Winter Storm in New York, December 25 to 26, 2002

Name: Winter Storm in New York, December 25 to 26, 2002
Start: 2002-12-25T15:00
End: 2002-12-26T04:00
Location: New York

December 25 to 26, 2002 · NWS ALY · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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 area from the Mississippi Valley moved northeastward and rapidly redeveloped along the North Carolina coast by early on Christmas morning. The storm dramatically deepened as it tracked northeast along the atlantic coast and reached just south of eastern Long Island by late Christmas night. With plenty of cold polar air in place, the stage was set for a record breaking snowstorm across eastern New York, the biggest snowstorm since the Superstorm of 93. The snow began in earnest before midday across the Catskills and Mohawk Valley, and overspread the remainder of eastern New York by the afternoon. During the late day and evening hours, snowfall rates averaged 1 to 3 inches per hour while an intense narrow band, with rates up to 5 inches per hour, set up across Southern Herkimer and Montgomery counties. The bulk of the crippling snowstorm fell in about a 15 hour period, winding down a little after midnight on December 26. A little sleet mixed in across the Hudson Valley during the early portions of the storm, but snow was the primary precipitation type. Snowfall amounts ranged from nearly 3 feet across portions of the Mohawk Valley and extreme southern Herkimer County, to about 2 feet in the Capital District and around a foot or less well south from Poughkeepsie south, and from Glens Falls north. There was a sharp cutoff where the accumulating snow fell across northern Herkimer and northern Hamilton counties, but the majority of population in both these counties were still impacted by 7 or more inches of snow. A few specific snowfall amounts included 21.0 inches at Albany in Albany County, 8.8 inches at Beacon, Dutchess County, 25.0 inches at Niskayuna, Schenectady County and 23 inches at Cobleskill, in Schoharie County. The maximum amount reported from this storm was 34.0 inches in Cedarville, in southern Herkimer County. The 19.2 inches of snow that fell on Christmas Day easily smashed the 13.8 inch Christmas day record previously set in 1978. It was the ninth greatest snowstorm in Albany's history. Not only did the snow come down at a furious clip, but 15 to 30 mph wind gusts produced some blowing and drifting of the snow and travel was next to impossible during the height of the storm. Near blizzard conditions were noted across the higher terrain, where winds briefly gusted to 50 mph. Many vehicular accidents were reported and many vehicles became stuck or went off roadways. At one point, the New York State Thruway was closed between the cities of Catskill and Syracuse. Many other roads like Highway 5S were closed as well as all county roads in Schenectady County. A general state of emergency was declared in portions of Herkimer, Montgomery and Schenectady counties. Ninety five percent of the flights were cancelled out of Albany International Airport, stranding many at the airport through Christmas night. A transformer malfunction left 2,600 customers in the dark in the Ballston Spa area with spotty power outages noted elsewhere. The snow removal cost was estimated at 310,00 dollars in the city of Schenectady, and it took days for many side roads to be plowed. In the city of Albany the estimated cost of the snow removal was 250,000 dollars.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 25, 2:17 PM EST, 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 25, 2:17 PM EST, 43 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
217 PM EST WED DEC 25 2002

.DISC...WELL YOU WONT HAVE TO DREAM ABOUT A WHITE CHRISTMAS HERE.
MJR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT FCA INTO THE EVENING. 1-2 FEET LIKELY.

.SHORT TERM...MAX FRONTOGEN FM RUC40/WSETA CORRELATES VERY WELL WITH
RAPID INCREASE IN WSR88D RETURNS FM W CTSKLS TO S BERK CTY WITH
NEW AREA RAPIDLY LIFTING NNW FM MID HUD VLY TO N CT. HAVE HAD
REPORTS OF HVY IP AND ZR MIXED IN SE ZNS...BUT THESE SEEM TO HAVE
DIM AS MST RECENT REPORTS HV HVY SNOW IN AREA OF 50DBZ RETURN AND
REPORTS OF FLAKES THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. THIS MRNG REPORTS OF THUNDER
AND LIGHTING DETECTION SYS SHOWING NUMEROUS STRIKES OFFSHORE AND
SEVERAL ACROSS N NJ AND SE NY.

IN ANY CASE HVY SNOW ALIGNS WELL WITH DEFORMATION AXIS AND
ORIENTATION TO H700 MB HPA AND 300 HPA JET COUPLING AS PER RECENT
CSTAR BANDING CONCEPTUAL MODEL. APPEAR TO BE 3 BANDS MOVING INLAND
FM SSE TO NNW. CLOUD TOP COOLING CONTS ACRS RGN IN DCVA AND LOOKS
LIKE THE UPR LVL CUT OFF IS IN PROCESS OF CAPTURING THE WRM CONVEYOR
BELT INFLOW THATS OFFSHORE. SFC LOW IS GOING THRU BOMBOGENISUS OFF
NJ WITH PRES FALLS EXCEEDING 10 MB/HR NOW OVR E LONG IS...AND SFC
PRESSURE DOWN TO 978 MB AS SFC LOW JUST OFF BARNEGATT BAY NJ. DRNG
AFTN SFC LOW WL BE CAPTURED BY UP LEVEL SYSTEM WITH RAPIDLY
SHORTENING WV LENGTHS AND EXPLOSIVE UVM. ALL MDLS FAIRLY CONSISTENT
WITH EVENT AS HEAVY SNOW FROM RAPIDLY DEEPENING LOW AND BANDING
PRODUCES AMNTS OF 1-3 INCHES/ HR AND AT TIMES 2-4 IN/HR INTO THE
EARLY EVENING. LOWERED AMTS A TAD SE DUE TO AMNT OF IP THAT WAS
OCCURRING THIS MORNING...BUT DYNAMIC COOLING SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN
CARE OF THE FEW WARM PATCHES CIRCULATING AROUND RGN AND PTYPE HAS
CHANGES TO HVY SNOW IN CT. SO ALL AND ALL CURRENT FCST AMNTS LOOK
GOOD AND WILL HOLD WITH GEN 1-2 FEET LIKELY.

TNGT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM DESPITE BEING ALMOST VERTICAL...MVS E...TO
GULF OF MAINE BY MORNING. HEAVIER SNOW WL CONT TO 01-03Z THEN DIM TO
LT SNOW WHICH WL END FM NW TO SE TWRD MRNG.

.LONG TERM...AFTR TDYS STORM WX PRETTY QUIET AND MDLS FAIRLY
CONSISTENT. THURSDAY THE INTENSE SFC SYSTEM WL BE WELL OUT TO SEA
BUT IT WL STILL HV STRONG WIND GRAD ACRS FCA. RESIDUAL LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE WILL KEEP CLOUDS OVER HIGHER TERRAIN...ALONG WITH SCT -SHSN
IN ADRDKS AND CATSKLS. FRI WK BNDRY NW-SE ACRS N TIER OF ZNS MAY
ENHACE SCT -SHSN BUT IT LIFTS QUICKLY AWAY DRNG DAY. FRI NT A WK
SHRT WV MVS FM THE MIDWEST TWRD FCA WITH INCR CLDS.

.HYDROLOGICAL STATUS...WITH ONLY WINTER-TYPE PRECIPITATION IN THE
CARDS, NO PROBLEMS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

.ALY...WINTER STORM WARNINGS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY WARNING AREA
THROUGH TONIGHT.

SNYDER

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 25, 4:10 AM EST, 10 hours 50 minutes before

CTZ001-MAZ001-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-VTZ013-014-
251045-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
410 AM EST WED DEC 25 2002

...CORRECTED FOR MINOR TYPING ERROR...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NEW YORK AND ADJACENT
WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

.DAY ONE...TODAY
A POWERFUL NORTHEASTER SNOWSTORM WILL BRING 1 TO 2 FEET OF SNOW TO
MUCH OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND BY THE TIME IT
TAPERS OFF TONIGHT.  THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS LIKELY TO FALL SOUTH OF
THE EASTERN MOHAWK VALLEY AND LAKE GEORGE AREA.  AMOUNTS IN THE
WESTERN ADIRONDACKS MAY AVERAGE AROUND HALF A FOOT.  OVER TWO FEET
IS POSSIBLE IN THIS STORM IN SOME OF THE MORE HIGHLY ELEVATED AREAS
IN THE CATSKILLS...BERKSHIRES...TACONICS...AND SOUTHERN GREEN
MOUNTAINS.

.DAYS TWO THOUGH SEVEN...
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION AND MORE DETAIL...VISIT US ON THE
WEB AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV. FROM THERE YOU CAN CLICK ON THE AREA YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN...AND VISIT THE LOCAL FORECAST OFFICE IN THAT AREA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.

HEMMERICH

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Eastern Albany

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Albany forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Columbia

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Columbia forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.250, -73.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Dutchess

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Dutchess forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.765, -73.743 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Greene

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Greene forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.277, -74.123 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Rensselaer

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Rensselaer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Schenectady

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Schenectady forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.818, -74.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Ulster

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Ulster forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.888, -74.259 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Fulton

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.114, -74.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hamilton

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.661, -74.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Montgomery

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.902, -74.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Herkimer

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Herkimer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.420, -74.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Saratoga

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Saratoga forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Schoharie

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Schoharie forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.588, -74.442 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Herkimer

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Herkimer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.420, -74.962 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Saratoga

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Saratoga forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.107, -73.864 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Warren

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.561, -73.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.314, -73.431 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Albany

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Albany forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Columbia

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Columbia forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.250, -73.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Dutchess

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Dutchess forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.765, -73.743 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Greene

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Greene forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.277, -74.123 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Rensselaer

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Rensselaer forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.711, -73.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Schenectady

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Schenectady forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.818, -74.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Ulster

When: December 25, 3:00 PM EST to December 26, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Western Ulster forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.888, -74.259 (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 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, December 2002

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5325563, 5325564, 5325565, 5325566, 5325567, 5325568, 5325569, 5325570, 5325571, 5325572, 5325573, 5325574, 5325575, 5325576, 5325577, 5325578, 5325579, 5325580, 5325581, 5325582, 5325583, 5325584, 5325585, 5325586.