Why this winter's snow could weigh more than a trillion tonnes
How much snow falls on all of Canada? Get ready. These numbers are about to become astronomical.
So it begins. Snow is starting to accumulate across Canada, and as most of us have shovelled a driveway, you know how heavy snow can feel. A typical driveway, 10 metres long and 5 metres wide with 30 cm of snowfall, holds about 1,500 kilograms of snow—I don’t have to tell you that twice.
But this raises a much bigger question. How much snow falls on all of Canada? Get ready. These numbers are about to become astronomical.
We’ll use a snow ratio, the amount of snow produced per centimetre of water, but it varies widely across Canada. It’s driven by atmospheric temperatures, and it becomes critical when determining the weight of snowfall across Canada.
Breaking Down the Calculation
It becomes a complex task, so we’ll break it down step-by-step, starting with dividing Canada into regional land areas with average snowfall accumulation and using a standard snow-to-water ratio; we revealed some astonishing results.
1. The regions
We split Canada into the following regions with approximate land areas:
Coastal B.C.: ~7% of B.C. → 66,131 km²
Interior B.C.: ~60% of B.C. → 566,841 km²
B.C./Alberta Mountains: ~30% of B.C. and Alberta → 482,774 km²
Prairies (Alta., Sask., Man.): 1,800,000 km²
Ontario: 1,100,000 km²
Quebec: 1,400,000 km²
Atlantic Canada: 500,000 km²
2. Average snowfall totals by region
Based on typical snowfall patterns, we assigned average snowfall ranges and settled on an average of:
Coastal B.C.: 50–80 cm → 65 cm
Interior B.C.: 100–200 cm → 150 cm
B.C./Alberta Mountains: 500–1200 cm → 600 cm
Prairies: 100–150 cm → 125 cm
Ontario: 120–300 cm → 210 cm
Quebec: 200–300 cm → 250 cm
Atlantic Canada: 300 cm (fixed)
3. Converting snowfall to water
Snowfall depth is useful, but to calculate weight we’ll use what’s known as the snow-to-water ratio. As a crude average, 10:1 is the estimate we’ll use.
Using the standard 10:1 snow-to-water ratio (10 cm of snow = 1 cm of water), we converted snowfall depths into water equivalents. This metric can vary wildly across Canada, from 5:1 to over 40:1, depending on the temperature.
4. Calculating water volume
Water volume was calculated for each region: Volume (m³) = Snowfall (m) x Land Area (m²)
To give you an idea of how much water this would be, consider this. If we drained Lake Ontario at the start of the year, it would be nearly full of our melted snow by the end. It’s enough water that each Canadian could be given 64 million water bottles. Do you have enough room in your fridge?
5. Weight of snow
Here’s where things get heavy. We’re going to be using numbers so astronomically large, they lose meaning. We’ll try to make it more relatable.
We multiplied the water volume by the density of water (1,000 kg/m³) to calculate the weight of snow: Weight (kg) = Volume (m³) x 1,000
Finally, we converted kilograms into metric tons by dividing by 1 million.
Regional Breakdown (in billion metric tons):
Coastal B.C.: ~4.3 billion metric tons
Interior B.C.: ~85 billion metric tons
B.C./Alberta Mountains: ~289 billion metric tons
Prairies: ~225 billion metric tons
Ontario: ~231 billion metric tons
Quebec: ~350 billion metric tons
Atlantic Canada: ~150 billion metric tons
Drumroll: so that means that Canada sees over 1 trillion metric tons of annual snowfall.
= 1.3 trillion metric tons of annual snowfall.
While the 1.3 trillion tons estimate is based on historical averages and standard assumptions, variations in snowfall patterns and snow density could shift the actual number higher or lower by a couple hundred billion tons.
Real-world implications
Snow loads create significant challenges for Canada’s infrastructure, from collapsing roofs under heavy snow to the strain of spring flooding.
Municipalities spend millions clearing snow: Montreal allocates $170 million annually for removal, while Toronto has budgeted $160 million for the 2024-2025 season. This snow is not just a winter inconvenience—it’s a cornerstone of Canada’s water cycle, feeding spring melt and supporting agricultural growing seasons. However, as climate change alters snowfall patterns, these challenges may evolve.
The hidden dangers of shovelling snow
Although to many Canadians this ritual seems routine, it can pose significant health and safety risks. Each shovelful can weigh as much as 12-15 kilograms with wet snow, which could lead to back injuries and muscle strain.
There’s even an increased risk of cardiac events, especially for those with underlying health conditions and not used to vigorous activity.
Take frequent breaks
Using ergonomic tools (pushing the snow instead of lifting)
Use a snowblower
Get more tips here
Would snowfall ratios change with climate change?
As the climate warms, snowfall ratios are expected to decrease in many regions due to warmer atmospheric temperatures producing denser, wetter snow.
However, increased moisture in a warmer atmosphere may temporarily boost snow weights in colder regions.
When looking at the 50-year trend, pockets of the Prairies have experienced an increase in annual snowfall, while the coasts and lower latitudes have trended towards a decrease.
(Credit: ECMWF/ERA5 Reanalysis)
Long-term, more precipitation may fall as rain, especially at lower elevations and coastal areas, reducing overall snowfall weights. This trend highlights how even snow—the hallmark of Canadian winters—is not immune to climate change.
From dense, coastal snow to the powdery snow of the Prairies, Canada’s snow shapes the country in profound ways. At 1.3 trillion metric tons, it outweighs all the humans on Earth 2,600 times and fills 532 million Olympic-sized pools. This annual snow load defines not just Canada’s winters but also its water cycles, infrastructure, and way of life.
As the snow piles up this winter, take a moment to appreciate its sheer scale—and maybe invest in a good snowblower!
WATCH BELOW: How to accurately measure snow
(Header image courtesy of Tainar via Getty Images/stock photo)
