<p>Just found a WONDERFUL phone number for NY State travelers - 511. They have a website also, but it seems as thought the phone info is more current, and when they tell you a road is closed they tell you how to detour. Since it’s computerized (at least what I tried to find out was) you can feel free to try it.</p>
<p>Hope they all have a safe trip - with charged cell phones, some cash, a credit card and AAA’s number!</p>
<p>Ouch, isn’t this the same thread we had last Christmas, from kids heading home from Boston, I think?</p>
<p>Luckily, S is in an area that doesn’t get snowed in. I would freak if the first leg of his international trip home got delayed due to snowstorms.</p>
<p>Still about 15,000 out in Albany area, many more in Maine - if you are affected and still “in the dark” I hope things get better soon! Our colleagues in both places are working 16 hour shifts to get the power restored, and we are sending crews from here and Binghamton as well - they work as fast and as safely as they can but people do get quite nasty after a couple of days…at least it is very warm (relative I know) today so the roads are no longer an issue unless they are blocked of course…</p>
<p>Been away a few days…so glad he got home safely and avoided the mess around Albany. Things are still not totally back to normal here in Albany, it’s been pretty stressful since Thursday, with power outages, lines down, accidents, awful ice-related roof problems, a couple of horrendous fires. Really caught folks by surprise.</p>
<p>My D came home on Amtrak from Buffalo on Friday, it was 4 hours late – and one of the few trains that Amtrak didn’t cancel that day.</p>
<p>Glad you D made it home. I hope the situation in your area gets better soon.</p>
<p>S1 (SUNY kid) is home for the break. S2 (freshman at Marist) has his last final at 9:00am Friday. He has one of the last finals that the college is giving this semester and his usual ride home will be long gone. We’re driving up to pick him up and bring him home for the break. We’re driving up tomorrow (Thursday) and spending the night in a hotel (good excuse for one day get-away for my husband and I). Our plan was to pick up S2 after his final on Friday morning and head home. </p>
<p>Guess what—Snow Storm is expected on Friday! HERE WE GO AGAIN.</p>
<p>We will probably pass each other! My cadet finishes up in Highland Falls early Friday afternoon. Of course, we are under a storm watch for early Friday am and the storm will be chasing us all the way to NY. Orange County NY is expected to get 6-12". Yippee.</p>
<p>My daughter will be driving home for the first time from the Syracuse area to Baltimore Friday. Her last exam is tonight and while I do not want her driving so late at night, I am wondering if it would be better for her to leave tonight instead of in the morning. Her car does not have 4 wheel drive or snow tires, and her winter driving skills are sub par at best. Her exam tonight is a big one, so I do not want to bother her with this now, but I wish the weather would hold off until late Friday. Of course, I am sure that would mess up someone else driving plans!</p>
<p>Good luck. I suppose the worst case scenario for Friday (depending on the weather) is too spend one more night up there and wait until the snow passes or try to head home and if the snow/roads are bad, we can pull off and find a hotel along the way. Darn Snow.</p>
<p>snowball - here in E PA, I am a little more than halfway between Syracuse and Baltimore the precip is scheduled to begin at 5 am.
Should start as a “mix” - freezing rain and sleet. It is all iffy here.
