Denver has 3rd-earliest average first snow

We all know Denver and the Front Range have a knack for getting early season snowstorms, sometimes as early as Labor Day.

With an average first measurable snowfall of Oct. 18, Denver’s average first snowfall ranks up there among the earliest in the country. But it’s not first, at least among major American cities. The threshold for a major city in this assessment, by the way, is a city was a population of at least 100,000.

Two cities — barely, for the record — hold the top honors.

Based on a Denver Post review of major American cities’ average first snowfalls, Denver ranks in third when it comes to earliest measurable snowfalls. It’s part of what makes Denver and the Front Range rather unique in terms of snowfall: October and April snowfall might sound unusual to most, but they’re a fairly regular part of life at 5,000 feet in elevation.

That said, two American cities, by a combined three days, have an average first snowfall date that ticks just ahead of Denver’s.

2. Billings, Mont.: The largest city in the Treasure State averages almost exactly the same amount of snow each winter as Denver does. Both cities wind up with about 57 inches of snowfall, and both cities are prone to getting healthy snows on the fringes of winter (October and April).

But while Billings sits a couple thousand feet lower than Denver at about 3,100 feet in elevation, its northerly location slightly better positions it for sharp, early season cold fronts.

That northerly location is why Billings just barely nudges ahead of Denver with an average first measurable snowfall date of Oct. 17.

Some areas in Montana were already hit with snow over the weekend. A fall storm system dumped snow for three days across much of central and western Montana, including more than 4 feet on the Blackfeet Reservation and Glacier National Park. All right, some of you probably guessed this. And yes, Anchorage averages notably more snowfall each winter than Denver, with about 74 inches of snow each winter, compared to Denver’s 57.

But, you might be surprised to know that Anchorage’s average first snowfall date falls exactly 48 hours ahead of Denver’s: Oct. 16. Anchorage tends to get hit by heavy snow earlier in the season, with November and December two of the city’s biggest snow months.

But here’s a fun happy hour factoid: Denver has a later average last snowfall date (April 28) than Anchorage (April 18).