new york snow contest

History Favors Binghamton to Win Golden Snowball

Posted by The Snowman on April 18, 2017
Posted in: Golden Snowball, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

First off, as always I want to say Thank You to Amy G., William M., Kelly R., Kurt R., Cooper Computer Consulting, Alberta P., and Bob W. for your donations this season. I truly appreciate them and they do help. Thanks All 🙂
——————————————————–

Mother Nature Past Favors Binghamton in Golden Snowball Contest

Right now, only 3 tenths of an inch separate Binghamton and Syracuse so I wanted to take a look at several different snow statistics from the past to see what the odds are right now of Binghamton, NY winning the 2016-2017 Golden Snowball snow contest. I took a look at several different snow stats from the past which include last season’s snow totals, the latest date and the amount of snow that both cities received measurable snow and how much snow both cities receive in April and May on average.

This will be the biggest upset since I have been keeping the snow stats and will equal the big upset since the snow contest started back in the 70’s which was the only other time that Binghamton has won. Binghamton’s only other win was in the 1982-1983 snow season. There were at least 2 other times that Binghamton beat the other Golden Snowball cities in the past but that was before the snow contest was started.

30 Year Average Seasonal Snowfall

I’m sure most of you who follow the snow contest already know that Syracuse is the favorite at the beginning of every snow season which is why Binghamton has made this season so much fun. Syracuse averages 123.8 inches according to the last 30 years which rolls every 10 years I believe, meaning that the next new update for snow averages will be coming out in 2020 if I’m correct. The last one was in 2010. Keep in mind that normally, I’m not though 🙂

30 Year Average Seasonal Snowfall for Golden Snowball Cities

Syracuse – 123.8
Rochester – 99.5
Buffalo – 94.7
Binghamton – 83.4
Albany – 59.1

Advantage Syracuse!

Which City Receives the Most Snow in April & May

Does Syracuse or Binghamton receive the most snow in the months of April and May? Below are the snow totals for the two cities for April and May according to the National Weather Service out of Binghamton.

April Snowfall Averages –

Syracuse = 3.8 inches
Binghamton = 4.3 inches

May Snowfall Averages –

Syracuse = 0.1
Binghamton = 0.1

May and April Combined Snow Totals –

Syracuse = 3.9 inches
Binghamton = 4.4 inches

So far this season as of 4/18 for the month of April Binghamton has received 2.1 inches of snow and Syracuse has received 0.3 inches of snow.

Advantage Binghamton

The Latest Date Binghamton and Syracuse Received Measurable Snow

The thing that scares me the most at the end of each snow season in the Golden Snowball contest is calling the winner on May 1st when the snow contest is so close. This season it is especially close and I am already dreading it. The date isn’t my choice but it was a date that was picked several years ago by one of the representatives of the city of Syracuse. The calendar snow season according to the National Weather Service starts on July 1st and ends on June 30th. In other words, they record any snowfall amounts that fall during the calendar snow season. So if Binghamton or Syracuse receive snow after May 1st, it should still be counted in my opinion 🙁 End of whine 😉 OK, below are the dates that are the latest both cities have received measurable snowfall.

Latest Date Recorded For Measurable Snow –

Syracuse received 1.2 inches of snow on May 17th in 1973. Date of record 1902 to Present.

Binghamton received 1.7 inches of snow on May 18th in 2002. Date of record 1951-Present.

Narrow Advantage Binghamton 🙂

Are We Done With Snow For The Season

Obviously, the biggest question right now is are we done with snow this season in the Northeast? The obvious answer is the only one that knows is Mother Nature and I’m guessing that my chances of getting an interview with her are zero 😉 There is one thing I did notice today while doing the last update. None of the cities in the Golden Snowball contest received any more snow for the rest of the season from here on.

If you look at the snow chart which was updated today on the main page where it shows This Time Last Season, you will see that it is also the final snow totals for all of the cities last season. If this season comes to an end like last season did then it is obviously –

ADVANTAGE and CHECKMATE by Binghamton 😉

Stay tuned because it’s not over until the fat man sings and I’m not singing yet 😉 Have a Great night all!

