Mt. Rainier Paradise, Washington 5,420
The Paradise Ranger Station in Mt. Rainier National Park is probably the highest snowfall site in the world for which long-term weather records have been maintained. The table below understates annual snowfall by about 45 inches before November 1 and 25 inches after April 30. The snowfall from July 1, 1971 to June 30, 1972 was 1,122 inches, a world record which was just surpassed by Mt. Baker's 1,141 in 1998-99. The other months were excluded from this table because many Northwest ski areas are indexed to Rainier in my analysis, and snowfall outside the November to April range is generally not relevant to lift serviced ski conditions. The May column is utilized for a handful of ski areas which routinely stay open that long, such as A-Basin, Mammoth and Mt. Bachelor.
| Mt. Rainier Paradise, Wash. 5,420 | 6+ Inch | ||||||||||||||||
| Max. Base Depth | Base / Snowfall | Pwdr Pct. | |||||||||||||||
| Season | Nov. | Dec. | Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | Season Total | Dec.-Mar. Total | Dec.-Mar. Average | Months GE 90 in. | Months LT 30 in. | Season | Dec.-Mar. | Season | Dec.-Mar. | Dec.-Mar. |
| 66-67 | 68.00 | 120.50 | 207.50 | 76.00 | 127.50 | 51.00 | 650.50 | 531.50 | 132.88 | 3 | 0 | 258.00 | 92.00 | 0.40 | 0.49 | 32% | |
| 67-68 | 39.00 | 83.50 | 120.50 | 47.50 | 93.00 | 71.00 | 454.50 | 344.50 | 86.13 | 2 | 0 | 128.00 | 48.00 | 0.28 | 0.39 | 20% | |
| 68-69 | 96.00 | 224.00 | 239.80 | 84.00 | 54.50 | 37.00 | 735.30 | 602.30 | 150.58 | 2 | 0 | 250.00 | 163.00 | 0.34 | 0.51 | 36% | |
| 69-70 | 30.00 | 140.00 | 192.00 | 86.00 | 49.00 | 89.00 | 586.00 | 467.00 | 116.75 | 2 | 0 | 175.00 | 64.00 | 0.30 | 0.38 | 28% | |
| 70-71 | 88.00 | 210.00 | 249.50 | 107.50 | 21.50 | 55.00 | 731.50 | 588.50 | 147.13 | 3 | 1 | 271.00 | 143.00 | 0.37 | 0.48 | 35% | |
| 71-72 | 122.50 | 227.00 | 277.00 | 159.00 | 109.50 | 143.50 | 1038.50 | 772.50 | 193.13 | 4 | 0 | 302.00 | 151.00 | 0.29 | 0.43 | 46% | |
| 72-73 | 56.00 | 140.00 | 93.00 | 37.00 | 89.50 | 49.00 | 464.50 | 359.50 | 89.88 | 2 | 0 | 122.00 | 94.00 | 0.26 | 0.48 | 21% | |
| 73-74 | 194.50 | 170.70 | 180.20 | 163.50 | 137.30 | 122.00 | 968.20 | 651.70 | 162.93 | 4 | 0 | 281.00 | 141.00 | 0.29 | 0.39 | 39% | |
| 74-75 | 74.00 | 163.00 | 192.50 | 134.50 | 130.00 | 59.00 | 753.00 | 620.00 | 155.00 | 4 | 0 | 223.00 | 120.00 | 0.30 | 0.51 | 37% | |
| 75-76 | 132.50 | 91.00 | 169.50 | 159.30 | 140.50 | 57.50 | 750.30 | 560.30 | 140.08 | 4 | 0 | 239.00 | 92.00 | 0.32 | 0.41 | 33% | |
| 76-77 | 7.00 | 34.20 | 25.50 | 11.00 | 180.50 | 36.00 | 294.20 | 251.20 | 62.80 | 1 | 2 | 126.00 | 20.00 | 0.43 | 0.49 | 15% | |
