Extreme Cold in New York, February 13 to 14, 2016

Name: Extreme Cold in New York, February 13 to 14, 2016
Start: 2016-02-13T06:00
End: 2016-02-14T09:00
Location: New York

February 13 to 14, 2016 · NWS BUF · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A powerful arctic front swept across the area and ushered in near record cold to the area. In combination with the cold, brisk westerly winds produced wind chills of minus 25 to minus 30 degrees.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 powerful arctic front swept across the area and ushered in near record cold to the area. In combination with the cold, brisk westerly winds produced wind chills of minus 25 to minus 30 degrees. Warming shelters were opened and some outdoor activities were cancelled. Because the cold occurred on a weekend however it did not affect many businesses or schools. Specific minimum wind chill temperatures reached included: minus 38 degrees at Fort Drum and Watertown; minus 31 degrees at Cuba; minus 30 degrees at Oswego; minus 28 degrees at Wellsville, Fulton and Olean; minus 26 degrees at Buffalo Airport, Canandaigua and Niagara Falls; and minus 25 degrees at Springville and Lowville.

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 13, 3:17 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 13, 3:17 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 13, 4:59 AM EST, 1 hour 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

8 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Niagara

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Niagara forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.173, -78.691 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Oswego

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Jefferson

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Northern Erie

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Erie forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Ontario

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Ontario forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.853, -77.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Cattaraugus

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Cattaraugus forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 42.249, -78.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Allegany

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Allegany forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 42.257, -78.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Erie

When: February 13, 6:00 AM EST to February 14, 9:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Erie forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill: Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New York in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, February 2016

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: 621010, 621011, 621012, 621013, 621014, 621015, 621016, 621017.