New York, 2013

Lake-Effect Snow in New York, March 19 to 21, 2013

March 19 to 21, 2013 · NWS BUF · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Lake effect snows developed off both Lake Erie and Ontario in a typical westerly flow. Snowfall rates of an inch an hour off Lake Erie and two inches an hour off Lake Ontario were reported.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
$105,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

Lake effect snows developed off both Lake Erie and Ontario in a typical westerly flow. Snowfall rates of an inch an hour off Lake Erie and two inches an hour off Lake Ontario were reported. Diurnal effect diminished the lake snows somewhat during the day and dry air building in from the central Great Lakes brought an end to the snows by the late evening of the 21st. Specific snowfall reports off Lake Erie: 20 inches at Westfield, Springville and Franklinville; 19 inches at Perrysburg and 15 inches at Ripley. Snowfall reports off Lake Ontario: 36 inches at North Osceola; 26 inches at Constableville; 25 inches at Bennetts Bridge; and 21 inches at Hooker.

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 Mar 19, 6:57 PM EST, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 19, 6:57 PM EST, 3 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 19, 6:57 PM EST, 3 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When
March 19, 7:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Oswego forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson

When
March 19, 7:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When
March 19, 7:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Lewis forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.785, -75.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Wyoming

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Wyoming forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
42.702, -78.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Chautauqua

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Chautauqua forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
42.303, -79.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Cattaraugus

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 PM EST
Where
Cattaraugus forecast zone
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
42.249, -78.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Erie

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 21, 10:00 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)

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

More

Every storm in New York in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, March 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: 443190, 443191, 443192, 443193, 443194, 443195, 443196.