Fourth in the list of countries with the most land area, the United States encompasses 3,800,000 square miles (9,840,000 square km) from the Pacific to the Atlantic. This wide area creates varied weather conditions, even extreme regional cloud cover variations.
Some places in the U.S. are best left off the list for anyone looking to settle down in a bright, optimistic location. For example, Seattle, Washington, is among the largest cloudiest cities, averaging 226 days with over 80% cloud cover. San Diego, California, on the other hand, gets ample sunshine, with 219 sunny days in a year and fewer cases of cloud cover.
Marquette, Michigan
This Upper Peninsula of Michigan college town is one of the snowiest places in the U.S., averaging 210 inches of snow per year. Lake-effect storms coming from Lake Superior contribute to the intense snowfall in Marquette. Winter is long and extremely cold; temperatures are well below freezing for several months of the year. The residents have to perform snow shoveling and road salting frequently.
Ironwood, Michigan
Ironwood, situated on the shores of Lake Superior, is subjected to harsh lake-effect snow, with an average snowfall of approximately 195 inches annually. Winters are frigid and snowy, with weeks of overcast skies and icy roads. Snow is a significant part of daily life in Ironwood, and residents must always be prepared with shovels and snowblowers.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse receives 128 inches of snowfall each year, making it one of the snowiest cities in the northeast. It is situated close to Lake Ontario and often receives lake-effect snowstorms. The temperatures are very low, and winters last pretty long. Winter conditions prevail deep into March, with grey skies and thick blankets of snow everywhere.
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie lies along Lake Erie and receives about 104 inches of snowfall yearly. Its winters are extreme, including heavy lake-effect snow, frigid temperatures, and relentless overcast skies. The town often experiences snowstorms, and residents usually face long streaks of winter; hence, Erie can be described as one of the snowiest cities in Pennsylvania.
Caribou, Maine
Caribou boasts some of the most severe winters in New England: its average yearly snowfall is about 110 inches. Its temperatures can stay well below zero for weeks, with an average of over 40 days of sub-zero temperatures in this city each year. Snowstorms constantly pound this northeastern city, and icy winds make the winter conditions even more treacherous.
Fairbanks, Alaska
According to data on Fairbanks, Alaska, the mean yearly temperature is 30.4°F (-0.9°C). In the coldest month of January, temperatures are at an average of -19.8°C (-3.6°F), with winter lows reaching as low as -22.8°C (-9.1°F).
It’s also Alaska’s largest interior city, so there’s some air pollution from wood stoves and fireplaces. The cold and pollution combined make it one of the worst places to survive a winter.
Barrow, Alaska
Also known as Utqiagvik, Barrow is the northernmost city in the United States and hosts some of the harshest winter conditions in the country. On average, Barrow is -20°F in January, the coldest month. From about November to mid-January, Barrow receives very little sunlight; it experiences polar nights for almost two months each winter. The city rests on a 1,300-foot thick layer of permafrost, one of the most harsh, remote cities to live in.
Grand Forks, North Dakota
This North Dakota city has an average winter temperature of -3°F, with miserably cold winds and snow that often hangs around into early spring. Due to its proximity to the Canadian border, Grand Forks faces some of the harshest winters in the continental United States. The residents are suitably prepared for the chill in this city, as snow removal services and heavy winter clothes are part of their everyday lives during the winter season.
Fargo, North Dakota
The weather in Fargo is nasty in winter, often plummeting way below zero with big snowstorms. Massive spring snowmelt is common, flooding local rivers and making the challenges much more than just the cold. Fargo lives up to its reputation for dreadful winters, freezing long after the calendar has turned over the month marking the beginning of spring.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Abundantly snowed in, Flagstaff sits high in Arizona’s mountains and averages 100 inches of snow a year. The coldest winter low measures at 12°, and snow is frequent enough to blanket the town regularly. Although the winters are cold overall since it is a high desert city, the clear skies often give no deflection to the nighttime chill.
New Orleans, Louisiana
It sees, on average, about 64 inches of rainfall annually. Much of this city lies below sea level, and it is highly susceptible to flooding-especially during the hurricane season. Flash flooding is not unfamiliar to them, with heavy rains and storms often well-prepared for deep into most seasons of the year.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile receives about 67 inches of average annual rainfall and 59 average annual rainy days. This Gulf Coast city often sees thunderstorms with a high level of humidity that tends to make the temperatures feel even higher during summer. Flooding is common in this area, with landscapes usually waterlogged, especially for the citizens who face downpours and sometimes tropical storms.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix experiences some of the nation’s extreme temperatures. During the summer, temperatures can mainly soar above 105°F. On average, the city endures this hot desert temperature for about four months and receives 145 days per year with temperatures over 90°F.
Tucson, Arizona
In fact, as of November 6th, 112 days this year, the temperature of Tucson, Arizona, the temperature of Tucson, Arizona reached a high temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This city is located within the Sonoran Desert, and its overall climate is arid and hot.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas averages 135 days over 90°F annually, making it one of the most sweltering cities in the United States. Its desert location predicated arid and scorching summers, with temperatures sometimes hitting 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Both those who live here and who come to visit usually stay indoors, mainly through July and August, when the sun’s strength is most intense.
Yuma, Arizona
The World Meteorological Organisation has named Yuma, Arizona, the United States, the sunniest place on Earth. With more than 13 hours of sun per day in summer and more than 11 in winter, Yuma boasts more than 4000 hours of sun every year.
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville, located at the southern tip of Texas, receives an average of 135 days with temperatures above 90°F. Summer highs are frequently over 100°F, and since this city borders the Gulf of Mexico, humidity is high, which makes the temperature feel much hotter.
Del Rio, Texas
Del Rio is one of Texas’s hottest cities, with an average high in August of 97°F. Along the U.S.-Mexico border, this city sits in the middle of a desert and swelters through the summer well into the fall. Its dry climate and high temperatures combine to make it one of the most difficult challenges for people not used to the heat.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas averages 18 days over 100° F per summer, and its humid subtropical climate only adds to the heat. Summer in Dallas is truly sweltering and damp. This is a city where air conditioning is not an amenity but a necessity for anyone who wants to survive the summer heat.
Bullhead City, Arizona
Located just south of Las Vegas, Bullhead City reaches over 100°F on average 130 days a year. In June 2017, it reached an extreme of 126°, one of Arizona’s highest temperatures on record. Summers are blisteringly hot, and there is little comfort until fall.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Affordable Home Entertainment: 11 Must-Have Finds For Enhancing Your Family Movie Nights
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