I would suggest she head out tonight if possible. How long a drive for her? 5 hours or so?</p>
<p>My daughter has her last final tomorrow from 2-4:30. She’ll be driving from Ithaca to NJ. We have already discussed for her to drive home on Sat, rather than Fri at night. I am really hoping the weather would change so she could be home on Fri.</p>
<p>Anyone with better weather information from upstate NY and Penn, please let us know. I am considering working from home tomorrow if there is a storm, but I don’t think NYC is supose to get hit that badly.</p>
<p>S is driving home from Michigan to NY today. Weather.com has a feature where you can get weather reports along interstates. On the home page of weather.com. hit driving and safety (I think) and then choose interstate driving. You can also put in a few towns on her travel route to see how the weather will be.</p>
<p>oldfort, I live in NJ and I would not want my child drive tomorrow. I think it would be prudent to have her wait a day. Editing this post- We are supposed to get heavy snow on Friday, snow showers on Saturday, and a wintery mix on Sunday. I don’t when would be best to drive. I think you will need to watch the weather reports closely. It seems like Sat. might be the best bet.</p>
<p>The car is packed and H and I are heading up to the Poughkeepsie area within the hour. We’ll enjoy one night in a hotel and pick up S in the morning tomorrow after his 9:00am final. Our original plan is to head back to Long Island right after his final. If I can get onto the internet from the hotel, I’ll try to update you on the snow situation from there. I’m hoping we’ll be able to get out of that area early enough to miss the bulk of the storm. Good luck to everyone. Be safe.</p>
<p>snowball, there’s currently a severe weather alert and storm watch for most of NY state from late tonight through til Friday evening. This is a large storm system that will stretch from here in Toronto through western NY and over as far as Albany. Snow is likely to begin, in earnest, in the early morning hours and continue all day, heaviest in the afternoon and early evening. Snowfall estimates are always an educated guess but they’re telling us here that it may be 8-12 inches, with the possibility of even more. It’s a real risk to be out in that with no snow tires and subpar winter driving experience. Leaving late tonight might be a better option but then there’s the worry about her doing the drive while tired. Will she be alone? That drive on 81 can be a challenge even for the most experienced drivers as it’s a mountainous area and the road is winding. I’m not sure what the better option is. </p>
<p>oldfort, I think your D’s plan to make her drive on Saturday is probably wise, if the storm proceeds as they’re now predicting.</p>
<p>Safe travels to all over the next week!</p>
<p>Do they ever keep the dorms open an extra night when bad weather hits? Dorms are supposed to close tomorrow night at 6pm, but I don’t want my son on the roads if they’re bad.</p>
<p>Just called the school and their answer was, “No, he can’t stay.” But they have to get busy treating his dorm for bed bugs. I am just so thrilled with them at this moment!</p>
<p>oldfort - according to the latest NWS warning, the southern tier is supposed to be hit the hardest, so that drive from Ithaca down will be nasty, I would have her stay until Saturday if she can…</p>
<p>They are also forecasting snow for Christmas eve which is when DS is supposed to fly home. His ticket was bought with DH’s platinum frequent flyer miles and his travel time is very flexible. We’re going to have him watch the weather and then plea for an earlier in the week flight. The last time I changed a flight out of his airport…they did it at NO cost (storm brewing and they wanted folks outta dodge).</p>
<p>DD drove to the grandparents today. We really want her home by Sunday but I’m thinking that’s a pipe dream. Since she has no commitments…she’ll just come when there is a lull in the weather.</p>
<p>For your kidlets who may have to stay after the dorms close…now is the time to contact their “off campus” friends to see if there is any floor space. Offer to pay for a pizza. That’s the one advantage to off campus housing…you are not “beholden” to the open/close schedule of the dorms.</p>
<p>My daughter called earlier and informed me that parents of kids that live in the NY area have told their kids not to come home until Saturday. I would love for my daughter and her friend to head out tonight, but their exam could go until 10:00 PM and they have not packed yet. I don’t worry about her being tired, but I don’t need her getting on the road after midnight. She has made the drive several times with us, and is a good highway driver without the snow or ice. We will look at the weather again tonight, but it seems like she wants to wait until Saturday. I guess she will hold off until Saturday and hope for the best with the weather.</p>
<p>If there is really 5-9 inches of snow on Friday, how will the roads be on Saturday assuming the snow has stopped? Will the roads be plowed by the late morning or might she have to wait and leave later in the day? I would prefer she drive during the daylight, especially if there is snow on the roads.</p>
<p>In CT, this snow is supposed to end by midnight on Friday night. If that is the case, by midday the highways and main roads should be cleared…well…that’s been the case in the past.</p>