Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 10 to 11, 2008

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 10 to 11, 2008
Start: 2008-02-10T14:00
End: 2008-02-11T07:00
Location: New York

February 10 to 11, 2008 · NWS ALY · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

As arctic air poured over the relatively warm Great Lakes, localized intense snowbands developed late Sunday afternoon on February 10th, and persisted through early Monday morning on February 11th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 9 inches within the most persistent snow bands.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

As arctic air poured over the relatively warm Great Lakes, localized intense snowbands developed late Sunday afternoon on February 10th, and persisted through early Monday morning on February 11th.

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 9 inches within the most persistent snow bands. These higher snowfall amounts were mainly confined to areas north of Route 28.

The locally heavy snow, combined with wind gusts exceeding 40 mph, created white out conditions within the intense snow bands, which, combined with significant snow accumulations and drifts, also resulted in some road closures.

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 Feb 10, 12:31 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 10, 12:31 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 10, 5:15 AM EST, 8 hours 45 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 10, 12:24 PM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Feb 10, 1:10 PM EST, 50 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Feb 10, 1:44 PM EST, 16 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Herkimer

When: February 10, 2:00 PM EST to February 11, 7:00 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)

Lake-Effect Snow, Hamilton

When: February 10, 2:00 PM EST to February 11, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Hamilton forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.661, -74.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lake-Effect Snow: Heavy snow in bands downwind of a large lake as cold air crosses warmer water.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, February 2008

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: 81305, 81306.