I’m just curious and have only 2 questions to ask. OK, maybe a few buttt….
First off are you ready to move on from the winter weather? No doubt it’s been a pretty tough one but would ya rather see the 200 mark hit for Syracuse? Something none of the Golden Snowball cities have been able to accomplish yet. Buffalo was close with their record 199 inches butttt…. So is it lets move on or nah, lets have another storm or two to push us over the 200 mark is OK with me?
Second, if I were to try and sell our winter to someone outside of the city of Syracuse and the Mayor, who by the way isn’t a sissy lady and grasps the winters we have here, What would your pros and cons be? LEAVE A COMMENT!
Obviously we have the winter fest and snow is good for that, really. Skiing, sledding and so on. Cons I suppose would be driving in the snow, over budget with plowing and so on. Leave some comments as what you think the pros and cons are about our snowfall season.
Have a Super Week Everyone!!!
I'd like to see the magic 200, but I am not the one shoveling it now. I grew up in Buffalo through college then lived in Syracuse several years. still have family in Syr, and other WNY cities and a son currently at SU. GO ORANGE! I didn't realize until I left just how much more snow we got than other northern cities. WNY was my "normal". I moved to MA ( home to my SU fiance) in January years ago and that was the first time I learned that the sun showed in the Northeast in the winter. I was truly shocked. I also learned other places don't dust off the car multiple times a day, snow comes down straight and not sideways, and here in MA the TV weather man sticks a ruler in the snow to say how many inches (boring). It's not a drift in one spot and bare ground in the other. I still love snow; made sure my kids learned winter sports so they would want to be outside. Finally had a somewhat decent winter here 89"– has been quite a while since that much. Go 'Cuse
I say bring on the 200" for SYR soon, or move on and let summer begin now. Lots of negativity about the weather from people that moved away, yet they are on this blog checking it out ?!?!?!?!
The FOUR seasons that we have are excellent, and I enjoy everyone of them.
The city of Utica does not have a population of 100,000 or greater which is the criteria that has been set to qualify.
Big PRO: Snowmobiling on St Patricks Day in NY!!!! Still lots of snow in Tug Hill fans.
….but what about a white mothers day? there the best!
Oh, you all are forgetting the biggest pro for winter of them all: Syracuse Orange basketball! Actually, college hoops in general, but yeah, gotta go with SU!
I've found that with having a different job (one that's during the day) I'm getting a little bit more tolerable of snow. It sure beats having to drive in the stuff when it's dark, and more often than not, unplowed. Since then, I've had the one bad morning, but at least I could mostly see where I was going. Also helps having an employer who is a little bit more tolerable about lateness due to weather.
As for 200 inches…if we can get there by early April, I'm all for it. If it takes until late April or early May, I say forget it!
I think it would be a shame if we didn't at least break the record for Syracuse. I'd be even happier if we reached 200". I'm a Syracuse native and love the stuff.
As for pro's and con's, snow days were always a nice surprise. Of course there are snow sports: skiing, both downhill and x-country (although this isn't the best place in the nation for downhill skiing), snowshoeing, sledding, snowmobiling, etc. There are snow forts and snowball fights. I've always enjoyed driving in the snow. It adds a layer of skill and challenge that you can't otherwise get. The Syracuse winters also have a way of hardening people and sorting out the riff-raff. You can learn a lot about a person by how they react to an unexpected snow storm.
As for cons, I'm sure there are a few, but those tend to be much better documented so I'll omit them here.
I lived in SYR from 2000 until 2004 and then BUF from 2004 until 2007 when my job chased me to SE Michigan. I remember telling my folks that I was moving to SYR and all my dad said was "I hope you like snow!". I had no idea what he was talking about, and I remember sitting in my apartment that winter watching 190" fall (half of it in December if I remember correctly) thinking to myself "what was I thinking?" But I embraced it, bought some snowshoes, and now I miss it! SE Michigan gets snow of course, but nothing like WNY. I remember the shoveling, digging my car out, the quiet of the woods after a big snow, and I miss it all. That and Wegman's, I still miss Wegman's too.
I am not a fan of the snow…however I would not mind a couple of inches here and there (overnight ndm melt by morning) so that we hit 180". Fun to tell people that we had 15 feet of snow. I would not want any more than that. 200" would be a nightmare.
