Should You Expect Snow in September in Your Neck of the Woods?

Although it felt more like the dog days of summer for parts of the U.S. last week, September is a month when some parts of the country see the first snowfall of the season. In fact, there have already been some areas that have recorded measurable snowfall over the past few weeks. Here is a look at when can you expect snow in September.

Snow Has Already Fallen in Parts of the Rockies and the West

It was just last week that the top elevations of the Colorado Rockies saw the flakes fly for the first time this year. Berthoud Pass west of Denver and Pikes Peak just west of Colorado Springs both saw light snowfall in the early morning hours. Snow has also already fallen across parts of western Montana and on top of Mt. Shasta in California.

Although most parts of the country do not see snowfall in September outside of rare occurrences, there are other areas that have come to expect the threat of snow during the first month of fall. The National Weather Service (NWS) provides data that shows the first average snow of at least 0.1 inches in parts of the Rockies, the West, Alaska, the Plains, the Great Lakes, and New England.

Snowy Alaska

Snowfall in September is a regular occurrence in parts of northern Alaska and into the interior portion of the state. While you cannot count on the white stuff every year in Fairbanks, the 30-year average for this city in September comes in at 2.3 inches. You have to go back to September of 2021 to find the last time it has snowed in this city. Only time will tell if Fairbanks breaks the September snow drought this year.

There is even less snow that falls in Anchorage in September. The last time over a trace of snow was recorded in the metro area in this month was in 2015 when 2.8 inches fell.

The country's northernmost town of Utqiaġvik records measurable snow nearly every month of the year, making a September snowfall a common happening.