The Golden Snowball is a contest based on which Upstate New York city receives the most snow. The five cities that participate in the contest include Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton and Albany.

What You Need To Know

  • The Golden Snowball is a competition between five cities in Upstate New York

  • Whichever city receives the most snow through the winter season wins the contest

  • Buffalo takes the lead again this year, with a total of 133.6 inches of snow

The National Weather Service (NWS) will count snowfall amounts for one winter season through June 30. 

With that right around the corner and no snow in sight between now and then, I think it’s safe to say who the 2022-2023 Golden Snowball winner will be- and that’s Buffalo.

Syracuse may average the most snow, with 127.8 inches per season, but you wouldn’t know that judging off of this winter alone. The city picked up a measly 65.6 inches of snow this season, running a little over five feet below average.

In fact, four of the five Upstate New York cities involved in the competition ran below average in terms of total snowfall. Rochester ended up dead last, with only 50.4 inches of snow this season, which is 102.0 inches short of their average.

Albany ranked in fourth place, with 55.0 inches of snow, followed by Binghamton with 61.5 inches of snow. Even though Syracuse finished in second place, it’s not like it was by a huge margin over Binghamton.

Meanwhile, Buffalo picked up more snow than Syracuse and Binghamton combined, with a season total of 133.6 inches. Two blockbuster snow events will do that, though.

Buffalo won last season, too, with 97.4 inches of snow, while Rochester was the runner-up with 87.0 inches.

It’s been a few years since Syracuse has gotten the bragging rights of being the Golden Snowball Champion. That was back during the 2017-2018 season when Syracuse picked up 153.6 inches of snow.

That wasn’t even the snowiest winter on record for them, either. For that, you have to go back to 1992-1993 where 192.1 inches of snow fell.

Now that summer is here and winter is behind us, it’ll be interesting to see if Buffalo will go for a three-peat next season. 

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