Go for a record! I moved up there for a year – rode my motorcycle, so rode the bus for that year. Wandered the city and the surrounding areas. I really liked the place and many people who could not imagine living here (in Arizona). I lived in Westbrook Hills and went downtown often (on the bus) in all the weather. I still ask every TV weatherman – just WHY they talk about Buffalo and NOT about Syracuse. I've lived in three cities Johnny Carson made fun of – Syracuse, Fresno, and Oxnard – they all were great places to live (but the weather in Oxnard was the BEST). Enjoy where you live.
After the winter of 04 in Syracuse we also left and have never looked back. I admire those of you that continue to live and prosper in the cuse but it just never worked for us. At the same time we were natives of the southeast transfered to the cuse for work so I don't think we could have ever adjusted no matter how long we stayed. Still amazed that people leave and want to move back but then again if we all liked the same things in life it would get pretty crowded in the cuse!
Wow! I guess the fella who moved to Charlotte still isn't getting enough sunshine, judging by his negative post (mood?) There are definitely 4 seasons in Syracuse… and yes winters can be a challenge especially for the infirm.
In fairness, I can't wish a lot more snow on those who still live there because work (not weather) led me to move away (with many regrets) years ago. And I know many have had enough snow already, but I was quite fond of winters while there; and I still miss them. The trick is to get out and stay active. I did some of my favorite xc-skiing back there as an adult; and loved all of Syracuse's park hills for sledding as a kid.
All that being said, I suppose it's not the couch potato's or cranky oldster's cup of tea.
Can we add UTICA to the Golden Snowball competition?
Weather and plowing (LaFayette) equate to us being the armpit of the nation. This is my last winter here, T-4 months.
Have "fun" for those left behind.
As a Syracuse native that finally decided to move after 38 years in this aforementioned accursed town, allow me to say that there is NOTHING good about the weather in SYR.
NOTHING.
First, let me dispel one myth – the 'change of seasons' garbage. I hear this from relatives who still live there and others that claim they stay because of their love for the seasons.
There are NOT 4 seasons in Syracuse. If you are lucky you get a decent fall. Other than that it is a solid 5-6 months of Winter (Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar and prob Apr) and then add in whatever else you are lucky to have.
Second – the worst thing about it is IT IS ALWAYS CLOUDY. My wife and I live in Charlotte, NC and let me tell you it is a WHOLE lot sunnier here, and it makes a TON of difference. Mood. Activity. Fun. Everything.
Third………the snow. Well, as a kid I loved it, and have many fond memories of it. As an adult, I still don't mind the snow, just everything that comes with it SUCKS. Salt, dreariness, dirt, slush, WIND, COLD…………..get me?
Fourth, Spring is usually non-existent. Summer is hit-or-miss. Either hot hot hot (btw the only way you get sunshine) or miserable, cloudy, cool and rainy. Love the hot. Couldnt stand the other.
After January of 2004, the 2nd coldest on record, where the highs barely made it above zero, we made a decision to move, and it was the best decision ever.
And guess what, we actually now live in a place where you get FOUR seasons!!!!
I already can hear the voices of people who will get mad at this post. But they are the ones in denial.
Love the blog, though. It rocks. And the 173.5 just makes me smile from afar.
I want enough snow to break the record – all in March! We should have the bragging rights since we've gotten this far!
I was hoping to really put the record out there this winter with a juiced up 246 inches but I don't think thats happening anymore. I still think 200 inches is possible, think positive dudes and dudette's it will happen.
Winter Pro's- downtown ice skating,building snowmen with the family, cutting down Christmas tree's, shoveling off the roof, crunch hockey,snuggling with wifey-poo while waiting for the furnace to kick on, shoveling off the roof again on super bowl sunday, hot cocoa.
Winter cons- daylight savings time!
I've been living in Richmond,VA (originally from Liverpool) for 13 years. My wife and I have decided to move back. I just wish I could have been there this winter, after all it isn't every winter you might get to break the record. Go get the 200 CUSE!!!!!
Anon, Harry and Anon,
I'm with ya's on this. I think the 200 inch mark is slipping away as the days go by but one or two shifts in the jet streams and we are good to go. Plus I would rather have the snow than the rain we have been getting.
Go CUSE, Go ORANGE!!!!
We can't get this close without breaking it. It would just be a really snowy season with no honor. Let's kick Bufallo's old record and keep the snow coming! Go 'Cuse!
All this snow without breaking the record would be a shame. Let's get some more snow and set the bar high for future records. 🙂 Keep on coming snow. Still have a tough month of March and possibilities in April. Let's go CUSE!!!!!!!
YES, break the record of it's all for naught!! Go 'Cuse!!!!!!!!!!!