Does This Date Really Always Have the First Snowfall In New York?

Many people across the Hudson Valley were caught off-guard this week by the first snowfall of the winter season. Some though, were expecting it. Is November 16th really a reliable date to count on for the first snowfall?

The First Snow Date in the Hudson Valley

It all started from a Facebook post. "My mother-in-law always kept a record of the first snowfall, penciled on the wall behind the pantry door. The date was almost always November 16", wrote a Hudson Valley woman. Instead of being called out for a (literal) old-wives tale, many people corroborated her claim.

Is New York's First Snowfall Always on November 16th?

"Interesting. My mother in law always recorded it too. Nov 16 is about right", shared one commenter. "I always post a pic of my dog in the first snow... [it] was today last year too", offered another. "It always happens on my children’s birthday which is today [the 16th]", said a third. Even meteorologists got in on the fun.

Hold On... Is this Real or Fake?

"I’m a meteorologist- any chance you have a photo of that list??? Seriously…" asked one weather scientist. "Very cool bit of data for us nerds at Hudson Valley Weather. Thanks for sharing", said an amateur meteorologist. But is there any real data to back up the claim?

Data from the national Weather Service

The National Weather Service (NWS) recently shared snowfall data from Buffalo, NY. While Buffalo is hundreds of miles north of the Hudson Valley, it contained some interesting information. Here's what they said about the earliest, latest, and average first snowfall of the year.

First and Last Snowfalls in New York

Since 1884, the NWS lists November 8th as the average date for the "first measurable amount" of snow for the area, with the first inch falling on November 18th (pretty close to the November 16th claim!). The earliest inch in Buffalo's history fell on October 10th, 1906, and the latest first inch was listed as January 2nd, 1932.

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Speaking of snow (and Buffalo), do you remember the famous "snow game" of 2017 where the Bills attempted to play the Colts? Check out the amazing photos below, and keep scrolling to see the snowiest days in New York state history.