Alert archive / New York / Winter Storm Watches in 2026

Winter Storm Watch 4, NWS Buffalo, NY

March 12, 2026Jefferson County, Lewis County, Oswego County, New York

NWS Buffalo, NY issued this winter storm watch at Mar 12, 2026, 1:44 AM EDT for Jefferson County, Lewis County, Oswego County, New York. It took effect at Mar 13, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT. It was in force for .

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 12, 2026, 1:44 AM EDT (05:44 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 13, 2026, 11:00 AM EDT
Expired
Mar 12, 2026, 1:57 PM EDT
In force
Issued by
NWS Buffalo, NY

Counties Jefferson County, NY, Lewis County, NY, Oswego County, NY

The radar

The Ft Drum radar (KTYX), 18 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:46 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

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 00:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 205 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, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 2026-03-12Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Albany, NY at 00:00Z on 2026-03-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 600 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1303 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
600 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
713 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this winter storm watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Buffalo, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this winter storm watch went out at Mar 11, 7:50 PM EDT, 5 hours 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 11, 7:50 PM EDT, 5 hours 54 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 11, 7:30 PM EDT, 6 hours 14 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

NYZ007-008-122330-
Jefferson-Lewis-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central New York.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.

Winds may gust over 40 mph tonight behind a strong cold front.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Flood Watch.

Another period of strong winds are possible later Friday afternoon
through Friday night, with gusts over 45 mph possible.

Accumulating snow is expected across the Tug Hill Plateau and
western Adirondacks Friday through Saturday morning with moderate
accumulations possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

NYZ006-122330-
Oswego-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central New York.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Wind gusts may reach or exceed 40 mph tonight along and behind a
strong cold front.

Runoff from snowmelt and recent rains will result in rising water
levels on creeks and rivers, and another round of significant
rainfall will occur today and tonight.

The risk of flooding along rivers and creeks that drain the Tug Hill
Plateau will increase tonight, with high flows then lasting through
next weekend.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Another period of strong winds are possible later Friday afternoon
through Friday night, with gusts over 45 mph possible.

Accumulating snow is expected across the Tug Hill Plateau and
western Adirondacks Friday through Saturday morning with moderate
accumulations possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

NYZ001>005-010>014-019>021-085-122330-
Niagara-Orleans-Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-Northern Erie-Genesee-
Wyoming-Livingston-Ontario-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus-Allegany-
Southern Erie-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north
central New York.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Another period of strong winds are possible later Friday through
Friday night, with gusts over 45 mph possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

LOZ043>045-063>065-122330-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence
River-Lake Ontario open waters from Hamlin Beach to Sodus Bay-
Lake Ontario open waters from Sodus Bay to Mexico Bay-
Lake Ontario open waters from Mexico Bay to the Saint Lawrence River-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM EDT
THURSDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Ontario.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

LOZ042-062-122330-
Lake Ontario nearshore waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach-
Lake Ontario open waters from the Niagara River to Hamlin Beach-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT
THURSDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Ontario.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Warning.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

LEZ040-041-122330-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Ripley to Dunkirk-
Lake Erie nearshore waters from Dunkirk to Buffalo-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE FRIDAY
NIGHT...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Erie.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Hazardous weather is not expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Gale Watch.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

LEZ020-LOZ030-122330-
Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor-Lower Niagara River-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Erie and Lake
Ontario.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

SLZ022-024-122330-
Saint Lawrence River from Cape Vincent to Ogdensburg-
Saint Lawrence River from Ogdensburg to Saint Regis-
730 PM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the New York waters of the
Saint Lawrence River.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

This product, along with other watches, warnings, advisories, and
statements issued by the National Weather Service office in Buffalo
can be found on the internet at http://www.weather.gov/buf

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 1:44 AM EDTHigh Wind WatchBUFChautauqua12 hr
Mar 12, 3:41 AM EDTGale WatchBUF10 hr
Mar 12, 3:41 AM EDTGale WarningBUF61 hr
Mar 12, 1:57 PM EDTWinter Storm WarningBUFCattaraugus, Erie, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Wyoming48 hr
Mar 12, 1:59 PM EDTHigh Wind WarningBUFCattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara and 2 more44 hr
Mar 12, 1:59 PM EDTWind AdvisoryBUFAllegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario and 1 more48 hr

Nearby

Winter Storm Watches in New York, 2026Every winter storm watch in 2026

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.