The first snowfall of the season graced Massachusetts Friday morning, catching some local residents off guard.
“I’m not prepared for it,” said Nancy Versaille of Greenfield, who was walking down Main Street as the snow fell. “But I’m not a winter girl.”
Still, she said, gripping her umbrella, the fresh coat of snow in the downtown area looked pretty.
Snow showers lasted in the region through about 1 p.m., according to Kristie Smith, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
“It depends on where you are in Franklin County. (In) Greenfield, we’re expecting about an inch of snow,” Smith said. “But higher elevations may see 2 to 3 inches.”
Smith said Friday evening would be “unseasonably chilly,” so any accumulated snow might “stick through the night hours.”
Although data wasn’t readily available for the Franklin County region, Smith said based on data for other parts of the state, it’s not uncommon to see snow in October.
“It certainly doesn’t happen every year, but it’s not something we haven’t seen before,” she said.
According to data kept at the Greenfield Recorder offices from the Greenfield Water Pollution Control Plant and the state Department of Environmental Management Office of Resources, the last time Franklin County saw snowfall with accumulation was during the October 2011 Nor’easter, which dropped roughly 9 inches of snow.
For one Greenfield resident, who went for a walk downtown before heading to the polls for the last day of early voting, a little snow in October was no surprise.
“Life in New England — you just never know what to expect and when,” commented R. Donovan. “You just don’t know.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne