Lake-Effect Snow, Jefferson
- When
- February 1, 6:00 AM EST to February 2, 3:00 AM EST
- Where
- Jefferson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Lake-Effect Snow in New York, February 1 to 2, 2023
Cold air flowing across Lake Ontario within a deep upper level trough resulted in locally heavy lake effect snow bands impacting central Jefferson and western Lewis counties. The event lasted 18 hours.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
- 1
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.
Cold air flowing across Lake Ontario within a deep upper level trough resulted in locally heavy lake effect snow bands impacting central Jefferson and western Lewis counties. The event lasted 18 hours. Due to the snow and localized whiteout conditions, a multicar pile-up including four tractor trailers, occurred on Interstate 81 just south of Watertown, NY. Selected snowfall totals included 17.1 inches near Copenhagen, 13.0 inches in Lorraine, and 9.8 inches near Adams.
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 1, 5:08 AM EST, 52 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 1, 5:08 AM EST, 52 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 1, 4:37 AM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Buffalo NY 437 AM EST Wed Feb 1 2023 NYZ001>005-010-011-013-014-019-085-020945- Niagara-Orleans-Monroe-Wayne-Northern Cayuga-Northern Erie-Genesee- Livingston-Ontario-Chautauqua-Southern Erie- 437 AM EST Wed Feb 1 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western and north central New York. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Much colder weather is expected Thursday night through Saturday with dangerously cold wind chills approaching 25 below zero, especially Friday night and Saturday morning. A wind chill advisory or warning will likely be needed during 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 NYZ012-020-021-020945- Wyoming-Cattaraugus-Allegany- 437 AM EST Wed Feb 1 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western New York. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Much colder weather is expected Thursday night through Saturday with dangerously cold wind chills approaching 30 below zero, especially Friday night and Saturday morning. A wind chill advisory or warning will likely be needed during 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 NYZ006>008-020945- Oswego-Jefferson-Lewis- 437 AM EST Wed Feb 1 2023 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY... ...WIND CHILL WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central New York. .DAY ONE...Today 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. Wind Chill 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 LEZ020-040-041-LOZ030-042>045-062>065-SLZ022-024-020945- 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- 437 AM EST Wed Feb 1 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the New York waters of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, and the Saint Lawrence River. .DAY ONE...Today 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
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.
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 Oklahoma, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Winter Storm in Texas, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Drought in Missouri, February 1 to 28, 2023
- Winter Weather in Texas, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Drought in Oklahoma, February 1 to 14, 2023
- Ice Storm in Texas, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Drought in Nebraska, February 1 to 28, 2023
- Ice Storm and Winter Weather in Arkansas, February 1 to 2, 2023
- Drought in Kansas, February 1 to 28, 2023
- Drought in Nebraska, February 1 to 28, 2023
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Tennessee, February 1 to 2, 2023
More
Every storm in New York in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, February 2023
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: 1080920.