Syracuse St. Patrick’s parade is on with city snow plow ready to lead the marchers

Syracuse, N.Y. – Syracuse St. Patrick’s parade is on today despite snow and forecasts that could make this the snowiest Syracuse parade ever.

Around 8 a.m. Saturday, the parade route was looking very clear, Jeremy Robinson, the city’s Department of Public Works commissioner, told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard this morning.

There is no plowable snow along the route because DPW crews repeatedly salted the streets overnight, he said.

Unfortunately, the heaviest snow is still to come.

Overnight, between 1 and 4 inches fell in the Syracuse area, according to the National Weather Service. Snow accumulation will pick up over the next few hours with between 1 and 2 inches falling each hour. The Syracuse area is expected to see between 5 and 10 inches accumulate Saturday.

It is also expected to be blustery, with winds this morning of 7 to 12 mph increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph.

The annual parade is set to kick off at noon in Clinton Square.

There will be at least one plow dedicated to the parade route, Robinson said. If the snowfall continues at the expected rate, a plow will likely lead the parade procession down the route.

Crews are currently working to finish setting up barricades and lay more salt on the roads. Keeping the route clear and safe will require repeated plowing and salting, Robinson said.

“It is going be hard for us,” he said. “Hopefully mother nature gives of a break this afternoon.”

Based on the expected snow accumulation, this year’s parade could challenge the record for the snowiest parade day, which was March 14, 1992, when Syracuse got 7 inches of snow.

Robinson said there is a lot of work to be done to keep up with the snow. He said he is confident the preparations made overnight will help the parade run smoothly despite the storm.

The St. Patrick’s Parade, held the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), has always been one of the biggest annual events in downtown Syracuse.

It was canceled the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have never canceled because of the weather,” said Bridget Dunn, a spokesperson for the parade.

More on the 2022 St. Patrick’s parade

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Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com.