Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Tia. Tia Wonders, “Where was the largest snowfall” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Tia!
When the weather turns cold, there's one thing that almost all children look forward to: a snow day! Sure, school is great and all, but there's just something special about waking up to a blanket of white snow on the lawn and knowing you get to sleep in and then play in the snow the rest of the day.
While some people would take tropical beaches and palm trees every day of the year, there are plenty of people who don't mind a bit of snow now and then. Those who love the Christmas season usually love snow, especially when it falls on Christmas Eve!
If you're a huge fan of snow, then you might want to consider moving somewhere where you're sure to get lots of it each year. But where would that be? As it turns out, there are many places around the world that get lots of snow every year.
If you want to live in the United States, you could move to Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. It holds the record for the most days with measurable snowfall per year at just over 118 days! On average, Mt. Washington receives more than 23 feet of snow per year.
If you prefer to be on the other coast, move to Paradise…Paradise Ranger Station on Mt. Rainier in Washington, that is! This mountain pass in the Pacific Northwest has been known to receive over 56 feet of snow annually.
If nothing but the snowiest place on Earth will satisfy you, then you need to move to Japan. Specifically, you need to move to the northern Japanese Alps of Honshu Island. Cold Siberian winds dump massive amounts of snow on these mountains. How much?
Some experts estimate annual snowfall in the mountains to be 1,200-1,500 inches! In 1927, the snow depth on Mt. Ibuki was measured to be over 465 inches.
The snow in these mountains has become a popular tourist attraction. A highway through the mountains is regularly cleared to keep it open all winter. It's known as the Yuki-no-Otani Snow Canyon, and people stop along the road to take pictures of their vehicles surrounded by walls of snow as tall as 60 feet!
Some people are surprised that Antarctica doesn't make the list. The reason is because the South Pole is one of the driest places on Earth. Due to the lack of moisture in the atmosphere, the South Pole only receives about two inches of snow each year!
