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For Immediate Release:
10/04/19

Contact:
Steven Gosset | Steven.Gosset@nypa.gov
Media Relations | (914) 390-8192


CANAL CORPORATION, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARK CENTURY OF WEATHER OBSERVATIONS ON ERIE CANAL


Rain and Snow Observations in New London and Baldwinsville Have Been Taken at Locks for 100 Years

NEW LONDON—The New York State Canal Corporation and National Weather Service today marked the centennial of weather observations at two Erie Canal locks in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York.

For 100 years, lock tenders at Lock C-22 in New London and Lock E-24 in Baldwinsville, have recorded snow and rainfall totals as part of the NWS Cooperative Observer Program. Those observations are sent to the NWS and the National Center for Environmental Information.

"The National Weather Service's cooperative observer program has a long history of being the backbone of the nation's climate history,” said Douglas Butts, Meteorologist-in-Charge at the National Weather Service office in Binghamton. “We're grateful that the Canal Corporation continues to partner with our team to maintain these long-standing weather stations in the provision of important historical information about the region's weather conditions."

Among the records recorded at Lock E-22 are:

  • Highest Single Day Rainfall: 4.48 inches on August 23, 2010
  • Highest Single Day Snowfall: 24 inches on January 31, 1966

Among the records recorded at Lock E-24 are:

  • Highest Single Day Rainfall: 4.79 in. on June 15, 2002
  • Highest Single Day Snowfall: 17 in. on March 5, 1971

“We are proud to play a role in weather forecasts that are so crucial, not just to the operation of canals, but for the entire region,” said Brian U. Stratton, New York State Corporation director. “The importance of this data can’t be overstated. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the National Weather Service.”

To view regional weather data, go to http://scacis.rcc-acis.org

The COOP program has 8,700 volunteers taking observations in urban and suburban areas, as well as farms, national parks, beaches and mountains. The network has been recognized as the most definitive source of U.S. climate trends for temperature and precipitation.


About the New York State Canal Corporation

New York’s canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique and historic communities. In 2019, New York will mark the 200th anniversary of the first trip taken on the Erie Canal, from Rome to Utica.

About the National Weather Service

The mission of the National Weather Service is to provide weather, water and climate data, forecasts and warnings for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. The NWS has played a key role in protecting American lives and properties for over a century. The timely provision of reliable weather, water, climate, and environmental information has supported the Nation's social and economic development. NWS offices in communities across the United States and its territories, supported by regional and national centers, provide the authoritative information needed by Americans, including national, regional, state, tribal, and local authorities, to plan, prepare, mitigate, and respond to natural and human-caused events.

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