Winter Storm in New York, December 6, 1996

Name: Winter Storm in New York, December 6, 1996
Start: 1996-12-06T04:00
End: 1996-12-06T15:00
Location: New York

December 6, 1996 · NWS ALY · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A low pressure system off the coast of New Jersey rapidly intensified during the morning hours of December 6. Heavy wet snow fell over the higher terrain of the Catskills and Taconics.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.

A low pressure system off the coast of New Jersey rapidly intensified during the morning hours of December 6. Heavy wet snow fell over the higher terrain of the Catskills and Taconics. The wet snow downed trees and power lines which resulted in power outages for several thousand customers. Some specific snowfall totals included: 16 inches at East Jewitt in Greene County, 8 inches at Averill Park in Rensselaer County and 8 inches at Westerlo in Albany County.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Schoharie

When: December 6, 4:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Schoharie forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.588, -74.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Albany

When: December 6, 4:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Western Albany forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Rensselaer

When: December 6, 4:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Rensselaer forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Greene

When: December 6, 4:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Western Greene forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.277, -74.123 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5576022, 5576023, 5576024, 5576025.