OSWEGO, NY – By Wednesday afternoon hardy Oswegonians were snowblowing and shoveling out with a sense of aww.
The anticipation of the heavily-hyped monster storm had many scurrying Tuesday to stock up on groceries and other supplies before Wednesday’s juggernaut arrived.
Instead of being in awe of Old Man Winter’s onslaught, people were left saying, “Aww, where did the snow go?” as the snowstorm dissipated before it ever got a foothold in most of Oswego County.
“It was nothing like the big bomb we were all expecting,” said Bill Gregway, local observer for the National Weather Service. “I was looking forward to it. I even set my alarm so I could get up early and watch for it.”
The storm dropped about 5.5 inches of mixed precipitation (freezing rain and snow) on Fulton. Oswego received the same.
By early morning, schools across the county were closed as a precaution.
“This was hardly worth buying more gas for my snowblower; especially with the price of gas these days!” lamented a Scriba resident.
Emil Christmann shoveled the sidewalks on West First and Bridge streets around the river’s end bookstore.
“I was expecting a lot more than this. We were already for it – and then, nothing,” he said. “I enjoy the winter, the snow. I didn’t mind if we got the big storm.”
Christmann said he was hoping there would have been a lot of snow so he could have gone snowboarding.
Frank Meeks and Paulia Bates didn’t let the weather slow them down, either.
“We’re out for our walk,” he said. “We don’t let the weather bother us”
“Besides, Rudy has to get his exercise,” she said indicating their seven-year-old Nova Scotia Ducktolling Retriever. “He loves to get out in the snow and play.”
“The storm took a more northerly and westerly route than forecasters predicted on Tuesday; the majority of the precipitation missed us,” Gregway pointed out.
The snow started around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday and lasted until around 12:30 p.m. That snowfall amounted to just 1.8 inches with 0.13-inch of water content, Gregway said.
The snow picked up again around 11:30 p.m. and lasted overnight, tapering off about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday.
That added 4.5 inches of “heavy” snow to the mix. It melted down to 0.48-inch of water, Gregway said.
“That was heavy storm snow. It was tough shoveling. The ice pellets and freezing rain came in early Wednesday; there was a slight crust on top of the snow,” Gregway said. “The air over us, Wednesday afternoon, was warm and that’s why we got some more glaze in a few places. Thursday we should see just snow.”
The storm was intense over the Midwest, but just raced past Central New York, Gregway noted.
Some more lake effect snow can be expected along with chilly temperatures Thursday, Gregway said, adding drier air will spread over the region for Friday with the possibility of a snow-free day.
However, another coastal storm may reach close to the Port City on Saturday – just in time for the Warm Up, Oswego celebration, he added.
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THANK YOU, GOD, it missed us! I was delighted to only shovel a few inches.
But watching t.v. I feel for those that had buildings collapse.
Thank you, God, again, for it missing us. SO unusual, and so DELIGHTFUL.
Now on to Warm-Up Oswego and St. Pat’s Day…and then ‘an early spring?’
Debbie