Philadelphia has a humid subtropical climate with four
distinct seasons. Winters, despite the name 'subtropical', are cold and often
snowy, with temperatures usually hovering around 32°F (0°C) during the colder
months. Average annual snowfall is 24 inches (59 cm) which is spread out mainly
from December to March, but the area is sometimes hit by devastating blizzards
that can dump up to half that total or even more on the city in one day, such
as in 1996 when a single storm dumped 30.7 inches (78 cm) of snow on the city
in just a couple days.