Pennsylvania, 2009

Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 7 to 9, 2009

January 7 to 9, 2009 · NWS CTP · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Persistent lake effect snow showers produced three to six inches of snowfall across the Northwest Mountains, with localized amounts near one foot across the snow belt region in the northwest part of Warren county.

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 CTP wrote it up.

Persistent lake effect snow showers produced three to six inches of snowfall across the Northwest Mountains, with localized amounts near one foot across the snow belt region in the northwest part of Warren county.

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, Warren

When
January 7, 3:00 PM EST to January 9, 10:00 AM EST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
41.815, -79.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall reports indicated a general three to six inch snow accumulation across Warren County by the evening of the 8th, with localized storm totals around ten inches by the morning of the 9th. The heaviest snows fell across the snow belt region in northwest part of the county.

Lake-Effect Snow, McKean

When
January 7, 3:00 PM EST to January 9, 10:00 AM EST
Where
McKean forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
41.808, -78.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall reports indicated a general two to four inch snow accumulation across McKean County by the evening of the 8th, with storm totals between six to seven inches by the morning of the 9th.

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 Pennsylvania in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 140212, 140213.