NOAA Syracuse Hancock International Airport averages 127.8 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals)NOAA January is the snowiest month at 34.0 inches; December averages 30.6 and February 30.3NOAA About 34.1 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at the Syracuse airportNOAA Normal January high 31.7°F and low 16.5°F in SyracuseNOAA Median date of the first measurable snow at the Syracuse airport: November 8 (29 seasons of daily records)City of Syracuse Sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice by 6 p.m. the day after it falls (Sec. 24-3)City of Syracuse Downtown special assessment district: walks cleared within 4 hours after snow stopsCity of Syracuse No snow or ice into street gutters, parks or sidewalks (Sec. 24-4); fine up to $100City of Syracuse Snow removal contractors who break the rule face a $150 fineCity of Syracuse DPW plows about 145 miles of busy sidewalks when 3 inches or more falls; owners stay responsibleCity of Syracuse More than 5,000 fire hydrants: keep a 3-foot circle clear around yoursCity of Syracuse Odd/even parking switches sides at 6 p.m. so plows can reach the curbNWS Westerly winds over Lake Ontario bring heavy lake-effect snow along the I-81 corridor between Syracuse and Watertown511NY Live New York road conditions, closures and camerasHomeGuide National average: driveway plowing $30–$70 a visitSIMA Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over yearNOAA Syracuse Hancock International Airport averages 127.8 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals)NOAA January is the snowiest month at 34.0 inches; December averages 30.6 and February 30.3NOAA About 34.1 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at the Syracuse airportNOAA Normal January high 31.7°F and low 16.5°F in SyracuseNOAA Median date of the first measurable snow at the Syracuse airport: November 8 (29 seasons of daily records)City of Syracuse Sidewalks must be cleared of snow and ice by 6 p.m. the day after it falls (Sec. 24-3)City of Syracuse Downtown special assessment district: walks cleared within 4 hours after snow stopsCity of Syracuse No snow or ice into street gutters, parks or sidewalks (Sec. 24-4); fine up to $100City of Syracuse Snow removal contractors who break the rule face a $150 fineCity of Syracuse DPW plows about 145 miles of busy sidewalks when 3 inches or more falls; owners stay responsibleCity of Syracuse More than 5,000 fire hydrants: keep a 3-foot circle clear around yoursCity of Syracuse Odd/even parking switches sides at 6 p.m. so plows can reach the curbNWS Westerly winds over Lake Ontario bring heavy lake-effect snow along the I-81 corridor between Syracuse and Watertown511NY Live New York road conditions, closures and camerasHomeGuide National average: driveway plowing $30–$70 a visitSIMA Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over year

Check Before You Go

Lake-effect snow can change road conditions within a few miles. These are the official places to check, and we link every one.

What	Where to check	Source
Road conditions, closures and traffic cameras	511NY, New York's official traveler information (NYSDOT's travel page points to it)	511NY, NYSDOT
Forecasts, winter storm and lake-effect watches and warnings	National Weather Service Binghamton, weather.gov/bgm, which serves central New York including Syracuse	National Weather Service Binghamton, National Weather Service Binghamton
Active warnings right now	NWS Binghamton's live list of watches and warnings	National Weather Service Binghamton
Where you can park tonight	City of Syracuse winter parking and odd/even rules	City of Syracuse, City of Syracuse Parking Violations Bureau

Lake-Effect Snow and I-81

The National Weather Service says westerly winds blowing across Lake Ontario bring heavy lake-effect snow along the I-81 corridor between Syracuse and Watertown. The bands are narrow, so conditions can change fast over a few miles.

Check 511NY First

Closures are storm-specific. Check 511NY before you drive I-81 north, and again before you head home.

Watch the Warnings

NWS Binghamton issues winter storm and lake-effect warnings for central New York. Check the live warnings list before a long drive.

Expect Fast Changes

A narrow band can make one stretch of road much worse than the next. Slow down when visibility drops, and leave room to stop.

Sources: National Weather Service, 511NY, National Weather Service Binghamton.

Syracuse Winter Parking Rules

Parking rules are how the city gets plows to the curb. Break them and your car can be ticketed or towed.

Rule	What it means
Odd/even parking	Park on the odd-numbered side from 6 p.m. on an odd-numbered day until 6 p.m. on an even-numbered day, then switch. Exception days: Jan. 1, Feb. 1, Apr. 1, Jun. 1, Aug. 1, Sep. 1 and Nov. 1 (Mar. 1 in leap years)
Snow priority streets	Police ticket and tow illegally parked cars on priority streets, such as hospital routes and steep hills, and on narrow roads
Downtown overnight	On signed downtown blocks, parking alternates sides from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., November 1 to April 1
Significant snowfall	The city asks drivers to move cars off the street

Sources: City of Syracuse, City of Syracuse Parking Violations Bureau.

Storm-Day Checklist

Move the Car at 6 p.m.

Odd/even parking switches at 6 p.m. Move on time so the plow can clear the curb lane.

Clear the Hydrant

Syracuse has more than 5,000 fire hydrants. Keep a 3-foot circle clear around yours so firefighters can reach it.

Keep Snow Off the Street

Don't shovel or blow snow into the street gutter or onto the sidewalk (Sec. 24-4).

Sources: City of Syracuse Parking Violations Bureau, City of Syracuse. Advisories change with each storm; always check 511NY and the National Weather Service before you go.

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Winter Travel Advisories