Central New York Sees First Flakes of the Season

Ready or not, here comes winter. The first flakes of the season have come down from the mountain and made their way to Central New York.

Whiteface Mountain always sees the first snow of the season. Old Man Winter made his appearance this year on October 11, a little later than in recent years.

Halloween Snow

The Lake Placid area in Upstate New York saw the first measurable snow of the season on Halloween.

Eagle Bay Snow

Less than a week later, the snow made its way off the mountain.

Flurries were flying in Old Forge and Eagle Bay on November 6.

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Central New York Snow

It wasn't just in the Old Forge/Eagle Bay area either.

A few flakes floated in the air in Clinton and Central New York. It wasn't enough to shovel, and it didn't stick around, but it will soon.

Earliest Measurable Snow

Lowville holds the bragging rights for the earliest measurable snowfall, recording four inches on October 1, 1944.

Syracuse saw 0.6 inches on October 1, 1946
Forestport got 1.5 inches on October 14, 1958
Frankfort received 1.1 inches on October 22, 1988—almost exactly 37 years to the day before this year’s first flakes.

Curious about your town? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has an interactive map showing typical first snowfall dates across the country.

SerhiiKrot

Lake Effect Snow Coming

It looks like the first lake effect snow of the season is moving in soon, too.

The National Weather Service is forecasting our first taste this weekend into early next week.

Cooler air moving in, combined with lake effect patterns, could bring some snow even to the lower elevations, though widespread accumulation isn’t expected.

The usual snow hotspots — areas like Oneida County and the hills south of the I-90 corridor — are more likely to pick up a few inches starting Sunday night and last until possibly Tuesday.

While the latest snow might not be enough to cancel school or work, it’s enough to remind us that winter is officially on the way. So, it might be a good time to dust off the snow boots, pull out the shovels, and get ready for that first taste of the season.