You just dont get a lot of bang for your buck here. Given the amount of cold this part of the country gets, and with the huge Gulf to the south supplying copious amounts of moisture, I would figure 50" per year would be easily attainable around here. The East Coasters get less cold but often get more snow. Plus they get more sunshine in winter too, which is a plus in my book. And before someone tells me that if i dont like it here i should move to the east coast, the answer is NO. Ive visited the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and I find midwesterners to be nicer. I will say that I do like southerners better but maybe thats because I am from the south.