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Tug Hill Commission Releases New Issue Paper on How
Winter is Changing in the Tug Hill Region
Published: April 10, 2025 at
03:00 p.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS Tug Hill Commission
The Tug Hill Commission Releases New Issue Paper: How
Winter is Changing in the Tug Hill Region
WATERTOWN, NEW
YORK – The Tug Hill Commission recently completed a new issue paper, “How Winter is
Changing in the Tug Hill Region,” as the region is
experiencing notable changes in its winter seasons. The Tug Hill region is
historically known for its heavy snowfall patterns and prime winter
conditions for outdoor recreation. More recently, communities in the region
have experienced a wide array of changing winter conditions. Winter events
are often postponed or canceled, and winter recreation has been unreliable
at times because of snowfall uncertainty. This winter season has felt like
a more “normal” winter, but last season received far less snowfall.
The paper seeks
to inform readers about changes in Tug Hill winters by presenting data
analysis from four stations located around the Tug Hill region: Bennetts
Bridge, Boonville, Highmarket, and Lowville.
Average maximum (high) and minimum (low) air temperatures and snowfall data
were examined over a 50-year period. The paper is designed to educate
readers about the differences between weather and climate, understand
climate data and where it comes from, learn about the importance of climate
normals, learn about how winter is changing in
the Tug Hill region, discuss why these changes are occurring, and discuss
what this all means for the communities in the region.
Key results from
data analysis show that winters are changing in the Tug Hill region. The
data indicate that air temperatures are
increasing. Additionally, Bennetts Bridge and Boonville have a decreasing
trend, or reduction, in snowfall, and Highmarket
and Lowville have little to no change.
 This paper can be
useful for a variety of groups, including those focused on recreation,
planning, emergency services, and the environment, to help understand the
history of winter seasons and what the future may entail. Future research
on winter seasons could include analyses of snowpack and the number of days
above and below freezing. Additionally, studying spring and summer
temperatures and rainfall patterns—including intensity, frequency, and dry
periods—would help assess climate trends in the Tug Hill region. Developing
a model to better understand past changes in climate and forecast future
conditions would also help understand how lake-effect snow is affected by
climate change and support future planning efforts.
The Tug Hill
Commission gratefully acknowledges the following people for their time,
expertise, and support in reviewing this issue paper: Dr. Melissa Godek,
Associate Professor of Meteorology and Climatology, SUNY Oneonta, Dr. Scott
Steiger, Professor of Meteorology, Director LESPaRC,
SUNY Oswego, Dr. Natalie Umphlett, Climatologist, Cornell University, and
Emily Fell, Eastern Great Lakes Watershed Coordinator; Great Lakes Program
and NYS Water Resources Institute at Cornell University.
The New York
State Tug Hill Commission is a non-regulatory state agency charged with
helping local governments, organizations, and citizens shape the future of
the region, especially its environment and economy. The commission uses a
grassroots approach to build local capacity and provide technical
assistance in land use planning, community development, and natural
resource management.
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