Pennsylvania, 2015

Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 6 to 7, 2015

January 6 to 7, 2015 · NWS CLE · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

An Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$450,000
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 CLE wrote it up.

An Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th. Snow began around midday on the 6th ahead of the front but transitioned to lake effect snow behind the front. Periods of heavy snow were reported, especially on the higher terrain inland from Lake Erie on the 7th. West to northwest winds gusted to as much as 30 mph behind the front during the early morning hours of the 7th. The snow and winds combined to create visibilities that were near zero at times. Snowfall rates exceeded an inch per hour at times. The snow eventually tapered off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals ranged around 6 inches near Lake Erie to over 10 inches across inland Erie and northern Crawford Counties. A peak of 11.3 inches was reported at Meadville in Crawford County. In Erie County, the peak total was 9.8 inches near Cranesville. Officially 8.3 inches of snow fell at Erie International Airport on the 6th and 7th.

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 Cleveland, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 6, 4:42 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 6, 4:42 PM EST, 1 hour 18 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 6, 4:10 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

OHZ012-089-PAZ001-072115-
LAKE-ASHTABULA LAKESHORE-NORTHERN ERIE-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA.

.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.

IN ADDITION...VERY COLD AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AND COMBINE
WITH WINDS TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 10 AND 20 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ013-014-PAZ002-003-072115-
GEAUGA-ASHTABULA INLAND-SOUTHERN ERIE-CRAWFORD PA-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 4 AM
EST THURSDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA.

.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.

IN ADDITION...VERY COLD AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AND COMBINE
WITH WINDS TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 10 AND 20 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ010-011-020>023-072115-
LORAIN-CUYAHOGA-MEDINA-SUMMIT-PORTAGE-TRUMBULL-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 9 PM EST
WEDNESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AND
NORTHEAST OHIO.

.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 ADVISORY.

.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 ADVISORY.

IN ADDITION...VERY COLD AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AND COMBINE
WITH WINDS TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES BETWEEN 10 AND 20 DEGREES
BELOW ZERO FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ003-006>009-018-019-031>033-038-072115-
LUCAS-WOOD-OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-ERIE OH-SENECA-HURON-WAYNE-STARK-MAHONING-
HOLMES-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL
OHIO...NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST OHIO.

.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.

   WIND CHILL ADVISORY.

.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.

   WIND CHILL ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ017-027>030-036-037-047-072115-
HANCOCK-WYANDOT-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-ASHLAND-MARION-MORROW-KNOX-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 PM
EST WEDNESDAY...
...WIND CHILL WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AND
NORTHWEST OHIO.

.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.

   WIND CHILL ADVISORY.

.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.

   WIND CHILL ADVISORY.
   WIND CHILL WATCH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

LEZ142-143-162-163-072115-
MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH OH-RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS OH-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM MAUMEE BAY TO RENO BEACH-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RENO BEACH TO THE ISLANDS-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

LEZ061-144>149-164>169-072115-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM RIPLEY TO BUFFALO NY-
THE ISLANDS TO VERMILION OH-VERMILION TO AVON POINT OH-
AVON POINT TO WILLOWICK OH-WILLOWICK TO GENEVA-ON-THE LAKE OH-GENEVA-
ON-THE-LAKE TO CONNEAUT OH-CONNEAUT OH TO RIPLEY NY-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM THE ISLANDS TO VERMILION-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM VERMILION TO AVON POINT-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM AVON POINT TO WILLOWICK-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM WILLOWICK TO GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE TO CONNEAUT-
LAKE ERIE OPEN WATERS FROM CONNEAUT OH TO RIPLEY NY-
410 PM EST TUE JAN 6 2015

...HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM WEDNESDAY TO
4 PM EST FRIDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR LAKE ERIE.

.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.

   HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY 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.

   HEAVY FREEZING SPRAY WARNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

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, Northern Erie

When
January 6, 6:00 PM EST to January 7, 5:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Erie forecast zone
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.118, -80.098 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th. Snow began around midday on the 6th ahead of the front but transitioned to lake effect snow behind the front. Periods of heavy snow were reported, especially on the higher terrain inland from Lake Erie on the 7th. West to northwest winds gusted to as much as 30 mph behind the front during the early morning hours of the 7th. The snow and winds combined to create visibilities that were near zero at times. Snowfall rates exceeded an inch per hour at times. The snow eventually tapered off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals ranged around 6 inches near Lake Erie to over 10 inches across inland Erie and northern Crawford Counties. In Erie County, the peak total was 9.8 inches near Cranesville. Officially 8.3 inches of snow fell at Erie International Airport on the 6th and 7th.

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Erie

When
January 6, 6:00 PM EST to January 7, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Erie forecast zone
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.118, -80.098 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th. Snow began around midday on the 6th ahead of the front but transitioned to lake effect snow behind the front. Periods of heavy snow were reported, especially on the higher terrain inland from Lake Erie on the 7th. West to northwest winds gusted to as much as 30 mph behind the front during the early morning hours of the 7th. The snow and winds combined to create visibilities that were near zero at times. Snowfall rates exceeded an inch per hour at times. The snow eventually tapered off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals ranged around 6 inches near Lake Erie to over 10 inches across inland Erie and northern Crawford Counties. In Erie County, the peak total was 9.8 inches near Cranesville.

Lake-Effect Snow, Crawford

When
January 6, 9:00 PM EST to January 7, 9:00 PM EST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
41.685, -80.106 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th. Snow began around midday on the 6th ahead of the front but transitioned to lake effect snow behind the front. Periods of heavy snow were reported, especially on the higher terrain inland from Lake Erie on the 7th. West to northwest winds gusted to as much as 30 mph behind the front during the early morning hours of the 7th. The snow and winds combined to create visibilities that were near zero at times. Snowfall rates exceeded an inch per hour at times. The snow eventually tapered off during the evening hours. Snowfall totals ranged around 6 inches near Lake Erie to over 10 inches across inland Erie and northern Crawford Counties. A peak of 11.3 inches was reported at Meadville in Crawford County.

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 Pennsylvania in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, January 2015

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 555004, 555890, 555002.