Looking Back at Notable August Snow Events in the U.S.

It may seem crazy as millions of Americans continue to swelter in the August heat, but there have been times when snow has fallen in parts of the U.S. during this month. And contrary to what you might think, it is not just the highest terrains that see the flakes fly on the rare occasion. Here is a look at some of the most notable August snow events in the U.S.

August Snow Most Common in the Mountains

You only have to go back to August of 2024 to find the last time that snow came down during the last month of the meteorological summer. The Sierra Nevada in California picked up 3 inches of snow on August 24 of last year. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), it was the first snow recorded in the Sierra in August in over two decades. Both Lassen Volcanic National Park and Palisades Tahoe ski resort saw a bit of accumulation out of this rare summer snow event.

Going back to 2020, the Colorado High Country also picked up a dusting of snow in late August. The snow over the top peaks of the Rocky Mountains is not entirely unheard of at any time of the year.

August of 1992 saw what the NWS referred to as "an unprecedented weather event" drop several inches of snow in parts of Montana. The city of Great Falls recorded 8.3 inches of the white stuff between August 22 and August 23. This was the first time since 1886 that Great Falls saw any accumulating snowfall in August. Because of the warmth of the ground, the snow only accumulated on grassy surfaces. However, the wet snow brought down tree limbs and power lines.

That same Montana snow event brought over a foot of snow to the highest elevations of Glacier National Park, surprising tourists hoping to enjoy the summer in the stunning setting. The capital city of Helena recorded 6.2 inches of snow while the college town of Bozeman picked up 2 inches.

Not surprisingly, the August snowstorm in Montana also ushered in record low temperatures in the region. An all-time record low for the month was recorded in Billings when the mercury dropped to 35 degrees. It was even chillier in Butte, coming in at 23 degrees. Helena recorded a low of 28 degrees. All of these August records still stand in 2025. The cold air paved the way for the snow to reach ground level rather than turn to rain on the way down from the higher levels of the atmosphere.

Other Notable August Snow Events in the West

Looking at other areas in the western U.S., the town of Brighton, Utah, recorded an inch of snow in August in both 1960 and again in 1978. The Paradise Ranger Station in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state saw 6 inches of snow fall on August 28, 1951. Another inch was reported in August of 1960 in this national park.

Tourists exploring Crater Lake National Park in neighboring Oregon were treated to 4.5 inches during mid-August in 1976. Sticking with national parks, Yellowstone saw at least 3 inches of snow fall on August 23, 1960.

It is not unusual for parts of Alaska to pick up snow during the month of August. The city of Utqiagvik in the northern reaches of the state averages 0.8 inches of snow every August.

The larger metro area of Fairbanks saw 3 inches of snow come to the ground in late August of 1922. This is the only record of snow in August for this part of the state.

August Snow Elsewhere in the U.S.

Although most areas of the Midwest and the East Coast generally see the first snow of the year in November or December, that does not mean it cannot come earlier. A ship sailing across Lake Michigan reported snow of 6 inches in August of 1882.

The picturesque community of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, saw a trace of snow in August of 1986. The earliest snowfall in the history books in Minnesota happened in Duluth in 1949 when a trace fell at the city's airport.

New England is also no stranger to the rare August snow event. A cold snap in late August of 1982 brought down the mercury to record lows, paving the way for 3 inches of snow to fall on Killington Resort in Vermont.

The Mount Washington Observatory in the White Mountains of New Hampshire has also seen its fair share of August snow. Sitting at an elevation of 6,288 feet, this observatory averages about 0.1 inch of snow each August.

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