Winter Storm in New York, March 16 to 17, 2004

Name: Winter Storm in New York, March 16 to 17, 2004
Start: 2004-03-16T16:00
End: 2004-03-17T04:00
Location: New York

March 16 to 17, 2004 · NWS ALY · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

On March 16, a potent low pressure area moved from the Great Lakes region, eastward to just north of the Mason-Dixon line. This storm moved off the coast of New Jersey and out to sea by St.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 18

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.

On March 16, a potent low pressure area moved from the Great Lakes region, eastward to just north of the Mason-Dixon line. This storm moved off the coast of New Jersey and out to sea by St. Patrick's Day. At the same time, high pressure was located over eastern Canada. The interaction of the two systems produced enough moisture off the Atlantic Ocean and cold air for a significant late winter snowstorm across portions of eastern New York. A stripe of snow, accumulating 7 to 12 inches, fell across the Mohawk Valley, Capital District and the Taconic Hills. Elsewhere in eastern New York, slightly lesser amounts of snow were reported. Specific snowfall amounts in Albany County included 8.0 inches at Albany and 11.4 inches at Knox. 8.2 inches of snow fell at Gloversville, Fulton County and 10.0 inches accumulated at Cobleskill, Schoharie County. Excluding the usual plethora of vehicular fender benders and school delays, no unusual problems were reported to the National Weather Service as a result of this storm.

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 Mar 16, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 16, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
250 PM EST TUE MAR 16 2004

DISC...STORM UNDERWAY WHICH WILL PRODUCE A MODERATE TO HEAVY
SNOWFALL ACROSS THE REGION. VERY DRY AIR AHEAD OF SYSTEM...RESULTED
IN A LOT OF EVAPORATION THIS MORNING.  AS OF 230 PM ABOUT 2 INCHES
AT KALY. POTENTIAL FOR BANDING WITH THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN
REALIZED...ALTHOUGH BAND LOOKED BETTER 1-2 HOURS AGO.  PRIMARY LOW
PRODUCING A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE TO  HEAVY SNOW. PRIMARY NEAR SW
CORNER OPF PA AT 18Z WITH SECONDARY FORMING ALONG VA COAST.
LARGEST PRESSURE FALLS HAVE BEGUN TO SHIFT TO COASTAL SYSTEM.

ONE THING I DONT LIKE IS THE TRACK OF SECONDARY.  ETA/GFS A LITTLE
FARTHER SOUTH THAN I WOULD LIKE...ALTHOUGH PRESSURE FALL LOCATION
INDICATION IT MAY END UP CLOSER TO THE COAST THAN MODELED. THE
FORECAST TRACK MIGHT TAKE HEAVIEST PRECIP OFF TO OUR SOUTH...AND
WHILE PRIMARY PRODUCING ITS OWN LARGE BAND OF HEAVY SNOW...IT WILL
BE WEAKENING.  WITH STRONG HIGH TO THE NORTH AUGMENTING EASTERLY
INFLOW...THE BANDING POTENTIAL AND PERIODS OF STRONG VERTICAL MOTION
IN SNOW GROWTH REGION...WILL LIKELY STICK FAIRLY CLOSE TO CURRENT
FORECAST.  HAVE EDGED SNOW AMOUNTS DOWN A BIT EXTREME SOUTH ...OUT
OF MAIN BANDING FEATURE.  WILL MAKE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS BEFORE RELEASE.

WENT CLOSER TO HIGHER ETA POPS ON WED WITH ATLANTIC INFLOW
CONTINUING FOR A WHILE.  ACCUMULATIONS INCH OR LESS.

QUESTIONS LINGER WITH THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY SYSTEM.  CANADIAN/GFS
FURTHER NORTH WITH QPF THAN ETA.  CHANCE POPS..HIGHEST FROM SOUTH
(50) TO NORTH FOR NOW.

EXTENDED...FRONTAL SYSTEM SATURDAY WONT HAVE A LOT OF MOISTURE TO
WORK.  CHANCE POPS ALL AREAS AT SOME POINT.  SUNDAY AND MONDAY IN W
TO NW FLOW WITH FLURRIES/SNOW SHOWERS MAINLY N AND W SECTIONS.  BEST
CHANCE MONDAYS AS AIR COLD DOWN.

AVIATION...WIDESPREAD IFR CONDITIONS THROUGH MOST OF TONIGHT WITH
SLOW IMPROVEMENT LATE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.

.HYDRO...WITH WINTER BACK...IT LOOKS LIKE NO HYDRO PROBLEMS FOR A
WHILE.

.ALY...WINTER STORM WARNING  THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ALBANYS ENTIRE
COUNTY WARNING AREA.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 16, 2:52 PM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before

NEW YORK STATEWIDE POLICE INFORMATION NETWORK
TROOP E
0251PM     TUE MAR 16 2004
#2 0000002 000
ELSO WLSR APTS
01379    FILE 28   LIVINGSTON CO SO GENESEO NY0250000        MAR 16-04
TO       APB

ROAD CONDITION REPORT FOR DATE: 03/16/05  TIME: 1430HRS

COUNTY AFFECTED: LIVINGSTON

HIGHWAY (S) AFFECTED: ALL

CONDITION(S) : SNOW COVERED AND SLICK

**NO UNNECESSARY TRAVEL ADVISED**

ANTICIPATED RETURN TO NORMAL CONDITION: UNKNOWN

AUTH JOHN M YORK  SHERIFF                        HY/1450HRS
OPER - HY,KELLEY A                    1450

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Eastern Albany

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Eastern Albany forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 42.600, -73.974 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Columbia

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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 Greene

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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, Montgomery

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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 Fulton

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.114, -74.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Saratoga

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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, Southeast Warren

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Southeast Warren forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.561, -73.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Fulton

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.114, -74.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Herkimer

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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, Western Albany

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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 Greene

When: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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: March 16, 4:00 PM EST to March 17, 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)

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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, March 2004

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: 5387006, 5387007, 5387008, 5387009, 5387010, 5387011, 5387012, 5387013, 5387014, 5387015, 5387016, 5387017, 5387018, 5387019, 5387020, 5387021, 5387022, 5387023.