Winter in Central New York

Whether you are a Syracuse native or in town for college, one of the first few things that you will learn is that it gets really cold for most of the time you will be here. Syracuse is known for being cold and no matter how you feel about the cold and the snow, you will still rejoice when it is 40° and “warm”. Trust me when I tell you that warm here between the months of October to April is anything above 40°. While this may seem odd that this is considered warm when in reality that is still cold, it covers the weather in Syracuse. The summers have the potential to be very warm but also do not last as long as the long dreaded winter.

Surviving the winter here in Syracuse is not as bad as you might think. Keeping a couple things in mind during the cold season is key to making it through. First thing is first: invest in a good winter jacket. Whether you live in a dorm close to the academic and campus buildings and can walk through them to avoid the winter weather or you live in one of the buildings across the street or even at the Heights, investing in a warm winter jacket will be one of the best decisions you will make. This jacket will be your lifeline along with a pair of gloves to help you stay warm because it will get cold and the wind will make it a little colder. Trust me, your jacket will come in handy.

Some sort of winter boots will also become just as important as your jacket. Whether you are new to the area or a native, every year you’ll see the amount of snow that we get can (and will) be a lot. Even though our plows on campus do a good job of keeping the sidewalks clean, you will still want a pair of boots for both keeping your feet warm and getting through the snow on the ground. Plus, with boots your shoes won’t get wet from the water as the snow eventually melts (same goes for after a rainstorm). If you are someone who enjoys playing in the snow, bringing a pair of snow pants will also be beneficial for when we get snow (and even when we get a rare snow day), you can go outside and enjoy the snow to its maximum capacity.

The other two things that help me to make it through the winters here in Syracuse are blankets and hot chocolate. Whether you get cold like me or just like to bundle up under some blankets, you will want to bring some sort of blanket that will keep you warm. I have four to keep my options open and I can grab any one I want based off of my current temperature. The best days will be when it gets a little chilly out and you can come back and get under some blankets with a nice warm cup of hot chocolate and watch some movies or binge a show on Netflix.

Just remember, the winters will get tough, and the wind can become your enemy, but the winters are also super fun because it opens different possibilities of things and activities to do on campus.

Paige Martin, ‘21
Marketing Major, Digital Intern