Local Snowfall Statistics

Snowfall Statistics for the Local Area

Latest Dates for First Snowfall

Location	Latest Measurable (0.1" or greater)	Latest One Inch (1.0" or greater)	Latest Three Inch (3.0" or greater)
Fort Wayne	December 23 in 2001	February 17 in 1919	March 20 in 1983
South Bend	December 17 in 1998	January 11 in 1983	February 4 in 1983
Benton Harbor MI	January 1 in 1942	January 12 in 1983	February 26 in 1913
Pandora OH	December 23 in 2001	January 22 in 1966	March 26 in 1955

The map below from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center shows the latest date of first measurable snow across the region from 1981-2010. Click on the map below for a bigger image.

Average Dates for First Snowfall

Location	Average 1st Measurable (0.1" or greater)	Average 1st One Inch (1.0" or greater)	Average 1st Three Inch (3.0" or greater)
Fort Wayne	November 14	December 2	December 27
South Bend	November 8	November 16	December 2
Benton Harbor MI	November 20	November 24	December 11
Pandora OH	November 15	November 28	December 30

The map below from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center shows the average date of first measurable snow across the region from 1981-2010. Click on the map below for a bigger image.

Earliest Dates for First Snowfall

Location	Earliest Trace (T or greater)	Earliest Measurable (0.1" or greater)	Earliest One Inch (1.0" or greater)	Earliest Three Inch (3.0" or greater)
Fort Wayne	September 25 in 1942	October 14 in 1937	October 19 in 1974, 1989	October 19 in 1989
South Bend	September 25 in 1942, 1994	September 25 in 1942, 1994	September 25 in 1942, 1994	October 19 in 1989
Benton Harbor MI	Not Available	October 12 in 2006	October 12 in 2006	October 19 in 1989
Pandora OH	Not Available	October 12 in 2006	October 19 in 1989	November 2 in 1966

The map below from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center shows the earliest date of first measurable snow across the region from 1981-2010. Click on the map below for a bigger image.

Longest Periods Between Last and First Snowfall

We took a look at the longest periods without measurable snowfall at Fort Wayne and South Bend. This looks at the period of time between the last measurable snowfall in the spring and the first measurable snowfall in the fall/winter.

Longest Periods without Measurable Snowfall at South Bend (1929-2019)*
Year	Date of Last Measurable Spring Snowfall	Date of First Measurable Fall Snowfall	Days without Snowfall
2012	March 5th	December 10th	279
1948	March 11th	December 9th	272
1998	March 20th	December 17th	271
2011	March 23th	December 9th	260
1945	March 6th	November 21st	259
2004	March 16th	November 24th	252
2010	February 26th	November 5th	251
1978	March 15th	November 21st	250
Average	April 6th	November 8th	216

Longest Periods without Measurable Snowfall at Fort Wayne (1912-2019)
Year	Date of Last Measurable Spring Snowfall	Date of First Measurable Fall/Winter Snowfall	Days without Snowfall
1990	February 25th	December 3rd	280
1946	February 24th	December 1st	279
2010	February 28th	December 1st	275
1998	March 21st	December 17th	270
1918	March 7th	December 3rd	270
Average	April 3rd	November 14th	225

Longest Periods without Measurable Snowfall at Benton Harbor (1911-2019)
Year	Date of Last Measurable Spring Snowfall	Date of First Measurable Fall/Winter Snowfall	Days without Snowfall
1946	February 14th	December 29th	317
1945	February 8th	December 11th	305
1939	February 26th	December 21st	297
1948	March 2nd	December 20th	292
2001	March 9th	December 24th	289
Average	March 24th	November 21st	241

Longest Periods without Measurable Snowfall at Pandora OH (1949-2019)
Year	Date of Last Measurable Spring Snowfall	Date of First Measurable Fall/Winter Snowfall	Days without Snowfall
2009	February 22nd	December 7th	287
1999	March 9th	December 17th	282
1998	March 21st	December 16th	269
2017	March 17th	December 9th	266
2004	March 17th	November 25th	252
1991	February 28th	November 7th	251
Average	April 1st	November 15th	227

*Years 1930-31, 1935-39, and 1946-47 are missing. Also, spring date missing in 1934 while fall date is missing in 1929 and 1932.

Updated 10/12/2022

by Kyle Brown