like skiing, snowboarding, tubing, hiking and snowshoeing: * Greek Peak Mountain Resort — the region’s largest, with downhill runs, a massive tubing hill, and even a mountain coaster winding through snowy woods. * Four Seasons Golf & Ski Center — a smaller, family-friendly spot perfect for beginners and spontaneous snow days. * Song Mountain and Labrador Mountain — beloved local hills known for no-frills skiing, night runs, and cozy lodge vibes. * Highland Forest County Park — often called the “Adirondacks of Central New York” with over 40 miles of trails for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, plus occasional horse-drawn sleigh rides when conditions are right. * Beaver Lake Nature Center — a peaceful and popular snowshoeing hub with wildlife tracks and frozen lake views. The 10 snowiest cities in the U.S. for 2025 – 26, currently ----------------------------------------------------------- 1. Syracuse, New York 2. South Bend, Indiana 3. Rochester, NY 4. Buffalo, NY 5. Billings, Montana 6. Erie, Pennsylvania 7. Madison, Wisconsin 8. Grand Rapids, Michigan 9. Springfield, Illinois 10. Ann Arbor, Michigan ❄️ Track the live snowfall rankings, updated frequently here! Source: https://secretnyc.co/snowiest-city-in-america-syracuse-new-york/