When outsiders think of Buffalo, they often think of it as a place where the winters and wings are endless. While one of these things is certainly true (give us wings or give us death), the other, thankfully, is not. Contrary to popular opinion, our winters are not everlasting. They are, however, quite complex. Buffalo winters are rough, but they are a part of our reality and truly, they are a part of who we are. Here are 9 things no one tells you about surviving a winter in Buffalo, New York.

1. Downtown Buffalo turns into an arctic wind tunnel.
Eric Pitman - Flickr
If you work, live, or frequent the areas of downtown Buffalo, you know exactly what we're talking about. Step 1 to surviving a Buffalo winter: prepare for the chilliest of wind chills.
2. Parking your car along Route 5 is never a good idea.
Ryan Hallock - Flickr
See Exhibit A: The ice car. Vehicles parked along Route 5 are not spared by the spray of icy water coming off of Lake Erie.
3. It doesn't snow EVERY day.
Curtis Anderson - Flickr
Take advantage of the days that don't call for snow in the forecast! This will help you both survive and maintain sanity during Buffalo winters.
4. Lake effect snow can take you by surprise. Be prepared!
Anthony Quintano - Flickr
Even our meteorologists sometimes time our lake effect snowstorms wrong. The "lake effect machine" revs up fast and can produce significant snowfall in record time. One of the first things you'll learn about surviving a Buffalo winter is to always be prepared!

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5. It takes a lot to get a snow day in Buffalo.
Anthony Quintano - Flickr
Try not to get your hopes up about potential snow days around here. The snowfall needs to be intense and perfectly timed to force most Western New York schools to cancel. And an adult snow day from the office? Not likely. But you can still try!
6. The temperature will rise above 30º again.
CameliaTWU - Flickr
Repeat after us: it will get warmer. It will get warmer. It will get warmer! Single digit temperatures seem terrible at the time, but warm-ups are usually right behind them (even if warm-ups means 30º).
7. Buffalo drivers don't let snow slow them down.
JimsFlicker - Flickr
Another crucial tip to surviving a Buffalo winter: be prepared when hitting the roads! Whether the pavement is dry or completely covered with inches of snow and slush, Buffalo drivers are can't be bothered. If you're not prepared to travel the speed limit during a snowstorm, it might be best to stay home.
8. Despite how it feels, winter doesn't last forever.
~Sage~ - Flickr
We know it might seem endless, but we can assure you that spring is coming. And it will be glorious!
9. Believe it or not, you'll actually look forward to winter!
Tom O'Connor - Flickr
There's something special about the seasons in Buffalo. They tend to take up space in your heart that you didn't even know existed. The winter-sized space might be a bit smaller than the others, but it's still there, and you will find yourself looking forward to the snowy season even just a little bit come next Fall!

Do you have Buffalo winter survival tips you want to share? Drop a note in the comments so we can spread the word!

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Buffalo Winters

Christy Articola | November 14, 2022

Does Buffalo get a lot of snow? 

Ha, that's a funny question. If I just said yes, that would be the understatement of the year. Buffalo gets a lot of snow, and is one of the snowiest places in the northeast. This city averages 95.4 inches of snow each year. Most of it caused by the lake effect that develops due to the Great Lakes.

Other New York cities that get a whole lot of snow include:

  • Oswego (136 inches in 2021)
  • Watertown (122 inches in 2021)
  • Syracuse (110 inches in 2021)
  • Fredonia (118 inches in 2021)
  • Fairmount (108 inches in 2021)
  • Jamestown (104 inches in 2021)

 

Buffalo is very snowy, but it's not the snowiest. How about temperature? How cold is Buffalo and what are the coldest places in New York?

A lot of people feel like Buffalo is super cold all of the time, but that's not the case. In the summertime, the average daily high temperature is 70°. During the winter, the average daily high temperature is 40°, which isn't really that cold. Of course, sometimes the temperatures get below freezing, but that's not usually for very long. Even in January, the average low is just 21°.

There are some places in New York that are far colder than that. Take Saranac, for example. It's the coldest place in New York. In January, the average low is 1.6°.  On average, there are 291 days per year where the temperature dips below 32°.

What are the biggest snowfalls in US history?

There have been some big blizzards in our nation's past! Here are a few you may have heard of:

  • The Great Blizzard of 1888
  • The Knickerbocker Storm of 1922
  • The Great Appalachian Storm of 1950
  • California Snowfall of 1959
  • The Chicago Blizzard of 1967
  • The Blizzard of 1978
  • The Storm of the Century 1993
  • The Great Blizzard of 2003
  • The New York City Blizzard of 2006
  • Snowmaggedon 2010
  • Winter Storm Jonas 2016

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