Snowfall history / Indianapolis
Indianapolis snowfall history: biggest storms and recent winters
Indianapolis International Airport, the official National Weather Service station for Indianapolis, recorded 29.9 in of snow in winter 2025-26, which is 4.4 inches above the NOAA 1991-2020 normal of 25.5 in. The ten winters from 2016-17 to 2025-26 ranged from 8.2 in (2023-24) to 29.9 in (2025-26). These are totals at one station, and snowfall varies across the Indianapolis area.
Updated October 6, 2026. By Weather Decision Solutions. All guides
Indianapolis snowfall over the last three winters at Indianapolis International
Each winter is counted from July 1 to June 30. The totals are National Weather Service observations at Indianapolis International Airport, added up day by day.
| Winter | Snowfall at Indianapolis International | NOAA 1991-2020 normal | Compared with normal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 8.2 in | 25.5 in | 17.3 in below |
| 2024-25 | 20.5 in | 25.5 in | 5.0 in below |
| 2025-26 | 29.9 in | 25.5 in | 4.4 in above |
The normal is the NOAA 1991-2020 average season snowfall for the same station. Over the ten winters from 2016-17 through 2025-26, Indianapolis International averaged 17.2 in a season.
The biggest Indianapolis snowstorms of the last ten winters
These are the five largest storms at Indianapolis International from winter 2016-17 through winter 2025-26. Each total is the heaviest three-day stretch of a storm, taken from daily observations, with no day counted twice. A storm that fell in one or two days shows the days it snowed.
| Rank | Dates | Snowfall at Indianapolis International |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 24-25, 2026 | 11.1 in |
| 2 | Mar. 24, 2018 | 10.2 in |
| 3 | Feb. 15-16, 2021 | 8.1 in |
| 4 | Jan. 5-6, 2025 | 7.8 in |
| 5 | Dec. 15-17, 2019 | 7.6 in |
This is a ten-winter window, not the full record. For earlier storms, the National Weather Service Indianapolis office keeps longer histories. The late-January 2026 storm measured 11.1 in at Indianapolis International, covered in the January 24-26, 2026 recap. For the latest winter across major cities, see winter 2025-26 snowfall totals by city.
Why Indianapolis snowfall varies across the metro
In central Indiana, the track of each storm sorts the totals. NWS Indianapolis wrote that in the January 24-25, 2026 storm, surface low pressure stayed well to the south and moisture overran cold air at the surface. The heaviest snow fell across the southern half of central Indiana, with amounts over 12 inches.
Even inside one county the reports differ. The office lists 11 reports in Marion County, which includes Indianapolis, running from 9.5 to 12.0 inches, with 11.1 inches at Indianapolis International Airport, southwest of downtown. The airport total is a good picture of the winter and a rough guide to a single neighborhood.
How to get the snow total for a specific Indianapolis address
A Free Snow Report calculates the total for the street address and storm dates you enter, from nearby stations and trained observers, and emails it as two PDFs.
- Open the request page and verify your email. There is no password.
- Enter the street address, then pick the storm dates. One storm per report, up to three days, within the last ten years, and the last day must be at least two days ago.
- Get the Verified Report and the Full Report by email.
Each verified email gets three free reports. After that, a report is $39, and a ZIP pass covers many reports in one ZIP code for 12 months. Details are on the pricing page.
About these numbers
All station totals come from the official National Weather Service record for Indianapolis International Airport, read through the NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS database and checked against a second official source, the National Weather Service daily climate reports or the NOAA NCEI daily archive. Where the preliminary climate report and the final archive differ by a few tenths on one day, this page uses the final archive. They are totals at one station. They are not an estimate for an address, and they are not a certified copy of the record. For certified copies, NOAA NCEI sells them through its data certification service.
Questions people ask
How much snow did Indianapolis get last winter?
At Indianapolis International Airport, the official National Weather Service station, winter 2025-26 (July 1 to June 30) brought 29.9 in of snow. That is 4.4 inches above the NOAA 1991-2020 normal of 25.5 in. Snowfall changes across the metro, so a given neighborhood can differ from the station.
What are the Indianapolis snowfall totals by year?
At Indianapolis International Airport: 2023-24 8.2 in, 2024-25 20.5 in and 2025-26 29.9 in. The ten winters from 2016-17 to 2025-26 averaged 17.2 in, from 8.2 in (2023-24) to 29.9 in (2025-26). For other years, use NWS NOWData or NOAA Climate Data Online.
What was the biggest snowstorm in Indianapolis in the last ten years?
At Indianapolis International, the largest three-day totals from 2016-17 to 2025-26 were Jan. 24-25, 2026 (11.1 in), Mar. 24, 2018 (10.2 in), Feb. 15-16, 2021 (8.1 in). This page covers those ten winters only. For earlier decades, use the National Weather Service Indianapolis office.
What is the normal annual snowfall in Indianapolis?
The NOAA 1991-2020 normal at Indianapolis International Airport is 25.5 in a season. The last ten winters averaged 17.2 in.
Why do snow totals differ across central Indiana?
Storm track and where the moisture lifts over cold air decide it. NWS Indianapolis reported that in the January 24-25, 2026 storm the low stayed well to the south, and the heaviest snow, over 12 inches, fell across the southern half of central Indiana. Reports within Marion County alone ran from 9.5 to 12.0 inches.
Does the Indianapolis International total apply to my address in the Indianapolis area?
Not exactly. It is one measurement at one site. Snow can differ by several inches across a metro area in the same storm, depending on terrain, distance from water and where bands set up. For a specific property, a report for the street address calculates the total for that spot.
How do I find out how much snow fell at my address in Indianapolis?
Request a Free Snow Report at freesnowreport.com/request. Enter the street address and the storm dates, and the total for that spot arrives by email as two PDFs. Each verified email gets three free reports, then a report is $39 or a ZIP pass covers many.
Where do these Indianapolis snowfall numbers come from?
They are official National Weather Service observations at Indianapolis International Airport, read from the NOAA Regional Climate Centers ACIS database and checked against a second official source, the National Weather Service daily climate reports or the NOAA NCEI daily archive. Normals are the NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
Sources
- NOAA Regional Climate Centers: ACIS station data (official National Weather Service records)
- National Weather Service: daily climate data (used to check season totals)
- NOAA NCEI: daily summaries archive (second check on season totals)
- NOAA NCEI: U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
- National Weather Service: NOWData climate data
- National Weather Service Indianapolis office
- National Weather Service Indianapolis: January 25, 2026 heavy snowfall
- National Weather Service Indianapolis: snowfall statistics for central Indiana
- NOAA NCEI: Climate Data Online