Parts of upstate New York were digging out from lake-effect snow bands that dumped feet of snow in parts of the state. An area southeast of Watertown on the edge of the Tug Hill got six feet of snow over the course of Thanksgiving weekend. 

That band of snow made its presence felt in Syracuse overnight from Sunday to Monday. Throughout the day, city officials have been working on cleaning the roads. One thing that makes that easier is salt. 

Salt lowers the freezing point of water, making it easier for plows to remove the snow from the ground. The city had around 17 snow plows on the road Monday to clear up roads from the storm last night. The city works with the National Weather Service to come up with a plan, but it's always prepared for the unexpected. 

“It’s really difficult sometimes to tell with some of these storms. The wind might blow one way and all of a sudden, you get six inches more than you were anticipating," said Syracuse Chief Operating Officer Corey Driscoll Dunham. "The way that public works operates during the winter is we have staff working overnight. That team is ready whenever the snow falls during those overnight hours to make sure that they’re out there plowing the snow.”

And as they do, there’s a way for residents to keep track of which roads have been plowed or not across the state. The city of Syracuse has a snow operations map that informs residents the last time a road has been plowed. It also pinpoints illegally parked vehicles, something that is vital for snow plow drivers to clear the road and do it safely. 

“The snow plow map is a terrific tool," she said. "Really, we’re trying to promote transparency and equip the residents with information that they need. So, we want to make sure that people know that even if you can’t see the plow out of your window, or haven’t seen it, that you know the plows are out and delivering that service.” 

On average, 15 plows per year are hit by vehicles on the New York State Thruway. Officials say you should drive a good distance behind trucks if you’re on the same road.

As the winter season approaches, city officials are already getting prepared for the next weather event as more snow is expected in Syracuse later this week.