New York, 2008

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

February 10 to 11, 2008 · NWS BUF · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Bands of lake snows developed by mid to late afternoon of the 10th east of Lake Ontario and became intense Sunday night and most of Monday. The bands started across northern Oswego county and the Tug Hill, edged southward into central Oswego county for much of Monday before lifting north a bit again Monday night and shutting down overnight into Tuesday morning.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$35,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 BUF wrote it up.

Bands of lake snows developed by mid to late afternoon of the 10th east of Lake Ontario and became intense Sunday night and most of Monday. The bands started across northern Oswego county and the Tug Hill, edged southward into central Oswego county for much of Monday before lifting north a bit again Monday night and shutting down overnight into Tuesday morning. This event was exacerbated by very strong winds Sunday night into Monday morning which resulted in many whiteouts and road closures, including I-81. The State University of New York at Oswego cancelled classes on Monday the 11th. This was the most severe lake effect event of the 07-08 winter season in regard to winds, visibilities and frigid temperatures which were just above zero, with wind chills of -20, dangerous conditions. Specific snowfalls reported: 41 inches at Minetto, 26 inches at Mexico, 24 inches at Oswego, 20 inches at Pulaski, and 17 inches Boonville.

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 Buffalo, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 10, 1:08 PM EST, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 10, 1:08 PM EST, 52 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When
February 10, 2:00 PM EST to February 11, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Oswego forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson

When
February 10, 2:00 PM EST to February 11, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When
February 10, 2:00 PM EST to February 11, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Lewis forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.785, -75.449 (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

More

Every storm in New York in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 83012, 83013, 83014.