Fort Drum Guide › Winter
Chapter · Winter at Fort Drum
Winter here is a line item. Plan it like one.
Watertown's airport averages about 100 inches of snow a year, and the Tug Hill to the southeast gets far more. Heat, snow removal and snow days are part of the budget, so set them up before the first storm.
Keep the heat bill down.
Families who set this up in late summer pay less all winter.
Check the address for natural gas
Homes on natural gas usually cost less to heat than homes on propane or oil, and gas doesn't reach every street, especially outside the city. Before you sign a lease or buy, run the exact address through National Grid's service checker. In the City of Watertown, National Grid delivers both electricity and gas.
On propane or oil? Lock a price
Most fuel companies offer a pre-buy in late summer that locks a price per gallon for the heating season. Ask for the deadline. Local providers include Christman Fuel, Glider Oil, Heller's Gas, Suburban Propane, AmeriGas and Ferrellgas. On will-call delivery, order before the gauge drops below about a third.
Service the furnace in August or September
Book the yearly tune-up before local heating companies fill up and before a cold snap finds the problem for you.
Help with heating bills (HEAP)
New York's Home Energy Assistance Program helps income-eligible households pay for heat. The 2025–26 regular benefit closed April 10, 2026, so watch for the 2026–27 season to open. Details: otda.ny.gov/heap or 1-800-342-3009.
Before the first storm.
What families here set up in the fall, so the first big snow is an inconvenience and not an emergency.
A plan for the driveway
Sign a plow contract early or buy a snowblower. Local companies include Lakeside Outdoor Services, Marzano Excavating, A Cut Above Landscape and Ben Shoen's Home Improvement.
A car ready for snow
All-wheel or four-wheel drive, or at least real winter tires. Keep a scraper, a blanket and a phone charger in the car.
Winter gear for everyone
Boots, coats, hats and gloves for each family member, bought before the stores run low on kids' sizes.
Snow days and snow belts.
School closings
Each school district decides on its own, separately from Fort Drum. Expect closings and delays every winter. They post on InformNNY.com and on each district's website and app. District contacts are in the Schools chapter.
Where you live changes the snow
Lake-effect snow off Lake Ontario falls hardest on the Tug Hill Plateau, southeast of Watertown, where snowfall runs well beyond the airport's 100 inches. A longer drive from a Tug Hill town can mean a much snowier commute. Compare towns in the Housing chapter.
Want a home that's easier in winter?
Gas heat, a short drive, a garage: tell us what matters. A real person from our Fort Drum network calls you within 24 hours.
Got it. A real person calls you within 24 hours. Need someone now? Text or call (315) 221-4857.
Free for military families. We connect you, never spam you.Checked Sep 24, 2026 against NOAA's snowfall normal for Watertown International Airport, New York's HEAP program page, National Grid, and local reporting on the City of Watertown's hydro contract with National Grid. The businesses named are local options we found, not paid placements.
Photos: Public Square fountain in winter: Lallint, CC0.