| 77-78 | 102.20 | 118.40 | 93.90 | 86.30 | 42.20 | 76.30 | 519.30 | 340.80 | 85.20 | 2 | 0 | 150.00 | 91.00 | 0.29 | 0.41 | 20% | |
| 78-79 | 57.40 | 92.40 | 68.50 | 187.70 | 32.30 | 98.30 | 536.60 | 380.90 | 95.23 | 2 | 0 | 170.00 | 78.00 | 0.32 | 0.52 | 22% | |
| 79-80 | 47.20 | 97.20 | 170.00 | 73.00 | 132.10 | 56.50 | 576.00 | 472.30 | 118.08 | 3 | 0 | 179.00 | 70.00 | 0.31 | 0.48 | 28% | |
| 80-81 | 50.50 | 80.00 | 25.50 | 95.00 | 59.00 | 110.50 | 420.50 | 259.50 | 64.88 | 1 | 1 | 152.00 | 77.00 | 0.36 | 0.59 | 15% | |
| 81-82 | 75.10 | 183.30 | 184.40 | 102.50 | 82.50 | 106.00 | 733.80 | 552.70 | 138.18 | 3 | 0 | 256.00 | 115.00 | 0.35 | 0.45 | 33% | |
| 82-83 | 99.00 | 122.50 | 119.00 | 106.10 | 92.90 | 41.40 | 580.90 | 440.50 | 110.13 | 4 | 0 | 192.00 | 108.00 | 0.33 | 0.49 | 26% | |
| 83-84 | 77.50 | 119.50 | 65.00 | 98.50 | 92.50 | 106.00 | 559.00 | 375.50 | 93.88 | 3 | 0 | 209.00 | 115.00 | 0.37 | 0.58 | 22% | |
| 84-85 | 156.00 | 151.80 | 8.70 | 125.50 | 124.50 | 56.00 | 622.50 | 410.50 | 102.63 | 3 | 1 | 198.00 | 158.00 | 0.32 | 0.51 | 24% | |
| 85-86 | 119.20 | 42.50 | 103.50 | 88.50 | 60.00 | 85.80 | 499.50 | 294.50 | 73.63 | 1 | 0 | 145.00 | 76.00 | 0.29 | 0.47 | 17% | |
| 86-87 | 123.00 | 74.10 | 125.00 | 75.50 | 96.50 | 45.50 | 539.60 | 371.10 | 92.78 | 2 | 0 | 159.00 | 84.00 | 0.29 | 0.43 | 22% | |
| 87-88 | 60.00 | 121.80 | 100.50 | 81.50 | 143.00 | 84.00 | 590.80 | 446.80 | 111.70 | 3 | 0 | 194.00 | 79.00 | 0.33 | 0.43 | 26% | |
| 88-89 | 189.00 | 99.50 | 166.00 | 75.00 | 143.10 | 45.00 | 717.60 | 483.60 | 120.90 | 3 | 0 | 216.00 | 105.00 | 0.30 | 0.36 | 29% | |
| 89-90 | 84.00 | 13.10 | 206.00 | 231.60 | 66.00 | 67.20 | 667.90 | 516.70 | 129.18 | 2 | 1 | 201.00 | 26.00 | 0.30 | 0.27 | 31% | |
| 90-91 | 94.00 | 123.00 | 93.50 | 41.50 | 147.50 | 146.00 | 645.50 | 405.50 | 101.38 | 3 | 0 | 222.00 | 103.00 | 0.34 | 0.47 | 24% | |
| 91-92 | 109.00 | 96.50 | 116.50 | 62.20 | 12.20 | 50.00 | 446.40 | 287.40 | 71.85 | 2 | 1 | 152.00 | 92.00 | 0.34 | 0.45 | 17% | |
| 92-93 | 119.00 | 151.70 | 84.50 | 21.60 | 51.00 | 89.00 | 516.80 | 308.80 | 77.20 | 1 | 1 | 151.00 | 118.00 | 0.29 | 0.44 | 18% | |
| 93-94 | 48.50 | 83.50 | 89.50 | 191.00 | 103.00 | 51.00 | 566.50 | 467.00 | 116.75 | 2 | 0 | 175.00 | 67.00 | 0.31 | 0.51 | 28% | |
| 94-95 | 213.50 | 129.50 | 72.00 | 60.00 | 103.50 | 75.00 | 653.50 | 365.00 | 91.25 | 2 | 0 | 184.00 | 142.00 | 0.28 | 0.41 | 21% | |
| 95-96 | 68.50 | 125.00 | 189.00 | 89.50 | 66.00 | 97.50 | 635.50 | 469.50 | 117.38 | 2 | 0 | 150.00 | 74.00 | 0.24 | 0.38 | 28% | |
