Are You The Cameraman?: Huge lake effect snow storm in northern NY

About this blog title

I cannot tell you how many times I have shown up at events with a couple of cameras around my neck, a gadget bag full of odds & ends and a lighting kit and have been asked that question. If it happened once every few years, that would be one thing. But it happens a LOT. It's like getting pulled over by the police and he's standing there with uniform, gun, flashing lights and asking him "Are you a cop?" I would love to come back with a witty reply, such as "No, I am Jesus. Don't you recognize my beard?" However, I cannot be that rude.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Huge lake effect snow storm in northern NY

Downtown Watertown during near white out conditions from lake effect snow. Unfortunately the camera sensor is very dirty which causes all the spots you see. Time to get it cleaned.

The Winter continues to be brutal. A huge lake effect snow storm has hit the area from Mannsville to Gouvernuer. It began Monday evening. I was in Syracuse photographing a girls basketball game. By the time I got done Rt 81 from Brewerton to Watertown was closed. I was supposed to cover the storm the next day so rather than drive through the snow at 11:00 at night I spent the night at Brother D's house in Mattydale. Tuesday morning it was extremly cold and windy in Syracuse, but weather was clear. I started driving North on Rt 81 and it was clear all the way to Parish. There it was sunny, but the roads were wet. When I reached Mexico the snow started. At Pulaski the snow was heavy enough to make storm photos. I spent an hour or so there. The next stop was Mannsville and the snow was heavy with blowing winds. The village was desolate, reminiscent of a ghost town. From there I drove RT 11 and every mile north the snow and wind was stronger. Frequent white outs. By the time I got to Adams the driving was some of the worst I have experienced. I snapped a coupl pictures in the village and then started for home. It was a good two hours+ getting there. I long line of cars and trucks, myself included, were like a caravan, moving slowly through the storm, bumper to bumper. Sometimes we stopped for five or ten minutes, Often we would move hundred feet or less, stop, move on, stop. It is six miles to Watertown and it took an hour to get there. From watertown to Chaumont was another rough stretch. Brownville was off and on white outs. When I got to Limerick it was like a switch was turned on. There was no snow, fairly bare roads and I was able to drive 60mph on those last five miles. What a relief to get home.