Pennsylvania ยท season guide
Sledding season in Philadelphia
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Phila Intl. Airport weather station, about 11 miles from the middle of our Philadelphia hill list show December as the first month that averages an inch of snow or more (3.5 inches). The normals are monthly averages, so they can't give a first-snow date. Some years come early, some late.
Unusually, March (3.6 inches) averages more snow than December (3.5 inches), so the season runs late.
Across a normal year the station records about 23.1 inches of snow. That puts Philadelphia at 88 of 98 metros on this site, ranked from snowiest down.
Expect a short window. About 16 days a year have an inch or more of snow on the ground, so the morning after a storm counts.
For comparison, Allentown, the nearest metro on our list, averages 33.1 inches, more than here.
11 of the 11 hills we list here come from a city, county or park district page; sources call Northwood 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 inches | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.2 inches | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 3.5 inches | 0.7 | 2.5 |
| January | 7.1 inches | 1.5 | 5.1 |
| February | 8.4 inches | 1.9 | 5.9 |
| March | 3.6 inches | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| April | 0.3 inches | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, station USW00013739. "Not stated by source" means NOAA publishes no value for that station.
Lit hills
None of the sources we used for Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia in the sources we checked. Individual parks may post their own signs, and those win.
Short answers
When does it usually start snowing in Philadelphia?
In NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Phila Intl. Airport 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 Philadelphia get in a year?
About 23.1 inches a year at the Phila Intl. Airport station, per NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals.
Are there lit sledding hills in Philadelphia?
None of the sources we used mention lights. Plan on daylight.
Updated