Heavy Snow in New York, December 22 to 23, 1998

The first shot of arctic air of this winter season invaded central New York on the 22nd. By that afternoon, the combination of this cold air crossing over the still relatively warm Lake Ontario waters set off bands of lake effect snow. The most intense band of snow became positioned over northern Oneida county from late in the afternoon on the 22nd into the early morning hours of the 23rd. The band occasionally migrated into central portions of the county during the overnight period. By mid-morning on the 23rd, this lake snow band had shifted back northward into far northern sections of the county, then eventually out of the area into Lewis and Jefferson counties. The highest snowfall totals for this event ran within a narrow east to west corridor from near Camden eastward to Point Rock and Stokes Hill, then to just north of Holland Patent. Accumulations averaged 6 to 12 inches. Specifically, Stokes Hill picked just over a foot of snow, while Holland Patent, Forestport, and Point Rock received 7 to 9 inches. The greater Rome vicinity picked up close to 6 inches of snow.