A newly released report from Coherent Market Planning and Forecasting provides a sweeping forecast for U.S. snowfall and the market for pickup truck plow-mounts through 2050 — a critical update that signals major changes for snow and ice equipment manufacturers, fleet managers and service providers.
The study, shaped by temperature and snowfall data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, uses a forecast model anchored in climate projections developed by the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program, a NOAA partner. These models suggest that U.S. snowbelt regions will shrink as average temperatures rise, shifting snow boundaries northward and replacing some snowfall with freezing rain.
According to the report, cities currently on the southern edge of the snowbelt — such as Pittsburgh — may find themselves outside this zone by 2050, while areas like Indianapolis are projected to see winter conditions more akin to present-day Atlanta as soon as 2035-2040. For municipal fleets and private contractors, this implies not just less snowfall to clear, but a potentially greater need for ice management and different equipment strategies.
For those in the snow and ice removal sector, this means adapting to a market where plow-mount registrations on pickups could plateau or decline, particularly in southern snowbelt zones. The report’s integrated data and customizable model allow users to forecast these trends locally, equipping manufacturers, distributors, municipal fleet managers, and independent operators with actionable planning tools. The North American snowplow market as a whole is expected to continue expanding even as regional distributions shift.
The report can be purchased for $99.99 here.
