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Snowiest Place in Pennsylvania
A state that’s known for receiving around 100 inches of snow each year—it can be difficult to imagine. It can even be more difficult to think about the fact that just a single town can receive that much in the span of a snow season. However, while it may be hard to wrap your head around, it’s true! In fact, to see the snowiest place in Pennsylvania, you don’t need to look any further than Erie, Pennsylvania. On average, Erie can receive as much as 101.2 inches of snow per season. It’s not even a close match, either. The second snowiest place in Pennsylvania, Warren, only receives around 69 inches.
About Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is the fifth largest city in all of Pennsylvania, with a population of 93,928 people as of 2021. Located in the county of the same name, Erie sits on the southern shore of Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes of North America and one of the 11th largest lakes in the entire world. Erie sits almost directly in the middle of Buffalo, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio. Thanks to Erie’s position on the lake, the weather is actually fairly moderate. The summers here can be warm and humid, but winters are typically mild. Despite this mild climate, however, it’s still the snowiest place in Pennsylvania!
History
Before Erie was Erie, and before the United States even existed, Erie was inhabited by indigenous people for several thousand years. Some studies show that native presences in these areas can be traced as far back as 8000 BCE! The Erie people were an Iroquoian group living in both Erie and the surrounding areas, and it’s this nation for which Erie the city is named. The nation and its people were declared extinct after a prolonged war with neighboring nations. Surviving members are said to have been absorbed into other nations, such as the Seneca. European settlers didn’t arrive in the Erie area until the French constructed Fort Presque Isle in around 1753. The term “presque isle” comes from the Latin words meaning “almost an island”, which refers to the peninsula where the fort was located, near modern-day Erie. In the mid-19th century, Erie was a location of significance due to its economy and manufacturing. Shipbuilding, fishing, and railroad construction were all major points in the economy and early days of Erie thanks to its location. Erie won the All-America City Award in 1972. This is an award given by the National Civic League to recognize the inclusive work of communities. Not only did it win this year, but it was a finalist in 1961, 1994, 1995, and 2009.
Climate in Erie
Believe it or not, Erie can actually be difficult to classify when it comes to climate. There are two main climates that are often assigned to Erie: hot-summer humid continental climate and humid subtropical climate. Although these may seem vastly different, they’re actually quite similar, which is why it can be difficult to tell what exactly Erie is. Not only is Erie the snowiest place in Pennsylvania, but The Daily Beast’s list of snowiest places in the United States has it as third! Some studies show that the average snowfall in Erie is around 78.7 inches, although it routinely tips closer to 100 inches each year. On the Christmas of 2017, in only the time between December 24 and 25, Erie received 53 inches of snow. This allowed for Erie to break the record for the largest two-day snowfall anywhere in Pennsylvania. In the 2000 to 2001 season, Erie received around 149 inches of snow. Although this may seem like a record-breaking amount, this town has actually managed to beat it! In fact, in the 2017 to 2018 season, the snowiest place in Pennsylvania received 198.5 inches of snow. That’s almost as tall as a giraffe!
Wildlife in Erie
There are more than 25,000 species of animals and plants to be found in Pennsylvania. Erie’s position on the Great Lakes allows for many of these unique and interesting animals to be found close by. In Pennsylvania, you can find everything from timber rattlesnakes to white-tailed deer to the well-known red-tailed hawk. Pennsylvania is also home to Lady’s-slippers, or slipper orchids. When you think about orchids, you probably don’t think about them having a home in the United States, especially in one of the snowiest states. However, slipper orchids are one of the different species of orchids native to North America, and they can be found right in Pennsylvania.
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