Heavy Snow in New York, December 30, 1997

Name: Heavy Snow in New York, December 30, 1997
Start: 1997-12-30T06:00
End: 1997-12-30T21:20
Location: New York

December 30, 1997 · NWS BUF · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

S. and dropped up to a foot and a half of snow across the Finger Lakes and easter Lake Ontario regions.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $184,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 BUF wrote it up.

A strong storm moved up the east coast of the U.S. and dropped up to a foot and a half of snow across the Finger Lakes and easter Lake Ontario regions. The heavy snow downed power lines and trees east of Rochester. Numerous auto accidents, several with injuries, were a result of the snow. Strong winds combined with the snowfall to produce blowing and drifting snow resulting in significantly reduced visibilities.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Allegany

When: December 30, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Allegany forecast zone
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 42.257, -78.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Oswego

When: December 30, 6:50 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wayne

When: December 30, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 43.066, -76.978 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lewis

When: December 30, 7:15 AM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 43.785, -75.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When: December 30, 12:30 PM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wyoming

When: December 30, 12:30 PM EST
Where: Wyoming forecast zone
Property damage: $12,000
Coordinates: 42.702, -78.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Cayuga

When: December 30, 3:28 PM EST
Where: Northern Cayuga forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 43.010, -76.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Ontario

When: December 30, 6:00 PM EST
Where: Ontario forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 42.853, -77.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Monroe

When: December 30, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Coordinates: 43.165, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cattaraugus

When: December 30, 7:25 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus forecast zone
Property damage: $8,000
Coordinates: 42.249, -78.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Livingston

When: December 30, 9:20 PM EST
Where: Livingston forecast zone
Property damage: $6,000
Coordinates: 42.728, -77.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, December 1997

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5626382, 5626383, 5626384, 5626385, 5626386, 5626387, 5626388, 5626389, 5626390, 5626391, 5626392.