Watch Out: Why the New York DoT Is ‘Plowing Sunshine’ in the Hudson Valley

Winter is right around the corner in the Hudson Valley, but local drivers might be seeing plows on the road way before the snow even begins to fall.

While snow has already been spotted further north, the location of the Hudson Valley means that barring a weather anomaly (remember the wild October snowstorms in 1987 and again in 2011?), roads stay clear until we get deeper into the season... but that doesn't stop the plows from heading out a little early.

New York State Department of Transportation Explains "Plowing Sunshine"

"We’ll admit it… we’re plowing and there’s no snow on the ground in this video", the New York State Department of Transportation recently shared on social media along with footage of a massive snowplow driving down a clear and sunny street. As they explained, however, there's a very good reason to "plow sunshine".

New York State Plow Training Ahead of First Snowfall

While it might look confusing, the explanation for the activity is quite simple: the NYSDOT is taking advantage of fair weather to train their drivers how to operate the hulking, multi-blade plows before the hazardous weather actually starts (below). As it turns out, the training couldn't have happened at a more perfect time.

Winter's First "Plowable Snow" in New York State

Just four days after the NYSDOT shared footage of their drivers training on their snowplows, they updated New Yorkers with more news: the first "Plowable snow" had fallen in upstate New York (below). It's also not the only training involved with the NYSDOT's mission of expert road-clearing.

New York State and the Clear Roads Winter Maintenance Research Program

New York State, along with 36 other states, participates in the Clear Roads Winter Maintenance Research Program, which uses shared research between members to help find the best and most efficient ways to maintain road safety during the winter months. Research covers subjects ranging from finding the best liquid deicers to the best structures for housing road salt.

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While snow and ice can make any road dangerous, there are some routes in New York that can pose a risk to drivers no matter the weather. Check out the most dangerous roads in the state below, and keep scrolling to see the worst offenders in New Jersey.