These New York state cities are among the snowiest in America. See list

New Yorkers don’t need to be told twice that the state’s winters are snowy, but according to USA TODAY, Western New York has some of the snowiest places in the United States

USA TODAY examined weather records for small cities and large cities to find some of the snowiest places in the country and found that Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo are the frontrunners.

Here’s what you should know.

Three cities in New York are at the center of snow

Of the major cities with at least 100,000 residents, three in Western New York receive the snowiest city award, according to the National Weather Service:

Syracuse, New York
Rochester, New York
Buffalo, New York

According to the National Weather Service, Syracuse, New York, is the snowiest major city in the U.S., thanks largely to lake effect snow, where about 11 feet of snow falls each winter season. It is also one of the rainiest and cloudiest cities in the country. Other cities in Western New York, such as Rochester and Buffalo, average about 9 feet per year, also due to the lake effect.

All three lie in traditional lake-effect snowbelts, with cold winds blowing from the west across the relatively warm Great Lakes, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Latest snowfall forecasts for NY:How much snow will there be in your region?

Lake Effect Snow in New York: A Machine

When snow piles up in places like Syracuse or Buffalo in Western New York, it’s called the “lake effect snow machine.” But what exactly is lake effect snow? How does it happen?

Lake effect snow, which can last from just a few minutes to several days, arises from narrow bands of clouds that form when cold, dry Arctic air flows over a large, relatively mild lake.

As the cold air flows over the unfrozen and “warm” waters of the Great Lakes, heat and moisture are transferred to the lowest part of the atmosphere, according to the National Weather Service. The air rises, clouds form and grow into narrow bands, producing 5 to 7 cm of snow per hour or more.

These snowfalls usually only occur in the fall or early winter before the lakes freeze over. (However, if the lakes do not freeze, lake-effect snow can occur throughout the winter and into spring.)

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These New York state cities are among the snowiest in America. See list

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