Lake-Effect Snow, Wayne
- When
- February 19, 8:00 PM EST to February 20, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Wayne forecast zone
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 43.066, -76.978 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 19 to 20, 2020
A weak system moved across New York, spreading light snow that quickly changed to rain over far western New York. This snow greatly affected the morning commute in Rochester on 2/18, but amounts were not significant.
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
- None recorded
- 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 weak system moved across New York, spreading light snow that quickly changed to rain over far western New York. This snow greatly affected the morning commute in Rochester on 2/18, but amounts were not significant. Cold air in its wake moved back into the region on 2/19 with strong northwesterly flow. This resulted in lake effect snow accumulations approaching a foot over much of the southeast shore of Lake Ontario. Selected totals included 11 inches in Phoenix, 12 in Wolcott, and 10 inches in Victory.
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 19, 6:50 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 6:50 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 19, 3:07 PM EST, 4 hours 53 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Buffalo NY 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 NYZ001-002-010>014-019>021-085-202015- Niagara-Orleans-Northern Erie-Genesee-Wyoming-Livingston-Ontario- Chautauqua-Cattaraugus-Allegany-Southern Erie- 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western New York. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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 NYZ003-202015- Monroe- 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western 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. Winter Weather Advisory. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Weather Advisory. .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 NYZ004>006-202015- Wayne-Northern Cayuga-Oswego- 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 ...LAKE EFFECT SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north 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...Thursday through Tuesday. 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 NYZ007-008-202015- Jefferson-Lewis- 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central New York. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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 LEZ020-040-041-LOZ030-042>045-062>065-SLZ022-024-202015- Upper Niagara River and Buffalo Harbor- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Ripley to Dunkirk- Lake Erie nearshore waters from Dunkirk to Buffalo- Lower Niagara River- 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- Saint Lawrence River from Cape Vincent to Ogdensburg- Saint Lawrence River from Ogdensburg to Saint Regis- 307 PM EST Wed Feb 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the New York waters of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence River. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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 JLA
The 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, Northern Cayuga
- When
- February 19, 8:00 PM EST to February 20, 10:00 AM EST
- Where
- Northern Cayuga forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
- Coordinates
- 43.010, -76.574 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow, Oswego
- When
- February 19, 8:00 PM EST to February 20, 6:30 AM EST
- Where
- Oswego forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 43.464, -76.209 (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
- Winter Weather in Kansas, February 19 to 20, 2020
- Flood in Georgia, February 19 to 21, 2020
- High Surf in Hawaii, February 19 to 21, 2020
- Winter Weather in Iowa, February 19, 2020
- Winter Weather in Kansas, February 19 to 20, 2020
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 19, 2020
- Winter Weather in Nebraska, February 19, 2020
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 19 to 21, 2020
- Funnel Cloud in Florida, February 19, 2020
- Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 19 to 20, 2020
More
Every storm in New York in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, February 2020
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: 877424, 877426, 877427.