Fox_Weather_News's Blog

Early snowfall last Thursday brought the first measurable snow of the season for some East Coast states.

Thursday's storm also marked the earliest date in the season that an inch of snow has ever been recorded for Ithaca, Olean and Binghamton in New York; and Altoona and State College in Pennsylvania. The storm struck areas in New Jersey as well. The National Weather Service reported that the storm was noteworthy for producing the earliest measurable snowfall of any winter season on record in many places; and also for producing significant damage to trees in the areas it struck.

State College saw 4.9 inches of wet, heavy snow beginning early Thursday afternoon and continuing into late Friday evening. The unexpected snowfall brought down a number of trees and caused power outages for more than 27,500 Centre County residents throughout the weekend. Power outages also affected students in dorms and apartments near Penn State University's campus. The Centre Daily Times reported that the storm broke five weather records in the area, including the snowiest October ever (3.1 inches in 2002), the earliest measured snowfall (1 inch in 1977) and the wettest October 15-16 (1.33 inches of water).  They have a series of photos showing the damage the storm caused.

This isn't the first time that a "fluke" snowstorm has struck areas on the East Coast in early October. In 2006, a snowfall around Buffalo, New York, began on Thursday, Oct. 12 as well and lasted two days, burying Buffalo in almost two feet (22.6 inches) of snow. The storm killed three people - two as a result of traffic accidents and one by a falling tree limb - and left 341,000 homes and businesses without power by Saturday. The National Weather Service reported an accumulation of 8.6 inches for that Thursday, with another 14 inches recorded on Friday. Thunder and lightning also accompanied the New York snowstorm. The storm shut down Buffalo Niagra International Airport for several hours.

In their coverage of the storm near Buffalo, CBS News reported that the National Weather Service has been tracking October snow storms since 1869.

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Brittany Stoner

Fox Weather Correspondent

Penn State University, Print Journalism and Spanish