CNY is almost as dry as Las Vegas today, raising fire risk
Updated 5:10 PM;
Today 4:59 PM
In this May 2011 file photo, a grass fire closed the Onondaga Lake Parkway onramp to I-81 South in Syracuse.
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Syracuse, N.Y. – Central New York is almost as dry as Las Vegas today.
Relative humidity dipped to 10% in Syracuse this afternoon under sunny skies and a flow of dry air from Canada. Las Vegas reached 8%.
“It’s like the Southwest desert,” said meteorologist Brian Tentinger, a forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Binghamton.
That dry air raises the risk of brush fires during what is Central New York brush fire season of early spring. The weather service has issued a fire danger alert until 8 p.m. for Oneida, Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Schuyler, Chemung, Tompkins, Madison, Cortland, Chenango, Otsego, Tioga, Broome, Delaware and Sullivan counties today.
Interstate 81 between exit 145 and 151 was quiet after PennDOT placed Level 4 restriction in place (I-81, 84 and 380 north of I-80), no commercial vehicles are permitted. Speed limits will be restricted to 45 mph on these roadways for all vehicles while restrictions are in place, and commercial vehicles not affected by the restrictions must move to the right lane. Additional speed restrictions on other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions. According to the National Weather Service the winter storm will drop 12 to 24 inches of snow on the region by the time it ends Tuesday, just as Punxsutawney Phil searches for his shadow.
Snow totals
Here is how much snow has fallen so far across the Southern Tier, according to the NWS:
Binghamton: 9.5 inches as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday
Elmira: 11.5 inches as of 7 a.m. Tuesday
Ithaca: 15.9 inches as of 11 a.m. Tuesday
Corning: 11.5 inches as of 2 p.m. Tuesday
Hornell: 4.5 inches as of 2 p.m. Tuesday
Norwich: 8.3 inches as of 8 a.m. Tuesday
Waverly: 11.4 inches as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday
Oneonta: 14 inches as of 7 a.m. Tuesday
Expected snowfall
Binghamton: Winter storm warning, about 16 total inches expected.
Corning: Winter weather advisory, 11 inches.
Elmira: Winter storm warning, 13-14 inches.
Hornell: Winter weather advisory, 5-6 inches.
Snow totals
Here is how much snow has fallen so far across the Southern Tier, according to the NWS:
Binghamton: 9.5 inches as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday
Elmira: 11.5 inches as of 7 a.m. Tuesday
Ithaca: 15.9 inches as of 11 a.m. Tuesday
Corning: 11.5 inches as of 2 p.m. Tuesday
Hornell: 4.5 inches as of 2 p.m. Tuesday
Norwich: 8.3 inches as of 8 a.m. Tuesday
Waverly: 11.4 inches as of 9:30 a.m. Tuesday
Oneonta: 14 inches as of 7 a.m. Tuesday
Expected snowfall
Binghamton: Winter storm warning, about 16 total inches expected.
Corning: Winter weather advisory, 11 inches.
Elmira: Winter storm warning, 13-14 inches.
Hornell: Winter weather advisory, 5-6 inches.