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With Fall here, now is the time to have your snowblower ready for the season. Some parts of the country are already encountering winter-like conditions. Recently, the Denver, Colorado area received several inches of snow with some areas having accumulations of nearly one foot. And it is only in October. With this in mind, we provide tips on buying a snowblower to help you prepare for the season.

Shop Now For Snowblowers

If you do not already own a snowblower, now is a great time to consider purchasing one before the heavy snows arrive. There are some benefits to snow shoveling. It can be a good way to get out into the elements and get some exercise. But the drawbacks are the amount of time it takes, the frigid air you may endure, and the risk of an injury.

Wouldn’t it be preferable to have a snowblower that efficiently and effectively removes all the snow from a desired area? You can clear off your paths, driveway, deck, or patio in a matter of minutes and keep snow from accumulating.

Snowblower Prices and Considerations

Snowblower start at about $100 new and go up from there depending on the size, features, and capabilities. These machines may also be known as snow throwers. The more expensive models have two-stages, in which the snow is thrown in a desired direction by an impeller.

Buyers can choose from gas or electric models. Gas models have the benefit of being able to handle a larger area and aren’t restricted by a cord. Electric snow blowers tend to cheaper, quieter, lighter, and are easier to maintain. Look for a model with a push button start to simplify operation.

Snowblower Operation and Maintenance

Snowblowers work by using augers to graze the ground, picking up snow and ice from the surface. Power is measured in cc’s for gas engines and amps for electric motors. The higher the number, the more powerful the model is.

Check how wide a path the snowblower can clear. It is a good idea to know how wide your walkways and driveways are so you buy a snowblower that best fits you needs. Also check how wide your driveway is as you want to purchase a machine that can throw snow at least half the width of your driveway for greater efficiency.

Whichever machine you buy, snowblowers need to be well-maintained and have sharp augers to have the maximum effectiveness. When checking or performing maintenance on a snowblower, it is important to use extreme caution and ensure the machine is turned off (and unplugged if it is an electric model). Safety is a top priority as these machines have a lot of sharp, fast moving parts and each year dozens of people sustain serious injuries due to snowblowers.

Which Model To Buy

When buying a snowblower, take into account the amount of snow your area receives. It is a good idea to be prepared for the worst to ensure your machine’s capacity is not overburdened by a storm. Some of the leading brands include Toro, Stihl, Honda, Ariens, and Craftsman. Generally you will get what you pay for so don’t cut corners on cost and capacity. Also be sure to get the replacement parts you need in advance so you are ready for the season.

Among the top 30 largest cities, the snowiest U.S. city is Denver, Colorado with an average of 60” of snowfall each year. Its yearly total is just slightly higher than Cleveland, which receives an average of 57 inches of snow each year. Other major U.S. cities with high average snow totals include Minneapolis (50”), Pittsburgh (43”), Boston (42”), Detroit (41”), and Chicago (39”).

However, if you take the top 50 largest U.S. metropolitan markets according to U.S. Census, Rochester, New York is by far the snowiest city with 92 inches of annual snowfall. Salt Lake City, Utah, which is 49th on the list (Rochester is 50th), would be neck and neck with Denver with 59” inches of annual snow.

Unlike more northern cities such as Minneapolis, Denver does not usually experience prolonged cold winter weather. The city, with its 40-degree latitude location, sees its share of mild, sunny winter days. The average January high temperature in Denver is 43 degrees, which is similar to rainy Seattle, Washington. However, Denver’s average January low is 15 degrees, compared to 36 in Seattle.

However, Denver’s weather is highly variable. Denver sits at the eastern base of the central Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,280 feet. Its climate is influenced by a variety of factors including the Rockies, storms coming from the Pacific Ocean, warm chinook winds, and cold air descending from the northern interior. Temperatures in Denver can quickly rise and fall. In the winter, it may be in the 50s one day and drop into the teens the next day. Despite the amount of snow it gets, Denver’s snow usually melts fairly quickly.

According to the 2010 U.S. census, Denver was the 21sth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 2,543,482. Its population is less than Baltimore, Maryland but more than Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Denver is by far the largest city in the Front Range Urban Corridor and is the second largest city in the Mountain West and Southwest behind Phoenix, Arizona.

Due to its elevation and variable weather, on average Denver receives its first snowfall of the season on October 8th and its last snow of the season on April 27th. However, Denver averages 1.7” of snow in the month of May, although it quickly melts. Denver’s monthly average snow patterns are different than most cities. It averages 12.3” of snow in March and 8.3” in the month of April. In comparison, in December, Denver averages 7.7” of snow with 7.3” in January. November’s average is 8.5” making it and March the snowiest months on average. This strange snow pattern is largely due to Denver having a very dry winter climate.

While many cities in the U.S. had hefty snow totals, Denver has received just 20.8” of snow during the 2010-2011 winter season through April 2011. It was a very dry winter for Denver. The city still had its share of variable weather though. On February 1, 2011, Denver’s high temperature was –1 degree, while four days before on January 28, 2011, it had a high temperature of 67 degrees. Despite its low snow total this year, Denver is still the snowiest major U.S. city receiving more than twice the average of New York City. If you live in Denver, you definitely want to have a snowblower.

*Data source NOAA and Accuweather.com

Flagstaff, Arizona is a city with a population of about 60,000 in the northern part of the state. It is the largest city in the region and a two and a half hour drive north from Phoenix. The city started out as a railroad, timber, and ranching town in the 19th century but has become a regional center, is home to Northern Arizona University, and is the county seat for Coconino County.

Flagstaff is also a popular tourist destination. It is situated at the base of the scenic San Francisco Peaks and is one and a half hour drive from Grand Canyon Village in Grand Canyon National Park. Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona Snowbowl ski area, meteor crater, and all located near Flagstaff. Historic route 66 also passes through the city.

A rainy day in Flagstaff, Arizona

While many people do not associate snow with Arizona (hot, dry deserts more likely come to mind), Flagstaff is one of the snowiest U.S. cities receiving an average of 100” of snow each year. Flagstaff is located on the Colorado plateau at an elevation of 6,900 feet. It is just southeast of Humphreys Peak, Arizona’s tallest mountain at 12,633 feet. With its elevation, location, and proximity to the San Francisco Peaks, Flagstaff receives a lot of snow. The city receives an average of 31” more snow annually than Williams, Arizona, which is located 35 miles to the west at 6,700 feet. Average snowfall data for Williams can be found at http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?azwilm.

Believe it or not, Flagstaff actually receives more snowfall on average than Buffalo, New York. However, its climate is very different. Flagstaff is located in America’s largest contiguous Ponderosa Pine forest and is much drier than you might expect considering all its snowfall. Its total annual precipitation is just 23”, compared to 40” in Buffalo.

In the summer, Flagstaff is a welcome respite from the heat from residents who live in the Phoenix, Tucson, or Las Vegas areas. Flagstaff’s high temperatures in the summer are typically about 80 degrees, about 25 degrees cooler than the average high temperatures in Phoenix. The Arizona Cardinals professional football team conducts their summer training camp in Flagstaff.

Through February 2011 for the winter season, Flagstaff has received 63.6 inches of snow, which puts it just slightly below average. January 2011 was a very dry month with just 1.2” of snow but December 2010 and February 2011 each were months with more than 2 feet of snowfall.

Flagstaff is one of the snowiest U.S. cities. However, one big advantage of its location in the southwest at 35 degrees latitude is that the city is warmer during the day than many other snowy cities. High temperatures in the winter are typically in the 40s. Low temperatures typically dip into the teens in the winter. Flagstaff also receives significantly more sunshine than many cities. In fact, according to NOAA, Flagstaff is also one of the sunniest cities in the U.S with sunshine 78% of the time. However, if you live in Flagstaff, due to the amount of snowfall it receives having snowblowers is a very good idea.

Flagstaff’s snowfall is fairly evenly distributed during the winter season. According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (“NOAA”), Flagstaff received the following monthly average snowfall totals in inches over a 44-year period:

It has been a snowy 2010-2011 winter in much of the country. The northeast has been hit particularly hard with numerous cities setting daily and monthly snowfall records. This includes New York City, which sets its January snowfall record with 36 inches of snow. This shattered the old January record set 86 years ago, which was 27.4” in 1925. In average January, New York receives inches of snow and 22” of snow for the year.

The month’s largest storm was from January 25-27, in which the city received 20” of snow. That blizzard was accompanied by wind gusts up to 49 mph and lightning. The storm shut down city schools and left subway riders stranded in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Bus serves was suspended as the heavy snow left city streets impassable. The storm also caused thousands of airline flights to be cancelled as both John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty airports were closed for several hours. Amtrak also halted its service between New York and Boston.

With the 36” of snow in January, on top of 20.1” in December 2010, New York already has 56.1” in the past two months alone. Other areas in the state have been hit harder. Western New York has seen even more snow. For example, Buffalo has received 63.3” of snow through January while Rochester has seen 78.1”. Syracuse has received an amazing 116” (nearly 10 feet) inches of snow through January.

The record snow has had a significantly negative impact on business and already strapped city, county, and state budgets. New York City budgets $38 million dollars a year for snow removal. The city already spent more than that cleaning up after December snowstorms, just days after winter had begun. New Jersey has also been hit hard by snow. That state said it had already spent more than their $20 million budget on snow removal.

New York city is on pace to break its all-time record of 75” of snow in a season. The city has seen temperatures a few degrees cooler than usual this winter with more precipitation. More snow is forecasted in the coming week.

In the western United States, there are many excellent ski towns. But which are the top ski towns? Skiing and other winter sports are becoming increasingly more expensive. Ski trips can cost families many thousands of dollars for even a long weekend when you factor in the price of lift tickets, airfare, food, lodging, and car rental. Some ski resorts have lift prices than exceed $100 per day per person. In today’s trying economic times, many people are looking to get more for the vacation dollar, while still being able to enjoy a great trip.

These three top ski towns listed below can help you save on your next ski trip in the western U.S. They offer quality skiing, amenities such as shopping and other attractions, a location convenient to an international or regional airport, lower lodging rates and lift prices. These towns are much cheaper to travel to than ritzy resort towns such as Aspen, Jackson Hole, and Sun Valley.

In order to qualify, these towns had to be within 5 miles of a ski area, have reasonable airfare, and offer lodging options below $100.

1. South Lake Tahoe, California

South Lake Tahoe, appropriately hugs the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe, one of the deepest lakes in the U.S. The lake is at an elevation of 6,260 feet and the mountains surrounding the lake rise to over 10,000 feet. The Tahoe area provides some of the best skiing and views in the U.S. with major resorts such as Heavenly, Squaw Valley, Kirkwood and Northstar-at-Tahoe. The Reno-Tahoe International Airport is typically about one hour away from South Lake Tahoe.

Heavenly, Tahoe’s largest ski resort, is just blocks away from many hotels in South Lake Tahoe, some quite affordable. You can literally ski down from the top of the mountains to the highway. Heavenly’s base area is a very short distance from the Nevada state line. Just over the border in Stateline, Nevada there are several large casinos including Harrah’s, Harvey’s and MontBleu. However, you may want to stay away from the casinos if you are looking for an affordable vacation.

2. Park City, Utah

Park City is the center of Utah’s ski scene. The state proclaims that it has the “greatest snow on Earth”. In a valley at 7,000 feet in the Wasatch Mountains, the city has numerous resorts nearby including Deer Valley, Park City, and Canyons. In 2008, Park City was named by Forbes Traveler Magazone as one of the 20 prettiest towns in the United States

The area has become increasingly popular with celebrities. The Sundance film festival is held annually each January in Park City. Median home prices top $500,000. Despite its amenities, Park City can still be relatively affordable with rooms for typically less than $100 even on weekends. This top ski town is only about 45 minutes away from Salt Lake City and its international airport.

3. Whitefish, Montana

Just minutes away from one the country’s most beautiful parks, Glacier National Park, Whitefish offer an affordable Montana ski vacation. Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain is a top resort just minutes outside of town. The larger city of Kalispell, with a population of 22,000, has much more affordable lodging options and is only about 20 minutes south of Whitefish. In addition to an airport, Amtrak also offers service to Whitefish to cities such as Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Minneapolis, and Chicago.

These top ski towns are good to keep in mind when planning your next winter vacation. South Lake Tahoe and Park City each average about 125 inches of snow annually, more than ten feet. If you live in either, having a snowblower would be a good idea. However, South Lake Tahoe averages warmer temperatures than the others and plenty of California sunshine. These towns make your vacation dollars go a lot further and still be plenty of fun!

The Colorado Rockies are magnificent. Colorado has more than fifty peaks above 14,000 feet in elevation, more than any other state. They are home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding areas in the U.S. Legendary Colorado ski towns such as Aspen, Crested Butte, Steamboat Strings, Telluride, and Vail bring skiers and celebrities from all over the world.

Beautiful Aspen, Colorado is at an elevation of 7,890 feet. It is the second largest of these Colorado ski towns with a population of 6,000 and probably its most famous. In addition to outstanding winter sports, Aspen is also know as an upscale tourist center with high-end restaurants, salons and boutiques with names such as Ralph Lauren, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Gucci. In the summer, tennis, golf, mountain biking, hiking, and fishing are all popular activities.

Aspen is located in central Colorado, about 3.5 hours west of Denver and one hour southeast of Glenwood Springs. On average, Aspen receives 136.9 inches of snow annually. Aspen averages about 2 feet of snow in the months of December, January, February, and March with an average depth of 23 inches by February. Winter high temperatures are typically in the 30s with average lows in the single digits.

In the spring, temperatures warm up significantly. Average April high temperatures are 53 degrees, while June high temperatures average 74 degrees. However, even in May, Aspen averages about 3.2 inches of snow for the month. Average summer high temperatures in Aspen are typically near 80 degrees with lows in the 40s. The city receives occasional thunderstorms.

Aspen receives a consistent level of monthly precipitation throughout the year. On average, it receives between 1 and 2 inches of precipitation monthly for a total average amount of 19.31 inches for the year. Between November and April, the vast majority of precipitation falls as snow. Aspen’s relatively dry climate produces light, fluffy snow allowing for excellent skiing and snowboarding.

Nearby Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort has four peaks: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass. The ski resort is massive. Snowmass has 3,132 acres of terrain, 91 trails, and 21 chairlifts. It has a top elevation of 12,510 feet, providing 4,406 vertical feet of skiing and snowboarding. Snowmass is open from November 25, 2010 through April 10, 2011 for the 2010-2011 ski season. It also offers a Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center at its base.

Aspen is a hot spot for celebrities and has housing prices to match its status. The median home price in Aspen is more than one million dollars. Celebrities living at least part time in Aspen include: Lance Armstrong, Prince Bandar, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Dean Cain, David Robinson, Mariah Carey, Kevin Costner, Michael Eisner, Charlie Sheen, Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicholson, John Oates, Michelle Pfeiffer, Seal, Heidi Klum, Robert Wagner, and Elle Macpherson.

Even if you are not a skier, all can enjoy these Colorado ski towns. They each offer outstanding activities and attractions for each season of the year. If you live in Colorado, it is a good idea to have a snowblower as you likely receive significant annual snowfall.

Source for climate information: Western Regional Climate Center

Lander, Wyoming is a scenic city of 7,000 residents in the western part of the state. It lies at an elevation of 5,400 feet, at the eastern edge of the Wind River Range along the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River. Lander is horse country and there are several dude ranches nearby that attract tourists. The Wind River Indian Reservation is location just south of the town.

Lander is in a remote location. Jackson and Cody, Wyoming, are the nearest city with more than 8,000 residents. Each is about three hours drive from Lander, Jackson to the west, Cody to the north. The nearby Wind River Range is one of America’s most beautiful mountain ranges. It has more than forty peaks above 13,000 feet including Gannett Peak, which at 13,804 feet is Wyoming’s highest peak. Mount Washakie, at an elevation of 12,524 feet, is located about 35 miles west of Lander.

Lander’s largest employers include the state and federal government. The Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The U.S. Forest Service (Washakie Ranger District, Shoshone National Forest), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wyoming Life Resource Center, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, and the FBI all have field offices in Lander.

Lander is one of the snowiest U.S. cities. According to the Western Regional Climate Center, it averages 100 inches of snow per year, more than eight feet. The average snow depth during the months of January and February is five inches. Wyoming is a largely dry state and Lander is no exception. It averages about 13 inches of precipitation annually.

Lander’s snowiest month is actually April. On average, Lander receives 19.8 inches of snow during the month, with an average low temperature of 31 degrees and an average high temperature of 56. Lander receives its second highest average monthly totals of precipitation for the year in April, after May. Lander also averages ten inches of snow in October, more than the 8.6 inches it averages in January. Lander’s average high and low temperatures in January are 32 and 9, respectively. Lander averages even 6.6 inches of snow in May. July and August are the only months in which Lander does not record snow on average.

On average, Lander receives significantly more snow than famous Jackson, Wyoming, home of numerous celebrities and the Jackson Hole Ski Resort. Jackson, at an elevation of 6,200 feet at the base of the spectacular Teton Range, averages 76 inches of snow annually. The city of Pinedale, Wyoming, which is located on the west side of the Wind River Range at an elevation of 5,200 feet, averages 62 inches of snow annually. For further comparison, Wyoming’s two larges cities: Cheyenne and Casper average 55 and 77 inches of snow, respectively.

Lander has a wealth of outdoor activities. The Shoshone National Forest is just to the west. Fishing, hunting, camping, wildlife viewing, backpacking, rock climbing, and mountaineering are all popular activies near Lander. Wildlife nearby include: elk, black bear, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, pronghorn, wolverine, falcons, bald eagles, hawks, and some grizzly bears. There are also numerous trout species in nearby rivers, streams, and lakes.

Lander is a great base from which to explore the outdoors. Although it is one of the snowiest U.S. cities, Lander has pleasant summer high temperatures averaging in the 80s. If you are considering moving to Lander or anywhere in Wyoming, you should investigate moving rates, and choose the method that best fits your needs. Residents of Wyoming are also well-advised to purchase a snowblower.

There were a steady stream of December 2010 snowstorms in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, and the Central Rocky Mountains. Several areas in these regions received more than 200 hundred inches of snow. Aspendell, California, which is a small community 15 miles southwest of the city of Bishop at an elevation of 8,500 feet, received about 80 inches of snow in the December 17 – December 22 period alone.

Ski resorts throughout the West have healthy snow totals and have seen large crowds. Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in Mammoth Lakes, California, which is on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada already has base snow totals of between 11 and 18 feet for the season.

Storms late in December 2010 brought wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour in some areas of the Sierras. More than 10,000 residents in South Lake Tahoe, California had to have their power restored by utility crews. A 105-mile per hour gust was recorded at Mammoth Ski Resort.

December storms also brought record rainfall in Southern California, which experienced its wettest December since 1889. Some mountainous areas received more than fourteen inches of rain while the city of Los Angeles alone received more than ten inches of rain for the month. Los Angeles normally receives 15 inches of rain for an entire year. There is concern that the saturated hillsides may lead to landslides, especially if above average rainfall totals persist into January and February.

While the December 2010 snowstorms and rain caused property destruction, dangerous rockslides and washed out roads, it may mean good news for California’s important agricultural industry. Thus far, according to surveys conducted by the state’s Department of Water Resources, the snow pack in the Sierra Nevada is nearly twice the normal average for this time of year. High amounts of snow and corresponding river flows can result in a larger amount of water allocation for California growers.

If you are considering moving to a city in the Sierra Nevada areas such as South Lake Tahoe or Truckee, California, it is a good idea to have a snowblower. These cities both receive on average more than ten feet of snow each year.

Syracuse, New York is used to getting snow.  With an average of 121 inches of snow each year, more than 10 feet, Syracuse is the snowiest city in the U.S. with a population of more than 100,000 people.  Syracuse is the fifth largest city in New York and the Syracuse-Auburn, New York combined statistical area, which includes the cities of Cicero, Clay, Manlius, and Salina has a population of about 650,00 people. 

Syracuse is located less than forty miles from Lake Ontario in the central part of New York.  It receives “lake-effect” snow when storm systems come from the north and west collecting moisture from Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and then dumping copious amounts of snowfall.  Syracuse also receives snow in nor’easter storms coming from the Atlantic Ocean. 

This fall, the Western New York area has been hit hard by snow.  Storms already dropped nearly three feet of snow in the Buffalo area in recent weeks and Erie, Pennsylvania had whiteout conditions.  However, Syracuse has been hit particularly hard.  Between Saturday December 4 and Wednesday December 8, it snowed for 95 hours straight in Syracuse, with some areas receiving more than four feet.  Snowblowers have been working overtime trying to remove all the snow. 

On December 7, 2010 Syracuse received 9.3 inches of snow, setting a new record for that day that had stood since 1958.  On December 8, 2010, Syracuse accumulated 14.9 inches more snow   All the snow has lead to numerous traffic accidents, long delays, and school closures.  More snow is expected for the weekend.