Canada's 'snowiest' city to slowly pick up pace after quiet winter start
St. John's, N.L., can hardly be considered Canada's snowiest city when looking at its totals so far this season, but a new system has the decent chance of bringing the East Coast community its largest, daily snowfall of the season so far
Much to the surprise of many Canadians, Toronto, Ont., was ahead of St. John's, N.L., for snowfall totals this winter at one point, but the East Coast city has since taken that accolade away.
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But it still has been a sluggish season for Canada’s snowiest city, climatologically.
Single-day snow events been quite minimal, especially when compared to the snowmageddon affair in 2020. This season's largest, daily total is a measly 6.6 centimetres of snow, recorded on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. Prior to that, the most in a single day was 6.2 cm, recorded on Dec 26. 2024.
St. John's typically receiving 335 cm of snow per year (climate normals 1981-2010). Nearly 67 per cent of which falls during meteorological winter, occurring from December to February.
An active storm track through northern Quebec and Labrador allowed mild, above-freezing air to dominate this winter. Rainfall is outweighing snowfall in St. John’s, with 238.2 millimetres recorded versus a mere 52.4 centimetres of snow.
However, slowly but surely, St. John's will see its snowfall total for the season increase as we get closer to and cross into February.
After Monday's 6.6 cm of snow, even more is en route with the current low-pressure system that has tracked into Atlantic Canada, nudging farther south, so it can bring more snow than Tuesday's affair.
The snow reached Newfoundland Wednesday night and will continue Thursday afternoon.
It could potentially result in St. John’s largest snowfall of the season, something that isn't hard to topple given its heaviest amount in a single day was less than 10 cm.
Thumbnail courtesy of Colin Lane, showing snow in St. John's, N.L., on Jan. 5 2024.
With files from Matt Grinter and Tyler Hamilton, meteorologists at The Weather Network.