An intense area of low pressure moved into the Great Lakes region on the evening of Thursday, December 20th. The storm's warm front extended into the Northeastern United States.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.
An intense area of low pressure moved into the Great Lakes region on the evening of Thursday, December 20th. The storm's warm front extended into the Northeastern United States. Light precipitation occurred across the eastern New York during the overnight hours, with mainly rain for valley areas and light snow and mixed precipitation across the higher elevations.
As the storm lifted into southern Canada, the storm's cold front approached the region on the morning of Friday, December 21st. Very strong east to southeast winds were present aloft ahead of this front as it moved towards eastern New York State. A few breaks in the clouds allowed for some of these strong winds to reach the surface across the Taconics and eastern portions of the Hudson Valley. Damage to trees and power lines occurred, mainly across portions of the Rensselaer, Columbia and Dutchess counties. Measured winds gusts reached up to 62 mph in Rensselaer County. These winds even caused some roof damage to a school in East Greenbush. The strong winds also caused scattered power outages, especially across the Taconic Region with 14,375 customers reported without power in Rensselaer County due to high winds, 3,782 customers in Columbia County and 1,175 customers in Dutchess County.
In addition, heavy rainfall associated with the front allowed for some minor river flooding across portions of the eastern Catskills. With the strong east-southeast flow, some minor tidal flooding occurred along the Hudson River which backed up into the Rondout Creek. The river and tidal flooding subsided by Friday afternoon.
The threat for heavy rain and strong winds ended with the passage of the cold front by midday on Friday the 21st. Winds switched to a westerly direction at lower speeds for the afternoon hours.
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 Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 20, 6:40 PM EST, 10 hours 50 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 high wind, 1 storm surge/tide. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and wires were reported down due to high winds on Glasco Turnpike near Woodstock.
Tidal flooding along the Hudson River backed up into the Rondout Creek and caused flooding on Creeks Locks Road in Rosendale.
Trees, wires and utility poles were reported down due to high winds in Austerlitz, Old Chatham, Ancram, Canaan, Copake and New Lebanon.
Widespread trees and power lines were reported down due to high winds in Averill Park, West Sand Lake, Sand Lake, East Greenbush, Wyantskill, Raymertown, Pleasantdale, Eastmor, Valley Falls, Schodack, Speigletown, Eagle Mills, Haynersville, Reynolds, North Greenbush, Defreestville, Grant Hollow, Factory Hollow, Troy and Sycaway. The roof of Goff Middle School located at 35 Gilligan Road in East Greenbush was reported to have been blown off due to high winds and the school was evacuated. Route 66 from Route 43 to Old Route 66 in Sand Lake was reportedly closed to due to fallen trees. A propane tank was overturned due to high winds in Eastmor.
Two trees were reported down due to high winds in East Fishkill. Phillips Roads was closed due to a downed tree.
A wind gust was clocked at 59 mph in Eagle Mills at 9:42 AM EST.
A tree was reported down and on multiple power lines in Cohoes due to high winds.
Trees were reported down and on power lines 2 miles south of East Grafton due to high winds.
Numerous trees and wires were reported down in Chatham and Ghent due to high winds.
Trees and wires were reported down in Stillwater due to high winds.
A tree was reported to be down and on a car due to high winds on Interstate 87 near mile marker 29.9 near Saratoga Springs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, December 2012The 2012 hurricane season
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: 419491, 419490, 419493, 419507, 419494, 419505, 419495, 419499, 419496, 419497, 419498.