In New York City, what is the average snowfall over the winter months?

• A. 20 inches
• B. 30 inches
• C. 40 inches
• D. 50 inches

Answer: (B)

Averages in weather data capture a typical amount you can expect over many winters, smoothing out year-to-year variability. For New York City, the total snowfall you’d expect across the winter months tends to come in around thirty inches when averaged over many winters. That makes sense because some winters bring little snow and others bring heavier events, but the long-run pattern centers near 30 inches. The other numbers represent lighter or heavier than typical winters for the city, so they’re less representative of what the typical NYC winter delivers. Keep in mind the exact average can shift a bit with climate changes, but thirty inches is a reasonable and commonly cited long-term average for winter snowfall.