Lake Placid, New York – A colder and increasingly active late-January pattern could bring heavy snowfall and difficult travel across the Adirondacks as multiple winter systems move through northern New York.
According to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, the Adirondack region is included in a slight risk for heavy snow from Saturday through the following Friday, signaling an increased likelihood of one or more impactful winter systems. With cold air firmly in place, snow is expected to be the dominant precipitation type throughout the period.
In the High Peaks region, including Lake Placid and Keene, elevation-driven enhancement could lead to efficient snow accumulation, especially during prolonged or slower-moving systems. Travel along Route 73, Route 86, and mountain passes could become hazardous quickly during heavier snowfall.
Across the Tri-Lakes area, including Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, snow may arrive in multiple rounds rather than a single storm. That raises the potential for cumulative impacts on local roads, snowmobile trails, and access routes serving remote communities.
Farther south near Old Forge and the southwestern Adirondacks, colder air lingering over the region supports accumulating snow along Route 28 and surrounding backcountry corridors. Reduced visibility and slick conditions are possible during steadier snow, particularly overnight.
The New York State Department of Transportation urges residents and visitors to monitor conditions closely, limit non-essential travel during snow, and carry winter emergency supplies. With sustained cold expected, snow that falls is likely to linger and continue impacting travel.
More detailed snowfall outlooks and possible winter weather advisories are expected as the late-January window approaches, with clearer timing and impacts emerging by early next week.
