Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego
- When
- December 30, 9:00 PM EST to December 31, 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Oswego forecast zone
- Property damage
- $45,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 30 to 31, 2014
A band of lake effect snow developed during the evening of December 30s across central and northern Oswego County extending into the southern portion of the Tug Hill Plateau. Snowfall rates reached 2 to 4 inches per hour as the band intensified in response to deepening moisture and instability.
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
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $145,000
- 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 band of lake effect snow developed during the evening of December 30s across central and northern Oswego County extending into the southern portion of the Tug Hill Plateau. Snowfall rates reached 2 to 4 inches per hour as the band intensified in response to deepening moisture and instability. The band of heavy snow continued across Oswego County through the middle of the day on the 31st before moving north toward Watertown in the afternoon. The band remained across Jefferson and far northern Lewis County New Year’s Eve into New Year’s morning with subtle changes in wind direction forcing the band to meander several miles north and south at times. The band occasionally split into two distinct bands of snow to the north and south of Watertown due to some shear, and also occasional upstream connections to bands from Lake Erie. The snow became weak and disorganized for a few hours on the afternoon of New Year’s Day due to drier air and more shear over the lake. The band of snow moved south on the night of January 1st and intensified across the Tug Hill region overnight. Snowfall rates reached 2 to 3 inches per hour by early morning on January 2nd as it moved further southward across Oswego County before dissipating. Snowfall amounts were moderately high in this event with around 2 feet across central and northern Oswego County, and 1 to 2 feet farther north across central and southern Jefferson County into far western and northern Lewis County.
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 Dec 30, 6:58 PM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 30, 6:58 PM EST, 2 hours 2 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 30, 1:14 PM EST, 7 hours 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 NYZ004-005-013-014-020-021-311815- WAYNE-NORTHERN CAYUGA-LIVINGSTON-ONTARIO-CATTARAUGUS-ALLEGANY- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ011-012-311815- GENESEE-WYOMING- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ007-008-311815- JEFFERSON-LEWIS- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ006-311815- OSWEGO- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ010-085-311815- NORTHERN ERIE-SOUTHERN ERIE- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ019-311815- CHAUTAUQUA- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STRENGTHENING SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY ALONG WITH THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF A COLD AIRMASS WILL GENERATE LAKE EFFECT SNOWS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE WESTERN SOUTHERN TIER WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WHILE A LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE IS CURRENTLY EXPECTED TO KEEP ACCUMULATIONS RELATIVELY MODEST...IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1 TO 3 INCHES...GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS EXPECTED THERE MAY BE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AT TIMES WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...IN ADDITION TO WIND CHILLS THAT WILL APPROACH ZERO DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF LEZ040-041-LOZ042>045-062>065-311815- LAKE ERIE NEARSHORE WATERS FROM RIPLEY TO DUNKIRK- LAKE ERIE NEARSHORE WATERS FROM DUNKIRK TO BUFFALO- LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM THE NIAGARA RIVER TO HAMLIN BEACH- LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM HAMLIN BEACH TO SODUS BAY- LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM SODUS BAY TO MEXICO BAY- LAKE ONTARIO NEARSHORE WATERS FROM MEXICO BAY TO THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER- LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM THE NIAGARA RIVER TO HAMLIN BEACH- LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM HAMLIN BEACH TO SODUS BAY- LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM SODUS BAY TO MEXICO BAY- LAKE ONTARIO OPEN WATERS FROM MEXICO BAY TO THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 ...GALE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE AND LAKE ONTARIO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF LEZ020-LOZ030-SLZ022-024-311815- UPPER NIAGARA RIVER AND BUFFALO HARBOR-LOWER NIAGARA RIVER- SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER FROM CAPE VINCENT TO OGDENSBURG- SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER FROM OGDENSBURG TO SAINT REGIS- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE ERIE...LAKE ONTARIO AND SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF NYZ001>003-311815- NIAGARA-ORLEANS-MONROE- 114 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. STRENGTHENING SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY ALONG WITH THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF A COLD AIRMASS WILL GENERATE LAKE EFFECT SNOWS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AND GENESEE VALLEY WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. ACCUMULATIONS ON THE NORTHERN EDGE OF THE MAIN LAKE BAND SHOULD BE RELATIVELY MODEST...IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 2 TO 4 INCHES. GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS EXPECTED THERE MAY BE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AT TIMES WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING...IN ADDITION TO WIND CHILLS THAT WILL APPROACH ZERO DEGREES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES... AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BUFFALO CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BUF
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Dec 30, 8:46 PM EST, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BUFFALO NY
846 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014
NYZ006>008-310300-
JEFFERSON NY-LEWIS NY-OSWEGO NY-
846 PM EST TUE DEC 30 2014
...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE EAST OF LAKE ONTARIO...
* AT 837 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW DEVELOPING OVER THE EAST END OF LAKE
ONTARIO. THIS LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY AND MOVE
ONSHORE FROM PULASKI TO WATERTOWN THROUGH MID EVENING...
EVENTUALLY EXTENDING EAST INTO THE TUG HILL PLATEAU. SNOWFALL
RATES WILL INCREASE TO 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR AFTER 9 PM.
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND INCLUDE...
STONY POINT...
MANNSVILLE...
SANDY CREEK...
REDFIELD...
HENDERSON HARBOR...
ADAMS...
BARNES CORNERS...
WATERTOWN...
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 81 BETWEEN EXITS 35 AND 48.
TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL RAPIDLY DETERIORATE BETWEEN 9 PM AND 10 PM AS
HEAVY LAKE EFFECT SNOW DEVELOPS. IF TRAVELING ACROSS THE AREA SLOW
DOWN AND BE PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING ROAD AND WEATHER
CONDITIONS.
LAT...LON 4348 7548 4351 7644 4354 7638 4354 7624
4358 7621 4380 7624 4391 7637 4389 7642
4393 7641 4387 7630 4391 7622 4387 7621
4390 7614 4394 7615 4398 7622 4396 7629
4406 7633 4418 7572 4390 7536
HITCHCOCKThe radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson
- When
- December 31, 12:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis
- When
- December 31, 12:00 PM EST to 11:59 PM EST
- Where
- Lewis forecast zone
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- 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
- High Wind and Strong Wind in California, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Winter Weather and Cold in Nevada, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Winter Weather in Texas, December 30 to 31, 2014
- High Wind and Strong Wind in California, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Arizona, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Heavy Snow in Arizona, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in California, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Heavy Snow and Strong Wind in California, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Winter Storm in Texas, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Texas, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Extreme Cold in Nebraska, December 30 to 31, 2014
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in California, December 30 to 31, 2014
More
Every storm in New York in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, December 2014
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 553660, 553661, 553662.