New York, 2017

Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 1 to 2, 2017

February 1 to 2, 2017 · NWS BUF · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A clipper system moved from the Great Lakes to New England January 31st to early on February 1st, producing widespread light synoptic snow across the area. In the wake of this system, increasing westerly flow and cold air crossing Lake Ontario allowed lake effect snow to develop by the early morning hours of the 1st.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$70,000
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 clipper system moved from the Great Lakes to New England January 31st to early on February 1st, producing widespread light synoptic snow across the area. In the wake of this system, increasing westerly flow and cold air crossing Lake Ontario allowed lake effect snow to develop by the early morning hours of the 1st. The snow intensified across the Tug Hill and dropped about two feet of snow with snowfall rates approaching three inches per hour. During the evening hours the lake effect band drifted over the south shore of Lake Ontario dropping a few inches of additional snow. Specific snowfall reports included: 22 inches at Redfield; 18 inches at Osceola; 17 inches at Pulaski and Constableville; 15 inches at Highmarket; 12 inches at Lacona, Mannsville and Worth; 11 inches at Glenfield; and 8 inches at Minetto and Fulton.

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 Jan 31, 10:37 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 31, 10:37 PM EST, 2 hours 23 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

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

Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego

When
February 1, 1:00 AM EST to February 2, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Oswego forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson

When
February 1, 1:00 AM EST to February 2, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Lewis

When
February 1, 1:00 AM EST to February 2, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Lewis forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
Public
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

More

Every storm in New York in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, February 2017

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: 682462, 682464, 682465.