Halifax Snowfall Totals & Accumulation Averages
This page pulls together information on when, how much and how often Halifax, Nova Scotia has snow.
There are data and descriptions here of how many days it snows and the total amount of snowfall that Halifax usually gets. There are also monthly and yearly counts of the days that Halifax normally has heavy snowstorms and deep snow accumulated on the ground. Plus there's information on when the city can expect its first and last snowfalls of the season.
All the numbers are long-term historical averages based on weather data gathered from 1981 to 2010 in downtown Halifax.
How Often it Snows in Halifax
This first table lists monthly and yearly totals for amount of snow and how many days it snows at least 0.2 centimetres (0.08 inches).
| Days | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11.3 | January | 19.9 | 50 |
| 10.0 | February | 16.0 | 41 |
| 8.0 | March | 12.3 | 31 |
| 3.7 | April | 4.7 | 12 |
| 0.5 | May | 0.6 | 2 |
| 2.6 | November | 4.1 | 10 |
| 8.5 | December | 13.9 | 35 |
| 44.8 | Year | 71.5 | 182 |
When Halifax Has Its First & Last Snowfalls
The first snowfall of winter for Halifax usually arrives in November, but can show up as early as October.
The season's last snowfall typically happens in April although some years get a late snow in May.
Halifax is normally free of snow every year from June to September.
How Many Snowstorms Halifax Gets
Most days of snowfall in Halifax leave less than five centimetres (2 inches), of fresh snow on the ground. For 12 days a year on average, the amount of new snow totals at least five cm.
Big snowstorms of over ten cm a day normally occur about five times a year. Major blizzards that dump 25 cm or more in one day are rare events that don't happen every year. Storms this severe are most likely to appear in January but can happen any time from December to March and evenly more rarely in October, April or May.
| 5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
25 cm 9.8 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| February | 2.4 | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| March | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| April | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
| Year | 11.8 | 5.2 | 0.5 |
How Much Snow Normally Accumulates in Halifax
For about 69 days a year, Halifax has at least a centimetre of snow on the ground.
Snow mainly accumulates in Halifax during late December and January, and by February is usually at its deepest. In mid-winter the snowpack averages around seven cm deep.
| 1 cm 0.4 inches |
5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
20 cm 7.9 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.6 | 12.4 | January | 8.2 | 2.2 |
| 18.7 | 12.8 | February | 9.1 | 3.8 |
| 16.0 | 8.9 | March | 5.9 | 2.0 |
| 3.0 | 1.1 | April | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| 0.1 | 0.0 | May | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2.0 | 0.8 | November | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| 10.9 | 5.2 | December | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| 69.3 | 41.1 | Year | 26.3 | 8.5 |
References
Environment Canada. Meteorological Service of Canada. Canadian Climate Normals. 1981-2010 Climate Normals & Averages.