18" sounds about right for what we got here. Sure am glad I got the Ariens last year, I do have to do some maintenance on it today as I really pushed it hard for hours yesterday. It was beginning to stall when the impeller was overloaded.....
Here are some shots I took of the house and around old town. The tractor got stuck after delivering to the local supermarket. Uphill exit onto a narrow street. Trucks have difficulty making the turn in the summer.....

About 16" in Lynnfield, went over to dig out my father-in-law near the beach in Lynn and he definitely had 18" with drifts even higher. What a mess!

Pic 2 is of Lafayette's Corner. Story is that the corner was too tight to allow the French General's carriage to navigate the turn. So the house was cut yo allow room for it to pass.... Only in olde new england....