Erie, Pennsylvania gets record 34 inches of snow in 24 hours

(KMSP) - How's this for a white Christmas? Erie, Pennsylvania broke a one-day snowfall record with 34 inches of snow on Christmas Day. The previous record for Dec. 25 was 8.1 inches, set in 2002, and the previous single-day snowfall record was 20 inches, set on Nov. 22, 1956.

By Tuesday morning, Erie International Airport had accumulated 53 inches of snow since Christmas Eve. The monthly total of 73 inches is now the most snow for December, smashing the previous record of 66.9 inches set in 1989.

But wait, there’s more! According to the National Weather Service, “additional snow accumulations of 8 to 16 inches are expected through this evening, heaviest from portions of Lake County east through northern Ashtabula and Erie County PA. Expect another 4 to 8 inches of snow from tonight through Wednesday evening with locally higher amounts possible. Snowfall rates up to 3 inches per hour are expected. This will bring the additional forecast snowfall to 1 to 2 feet now through Wednesday evening.”

Erie, Pennsylvania still fell short of the national records. Silver Lake, Colorado holds the Lower 48 record for most snowfall in 24 hours, with 75.8 inches – that’s 6.3 feet on April 15, 1921. In the mountains of Alaska, Mile 47 Camp saw 78 inches of snow in a 24-hour period ending Feb. 9, 1963. 

Curious about the Minnesota record? On Jan. 7, 1994, the town of Finland in Lake County had 36 inches of snow.