Ohio ยท season guide
Sledding season in Cleveland
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Cleveland weather station, about 3 miles from the middle of our Cleveland hill list show November as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (4.5 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 18.4 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 63.8 inches of snow. That puts Cleveland at 23 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Snow doesn't sit around long, though. Only about 52 days a year have an inch or more on the ground, which is low for this much snowfall. Go soon after a storm.
For comparison, Akron, the nearest metro on our list, averages 47.2 inches, less than here.
13 of the 13 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page; sources call Big Met Golf Course (Tee #11) and Mastick Woods Golf Course (Tee #9) and others gentle.
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 | 0.1 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 4.5 inches | 1.5 | 2.6 |
| December | 12.2 inches | 3.6 | 10.1 |
| January | 18.4 inches | 5.8 | 17.4 |
| February | 15.1 inches | 4.5 | 13.5 |
| March | 10.8 inches | 3.3 | 7.2 |
| April | 2.7 inches | 0.8 | 0.9 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00014820. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Cleveland mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
- Cleveland Metroparks: ramps and jumps are prohibited; adult supervision is not provided. Source
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Cleveland?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Cleveland station, November is the first month averaging an inch of snow or more. The normals are monthly averages, not a date.
How much snow does Cleveland get in a year?
About 63.8 inches a year at the Cleveland station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Cleveland?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated