New York, 2023

Ice Storm in New York, February 22 to 23, 2023

February 22 to 23, 2023 · NWS BUF · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A pair of low pressure systems tracked along the New York/Pennsylvania state line bringing widespread sleet and freezing rain across much of western New York. Significant icing occurred resulting in scattered downed tree branches and nearly 20,000 without power at the height of the storm.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$1,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 pair of low pressure systems tracked along the New York/Pennsylvania state line bringing widespread sleet and freezing rain across much of western New York. Significant icing occurred resulting in scattered downed tree branches and nearly 20,000 without power at the height of the storm. Selected ice totals included 0.71 inch at Buffalo Airport, 0.55 inch at Avon, and 0.5 inch at Scottsville, Warsaw, Le Roy and Elma Center.

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 22, 4:12 PM EST, 1 hour 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 4:12 PM EST, 1 hour 48 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 22, 4:43 AM EST, 13 hours 17 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

6 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Northern Erie

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Erie forecast zone
Property damage
$500
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Southern Erie

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Erie forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Genesee

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Genesee forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.001, -78.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Wyoming

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Wyoming forecast zone
Property damage
$500
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
42.702, -78.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Livingston

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Livingston forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.728, -77.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Monroe

When
February 22, 6:00 PM EST to February 23, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.165, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1080922, 1080923, 1080924, 1080925, 1080926, 1080927.