It's that time of year when we all wait with bated breath for the first snowflakes of the year. We all know how this game works: the highest elevations in our region see the first signs of snow, then it's all downhill for the rest of us. 


What You Need To Know

  • The first snowfall of the season occurred on Whiteface Mountain on Friday

  • Whiteface Mountain stands at 4,865 feet in elevation

  • Once we begin to see elevation snow, we can expect lower elevations are not far behind

  • High elevations typically see their first snowfall in early October

Whether you are a hardcore winter weather enthusiast or just do what you can to get through winter, all eyes have been on the mountains across the Adirondacks in recent weeks. We had a few blasts of cold air in the month of September, but not enough to cool the atmosphere for snow, while also not having a lot of moisture around during the cold air. 

All of that changed this past Friday when a blast of cold air came along with enough moisture that Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid saw that magical first snow. I made this bold prediction earlier in the week, hoping I wasn't going to panic people by mentioning the four-letter s-word! 

Whiteface stands at 4,865 in elevation and does typically see its first snowfall in early October. The first snowfall doesn't mean measurable snow or even snow that sticks to the ground in many cases, but it is an indication that cold pockets of air to our north are starting to drop into the region as we begin the descent into colder conditions on average. 

So, you may be wondering if we are seeing any indication of more snowfall in the near future. Although we have 70s multiple times in the current 7-day forecast, I have seen signs that late Thursday, we could see a repeat of last week and have snowflakes in the air! 

Yes, it is that time of year where we have flip flops and boots sharing common space in the closet. We may go from turning on the heat at night to opening up the windows during the day. It's that magical time of year where one region can experience multiple seasons on the same day.

Ready or not, the first snow has already fallen on the highest elevations, so it won't be long before the low elevations join in on the fun!