Michigan ยท season guide
Sledding season in Lansing
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Lansing Capital City Airport weather station, about 5 miles from the middle of our Lansing hill list show November as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (3.9 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 14.3 inches.
Across a normal year the station records about 50.2 inches of snow. That puts Lansing at 41 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Once it arrives, it tends to stay: about 66 days a year have at least an inch of snow on the ground.
That's close to Flint, the nearest metro on our list (52.1 inches).
4 of the 6 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page.
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 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 3.9 inches | 1.0 | 2.7 |
| December | 11.3 inches | 3.5 | 13.0 |
| January | 14.3 inches | 4.6 | 22.4 |
| February | 12.9 inches | 3.7 | 18.7 |
| March | 5.9 inches | 1.9 | 8.5 |
| April | 1.7 inches | 0.5 | 0.6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00014836. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Lansing 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 Lansing in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
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 Lansing?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Lansing Capital City Airport 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 Lansing get in a year?
About 50.2 inches a year at the Lansing Capital City Airport station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Lansing?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated