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 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)…