Syracuse Is First (Take Two) In Golden Snowball Contest

Posted by The Snowman on December 30, 2016
Posted in: Golden Snowball, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

First, as always, a Big Thank You to Donald R for your donation to the Golden Snowball site. It was the first donation of the season to the Golden Snowball site and it really helps out. I Truly appreciate it and Thanks, Donald 🙂
—————————————————————-
Updated 12/30 6 PM – OK, the new evening snow stats are out and they show Syracuse has taken the lead from Binghamton, again. Or maybe it’s the 1st time this season, who knows and I guess it doesn’t matter much. The snow that was taken away from yesterday’s totals wasn’t added in this update so it looks like it was an adjustment made to the totals yesterday. More below about that and Congrats Syracuse!!!

—————————————————————–

Updated 12/30 Noon – Hold on Syracuse, not so fast! I wake up this morning and I check the new snow stats to see if any of the cities had more snow to add for yesterday. When I look at the Syracuse snow totals from the National Weather Service in Binghamton I see that they were lower than what was posted at around 10pm last night.

I’m guessing that the NWS either made an adjustment or maybe just made an error on the last update they put out. We will know a little later this afternoon when the next update comes out at around 5pm give or take a little. I put Binghamton back on the top for now as I always go by what the NWS is showing on their site. Below are a couple of screenshots of the snow stats to let you all see what I see. Careful driving today!

syracuse-snow-totals-12-29-10-pm

syracuse-snow-totals-12-30-1-am

Posted 12/29 11pm –

Syracuse leads Golden Snowball Contest for 1st Time This Season

Syracuse, NY has finally slipped passed Binghamton to take the Top spot on the snow hill for the 1st time this season. As of the last update at 10:00 PM, 12/29 from the National Weather Service yesterday, Syracuse was reporting 2.9 inches which was just enough to slip past Binghamton, NY which was reporting 2.5 inches as of 10 pm.

Syracuse was trailing Binghamton by 2 tenths of an inch at the end of Wednesday, 12/28 and has been behind Binghamton all season long. Binghamton has been in the lead most of the snow season other than a brief period when Albany, YES Albany, was on the top of the snow hill. Binghamton has already passed the total snowfall that they had for all of the last season, 2015-2016, which was only 32.0 inches. As of the last update, Binghamton is showing 57 inches of snow so far this season.

Syracuse as of the last update from the NWS is showing a snow total of 57.2 for the season which is just enough to take the lead from Binghamton. Right now it’s still snowing and chances are pretty good that the lead will grow today and tonight with more snow expected.

Stay tuned and I’ll be posting updates right here as the National Weather Service keeps putting them out. Keep in mind that the snow falling is Lake Effect snow so it can change at any time. Stay safe and take it slow on the roads.

Binghamton, NY Has Half The Snow of An Entire Season

Posted by The Snowman on December 14, 2016
Posted in: Golden Snowball, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Binghamton, NY Keeps Piling on Snow Totals

I was just noticing that Binghamton, NY already has over half of their average total snowfall for the season already. Binghamton’s entire seasonal snow total on average is 83.4 inches of snow. Right now Binghamton has 47.8 inches of snow and chances are they will be getting more today. Only 35.6 more inches to go for Binghamton to hit their average snowfall for an entire season and Winter hasn’t even started yet.

Binghamton Has More Snow To Date Than Ever Before

This is the most snow Binghamton, NY has ever had at this time in the season if my math is right. Keep in mind my fuzzy math, though, it normally isn’t as most of you know by now 🙂

Binghamton is blowing away the highest snow totals they have ever had on this date, December 14th with 47.8 inches of snow right now. More than 10 inches of snow higher than the 2nd highest to date. The 2nd highest snowfall that Binghamton has had at this time in the season was 36.6 inches on December 14th, 1977.

This season Binghamton has been ahead of their all-time highest snowfall totals to date record almost all season starting on November 19th. I’ve said it more than once and I’ll say it again. It takes a lot to impress me as far as snow goes and Binghamton is impressing me big time this season. WTG Bingo 😉

Binghamton is already crushing the snow totals for the entire 2015-2016 snow season. Of course, last season Bingo only had 32.0 inches of snow and it was the lowest ever on record for Binghamton.

The only season I saw that came close to a time when Binghamton had this much snow so soon in a season was the 1993-1994 snow season. Even that season it took until January 4th for Binghamton to have as much snow as they do right now. WOW! The wow is because 1993-1994 snow season was Binghamton’s highest seasonal snowfall on record which was 131.3 inches of snow.

Binghamton still has a long way to go to hit the all-time high seasonal snow totals of 131.3 but they are off to a really good start. Could this be a repeat of that season?

Heavy Lake Effect in Forecast, Stay Safe

There are a few advisories and warnings out for the next day or two with the colder air coming into the area so check with the pros. It looks like you folks in Buffalo may be getting hit pretty good with some lake effect snowfall and no doubt it’s will be a nasty rush hour ride home. Stay safe all and have an Awesome day. See Snow-Drive Slow 😉

Snow For All The Golden Snowball Cities

Posted by The Snowman on December 6, 2016
Posted in: Golden Snowball, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Snow Here, Snow There, Snow Everywhere

Lake effect watches and warnings are starting to be posted by the National Weather Service now for some of the GSB cities and the surrounding areas for when the colder air comes in on Thursday and Friday. You all know I am clueless so check with the pros in your area for the latest update. I have a couple links posted below for the Rochester and Syracuse areas that are worth checking out and I’ll keep this post updated the next couple of days.

All of the Golden Snowball cities received some snow yesterday and it’s only going to get snowier later in the week for some of us. Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester and even Buffalo and Albany got some fresh snow yesterday. Sorry about that dig to the folks in Buffalo but I need to get it in now because I know it’s only a matter of time before you are back in the snow race. Maybe sooner rather than later 😉

Binghamton cushioned their lead over last season’s snow champs, Syracuse yesterday picking up 0.9 inches while Syracuse picked up 0.5 inches of new snow. I know it’s not a lot but we all know every tenth of an inch counts in the long run. Albany won the round yesterday picking up 1.4 inches which was more than enough to keep Buffalo at the bottom of the snow hill. Below are the snow totals for yesterday.

Albany – 1.4
Binghamton – 0.9
Rochester – 0.9
Syracuse – 0.5
Buffalo – 0.3

Lake Effect Snow Forecasted For End of The Week

I’m starting to see reports of some decent Lake Effect Snow expected to come Thursday and Friday for some of the Golden Snowball cities. You know it’s all about fun here and that I am clueless so check with the pros for the latest forecast in your area. Here are a few of the forecasts with watches and warnings that have been issued so far. Click on the links below for the most recent watches and warnings.

Some of the snow totals from Lake Effect snow are expected to be a foot or more of snow for some of the cities so definitely keep an eye on your local weather. Below is as of 12/6 at around 2:00 PM. I guarantee most of this will be changing as the colder air comes in so save the link and keep up to date. These are from the National Weather Service stations in our areas.

Rochester – Lake Effect Snow Watch in effect from December 8, 06:00 PM EST until December 10, 06:00 AM EST Click here for more info on Rochester!

Syracuse – Lake Effect Snow Watch in effect from December 8, 06:00 PM EST until December 10, 06:00 AM EST Click here for more info on Syracuse!

I’ll keep posting updates as the National Weather Service puts them out. Like I mentioned above, your best source is your local forecasters. Have a Great Day and as always, See Snow – Drive Slow, unless you’re riding a sled of course 😉

10 Years Since Buffalo, New York’s Freak October Snow Storm

Posted by The Snowman on October 12, 2016
Posted in: Golden Snowball, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Buffalo October Surprise – Freak Snow Storm 2006

I wanted to share a cool video of the October Surprise snowstorm that hit Buffalo 10 years ago. Steven Madsen, aka the General from Buffalo, put this together several years back and we posted it back then too. I’ve been trying to find some posts that we made on the Golden Snowball site 10 years ago but that was right about the time that we switched over to a new design. All I could find was a post from the 13th and 14th back in 2006 which is also below.

National Snow Contest Started

I also wanted to let everyone know that the National snow contest over at Golden Snow Globe started up yesterday. Billings, Montana is the first Big city with measurable snow so far for the 2016-2017 snow season. You can check out the snowiest Big city in the United States here!

