Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New York, December 19 to 20, 2009

Name: Blizzard and Heavy Snow in New York, December 19 to 20, 2009
Start: 2009-12-19T12:00
End: 2009-12-20T12:00
Location: New York

December 19 to 20, 2009 · NWS OKX · 14 events in 12 counties and zones

just southeast of the 40N/70W benchmark and to southeast of Cape Cod by Sunday morning. This was in response to a powerful upper low approaching and then crossing south of the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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: 14

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 OKX wrote it up.

Coastal low pressure rapidly intensified Saturday night as it tracked northeast from off the Delmarva Coast...just southeast of the 40N/70W benchmark and to southeast of Cape Cod by Sunday morning. This was in response to a powerful upper low approaching and then crossing south of the area. The track of low pressure to the southeast of the region and stubborn placement of arctic high pressure over the Northern US Plains and Southern Canadian Plains...ridging eastward...made for the ideal setup for heavy snow across most of the region. The rapid intensification of low pressure created blizzard or near blizzard conditions over Long Island for several hours with northeast winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts 35 to 45 mph and visibilities below mile. Near whiteout conds were experienced across Suffolk County during the height of the storm. Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour occurred with an intense mesoscale band that developed S of the region pivoted northwest into West/Central Long Island and then slowly pulled east through the overnight. Snow totals increased rapidly from northwest to southeast across the region...with 3 to 6 inches across Orange County around 1 ft across the NYC metro and around 2 ft across Suffolk County.

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 New York, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 19, 10:56 AM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 19, 10:56 AM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1056 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
A POWERFUL COASTAL STORM WILL BRING A SWATH OF HEAVY SNOW AND
STRONG WINDS TO THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT WEEK. A COMPLEX LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE REGION BY
THE END OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
10 AM MESOSCALE UPDATE...HEAVY SNOW BAND HAS SET UP ABOUT 50-80
MILES SOUTH OF NYC AND LONG ISLAND...AND CONTINUES TO CRAWL SLOWLY
NORTHWARD. RADAR RETURNS QUITE DECEIVING AS SFC ASOS OBS INDICATE
SNOW ONLY AS FAR NORTH AS UKT/DYL/TTN/BLM...WITH TJFK AND TEWR
RADARS SHOWING SNOW JUST SOUTH OF THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE
CWA...AND KOKX JUST SHOWING THE FIRST FLAKES ARRIVING ON THE SOUTH
SHORE OF LONG ISLAND IN WESTERN SUFFOLK. PER OBS SHOWING DRY AIR
STILL WINNING OUT TO THE NORTH...IR/WV SATELLITE SHOWING SOME MID
LEVEL DRYING APPROACHING THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH (ALSO EVIDENCED
BY WEAKENING RADAR RETURNS IN THE BANDING S OF LONG ISLAND)...AND
12Z RUC13 INDICATING STRONGEST BANDING REMAINING JUST SOUTH OF
NYC/LONG ISLAND UNTIL TONIGHT AND THEN PIVOTING UP INTO THE AREA
AS THE ASSOCIATED SFC LOW MOVES NORTHEAST FROM ITS CURRENT
POSITION NE OF CAPE HATTERAS...SCALED BACK POP SIGNIFICANTLY THIS
MORNING ACROSS THE BOARD...AND ACROSS CT AND THE LOWER HUDSON
VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON WHERE IT IS DOUBTFUL IF ANY SNOW WILL FALL
UNTIL TONIGHT. HAVE THEREFORE HELD WITH A WATCH FOR ORANGE AND
PUTNAM COUNTIES.

WINDS SHOULD PICK UP LATE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT WITH STRONGEST
BANDING AND HEAVY SNOW HOLDING OFF UNTIL EVENING...THINK ANY
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL ALSO HOLD OFF UNTIL TONIGHT.

TEMPS SHOULD TOP OUT FROM 25-30 NW OF NYC...TO THE LOWER
30S ELSEWHERE...DROPPING ONCE SNOW BEGINS TO FALL.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY/...
MODELS IN VERY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH SYNOPTIC FEATURES OF THE
INTENSIFYING MID/UPPER TROUGH SLIDING FROM THE OHIO VALLEY AND
THEN JUST SE OF THE REGION TONIGHT WHILE CUTTING OFF. THIS IN
COMBO OF INTENSIFYING UPPER JET ALLOWING FOR COASTAL LOW PRESSURE
TO CONTINUE TO BOMB AS IT TRACKS FROM THE DELMARVA THIS
EVENING...JUST SE OF THE 40/70 BENCHMARK...AND TO SE OF CAPE COD
BY SUN MORNING.

IDEAL PLACEMENT OF ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHERN
CANADIAN PLAINS...RIDGING INTO SOUTHERN QUEBEC AND ONTARIO AND
TRACK OF MID/SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SHOULD MAINTAIN THIS AS AN ALL
SNOW EVENT ACROSS THE REGION.

ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE THERE FOR MESOSCALE BANDING...WHERE
SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 3 INCHES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT...BUT
QUESTION IS WHERE EXACTLY THIS SETS UP. EMBEDDED CONVECTION
POSSIBLE AS WELL IN THIS BAND. ENSEMBLE/OPER MODEL FIELDS HAVE
PLACED THIS ANYWHERE FROM NY/NJ METRO INTO SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
LOWER HUDSON VALLEY AND EXTREME SW CONN...OR SOUTHEAST TO EASTERN
LI AND EXTREME SE CONN. THE OTHER UNCERTAINTY WOULD BE THAT TO THE
NW OF THIS BAND...SUBSIDENCE AND CAA WOULD RAPIDLY CUT OFF SNOW
AMOUNTS. FOR THIS REASON HAVE MAINTAINED A WINTER STORM WATCH
ACROSS ORANGE AND PUTNAM COUNTY. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR SIX OR
MORE INCHES OF SNOW IF BANDING DEVELOPS FAR ENOUGH NW...BUT IF NOT
THE REGION MAY ONLY SEE LOW END ADVISORY AMOUNTS. WITH POSSIBLE
WARNING/ADVISORY LEVEL SNOWS NOT EXPECTED UNTIL TONIGHT HAVE
CONTINUED WATCH THERE AND WILL LET DAY SHIFT MONITOR RADAR/BANDING
TRENDS THOUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND ISSUE. OTHERWISE REMAINDER
OF WSW PRODUCTS REMAIN AS IS.

IN ADDITION...IF THE BAND DEVELOPS ACROSS NY/NJ METRO AND N...THEN
FAR SE SECTIONS OF MAY SEE SOME DRY SLOTTING. FOR THIS
REASON...HAVE NOT TRIED TO PINPOINT LINE...BUT BASED ON A ENSEMBLE
QPF APPROACH HAVE GONE WITH A GENERAL 10 TO 15 INCHES FROM NY/NJ
METRO AND POINTS NE AND E. HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE WHERE BAND
DEVELOPS...SLIGHTLY LOWER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE TO THE SE AND
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER TO THE NW.

STRONG PRESSURE FALLS AND TIGHT GRADIENT TONIGHT WILL HAVE WINDS
INCREASING ALONG THE COAST TO 20 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH.
HAVE CONTINUED BLIZZARD WARNING AS IS ACROSS LONG ISLAND...WHERE
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EASTERN LI.
INCREASED FRICTIONAL EFFECTS WITH N FLOW OVER SE CONN AND NYC SHOULD
KEEP CONDS MAINLY BELOW BLIZZARD. HIGHEST PROB OF BLIZZARD CONDS IN
WARNED AREA EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT INTO SUN MORNING AS TEMPS DROP
WELL DOWN INTO THE 20S AND SNOW BECOMES LIGHTER COMBINED WITH
STRONG WINDS.

HEAVIEST PERIOD OF SNOW EXPECTED BETWEEN 00 TO 12Z WITH BEST
DYNAMICS...GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF FROM W TO E IN LIGHT TO MODERATE
DEFORMATION BANDING SUN MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON AS UPPER TROUGH
PIVOTS NE. LIGHT ADDITIONAL ACCUM...PARTICULARLY EAST. SNOW
SHOULD FINALLY COME TO AN END ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS BY MID
AFTERNOON. TEMPS MAXING OUT UPPER 20S INTERIOR AND LOWER 30S
COAST.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
THE COASTAL LOW WILL SLOWLY MOVE TOWARDS NOVA SCOTIA WITH HIGH
PRESSURE GRADUALLY BUILDING IN FROM THE WEST. SKIES WILL PARTIALLY
CLEAR AND WEATHER SHOULD BE DRY THROUGH MID-WEEK. TEMPERATURES
LOWERED ON GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD TO ACCOUNT FOR EXPECTED SNOW
COVER. BREEZY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS SHOULD SUBSIDE BY WEDNESDAY AS
RIDGE AXIS CENTERS OVER THE REGION.

TEMPERATURES WILL GRADUALLY WARM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WILL AS A
HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE MOVES OFFSHORE. SURFACE FLOW TURNS MORE EASTERLY
ON THURSDAY AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHERLY OUT AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM BY
EARLY FRIDAY.

QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH STORM SYSTEM FOR THE END OF THE
UPCOMING WEEK. GFS BRINGS THINGS IN FASTER AND IS WARMER THAN THE
ECMWF. FOR NOW RUNNING WITH CHANCE POPS CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT AND
CHRISTMAS DAY...WITH SNOW CHANGING TO A RAIN SNOW MIX.

&&

.AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT TERMINALS NEXT 24H. LEADING EDGE OF
SNOW ACROSS CENTRAL NJ WILL BE SLOW TO ADVANCE NORTH TODAY WITH
PLENTY OF DRY AIR TO OVERCOME IN THE LOW LEVELS. MVFR CONDITIONS
EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NYC TERMINALS AROUND 18Z...SPREADING
NORTH INTO THE CT AND THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY TOWARD EVENING. WITHIN
A COUPLE OF HOURS OF THE ONSET OF THE LIGHT SNOW...IFR CONDITIONS WILL
DEVELOP AND PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT. KSWF WHICH WILL
BE ON THE FAR NW FLANK OF THE SNOW SHIELD WILL TEETER AROUND THE
MVFR/IFR THRESHOLD DURING THE TIME.

N/NE WINDS WILL STEADILY PICK UP WITH GUSTS OF 20 TO 25 KT THIS
AFT AND UP TO 35 ACROSS THE NYC AND COASTAL TERMINALS OVERNIGHT.

GREATEST FORECAST UNCERTAINTY RESIDES IN THE START TIME OF THE
SNOW WHICH MAY VARY BY SEVERAL HOURS.

JFK/EWR/LGA/TEB/ISP...1 TO 2 INCHES AN INCH HOUR FROM 20Z TO 00Z...
THEN 2-3 INCHES AN HOUR THROUGH ABOUT 07Z.

BDR/GON...1-2 INCHES PER HOUR FROM 00Z TO 03Z...THEN 2-3 INCHES
PER HOUR THROUGH ABOUT 09Z.

HPN...1-2 INCHES AN HOUR FROM 23Z TO 06Z

SWF...MAY SEE UP TO AN INCH PER HOUR IF BANDING SETS UP. STILL MOST
UNCERTAIN ABOUT AMOUNT/DURATION HERE.

CONDITIONS SLOWLY IMPROVE SUNDAY MORNING...BUT WINDS REMAIN GUSTY
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

OUTLOOK 00Z MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...

SUN NIGHT-WED...VFR.

&&

.MARINE...
LOW PRES WILL TRACK FROM NEAR HATTERAS THIS MRNG TO ABOUT 165 NM SE
OF MONTAUK SUN MRNG. THE LOW WILL RAPIDLY DEEPEN AS IT TRACKS OVER
THE ATLANTIC DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. WINDS WILL STEADILY INCREASE
THRU THIS AFTN...WITH PEAK WINDS TO OCCUR TNGT.

FLAGS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED WITH THIS FCST. THE DEPTH AND TRACK OF
THE LOW CONTINUES TO SUPPORT STORM CONDITIONS ON THE ERN OCEAN WITH
GALES ELSEWHERE. ANZ355 MAY NEED TO BE UPGRADED TO STORM FOR TNGT
DEPENDING ON HOW THE LOW AND RESULTANT WINDS ARE TRENDING. FOR NOW
WINDS FCST TO 45 KT...WITH THE MOST LIKELY AREA TO HIT STORM IN THE
SERN PORTION.

MAX SEAS...UP TO 17-18 FT OCEAN AND 6-7 FT CNTRL SOUND.

WINDS DIMINISH SLOWLY SUN. THE HARBOR WILL BE THE FIRST TO END GALES
WITH A CANCELLATION BY NOON POSSIBLE.

LOW PRES REMAINS OVER THE N ATLANTIC WITH HI PRES BUILDING IN ACROSS
THE CNTRL CONUS THRU WED. THIS WILL RESULT IN PERSISTENT SCA
CONDITIONS WITH PERIODS OF GALES ON NW FLOW. A BRIEF LULL WILL OCCUR
IN THE THU TIME PERIOD IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT LOW PRES SYSTEM.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
STRONG STORM WILL RESULT IN ABOUT 1.00-1.50 INCH LIQUID EQUIVALENT
QPF ACROSS THE SE TWO THIRDS OF THE REGION...TAPERING TO
0.25-0.50 INCH ACROSS FAR NW ZONES...ALL IN THE FORM OF SNOW.
SLOW DAYTIME MELTING WILL OCCUR THEREAFTER.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
A STRONG N/NE FLOW AND STRONG PRESSURE FALLS EXPECTED LATE TODAY
INTO TONIGHT AS A POWERFUL COASTAL LOW APPROACHES THE REGION.
TIDAL DEPARTURES OF 2 1/2 TO 3 FT ABOVE NORMAL EXPECTED DURING THE
TIMES OF HIGH TIDE TONIGHT...WHICH IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE MINOR
COASTAL FLOODING ALONG NEW YORK HARBOR...THE SOUTHERN BAYS OF
QUEENS...BROOKLYN AND LONG ISLAND...THE NORTH SHORE OF LONG
ISLAND...THE EASTERN BAYS OF LONG ISLAND...AND ALONG WESTERN LONG
ISLAND SOUND DURING THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE.

&&

.OKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
CT...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM EST
     SUNDAY FOR CTZ009-010.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST SUNDAY FOR CTZ005>012.
NY...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM EST
     SUNDAY FOR NYZ071>081.
     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NYZ077>081.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NYZ069>076.
     WINTER STORM WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR NYZ067-068.
NJ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM EST
     SUNDAY FOR NJZ005-006-011.
     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 AM EST SUNDAY FOR NJZ002>006-011.
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST SUNDAY FOR ANZ330-335-338-340-345-
     355.
     STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST SUNDAY FOR
     ANZ350-353.
     GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ350-353.

&&

NEAR TERM...GOODMAN

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 19, 4:55 AM EST, 7 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

CTZ005>008-011-012-NJZ002>004-NYZ069-070-201000-
NORTHERN FAIRFIELD-NORTHERN NEW HAVEN-NORTHERN MIDDLESEX-
NORTHERN NEW LONDON-SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-
WESTERN PASSAIC-BERGEN-EASTERN PASSAIC-ROCKLAND-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 11 AM EST
SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN
CONNECTICUT...NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

CTZ009-010-NJZ005-006-011-NYZ071>076-201000-
SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-ESSEX-HUDSON-UNION-
SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-BRONX-
RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-QUEENS-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 11 AM EST
SUNDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM
EST SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN
CONNECTICUT...NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.
   COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

NYZ067-068-201000-
ORANGE-PUTNAM-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM NOON EST TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY
MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NEW YORK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   WINTER STORM WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

NYZ077>081-201000-
NASSAU-NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 11 AM EST SUNDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM
EST SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NEW YORK.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   BLIZZARD WARNING.
   COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   BLIZZARD WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

ANZ330-335-338-340-345-355-201000-
LONG ISLAND SOUND EAST OF NEW HAVEN CT/PORT JEFFERSON NY-
LONG ISLAND SOUND WEST OF NEW HAVEN CT/PORT JEFFERSON NY-
NEW YORK HARBOR-PECONIC AND GARDINERS BAYS-
SOUTH SHORE BAYS FROM JONES INLET THROUGH SHINNECOCK BAY-
SANDY HOOK NJ TO FIRE ISLAND INLET NY OUT 20 NM-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   GALE WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   GALE WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

ANZ350-353-201000-
MORICHES INLET NY TO MONTAUK POINT NY OUT 20 NM-
FIRE ISLAND INLET NY TO MORICHES INLET NY OUT 20 NM-
455 AM EST SAT DEC 19 2009

...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST
SUNDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   GALE WARNING.
   STORM WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME THAT WOULD MEET
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WARNING CRITERIA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

&&

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL
WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER EVENTS THAT MAY REACH NWS WARNING
CRITERIA. MOST LONG FUSED NWS WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES IN
EFFECT ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST NWS FORECASTS FOR WEATHER NOT MEETING NWS
WARNING CRITERIA.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 heavy snow, 2 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Southwest Suffolk

When: December 19, 12:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Southwest Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bronx

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Bronx forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.827, -73.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Kings (Brooklyn)

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Kings (Brooklyn) forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.634, -73.950 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Queens

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Queens forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Heavy Snow, Richmond (Staten Is.)

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Richmond (Staten Is.) forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.583, -74.150 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, New York (Manhattan)

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: New York (Manhattan) forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.774, -73.970 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Nassau

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Nassau forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Heavy Snow, Northwest Suffolk

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 11:00 AM EST
Where: Northwest Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northeast Suffolk

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northeast Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southeast Suffolk

When: December 19, 1:00 PM EST to December 20, 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Westchester

When: December 19, 3:00 PM EST to December 20, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Westchester forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.152, -73.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Westchester

When: December 19, 4:00 PM EST to December 20, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Westchester forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.152, -73.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Southwest Suffolk

When: December 19, 11:00 PM EST to December 20, 2:00 AM EST
Where: Southwest Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Northwest Suffolk

When: December 19, 11:00 PM EST to December 20, 2:00 AM EST
Where: Northwest Suffolk forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 40.941, -72.685 (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.
Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, December 2009

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: 208412, 208403, 208404, 208405, 208406, 208408, 208411, 208413, 208414, 208415, 208410, 208409, 218023, 218024.