Alert archive / New York / Winter Storm Watches in 2021

Winter Storm Watch 6, NWS Buffalo, NY

February 18, 2021Cayuga County, Monroe County, Wayne County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this winter storm watch at Feb 18, 2021, 3:24 PM EST for Cayuga County, Monroe County, Wayne County, New York. It took effect at Feb 19, 2021, 6:00 PM EST. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 18, 2021, 3:24 PM EST (20:24 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 19, 2021, 6:00 PM EST
Expired
Feb 19, 2021, 2:32 PM EST
In force
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY

Counties Cayuga County, NY, Monroe County, NY, Wayne County, NY

The radar

The Binghamton radar (KBGM), 132 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:25 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 134 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 2021-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 2021-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 32 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156175194Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1411 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
85 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
32 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
224 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

407 
WWUS41 KBUF 182024
WSWBUF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
324 PM EST Thu Feb 18 2021

NYZ003>005-190430-
/O.NEW.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-
Including the cities of Rochester, Newark, and Fair Haven
324 PM EST Thu Feb 18 2021

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow possible. Total snow accumulations
  of 7 inches or more possible in the most persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Monroe, Wayne, and Northern Cayuga counties.

* WHEN...From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult at times with snow
  covered roads and very poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Narrow bands of heavy snow could impact portions of the region.
Localized travel problems will be possible.

&&

$$

TMA
4 follow-up statements
917 
WWUS41 KBUF 190212
WSWBUF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
912 PM EST Thu Feb 18 2021

NYZ003>005-191100-
/O.CON.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-
Including the cities of Rochester, Newark, and Fair Haven
912 PM EST Thu Feb 18 2021

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING
THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow possible. Total snow 
  accumulations of 7 inches or more possible in the most 
  persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Monroe, Wayne, and Northern Cayuga counties.

* WHEN...From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult at times with snow 
  covered roads and very poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Narrow bands of heavy snow could impact portions of the region.
Localized travel problems will be possible.

&&

$$

Apffel
810 
WWUS41 KBUF 190901
WSWBUF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
401 AM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

NYZ003>005-191700-
/O.CON.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-
Including the cities of Rochester, Newark, and Fair Haven
401 AM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow possible. Total snow 
  accumulations of 7 inches or more possible in the most 
  persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Monroe, Wayne, and Northern Cayuga counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through Saturday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult at times with snow 
  covered roads and very poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Narrow bands of heavy snow could impact portions of the region.
Localized travel problems will be possible.

&&

$$
194 
WWUS41 KBUF 191422
WSWBUF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
922 AM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

NYZ003>005-192230-
/O.CON.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-
Including the cities of Rochester, Newark, and Fair Haven
922 AM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM EST THIS
EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow possible. Total snow 
  accumulations of 7 inches or more possible in the most 
  persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Monroe, Wayne, and Northern Cayuga counties.

* WHEN...From this evening through Saturday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult at times with snow 
  covered roads and very poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Narrow bands of heavy snow could impact portions of the region.
Localized travel problems will be possible.

&&

$$

Hitchcock
047 
WWUS41 KBUF 191932
WSWBUF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
232 PM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

NYZ004-005-200345-
/O.UPG.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KBUF.LE.W.0009.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Wayne-Northern Cayuga-
Including the cities of Newark and Fair Haven
232 PM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
6 PM EST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow expected. Total snow 
  accumulations of 6 to 9 inches in the most persistent lake 
  snows.

* WHERE...Wayne and Northern Cayuga counties.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 6 PM EST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult at times with snow
  covered roads and very poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If traveling, be
prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.

Submit snow reports through our website or social media.

&&

Experimental content below...do not use operationally
Please see below links for more information on this experiment
http://www.weather.gov/buf/polygon_pdd
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/notification/
pns15lake_effect_snowaaa.htm
To view the experimental polygons please see:
http://www.weather.gov/buf/lespolygon
COORD...4318 7647 4323 7658 4327 7703 4326 7730 
        4315 7734 4314 7720 4307 7697 4305 7698 4302 7662 
        4302 7650 
TIME Y21M02D19T2300Z-Y21M02D20T1200Z
COORD...4315 7648 4318 7673 4324 7688 4327 7723 
        4324 7736 4320 7737 4312 7729 4303 7698 4303 7680 
        4302 7650 
TIME Y21M02D20T1200Z-Y21M02D20T2300Z

$$

NYZ003-200345-
/O.UPG.KBUF.WS.A.0006.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
/O.NEW.KBUF.WW.Y.0013.210219T2300Z-210220T2300Z/
Monroe-
Including the city of Rochester
232 PM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
6 PM EST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 
  3 to 6 inches in the most persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Monroe county. Greatest accumulations along and north of
  Route 104.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 6 PM EST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on snow covered and slippery road conditions with
  reduced visibility at times.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Lake effect snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If
traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and
visibilities.

Submit snow reports through our website or social media.

&&

$$

NYZ012-019-020-085-200345-
/O.NEW.KBUF.WW.Y.0013.210219T2300Z-210221T0300Z/
Wyoming-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus-Southern Erie-
Including the cities of Warsaw, Jamestown, Olean, Orchard Park, 
and Springville
232 PM EST Fri Feb 19 2021

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
10 PM EST SATURDAY...

* WHAT...Lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 
  4 to 7 inches in the most persistent lake snows.

* WHERE...Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Southern Erie 
  counties.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to 10 PM EST Saturday.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be difficult at times with snow covered
  roads and poor visibility.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Lake effect snow will fall in relatively narrow bands. If
traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and
visibilities.

Submit snow reports through our website or social media.

&&

$$

Hitchcock

The office that day

Everything else NWS Buffalo, NY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 6:11 AM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryBUF15 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Watches in New York, 2021Every winter storm watch in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.