FOX44 - Burlington / Plattsburgh News, Weather & Sports1.5.12 Less Shoveling This Year, But Needing A Bit of Snow

1.5.12 Less Shoveling This Year, But Needing A Bit of Snow

After a very wet 2011, I got so used to saying "it's going to rain today...AGAIN!" or saying "We've broken another record for precipitation". Now as we go into this winter season, it would seem the most often phrase is "dry and quiet...no big snowstorms to speak of".

To back up the loose words of dry and quiet, I had to go check out some numbers around the New York and New England.  There are only point cities that keep long standing weather records, so those are the areas I keyed in on to check the running snow tally. Turns out most areas are, in fact, below average for snow on the season.  First, take a look at Burlington, where our season snow total stands at 12.4". Not bad, you might say, but on average by this time, the Burlington area would have received more than double that amount, or about 26". This put us at a deficit of 13.6" of snow.  Certainly compared to an outstanding last season with record setting seasonal snowfall total,  we are running behind.

Malone, NY has a similar scenario, running nearly 14" behind schedule for snowfall thus far in the season. Compared to last season, thus far, Malone has seen half the amount of snow.

Albany, NY stands in a deficit of nearly 13" of snow to date. Also, about half the amount of snow has fallen this season, compared to last.

One area actually with a surplus of snow is Concord, NH. While it has been a very quiet season, one major snowstorm in late October dumped nearly 2 feet of snow, bumping the seasonal snow tally way up. That one storm, combined with a few other small amounts, still puts Concord ahead of schedule for seasonal snowfall and doing much more shoveling than this time last year.

So, less shoveling so far... yes. Some bummed upstaters and New Englanders who love the snow...also, yes.

A mild and quiet pattern to start the winter season thus far. Some hints at an atmospheric pattern change by mid January would bring colder and more active weather to the northeast....