Winter Weather Hits Upstate New York

As I backed out of the garage this morning, it looked like just a typical winter day in Upstate New York. The air was crisp and a thin layer of snow blanketed the road. My first impression of the day was soon proven false.

Sitting in my parked vehicle less than five minutes later, I heard the announcement begin..."The following schools will be closed or delayed today." As the names of about thirty neighboring schools were listed, I became curious as to why. Then nature gave the answer.

My windshield quickly speckled with raindrops. As the wipers scraped and jumped across the drops, I discovered this was more than rain. It was raining sleet and ice! The rain was freezing almost before it could land.

Within minutes, my windows and the road were completely covered with a slick sheet of ice. Unable to keep the windshield clear, I skated back and forth between the lines and hoped for no oncoming cars. My usual five minute commute took closer to fifteen. I was fortunate.

By Friday morning, the National Weather Service had already issued a winter storm warning for the Adirondacks, the Lake George-Saratoga region, the western Mohawk Valley, Schoharie County, and western Schenectady County. These warnings are effective from 9 a.m. on Friday until 1 p.m. on Saturday.

By noon, CBS 6 Albany had already reported ninety-six closings for Albany, NY and its surrounding areas. Among these closings were schools, churches, and businesses, including some county offices.

These severe weather conditions are a product of the storm system that struck the South on Thursday. The storm was expected to hit along the coast from South Carolina up to New Jersey. In the warmer areas, the weather is appearing in the form of strong thunderstorms, bringing with it powerful winds, hail, and flash flooding. In the cooler areas, such as Upstate New York, the storm is coming in the form of wind gusts, snow, and an icy mix of hail and rain.

In the Upstate New York regions, the ice storm conditions are expected to continue throughout the evening. A strong cold front is anticipated around 8 p.m. and will, most likely, bring another round of freezing rain. Icing from 1/4" and 1/2" is predicted, along with a small accumulation of sleet and snow.

Individuals living in these regions are warned to exercise extreme caution when driving and walking in these conditions. The light coating of snow looks deceivingly harmless. Be aware that the thick, icy surface underneath is very slippery and has the potential to cause serious accidents.

Occupants in Upstate New York should also be prepared for power outages to occur. The blend of iced trees and strong winds could result in many downed power lines during the evening and into the night.

The good news for Upstate New Yorkers is the storm is expected to pass as quickly as it entered. As the cold front passes over the area, temperatures will rise above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and put an end to the freezing rain.

Some data for this article was collected from The Daily Gazette and CBS 6 Albany.