To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Left out in the cold again On a top 10 list of the coldest cities in the lower 48 states, we once again come up bupkis. 1. International Falls, MN 2. Duluth, MN 3. Caribou, ME 4. Marquette, MI 5. Sault Ste. Marie, MI 6. Fargo, ND 7. Williston, ND 8. Alamosa, CO 9. Bismarck, ND 10. St. Cloud, MN So if we’re not even close to being the snowiest, blowiest, or coldest, why does Buffalo get such an incredibly bad rap when it comes to our weather? Buffalo’s reputation was made during the Blizzard of ‘77. The total snowfall in the January storm was a mere 12 inches, usually not even enough for a snow day. The real problem was the near hurricane level winds racing up to 60 miles an hour which lifted up the snow piled on a frozen Lake Erie and mercilessly dumped it on the city. The nation’s retinas were burned with images of up to 25 foot snowdrifts that completely shut the city down for nearly two weeks. As a result the New York Times incorrectly branded Buffalo as the “snow capital” of the nation. Late night talk show host Johnny Carson made Buffalo “still being covered with snow” a running gag well into the summer. Our winters have been the butt of jokes ever since. Fortunately for us, we get the last laugh. Snow is fun. page 18 Right: In days past, this swing-bridge connected the railroad from North Tonawanda to Tonawanda Island