Will Rochester, N.Y., beat out perennial favorite Caribou, Maine, as the snowiest city in the Northeast this year?

It could happen, according to statistics provided by the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University. Rochester had seen 91.5 inches of snow through Feb. 27, while snowmobile haven Caribou had a paltry 87.2 inches of snow through the same period. For Rochester, this plethora of precipitation is 15.5 inches above their normal snowfall accumulation through February, and their statistically expected snowfall for the rest of the season would be about 17.3 inches, says Keith Eggleston, a senior climatologist at the center.

Caribou, on the other hand, is 1.7 inches above their normal snowfall this time of year, and their normal snowfall for the rest of the season is 30.4 inches.

Meanwhile, Upstate New York is well represented among the snowiest cities in the Northeast this season. Syracuse, N.Y., follows Caribou, having seen about 76.6 inches through Feb. 27. Syracuse, 14.4 inches below their normal level of snow right now, will normally see 19.3 inches of snow for the rest of the season.

Binghamton, N.Y., holds down fourth place in the snow sweepstakes. At 68.6 inches of snow, this city is 6.8 inches above normal this season, and usually gets another 17 inches before winter's last gasp. Erie, Pa., at 63.1 inches now, is 11.5 inches below normal, and they normally receive another 11.9 inches during the remainder of the season.

You wouldn't have shoveled much in Buffalo. At an anemic 49.2 inches, Buffalo is 28.9 inches below their normal snowfall. That city's normal snowfall for the rest of the season is 14.4 inches.

"Most of the lake-effect areas have received less lake-effect snow than normal," says Eggleston. "But I bet the weather has more in store for us."

The 29.5 inches of snow that have fallen in Portland, Maine, is 26.3 inches below normal there, and Portland usually sees another 15 inches of snow before the season is through.

Seasonal Snowfall Summary for the Northeast

(all values in inches; through February 27)

Data compiled by the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University.