NORWICH – Unseasonably cold weather sent a chill down Chenango County's spine last night and the rest of the day isn't looking much better.
City residents woke this morning to outside temperatures well below freezing, with reports of sub-zero temperatures coming in from the outlying areas including McDonough, Preston and Afton.
While the roadways were somewhat clear, the last blast of arctic air from the tail end of winter storm Electra is keeping the ice on the roads. In Chenango County, only Oxford Academy and Central School closed its doors today nearly an hour after it had posted a delayed opening alert.
Other local schools – Cincinnatus Central, Cortland City, Homer Central, Marathon Central, and McGraw Central – were closed today as well due to the inclement weather system.
According to Chenango County Emergency Management Officer A. Westly Jones, there were a total of eight motor vehicle accidents reported through the county's 911 dispatch call center Monday night into Tuesday morning.
“The timing of the snowfall was just bad for driving this morning,” said Jones. “If it had happened in the middle of the day while the plows had been out, it wouldn't have seemed as severe and driving conditions would have been much better.”
Jones advised that drivers should be reminded to allow extra time to reach their destinations for today's evening commute.
According to the National Weather Service in Binghamton, a clipper system will track through the region today, resulting in approximately two to four more inches of snow for most of Central New York, including Chenango County. Areas of the Poconos to Catskills will get 3 to 5 inches.
Residents are cautioned to dress appropriately for the weather and avoid prolonged exposure to sub freezing temperatures when not necessary. The City of Norwich Police Department is also reminding residents of the City of Norwich winter on street parking ban, which took effect Nov. 1 and ends April 15.
Automobile owners are required to remove their vehicles from city streets or public parking lots no later than 2 a.m. The city streets and lots will allow parking starting at 6 a.m. the following day. This is necessary to facilitate the prompt removal of any snowfall. Violators will be ticketed.
Late Tuesday through Wednesday, the weather will remain cold, with more lake effect snow showers and flurries and the heaviest lake snow expected across the Tug Hill Plateau on Wednesday.
A pattern on warmer air flow from the southwest later in the week will bring milder air. Temperatures are expected to rise in the latter half of the week, topping out at nearly 40 degrees or higher in the lower areas of Central New York.
Even with the “threat” of warmer temperatures potentially melting the bulk of current snow, the current forecast is still indicative of Chenango County having a “White Christmas,” which is typically defined by there being at least one inch of snow cover on the ground Christmas morning.