When is the Earliest Ever Snow in Missouri? Sooner Than you Think

It's the season of fall colors, pumpkins and cooler temperatures in Missouri...most of the time. But, when is the earlier ever snowfall in Missouri? I'm gonna guess that it's much sooner than you might think.

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I had a faint memory of a really early snowfall that happened somewhat recently and, for once, my memory wasn't wrong. I had to check with the University of Missouri Climate Center to confirm what I believed was true.

So when is the earliest ever measurable snowfall in Missouri?

Give yourself a cookie if you guessed the earliest ever snowfall in Missouri happened on October 17, 1898. There was 1 inch in Springfield, Missouri that day and over 3 measured in Kansas City.

It wasn't the 1898 date that I was thinking of since I wasn't around (Editor's Note: thanks Captain Obvious). It was the end of October in 2019 when Missouri got hit with a surprising snowstorm. October 31, 2019 to be specific. Edina had almost 3 inches of snow and Unionville over 4. It technically started the night before on October 30.

I bring this up because even though we still have daily highs in the 70's or 80's as of the date of this writing, a change in the air can happen quickly and it has in the past. In just a matter of weeks, it's possible there could be white flakes falling from the sky. Yes, October in Missouri is typically the time when leaves change color, but it can also be a reacquaintance with the snow shovel, too.