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This is when the first measurable snowfall is expected for several major U.S. cities

If it's a holiday, snow will be on the way for most of the country.

In the span of 24 hours, Billings, Montana, went from a sunny, summery day with a high temperature of 74 degrees on Tuesday to a blustery winter's day with a high of 33 degrees and a snowfall total of 5.6 inches on Wednesday.

No wonder Montana's state motto is "Oro y Plata," which loosely translates to "Where things are crazy." OK, it actually means "Gold and Silver" but maybe the 154-year-old motto needs an update.

Despite two significant snowstorms already, snow in October isn't common for much of the United States. But when can people expect their first measurable snowfall?

Obviously, several places like Billings, and Spokane, Washington, which has had its third-snowiest October on record, have started winter ahead of the rest of the country. But based on the exclusive AccuWeather 90-day forecast, here is when the first measurable snowfall is expected in several major cities across the U.S. (You can click here and search to find out the date for your area. Meteorologically, measurable snowfall is 0.1 of an inch; anything less is called a trace.)

The tail end of the current Midwest snowstorm is expected to bring the first snow to both Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday. It won't impact the NFL games, however, as the Packers host a Monday Night Football game and the Vikings play indoors. Plus, Green Bay is forecast to receive just 0.20 of an inch and Minneapolis is expected to get 0.10 of an inch.

Next, Salt Lake City, Utah, is forecast to get its first measurable snow on Nov. 18, with 0.42 of an inch.

Then, the start of a snow-related theme kicks off: If it's a holiday, snow is on the way.

There will be snow on Thanksgiving or the day after in Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay and Minneapolis. Measurable snowfall also will occur on Christmas Eve in Detroit and New York City.

And over the three-day New Year's span of Dec. 30 to Jan. 1, measurable snowfall is forecasted to occur in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City and Topeka, Kansas, among others.

AccuWeather's 90-day forecast doesn't extend as far as Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day or even Easter, but guided by the snowy-holiday theme, you may want to keep the snow shovel handy. People in Billings can relate.

Below is a list of dates when the first measurable snowfall is forecast for several major U.S. cities, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. No snow is forecast currently for Washington, D.C., Dallas or Seattle. You can use AccuWeather's Wintercast on the AccuWeather app to stay up-to-date with snow totals and developments as they happen.

Related video: Sunshine to snow in just a day

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