New York, 2003

Heavy Snow in New York, December 18, 2003

December 18, 2003 · NWS BGM · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system moved up the eastern United States coast on the 17th to be in New England late that day. Rain started on the 16th continuing into the 17th before changing completely to snow during the afternoon.

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
$80,000
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 BGM wrote it up.

A strong low pressure system moved up the eastern United States coast on the 17th to be in New England late that day. Rain started on the 16th continuing into the 17th before changing completely to snow during the afternoon. Wet snow only amounted to 2 to 3 inches across the area on the 17th. Colder air from the west and northwest was pulled in behind the exiting surface low pressure with surface winds between 15 and 25 mph. Lake effect snow became organized early on the 18th, then ended as flurries the evening of the 18th. Snowfall amounts were mostly 10 to 15 inches across the northern half of Oneida County. In Onondaga, Madison, and the southern half of Oneida Counties snowfall amounts were 6 to 12 inches. The heaviest snow fell during the first half of the 18th.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Northern Oneida

When
December 18, 12:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Oneida forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.242, -75.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Oneida

When
December 18, 2:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Oneida forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.242, -75.436 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Onondaga

When
December 18, 2:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Onondaga forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.006, -76.195 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Madison

When
December 18, 2:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.913, -75.670 (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

More

Every storm in New York in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, December 2003

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: 5329269, 5329270, 5329271, 5329272.