New York, 2013

Heavy Snow in New York, February 8 to 9, 2013

February 8 to 9, 2013 · NWS BUF · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

An area of low pressure passing over the lower Great Lakes brought a general half- to one-foot snowfall across the northern sections of the region. Along the south shore of Lake Ontario amounts were enhanced by additional moisture from the lake and totals ranged from a foot to a foot and a half.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$175,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

An area of low pressure passing over the lower Great Lakes brought a general half- to one-foot snowfall across the northern sections of the region. Along the south shore of Lake Ontario amounts were enhanced by additional moisture from the lake and totals ranged from a foot to a foot and a half. Many schools were closed on Friday the 8th. The snowfall made for a slow, messy commute for the Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Rochester metro areas. Specific snowfall totals included: 18 inches at Gasport; 17 inches at Lockport; 16 inches at Irondequoit, Greece, and Sandborn; 15 inches at Grand Island, Henderson, and Spencerport; 14 inches at Lewiston, Holley, Newark and Youngstown; 13 inches at West Carthage, Niagara Falls, Marion and Walworth; 12 inches at Tonawanda, Lowville, Constableville, and Rochester Airport; 11 inches at Fulton, Oakfield and Lyndonville; 10 inches at Swormville, Kenmore, and Highmarket; 9 inches at Alden; 8 inches at Montezuma and Buffalo airport; and 7 inches at Redfield.

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 Feb 7, 3:57 PM EST, 9 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 7, 3:57 PM EST, 9 hours 3 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 7, 10:59 AM EST, 14 hours 1 minute 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

10 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Niagara

When
February 8, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Niagara forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
43.173, -78.691 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Orleans

When
February 8, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Orleans forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.251, -78.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Genesee

When
February 8, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Genesee forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
43.001, -78.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Erie

When
February 8, 2:00 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Erie forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Monroe

When
February 8, 2:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
43.165, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Wayne

When
February 8, 2:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Wayne forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.066, -76.978 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Cayuga

When
February 8, 2:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Northern Cayuga forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.010, -76.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Oswego

When
February 8, 3:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Oswego forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jefferson

When
February 8, 3:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lewis

When
February 8, 3:00 AM EST to February 9, 3:00 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

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in New York in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, February 2013

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: 437908, 437909, 437910, 437912, 437915, 437916, 437918, 437922, 437923, 437924.