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PopulationThe population of the city of
Albany is approximately 100,000 while Capital District residents number about
800,000.
Elevation30 Feet
Area21.4 square miles
LocationAlbany is located on the Hudson River, approximately
138 miles north of New York City, 144 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, 108
miles east of Syracuse and 196 miles south of Montreal, Canada.
Time ZoneEastern Standard Time. Daylight savings time is in effect
from 1am on the first Sunday in April through 1am on the last Sunday in October.
WeatherAverage
weather in Albany, New York
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|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Average temp. (°F) |
22.2 |
24.8 |
34.8 |
46.6 |
58.3 |
66.6 |
71.5 |
69.5 |
61.0 |
49.6 |
39.4 |
28.2 |
|
High temperature (°F) |
31.2 |
34.3 |
44.5 |
57.3 |
69.9 |
77.7 |
82.6 |
80.2 |
71.8 |
60.2 |
47.8 |
36.2 |
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Low temperature (°F) |
13.1 |
15.3 |
25.1 |
35.9 |
46.7 |
55.4 |
60.4 |
58.6 |
50.1 |
38.9 |
30.9 |
20.2 |
|
Precipitation (in) |
2.6 |
2.2 |
3.1 |
3.3 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
3.7 |
3.8 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
3.3 |
2.7 |
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|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Days with precipitation |
13 |
11 |
12 |
12 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
12 |
12 |
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Wind speed (mph) |
9.8 |
10.1 |
10.6 |
10.5 |
9.0 |
8.3 |
7.5 |
7.0 |
7.4 |
8.0 |
9.1 |
9.3 |
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Morning humidity (%) |
78 |
77 |
76 |
72 |
75 |
79 |
81 |
86 |
89 |
86 |
82 |
80 |
|
Afternoon humidity (%) |
64 |
58 |
54 |
49 |
53 |
56 |
55 |
58 |
59 |
58 |
63 |
65 |
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Sunshine (%) |
46 |
52 |
54 |
54 |
56 |
60 |
64 |
61 |
57 |
52 |
37 |
39 |
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Days clear of clouds |
5 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
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Partly cloudy days |
8 |
7 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
11 |
13 |
12 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
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Cloudy days |
18 |
15 |
17 |
16 |
16 |
13 |
12 |
13 |
12 |
14 |
18 |
19 |
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Snowfall (in) |
16.7 |
13.7 |
11.6 |
2.7 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
4.3 |
14.6 |
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Local
Seasons
Summer is
peak season, accounting for about 40% of New York State tourism. From June to
August, the weather is pleasant and mostly sunny, though it tends to be humid.
Summer weather is ideal for travel; parks and campgrounds are filled with
vacationers, even more so on weekends.
Fall, from
September through November, is another popular time to visit. The air turns to
crisp jacket-weather in September, but farther south summertime lingers until
early October. New York's beautiful fall foliage is a huge draw, especially in
mid-October -- the best time to catch trees sporting brilliant reds and golds.
Contrary to
popular belief, winter temperatures aren't miserable -- they normally range from
the mid-20’s to highs in the 40’s. Most of upstate New York is blanketed in snow
from December to March.
The spring
thaw begins in March, but it's not unusual for snow to fall in April, or even
May. There are spring showers, but the average amount of precipitation is no
heavier than in summer or fall. If you enjoy the quietly melting snow and fresh
spring breezes, this season may be your golden opportunity to indulge in outdoor
activities before the summer rush.
How to
get there
By Car
To get to Albany from points north, take the Adirondack Northway (I-87) south to
I-90 east to I-787 south. From points south, take the New York State Thruway
(I-87) to exit 23 to I-787 north. From the western part of the state, take the
New York State Thruway (I-87) to exit 24 and follow I-90 to I-787 south.
By
TrainThree main Amtrak routes cross New York State, connecting major
metropolitan areas and the towns along the way. Several trains, including
Metroliner shuttle service and high-speed Acela Express trains, travel the
Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City, and
Boston. Empire Service runs north from New York City to Albany, then west to
Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls; the Maple Leaf runs daily,
extending the same route through Toronto, Canada. The Adirondack travels the
Hudson River Valley north to Albany (making stops in Yonkers, Croton-on-Hudson,
Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, and Hudson), then follows along Lake Champlain to
Plattsburgh and finally Montreal, Canada.
By
PlaneMost visitors traveling by air will arrive via Albany International
Airport; (518/242-2299) located about 10 minutes from downtown Albany and about
a half-hour from Saratoga Springs. The airport is served by most major domestic
and several international airlines. Driving from the airport to downtown Albany,
you can either take Albany-Shaker Road south, which will put you close to the
visitor's center and Broadway, or take I-87 south to I-90 west. The information
desk can provide details on getting to either Albany or Saratoga Springs. The
significantly smaller Saratoga County Airport (518/885-5354) handles small
charter flights.
By Bus
Greyhound (518/434-8095) and Adirondack Trailways (800/858-8555) travel to both
Albany and Saratoga Springs. The Upstate Transit Albany-Saratoga Bus Service (
518/584-5252) travels between Albany and Saratoga.
Getting
Around
Most of the
year, the only way to navigate Albany is by car. If street parking in not
available, check out the very large parking lot below Empire State Plaza off
Madison Street.
Albany
City Trolley
Quackenbush
Square at Broadway and Clinton Avenue
518-465-3632
July to September, 11:45am-1:45pm
All summer long you can catch the Albany City Trolley, which runs
through the middle of the day from Quackenbush Square at Broadway and Clinton
Avenue, and makes stops along State Street and Washington Avenue to Empire State
Plaza.
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