Video and Pictures (pics coming soon) From Steven Madsen

Golden Snowball Posts About Buffalo Storm 10 Years Ago

A blast from the past. Below is all I could find, unfortunately, that I posted on the snow site about the Buffalo October snow storm 🙁

10/13/06 – Let the golden snowball contest begin. Buffalo struck first breaking a record for measurable snow this early in the season with 8.6 inches on Thursday and breaking the all-time record of 6 inches dating back to Oct 31st, 1917. Way to early to be getting pounded with snow. Something isn’t right when I can use the word pounded this early in the season. Unfortunately with the lakes temp being around 60 degrees the cold front that is bringing on the Lake Effect Snow (LES) is producing heavy wet snow that has brought down a lot of trees. Over 155,000 are without power and some reporting up to 300,000 without power, schools are closed and so on.

All I can say is after the dismal snow season Buffalo had last year, they are off to a good start this year. Hopefully everyone is OK and hopefully, they get the power back and things back to normal soon. Remember “See Snow – Drive Slow”. Have a Safe Snow Season All and Let The Contest Begin! I’m off to see if my foursome still plans on golfing today.

10/14 – Talk about getting a jump on the contest this year. Buffalo is leading by almost 2 feet of snow. After Fridays record snow totals of 14 inches, they are well on their way to dethroning the champions, Syracuse. Buffalo’s total snowfall so far this season stands at 22.6 inches. Hello, it’s October, not January. Now we have to wonder if any more measurable snow will fall anytime soon. Nothing as freaky as what hit Buffalo this week I’d bet on.

Let’s not forget Rochester. They also struck early setting their record that dated back to 1874. Their total stands at 0.4 inches. Lake effect snow has never ceased to amaze me. How one city can get close to 2 feet of snow and another city just down the road gets less than an inch. I suppose that’s what makes the Golden Snowball contest so unpredictable.

Looking at this year and last years start of the season I don’t know which is freakier. Buffalo getting the first snowfall of 22.6 inches in October to start the contest. Or last year when it was Albany who started the contest and was winning for a brief period. Stay tuned for the next snow update which should be in about a month. Lets hope anyways. Have a great weekend all!

Some Good Articles About the Snow Storm at Buffalo News
* 50,000 Trees Lost From October Snow Storm
* Remembering the 2006 Buffalo Snow Storm
* TJ Pignatara – Can it Happen Again

Clown Sightings & Halloween Inflatable Decorations

Posted by The Snowman on September 23, 2016
Posted in: Halloween, new york snow contest. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Scary Inflatable Clown Halloween Decorations

I’m guessing with all of the clown sightings going on down south recently that the inflatable clowns will be one of the best selling Halloween decorations this year.  So far from what I have heard and read there have been clown sightings in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kentucky and I’m sure I am missing some states.

When I was updating my Halloween inflatable blowups site I came across these Scary Clown inflatables for this Halloween.  I’m guessing these are going to be one of the popular Halloween yard decorations this year.  Of course, the clown sightings have to be taken seriously because some of the reports I’ve read are about clowns trying to lure kids into the woods.  I’ve also seen a few stories where the children made it up.

Scary Inflatable Clown Blowups for Halloween

scary clown decorations and sightings for Halloween

Click Here For Inflatable Clown Decorations

I don’t think I am going to dress up as a clown this year for the fact that I think sooner or later someone is going to get hurt and probably someone just messing around.  I’m still visiting down south right now and I’m guessing there will be a lot of clown costumes this Halloween.  You may want to rethink that choice, just saying.

OK, back to the inflatable clown decorations and other Halloween Inflatable blowups for your yard.  Halloween is about scary stuff, having fun so here are a few links to my Halloween site which has about 2000 Halloween inflatables including clowns, inflatable witches, ghosts, and other airblown scary Halloween blowups for your yard this year.  Most are from either Walmart, Ebay or Halloween Express and I do get compensated for any of your orders so Thanks ahead of time ; Make sure you compare the prices if you buy your Halloween inflatable blowup at Ebay and keep in mind that different sellers will have different shipping costs.

Click Here for Halloween Inflatables and Yard Blowups

Have a fun, scary and safe Halloween everyone!