Syracuse, NY -- Central New York set another snowfall record Wednesday: 11.9 inches fell by midnight, smashing the record of 5.4 inches for the date that has stood since 1951.

Another 3.4 inches have fallen since midnight, bringing Syracuse to within an inch of its record snowfall for the entire month of December.

The new snow pushed this December – which reached its midpoint at noon – to second on the list of snowiest Decembers on record. National Weather Service instruments report 69.5 inches of snow have fallen at Syracuse Hancock International Airport since the month began through 6:54 this morning. Syracuse's snowiest December was in 2000, when 70.3 inches fell.

But wait, there's more.

The 70.3 inches of snow that has fallen since July 1 is the most ever before the winter solstice, the official start of winter, said Theodore Champney, a meteorologist with the weather service's Binghamton office. The old record, 63.5 inches, was set in 1995.

If you’ve become numb to all the records being buried by December’s weather, here’s an item you might find cheering: There is no snow in the forecast for the weekend or Monday during the day.

Really. National Weather Service forecasters expect a mix of sun and clouds on the weekend and cloudy skies Monday during the day.

Before then, however, there’s snow in the forecast, starting with 2 to 4 inches more today and snow showers on Friday. Some places may get much more. The weather service warned shortly before 6 a.m. of a heavy lake effect band that could drop 2 inches an hour between Clay and Sylvan Beach.

Parts of Oswego County also were being bombarded. Fulton, for example, has received a foot of new snow since midnight, Champney said.

The snow continues to come from cold winds crossing the warm waters of Lake Ontario. The moisture, carried in bands that shift across much of the region, have been responsible for nearly all the snow that has forced Central New Yorkers to shovel, plow, scrape and brush just to get around.

Wednesday’s snow proved particularly daunting to some trying to get around. Many accidents were reported with cars spinning off roads. Tractor trailers were reported involved in accidents on the Thruway and Interstate 81. Police reported no serious personal injuries. Hillside roads seemed particularly challenging to drivers as snow accumulated too quickly for plow crews to keep up.

Forecasters expect the lake effect machine will taper off today. The lake effect storm warning that covers much of the county is set to expire at 1 p.m.

That doesn’t mean the snow’s all done. Tonight’s forecast calls for 1 or 2 inches more. And, looking to next week, there are snow showers in the forecast for Monday night.

Read more:

At least two injured as crashes close I-81 in LaFayette, Tully

Emergency responders in Onondaga County kept hopping with crashes, disabled vehicles

See the latest school closings and delays

See today's hour-by-hour forecast and the five-day outlook

I-81 north blocked in Syracuse by overturned trash truck

Jeremy Hubbard of ABC's Good Morning America does weather report from Wegmans in Fairmount.

Jeremy Hubbard of ABC's Good Morning America tells WSYR TV why he chose Syracuse for the scene of today's weather report.