Cornell UniversityWeather Summary

Written by Mandy Kain and Radhika Arora

Mandy Kain and Radhika Arora

Hometown

Hewlett, N.Y., and Ithaca, N.Y.

View all previous student authors

Ithaca, while absolutely beautiful in the summer months, can change into a very harsh and bitter place in the wintertime. This inevitably affects the overall mood throughout the year, and you won't see many students outside unless they have to be. This sort of inclement weather persists from November through March and at times makes Ithaca a very bleak place to live. Fortunately, when the snow melts and the skies clear, Ithaca is an astonishingly beautiful area, with its impressive outdoor scenery, view of Cayuga Lake, and exposure to rugged cliffs and gorges. Students are quick to take advantage of the nice weather and picnic on the lawns, nap in the shade, and play Frisbee on the arts quad.

Be prepared to endure some incredibly miserable walks from Collegetown to class. The wind that blows off Cayuga Lake mixed with a heavy snowfall can be especially unbearable. Students become conditioned to the bad weather over the course of their stay in Ithaca. Even though the weather is not consistently cold, you'll still find yourself cursing the miserable weather on many occasions. Although the good days are far and few between, when the sun comes out and the warm weather arrives, all seems to be forgiven and forgotten.