Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 21 to 22, 2011

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 21 to 22, 2011
Start: 2011-01-21T10:00
End: 2011-01-22T07:00
Location: New York

January 21 to 22, 2011 · NWS BUF · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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: $90,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 from a departing synoptic system which gave most of western and central New York several inches of snow overnight on the 20th-21st. A brisk westerly flow followed with bands of lake snow setting up during Friday afternoon (21st) and continuing into the evening before dissipating after midnight as a ridge moved in. Off Lake Ontario, the heaviest snows fell over Oswego County where the activity was focused. Specific storm totals off Lake Ontario included: 17 at Minetto; 12 at Palermo and Fulton; 10 at Scriba; and 8 at Martville and Harrisville. Off Lake Erie storm totals included: 13 at Colden; 11 at Springville and 7 at East Aurora and Forestville.

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 20, 6:50 PM EST, 15 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 20, 6:50 PM EST, 15 hours 10 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 20, 6:06 PM EST, 15 hours 54 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Chautauqua

When: January 21, 10:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Chautauqua forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.303, -79.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Erie

When: January 21, 10:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Southern Erie forecast zone
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Cayuga

When: January 21, 2:00 PM EST to January 22, 7:00 AM 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)

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When: January 21, 2:00 PM EST to January 22, 7:00 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When: January 21, 2:00 PM EST to January 22, 5:00 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)

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: 280881, 280882, 280875, 280878, 280879.