Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 15 to 16, 2011

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 15 to 16, 2011
Start: 2011-01-15T18:00
End: 2011-01-16T22:00
Location: New York

January 15 to 16, 2011 · NWS BUF · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

This lake effect storm evolved gradually from a synoptic snow as a clipper exited to a northwest flow across Lake Ontario. A strong lake effect plume, enhanced by strong upslope flow, developed Saturday evening (the 15th) off Lake Ontario and focused on the Tug Hill of Lewis County and extended across northern Oswego and southern Jefferson counties. Six to ten inches fell in this area by early Sunday. A narrow, intense band developed Sunday morning and lingered most of the day focusing on northern Cayuga and southern Oswego counties. The activity broke down Sunday evening and lifted out across the lake as winds became light and variable. Storm totals included: 22 at Fulton; 12 at West Leyden and Constableville; 11 at Phoenix and Martville; 10 at Minetto and Redfield; and 9 at Barnes Corners.

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 Jan 15, 3:41 PM EST, 2 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 3:41 PM EST, 2 hours 19 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 15, 5:00 AM EST, 13 hours before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 15, 12:30 PM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 15, 1:48 PM EST, 4 hours 12 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 15, 2:00 PM EST, 4 hours before

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Special weather statement, Jan 15, 4:04 PM EST, 1 hour 56 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 15, 5:50 PM EST, 10 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When: January 15, 6:00 PM EST to January 16, 8:00 PM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $35,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When: January 15, 6:00 PM EST to January 16, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.785, -75.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Wayne

When: January 16, 1:30 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 43.066, -76.978 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Cayuga

When: January 16, 1:30 AM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Northern Cayuga forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.010, -76.574 (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 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, January 2011

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: 280870, 280871, 280872, 280873.