| 96-97 | 127.50 | 268.00 | 124.00 | 101.50 | 174.00 | 65.50 | 860.50 | 667.50 | 166.88 | 4 | 0 | 258.00 | 144.00 | 0.30 | 0.36 | 40% | |
| 97-98 | 107.73 | 114.50 | 198.50 | 107.50 | 69.00 | 22.00 | 619.23 | 489.50 | 122.38 | 3 | 0 | 29% | |||||
| 98-99 | 147.00 | 205.50 | 175.50 | 231.00 | 138.00 | 47.50 | 944.50 | 750.00 | 187.50 | 4 | 0 | 282.00 | 195.00 | 0.30 | 0.55 | 45% | |
| 99-00 | 74.50 | 160.50 | 209.50 | 88.50 | 113.00 | 36.75 | 682.75 | 571.50 | 142.88 | 3 | 0 | 205.00 | 104.00 | 0.30 | 0.44 | 34% | |
| 00-01 | 69.00 | 68.25 | 78.00 | 70.00 | 65.00 | 87.50 | 437.75 | 281.25 | 70.31 | 0 | 0 | 140.00 | 76.00 | 0.32 | 0.55 | 16% | |
| 01-02 | 85.75 | 205.00 | 180.00 | 82.50 | 177.00 | 51.00 | 781.25 | 644.50 | 161.13 | 3 | 0 | 244.00 | 137.00 | 0.31 | 0.47 | 38% | |
| 02-03 | 51.00 | 149.50 | 55.00 | 77.80 | 153.60 | 84.80 | 571.70 | 435.90 | 108.98 | 2 | 0 | 179.00 | 74.00 | 0.31 | 0.37 | 26% | |
| 03-04 | 102.50 | 150.00 | 163.50 | 94.00 | 81.50 | 15.50 | 607.00 | 489.00 | 122.25 | 3 | 0 | 192.00 | 116.00 | 0.32 | 0.46 | 29% | |
| 04-05 | 44.00 | 77.00 | 45.00 | 38.50 | 96.25 | 62.25 | 363.00 | 256.75 | 64.19 | 1 | 0 | 95.00 | 44.00 | 0.26 | 0.36 | 15% | |
| 05-06 | 137.00 | 103.00 | 239.00 | 88.00 | 118.00 | 43.50 | 728.50 | 548.00 | 137.00 | 3 | 0 | 215.00 | 87.00 | 0.30 | 0.36 | 33% | |
| 06-07 | 152.00 | 108.00 | 66.00 | 115.00 | 67.00 | 34.50 | 542.50 | 356.00 | 89.00 | 2 | 0 | 184.00 | 104.00 | 0.34 | 0.40 | 21% | |
| 07-08 | 56.50 | 198.50 | 201.00 | 150.75 | 180.70 | 91.00 | 878.45 | 730.95 | 182.74 | 4 | 0 | 201.00 | 72.00 | 0.23 | 0.28 | 44% | |
| 08-09 | 55.00 | 222.75 | 76.00 | 54.75 | 174.50 | 77.00 | 660.00 | 528.00 | 132.00 | 2 | 0 | 209.00 | 94.00 | 0.32 | 0.34 | 31% | |
| 09-10 | 169.25 | 79.00 | 79.00 | 70.00 | 96.25 | 59.75 | 553.25 | 324.25 | 81.06 | 1 | 0 | 182.00 | 87.00 | 0.33 | 0.35 | 19% | |
| 10-11 | 155.60 | 113.60 | 60.40 | 93.55 | 195.25 | 170.25 | 788.65 | 462.80 | 115.70 | 3 | 0 | 253.00 | 105.00 | 0.32 | 0.39 | 27% | |
| 11-12 | 144.00 | 38.50 | 162.00 | 88.00 | 198.00 | 35.00 | 665.50 | 486.50 | 121.63 | 2 | 0 | 233.00 | 78.00 | 0.35 | 0.43 | 29% | |
| Observations | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 0 | 46 | 46 | 184 | 115 | 8 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 184 |
| Average | 97.36 | 128.06 | 133.49 | 98.03 | 106.08 | 70.45 | #DIV/0! | 633.46 | 465.65 | 116.41 | 63% | 4% | 197.82 | 98.29 | 0.31 | 0.44 | 27.6% |
| Std. Deviation | 46.77 | 56.36 | 67.11 | 48.55 | 47.80 | 33.11 | #DIV/0! | 154.96 | 135.47 | 57.00 | S.D./Avg: | 0.490 | 48.16 | 35.73 | 0.04 | 0.07 | 13.9% |