Snowfall history / Philadelphia
Philadelphia snowfall history: biggest storms and recent winters
Philadelphia International Airport, the official National Weather Service station for Philadelphia, recorded 30.1 in of snow in winter 2025-26, which is 7.0 inches above the NOAA 1991-2020 normal of 23.1 in. The ten winters from 2016-17 to 2025-26 ranged from 0.3 in (2019-20) to 30.1 in (2025-26). These are totals at one station, and snowfall varies across the Philadelphia area.
Updated October 6, 2026. By Weather Decision Solutions. All guides
Philadelphia snowfall over the last three winters at Philadelphia International
Each winter is counted from July 1 to June 30. The totals are National Weather Service observations at Philadelphia International Airport, added up day by day.
| Winter | Snowfall at Philadelphia International | NOAA 1991-2020 normal | Compared with normal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 11.2 in | 23.1 in | 11.9 in below |
| 2024-25 | 8.1 in | 23.1 in | 15.0 in below |
| 2025-26 | 30.1 in | 23.1 in | 7.0 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, Philadelphia International averaged 14.9 in a season.
The biggest Philadelphia snowstorms of the last ten winters
These are the five largest storms at Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia International |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb. 22-23, 2026 | 14.0 in |
| 2 | Jan. 25, 2026 | 9.3 in |
| 3 | Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2021 | 8.1 in |
| 4 | Mar. 20-21, 2018 | 7.6 in |
| 5 | Jan. 28-29, 2022 | 7.5 in |
This is a ten-winter window, not the full record. For earlier storms, the National Weather Service Mount Holly office (serves Philadelphia) keeps longer histories. The late-January 2026 storm measured 9.3 in at Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia snowfall varies across the metro
In the late-January 2026 storm, the NOAA Weather Prediction Center reported that snow changed to sleet from Philadelphia north into the New York City area on the afternoon of January 25. A layer of air above freezing aloft melted the snow, which then refroze into the cold air near the ground, where surface temperatures were in the teens. The airport measured 9.3 inches for January 24 to 26.
The February 22-23, 2026 storm shows how far totals can spread. NWS Mount Holly listed 14.0 inches at the airport and 16.0 in Northeast Philadelphia, 22.3 inches near Langhorne in Bucks County, and 26.5 inches in Monmouth County, New Jersey. In the Poconos, the higher terrain of Monroe County had the least, with 6.0 inches at Delaware Water Gap and 6.5 near Scotrun.
So the airport total describes the winter in the city well and a given address only roughly.
How to get the snow total for a specific Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia get last winter?
At Philadelphia International Airport, the official National Weather Service station, winter 2025-26 (July 1 to June 30) brought 30.1 in of snow. That is 7.0 inches above the NOAA 1991-2020 normal of 23.1 in. Snowfall changes across the metro, so a given neighborhood can differ from the station.
What are the Philadelphia snowfall totals by year?
At Philadelphia International Airport: 2023-24 11.2 in, 2024-25 8.1 in and 2025-26 30.1 in. The ten winters from 2016-17 to 2025-26 averaged 14.9 in, from 0.3 in (2019-20) to 30.1 in (2025-26). For other years, use NWS NOWData or NOAA Climate Data Online.
What was the biggest snowstorm in Philadelphia in the last ten years?
At Philadelphia International, the largest three-day totals from 2016-17 to 2025-26 were Feb. 22-23, 2026 (14.0 in), Jan. 25, 2026 (9.3 in), Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2021 (8.1 in). This page covers those ten winters only. For earlier decades, use the National Weather Service Mount Holly office (serves Philadelphia).
What is the normal annual snowfall in Philadelphia?
The NOAA 1991-2020 normal at Philadelphia International Airport is 23.1 in a season. The last ten winters averaged 14.9 in.
Why do snow totals differ so much around Philadelphia?
Storm track and the type of precipitation both matter. In the February 22-23, 2026 storm, NWS Mount Holly listed 14.0 inches at Philadelphia International Airport, 22.3 inches in Bucks County, 26.5 inches in Monmouth County, New Jersey, and 6.0 to 6.5 inches in the Poconos. In the late-January 2026 storm, snow changed to sleet from Philadelphia northward.
Does the Philadelphia International total apply to my address in the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia?
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 Philadelphia snowfall numbers come from?
They are official National Weather Service observations at Philadelphia 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 Mount Holly office (serves Philadelphia)
- NOAA Weather Prediction Center: January 2026 winter storm event review
- National Weather Service Mount Holly: February 22-23, 2026 winter storm summary
- NOAA NCEI: Climate Data Online