AND SNOW IT BEGINS

New Yorkers know snow better than most, but that doesn't mean that winter storms can't pose a threat to our communities. On this page you’ll find guides for storm preparation, driving tips with car maintenance guidelines, and a full glossary of winter terminology so you’ll know what to expect when you hear a meteorologist mention buzzwords like “lake effect” and “wind chill.”

WEATHER RESOURCES

LATEST FORECAST

SNOW RECORDS

Chance of Precipitation

Hourly Temperature

Hourly Wind Speed

WINTER IS BACK. ARE YOU READY?

INTERACTIVE RADAR

TRAFFIC MAP

10 Fun Facts About Snow

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#1 — All snowflakes have six sides.

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#2 — An incredible 1,140 inches (95 feet) was recorded at Mount Baker Ski Area in Washington state (4,200 feet elevation) during the July 1, 1998 to June 30, 1999 snow season.

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#3 — The most snow measured in 24 hours was 75.8 inches, which fell in Silver Lake Colorado April 14-15, 1921, enough to bury most people from head to toe.

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#4 — Snow crystals are translucent, not white. The white coloring is caused by sunlight that is reflected off the crystals. All visible colors are reflected, which together, look white.

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#5 — Most snowflakes fall at a speed of 2 to 5 feet per second, roughly the same speed as a person casually walking through a park.

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#6 — Official snowfall and snow depth measurements include snow, sleet, and ice pellets. In the summer, hail will also be recorded as a trace of snow if it is on the ground when the observation is taken.

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#7 — Did you know a blizzard can occur without falling snow? If wind speeds remain higher than 35 mph and the visibility is also reduced to less than ¼ mile for three hours or more, then it’s classified as a blizzard.

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#8 — A cubic foot of snow (12’ in a side) may contain between 1 and 2 million individual snowflakes.

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#9 — Thundersnow is simply a thunderstorm with snow as the precipitation type. It typically occurs when there is really a strong upward motion inside a winter storm.

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#10 — All 50 states have recorded snowfall. In Hawaii, snow is observed on the tallest volcano summits every year, and light snow (mainly trace amounts) is an almost yearly occurrence in northern Florida.