Fourteen cities that get the most snowfall

By Hristina Byrnes

December 27,2015; 6:10AM,EST

Which cities do you think of when you hear the word "snowfall?" Perhaps Buffalo, N.Y. or somewhere in Switzerland? Did you know that the snowiest place on earth is actually Japan?
The mountains there get a lot of snow because they are susceptible to a cold Siberian wind that slams into them, forcing the air to rise and causing tremendous amounts of snowfall. Some places in northern Japan get a typical of 60 feet of snow.
Official numbers vary. The amount of snow that falls every year in certain places is different too. Although figures may change from source to source, the fact that certain places get a lot more snow than others in general is indisputable.
Chamonix, France

Credit: Photo Modified: Flickr / eGuide Travel / CC BY 4.0
This French resort was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. The ski season there lasts for six months. January is usually when the commune gets the most snowfall. The ice climbing season is in full swing and the cross-country ski tracks open. Resort height: 1, 035 meters. Top lift: 3,842 meters. Chamonix usually gets about 32 feet (9.6 meters) of snow.
Buffalo, New York

Credit: Photo Modified: Flickr / Anthony Quintano / CC BY 4.0
This city on the shores of Lake Erie in upstate New York is famous for its snowfalls. It gets on average about 95 inches (8 feet). Buffalo set a record for no measurable snow as of Dec. 7, 2015, but this is only an exception because of the powerful El Nino keeping the weather in this part of the country warm.
Nagano, Japan

Credit: Photo Modified: Flickr / Cory / CC BY-SA 4.0
This popular resort, host of the Winter Olympics in 1998, is very reliable when it comes to all kinds of activities that require snow. The city gets 36 feet of it a year on average. The Nagano Prefecture is where Hakuba, a world famous ski resort town in the northern Japan Alps, is located.
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