Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 4 to 6, 2011

Name: Lake-Effect Snow in New York, January 4 to 6, 2011
Start: 2011-01-04T22:30
End: 2011-01-06T03:00
Location: New York

January 4 to 6, 2011 · NWS BUF · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
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Heat and drought
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $75,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

A westerly flow of increasingly cold air followed a cold frontal passage on Sunday the second. A decent lake plume formed Sunday evening and continued into Monday across Oswego County with several inches. This band lifted north later Monday and Monday night into the St. Lawrence Valley on Tuesday morning (4th) before settling south again later Tuesday. It became intense as it settled across Oswego County Tuesday night with up to a foot as it was aided by deepening synoptic moisture from a clipper passing to our north. The band weakened but redeveloped again on Wednesday with several inches across Oswego County. Wind shear and a lowering inversion finally shut down the activity overnight Wednesday night. Specific storm totals included: 28 at Fulton; 27 at Minetto; 22 at Scriba; 19 at Palermo; 14 at Oswego; and 12 at Martville and Fair Haven.

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 4, 9:04 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 4, 9:04 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 4, 8:54 PM EST, 1 hour 36 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jan 4, 5:28 PM EST, 5 hours 2 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 4, 6:45 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 4, 7:50 PM EST, 2 hours 40 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jan 4, 9:14 PM EST, 1 hour 16 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When: January 4, 10:30 PM EST to January 5, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Northern Cayuga

When: January 5, 8:00 PM EST to January 6, 3:00 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 5, 8:00 PM EST to January 6, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 280866, 280867, 280869.