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My question is simple. Which is the place closest to Equator, in any country, where has snowfall occured? By that I mean snowfall only at sea level - mountains are excluded.

I can't find anything myself on the internet with reliable sources. In fact, I have found only 1 topic about that which is from year 2001 and it's just somebody's personal record.

And second option is that if mountains are excluded but it does not be on sea level. According to Wikipedia definition, mountains height starts from 1,000 m (3,281 ft)

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You'll need to be more specific about the 'mountains are excluded' bit. For example, Tajikistan is pretty much ALL mountains. Do we rule it out? Or is there a certain altitude you'll accept as being 'ground level'? –  Mark Mayo Dec 13 '11 at 9:10
also, when? Because during various ice-ages it certainly would have had snow at much lower altitudes and closer to the equator. (And arguably we're in an ice-age now) –  Mark Mayo Dec 13 '11 at 9:17
@MarkMayo, i edited my question. By ground level i meant sea level. When? Well, after Last Glacial Maximum period, when the snowfall was recorded by humans and not from examining the layers of Earth. –  Skyzer Dec 13 '11 at 9:25
My best guess would be somewhere in South America. But this is just a guess. –  RoflcoptrException Dec 13 '11 at 9:58
Do you specifically want to restrict answers to cities as you seem to indicate, or to anywhere at sea level? –  hippietrail Dec 13 '11 at 10:31

6 Answers 6

up vote 9 down vote accepted

OK some success with answers:

  • Nanning, China: latitude 21°29'N and longitude 108°21'E, 1654.
  • Hong Kong - 22º 15' N, 114º 10' E, January 1893.
  • Tampico, Mexico lat 22.2965°, long -97.8659 - Feb 1895.

The 1654 Chinese snowfall, near the present-day coastal city of Beihai, was nearest to the equator, at 21 degrees, 29 minutes north latitude. Several centimeters of snow were recorded there.

References: USAToday, SnowPlowNews.

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Hi. I'll accept your answer, because Nanning is even closer to Equator than Hong Kong. –  Skyzer Dec 17 '11 at 16:45

Here's one pretty good candidate: It snowed in Hong Kong on December 14th 1975. Hong Kong lies at a latitude of 22 degrees north, nearly the same as Havana or the United Arab Emirates.

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Thank you. in.news.yahoo.com/photos/… I found this also. Quito lies on Equator but the city's elevation is 2,850 m (9,350 ft). –  Skyzer Dec 13 '11 at 13:44
usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/wasnow.htm even closer than your "The 1654 Chinese snowfall, near the present-day coastal city of Beihai, was nearest to the equator, at 21 degrees, 29 minutes north latitude. Several centimeters of snow were recorded there." –  Skyzer Dec 14 '11 at 11:48

Judging on the map of oceanic currents, I would say your best chances are close the Andes, West Africa, and Australia/Indonesia (see map below)

These currents have huge influence on the temperatures. Southern Europe is known as having much warmer winters then nova scotia for example that lies on the same latitude. oceanic currents (source: Creative Commons)

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It was in February 1899 in the Mexican Coast, just south of Tampico. Don t to be confused with the Feb 1895 snow which reached just Tampico (few flakes indeed) through Texas. The 1899 event crossed the Gulf of Mexico and skipped the southern Texan coast.

During the little ice age it was in 1654 when snow at sea level covered great part of the island of Hainan in China. This is the lowest latitude ever since the end of the ice age.

Note: DECEMBER 1975 HONG KONG SNOW WAS NOT AT SEA LEVEL, but flakes at sea level were recorded in January 1893 (correct) and also Macao.

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Hi Maximiliano, welcome to travel.se. As per my answer above, it's best to include sources in your answer, if it's not anecdotal (which I'm sure it's not, as you weren't around in 1893). So thanks for answering, but if you could add some sources for your statement, it'll make your answer even better! :) –  Mark Mayo Aug 29 '12 at 22:19

During the extreme weather events of 535–536, snow fell in China in the summer, see here:

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Himachal Pradesh, India is a northwestern hill state and probably the only Indian state to receive snow so it must be closest to the equator

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Not really at sea-level if it's a hill state though, surely? –  Mark Mayo Jul 12 '12 at 0:12
@MarkMayo Wikipedia says it is about 2,319 meters above sea level. –  RoflcoptrException Oct 10 '12 at 17:32
Precisely. So not a valid answer. –  Mark Mayo Oct 10 '12 at 17:33

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