Wow… Depressing is the key word for Buffalo’s snowfall so far this season. While the Southern Tier of WNY has seen near record November snowfall, Buffalo only has a lousy 6 inches to show, most of which has been bursts of lake effect off Lake Ontario. Usually November brings storm tracks that tend to have west – southwest flows when the cold air surges down, however this year has seen an unusually higher number of early season storms brining in more late winter northwest flows which has benifited the other cities early in this year’s contest. All I can say is Buffalo better get in gear and quick! Lake Erie is already down to 40 degrees, 4 degrees below average and if this cold weather continues to dominate it won’t be much longer before the lake starts to ice up early this year.

As depressing as this year has been I’ve been seeing a good deal of snow now that I am working down in Springville this year, about 30 miles south of Buffalo. We’ve already seen a good 30 inches so far. Amazing how I can leave my house in the morning looking at green grass and a 25 minute drive down the road can lead me to 2 foot deep snow.

Still I am rather concerned for Buffalo as if things don’t change we could be looking at a snow, well more of a lack of snow.. disaster this season. I know it’s early but I might have to schedule an emergency snow dance ASAP.

Every year http://www.newx-forecasts.com/ has a snowfall and storm contest based on snow totals for several different cities. It’s a pretty cool contest and it’s free to join. Unlike here they actually give away prizes 😉

I did it last year and with my usual expert forecasting skills placed close to the bottom of the bunch. Go Figure huh. Anyways like I said it’s a fun contest to help pass the winter by and they also have several single storm contests, normally when a Nor Easter is brewing throughout the season.

You can read the rules at http://www.newx-forecasts.com/#RULES and also join the 8th annual contest there. They don’t spam and the only emails you get is to let you know there is a contest going on if the possibility of a storm coming exists.

Have fun and Good Luck. You must enter your city snowfall estimates no later than 11:59 PM tomorrow, 11/30/08.

First and Foremost Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! If your an online shopper who hates the long lines and the crowds like myself there are plenty of Thanksgiving day sales, black Friday specials and cyber Monday deals below worth checking out.. Snow wise Binghamton continues it’s quest for the king of the snow hill and Buffalo and Rochester also added to their snow totals. It’s a tight race that’s getting tighter each day. Here is hoping everyone has a Great Thanksgiving and that you have plenty to be thankful for 😉

Current Thanksgiving Day Sales, Black Friday and Cyber Monday Specials!

It’s that time of the Christmas season again where my email is getting pounded with deals, sales and coupons from merchants that I am affiliated with in my real job. They offer me tons of Christmas specials to pass along to my visitors to my on line sites which would be you of course. With the way the economy is most likely your like I am looking for the deals that are out there and this year it seems the sales have started earlier than normal and some of the prices seem better than ever also.

Well, here we go and for the next hour or two I’ll be updating the Christmas sales page almost by the minute so just hit your refresh button to see what we are adding and happy online shopping.

Click Here for the Current Thanksgiving Day Sales, Black Friday and Cyber Monday Specials!

Anyways I am going to just throw up the deals that come in as they come in thru the weekend and all through the Christmas sale season so whether your looking for deals on toys, electronics, clothing and plus size clothing, shoes and winter boots or whatever you might want to book mark this page as we keep adding on the new deals. Don’t look for pretty because this post will look messy as the online Christmas specials get sent to me from merchants and stores both big and small.

Thanksgiving Day Specials and Black Friday Sale at Walmart

Electronics, Toys and More on sale at Walmart

All the Christmas Sales and Specials!

Sean wrote a blog yesterday about how wimpy of a snow season we had last season that Burlington Vermont had more snow than Syracuse did which means they had more snow than all of the Golden Snowball cities did. I’ve mentioned several times how I appreciate Sean’s skills at journalism and he has a gazillion awards to prove it. Anyways with his normal style and his pride in our contest and more so in the snow that Syracuse gets. Sean pretty much put out the challenge to any big city in the United States and better yet to North America with a few words and just by posting a video of MC Hammer in the post he made. I love It! Check it out at http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/ . Of course now the songa has been stuck in my head since yesterday. After watching Syracuse beat #18 Florida last night as I sang the song to myself I’m hoping I will be singing it again tonight as we take on Kansas. Da,na,na,na – na,na-na,na Can’t Touch This, da,na,na,na -. OK, I’m sure you all get the point 😉

We may have a problem though because it’s looking like Binghamton and Rochester aren’t even close to backing off of the hopes to dethrone Syracuse to win the trophy of all trophy’s, the Golden Snowball Trophy which the last I heard has been sitting in Dennis Brogan’s office for the last several years. Ever since A-1 trophy donated it when the contest was resurrected again. By now Dennis has probably gotten so fond of it he probably has it by his night stand at home 🙂

Anyways while some of us weren’t paying attention yesterday Rochester snuck in 1.5 inches of snow and Binghamton slipped in 3.4 inches of white gold to jump into second place. Can’t Touch this. Oh they do want to touch this, the GSB trophy that is and with the start we have had so far in November I think the golden snowball award will be up for grabs for any of the cities. Well at least 4 of them anyways and looking at the stats with all of us over last seasons totals already I think this will go right down to the last snow flake again. Just like last season did.

For you snow haters out there (hard to believe any exist) don’t be blaming me on this early snow this season. I haven’t done a snow dance and I don’t think anyone else has which leaves only one other person to blame. That would be NYCO!!! Nyco better know as Ellen I believe is the caretaker of the Snow God and she mentioned that the Snow God has already been awoken from his/her spring and summer hibernation which was on October 28th. I wonder if Ellen got a new sled, skis or something to perform this earlier than normal awakening of the Almighty Snow God? Check out NYCO’s site at http://www.twentyfour01.com/nyco/

Have a Great Day Everyone and take it slow.

First off! Has anyone seen the General around lately?

Syracuse picked up a total of 5.7 inches yesterday to slip past Rochester and take the lead for the first time this season. Rochester picked up 1.2 inches of snow and Binghamton added another 4 tenths of an inch. Nothing but a trace for buffalo and zip for Albany. Buffalo’s stats really surprised me because looking at the radars yesterday it looked like they were getting at least some snow showers from Lake Ontario. Yes lake Ontario! Right now it looks like Binghamton has a couple of snow bands working for them so we all better keep an eye on them.

It’s soft, it’s white, it’s fluffy and it’s fun to play in. That says it all and that’s what a kid had to say about the snow when interviewed on the Weather Channel yesterday as he was enjoying a day off from school which I forget which state he was in. I love it.

OK, most likely Syracuse stats aren’t showing for overnight so there may be a few more inches to add to their totals. Syracuse and Binghamton’s nightly reports normally come out around 1:00 AM – 1:30 AM so Binghamton may also have more to add for the overnight. Buffalo and Rochester’s totals come out around 4:30am. Albany’s stats, well it’s Albany, do we really care??? Maybe they will at least have the courtesy to get on the snow board before the season is over.

The sun was out this morning but that didn’t last long. It’s just starting to snow again here in DaCuse. I shoveled a couple of times last night just to keep up with it in case we got pounded with snow. Once before the Syracuse – Oakland basketball game and then at halftime. Speaking of the SU orange, what a game they played last night coming out with a victory and looking good doing it. They played team ball last night and it showed. Some of the new players most likely will see some playing time this season and Coach B should be pretty excited about being at least 8 – 9 players deep this season compared to having to deal with the injuries last season. The team played great defense thru most of the game and now all we need is for Rautins needs to get his shot on which he will and I think we will be all set for an awesome season.

As for parking in the garage I finally remembered to do it with this recent snowfall. No doubt it is nice in the mornings when I take my son to work not having to clean the car off but it dawned on me as I was shoveling last night. My driveway just got bigger with the car not there to block some of the snow. It’s worth it though because it saves me a lot of time and the car is much warmer in the garage than being outside.

Hey, have a Great Weekend All!

Updated 11/21 – Rochester sleds into first place in it’s quest to dethrone the defending champions, Syracuse. Binghamton who has been leading so far this season dropped down to third place and Syracuse did a switch-a-roo with Buffalo with Buffalo now dropping all the way to fourth place in the 2008 – 2009 snow race.

The big question is you may ask? OK you may not ask so I will is how long will this lineup last. I don’t think for too long because with the lake effect snow in the forecast the cities are bound to change spots again. Syracuse seems to be in for a direct hit if NOAA’s forecast is right and there will definitely be snow in the Buffalo area most likely south in the normal cities that get blasted Olean and Jamestown but if Buffalo can find a way to get into the path they may make out. Rochester I think is going to be either a hit or miss being just on the edge of the lake Ontario LES so if it stays west enough they may have a shot. If this is going to be as intense as the pros are thinking it may be it should reach far enough for Bingo to come up with some respectable numbers. As for Albany, hopefully they will at least get on the board. Enough said about them.

Remember we are clueless here at GSB so check with your favorite weather sources for your real forecasts and the snow that’s on it’s way should/will be worth keeping an eye on as it intensifies. Hopefully after all of you are safe at home from work and school. Have a super snowy Friday All!

11/20 – First off look for a lead change come tomorrow morning with either Rochester or Buffalo on top. At last check Rochester is leading but Buffalo may make some gains overnight.

Lake effect snow is in the forecast for several of the golden snowball cities which can only mean one thing. It’s time for the first snow guesstimate of the season with normal prize of absolutely nothing going to the winner. Yeah, it doesn’t get any cheaper than it does here at goldensnowball.com does it 😉

A good part of Central New York is under a lake effect snow watch and if we are lucky after everyone is home from work tomorrow it will turn into a snow warning. Unfortunately it’s probably going to turn into a warning before then. Parts of western NY are already under a snow warning and hopefully Buffalo is/will be part of it so it will get interesting as the next couple of days go by to see which city comes out on top. From what NOAA is saying this will most likely be a 3 day event starting sometime Fri, Sat and into Sunday morning perhaps.

The National Weather Service Current Watches and Snow Warnings

Time for the snow guesstimate game which is simple and we will make the time period from 12:01 AM Friday (Midnight Tonight) to midnight Sunday night. Deadline to get your guesstimate in is by 4:00 PM tomorrow (Friday) in order to eligible to win the prize of Absolutely Nothing. Just post your snowfall estimates in the comments area and I’ll go first and you know I always go with high wishful totals 😉

Syracuse – 15.5
Buffalo – 13 (will probably get over 2 feet)
Binghamton – 9
Rochester – 8
Albany – 3.5

Of course if this season goes like last season did we’ll all probably get a couple of inches. Good Luck and Have a Great Day and take it slow on the roads. Snow Means Slow unless your on a sled of course.