Ohio · season guide
Sledding season in Cincinnati
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky I weather station, about 17 miles from the middle of our Cincinnati hill list show December as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (4.1 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
January is the snowiest month on average, at 7.7 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 23.3 inches of snow. That puts Cincinnati at 87 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
About 22 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground.
That's close to Dayton, the nearest metro on our list (25 inches).
4 of the 12 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page; Stanbery Park is described as steep.
Month by month
| Month | Average snowfall | Days with 1 inch or more of new snow | Days with 1 inch or more on the ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 0.2 inches | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| November | 0.8 inches | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| December | 4.1 inches | 1.4 | 4.2 |
| January | 7.7 inches | 2.2 | 7.9 |
| February | 6.7 inches | 1.8 | 6.4 |
| March | 3.4 inches | 1.1 | 2.2 |
| April | 0.4 inches | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00093814. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Cincinnati mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
- Great Parks of Hamilton County allows sledding everywhere except golf courses, conservation areas and natural areas. Source
Hours and status lines
Where a source gives hours or a phone line for hill status, here it is. Call before a long drive.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Cincinnati?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky I station, December is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Cincinnati get in a year?
About 23.3 inches a year at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky I station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Cincinnati?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated