Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 28 to 29, 2009

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 28 to 29, 2009
Start: 2009-12-28T11:00
End: 2009-12-29T19:00
Location: New York

December 28 to 29, 2009 · NWS BUF · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

An upper level disturbance brought a general two to four inch snowfall to the entire region. As the storm departed, lake effect snow developed off Lakes Erie and Ontario in the colder, westerly flow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $105,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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.

An upper level disturbance brought a general two to four inch snowfall to the entire region. As the storm departed, lake effect snow developed off Lakes Erie and Ontario in the colder, westerly flow. The event was a short lived one mainly in a twelve- hour period from Monday (28th) morning through the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday. The snows were very disruptive in the Buffalo area during the afternoon commute as whiteout conditions prevailed as 4 to 10 inches of snow falling in just a few hours. Off Lake Erie, specific snowfall amounts included: Alden 11 inches; Glenwood 10 inches; West Seneca 9 inches; Orchard Park and Elma 8 inches; Dunkirk and Warsaw 7 inches; and Buffalo 3 to 9 inches (from north to south). Off Lake Ontario, specific snowfall amounts included: Copenhagen 14 inches; Beaver Falls 11 inches; Watertown and Lacona 10 inches; Black River 8 inches; and Scriba, Carthage and Palermo 7 inches.

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 Dec 28, 6:39 AM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 28, 6:39 AM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 28, 5:50 AM EST, 5 hours 10 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 28, 9:03 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Dec 28, 9:17 AM EST, 1 hour 43 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Dec 28, 10:31 AM EST, 29 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Dec 28, 10:36 AM EST, 24 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 6:00 AM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.785, -75.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Chautauqua

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Chautauqua forecast zone
Property damage: $18,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.303, -79.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Erie

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 8:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Erie forecast zone
Property damage: $16,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Erie

When: December 28, 11:00 AM EST to December 29, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Erie forecast zone
Property damage: $16,000
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (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 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 206987, 206988, 206989, 206990, 206991, 206992.