Indiana ยท season guide
Sledding season in Indianapolis
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Indianapolis weather station, about 11 miles from the middle of our Indianapolis hill list show December as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (6.4 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 8.8 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 25.5 inches of snow. That puts Indianapolis at 83 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
About 27 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground.
That's close to Cincinnati, the nearest metro on our list (23.3 inches).
7 of the 13 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page; sources call Christian Park 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 | 0.8 inches | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| December | 6.4 inches | 2.0 | 6.3 |
| January | 8.8 inches | 2.6 | 10.8 |
| February | 6 inches | 1.7 | 7.1 |
| March | 3.2 inches | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| April | 0.2 inches | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00093819. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Indianapolis mention lights on a sledding hill. Plan on daylight, and see our national lit hills list if you're travelling.
Local rules
We didn't find a city-wide sledding rule for Indianapolis in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Indianapolis?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis get in a year?
About 25.5 inches a year at the Indianapolis station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Indianapolis?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated