Gusty winds associated with a line of snow showers and embedded snow squalls resulted in reduced visibilities as well as a few downed trees and wires on the evening of March 29th.
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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.
The episode as NWS ALY wrote it up.
Gusty winds associated with a line of snow showers and embedded snow squalls resulted in reduced visibilities as well as a few downed trees and wires on the evening of March 29th.
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 Albany, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 29, 6:32 PM EST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Albany NY 732 PM EDT Wed Mar 29 2023 .SYNOPSIS... After a seasonably warm and mostly sunny afternoon, a strong arctic cold front races from northwest to southeast across the region late this afternoon into the early evening. Initial rain will likely change to snow or sleet showers with snow squalls, gusty winds and even some rumbles of thunder possible. Temperatures plunge below freezing behind the front resulting in icy travel conditions. Brisk and chilly conditions continue into tomorrow before our next chance for rain and higher elevation snow returns for Friday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... Snow Squalls, Strong Wind Gusts and Flash Freeze Possible Late This Afternoon into This Evening... .UPDATE...Multiple bands of precip, one associated with a pre- frontal trough moving through the western Adirondacks/Mohawk Valley, and the other band associated with the main cold front in central NY. Temperatures have dropped through the 30s in the western Adirondacks as noted in NYS Mesonet obs, although milder 40s still occurring in the Mohawk Valley. High confidence in onset of precip along the first line will be rain as it quickly sweeps east, then a change to snow with a brief burst of moderate to heavy snow and gusty winds. Temperatures still in the 40-50F range from Mohawk/Hudson Valleys south/east, so it will take some time for roads to become snow-covered and/or icy. Still, poor visibility and gusty winds within snow squalls will result in hazardous travel conditions through the evening. .PREV DISCUSSION[0430]...Parent trough in southern Canada will strengthen as we approach sunset and guidance is in good agreement it even turns negatively tilted. This will only enhance downstream forcing for ascent and intensify the precipitation along the front. As the front speeds up, it will outrun the weak warm air advection driven precip and all become one organized line this evening. The low-level moisture and thermal gradient and low-level convergence turns quite impressive as the front quickly advances eastward this evening, increasing our confidence that this will be a very strong cold front. High res guidance remains in very good agreement with the arrival time and general evolution of precip types with this front. Mild temperatures will support initial rain, even in higher terrain areas, before winds abruptly switch from the south to west-northwest resulting in rapid cold air advection. This will lead to a rapid drop in surface temperatures and allow rain to quickly change to snow/sleet and even snow squalls resulting in slippery to potentially dangerous travel conditions (especially on high speed highways) as strong winds and falling snow may lead to reduced visibility or even brief whiteout conditions. Given sufficient elevated instability ahead of the front and very steep low and mid-level lapse rates, strong gusty winds are expected with gusts 35 to 45 mph (isolated gusts up to 50mph possible in the Mohawk Valley) immediately behind the front. Deterministic guidance highlights a clear and notable rise/fall couplet with this front suggesting the isallobaric wind will enhance the potential for strong winds to mix down to the surface. A flash freeze is also a concern as above freeze temperatures plunge below freezing immediately behind the front. In terms of timing, expecting the precipitation to reach the southern Adirondacks and western and central Mohawk Valley 6pm to 9pm before it races eastward into the Capital District, Upper Hudson Valley and northern Catskills/Schoharie County by 9 to 11pm. It then pushes into the Taconics, southern VT, the Berkshires, the eastern Catskills, NW CT, and the mid-Hudson Valley by 10pm to 1am. Total snow/sleet accumulations are minor given short duration of snow (generally 1 - 3 hours) and marginal ground temperatures after such a mild day. Generally expecting a coating up to 1" of snow/sleet (up to 2" in southern Greens in higher peaks of the southern Adirondacks) but the quick drop in temperature could lead to icy road conditions as water beneath any snow/sleet could freeze on untreated surfaces. Exercise caution if traveling tonight, especially on high speed highways. We issued a Special Weather Statement to alert motorists to potential dangerous travel this evening. Behind the front, winds stay breezy (not as breezy as with the frontal passage) tonight with temperatures dropping into the low to mid 20s. Teens expected in the higher terrain areas of the southern Greens, eastern Catskills, southern Adirondacks. Breezy winds will help dry out surfaces overnight. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... High pressure builds overhead for Thursday but continued cold air advection and breezy winds will make it rather chilly, especially by late March standards. Very dry air will also be infiltrating into our area and with deep mixing, we lowered our dew points to show them falling into the single digits. Breezy winds with gusts up to 25mph and low relative humidity under 30 percent will result in near critical fire weather conditions. See fire weather discussion for more details. Otherwise, expecting mixed sun and clouds with highs only reaching into the upper 30s to low 40s. Colder temperatures expected in the higher terrain areas with highs only in the upper 20s to near freezing. Thursday night turns quite chilly as winds decrease under mostly clear skies for the first half of the night. This will support radiational cooling. However, the ridge axis approaches as we approach sunrise which will likely lead to increased mid and high level clouds and thus reducing radiational cooling for the second half of the night. Even still, lows expected to fall into the upper teens to low 20s throughout the region. Warm air advection ahead of an approaching warm front on Friday will lead overrunning precipitation. Guidance has trended a bit later with the onset arrival time and the first few hours of the morning now look mainly dry. Chances for precip increase late morning to early afternoon as warm air advection strengthens. While sfc temperatures should warm during this time, wet-bulbing cooling processes look to support rain/snow mix and even all snow in the hill towns and higher terrain areas mainly north of I-90. Valley areas remain cool in upper 30s to low to mid 40s but warming through the column should support plain rain, albeit a chilly rain. General snow accumulations still appear light with amounts ranging 0.5 - 1.5 inches in the aforementioned higher terrain areas. Warm air advection continues into Friday night supporting increasing temperatures and dew points overnight. Any wintry precip turns to all rain after sunset with the coolest temperatures occurring at the beginning of the night before rising into the mid to upper 40s. Even higher terrain areas rise above freezing overnight. Rain showers continue overnight as the warm sector and mid-level jet noses into the area. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... By Saturday morning, a surface low will have followed along a northeasterly track into the western Great Lakes/Lake Michigan region, its associated positively-tilted trough extending southwest through the Ohio Valley and into the southern Planes. Along its leading edge is a potent axis of surface confluence that, enhanced from warm air advection from southerly flow and decent frontogenetical forcing along and ahead of the associated warm front, will allow showers to overspread the region after a brief respite overnight Saturday. There remains a bit of uncertainty surrounding when exactly precipitation will pick back up, but general consensus suggests a mid-morning onset Saturday. These conditions, paired with increased PWATs (ranging from 1" - 1.2" or 2 - 3 standard deviations above normal) will then support widespread rain showers throughout the day Saturday and into Sunday morning. Latest guidance suggests QPF ranging from just under an inch to near 0.35" throughout the forecast area. It is important to note that as of this lead time, the highest QPF amounts (0.9" - 0.6") are expected in the Western Adirondacks, Southern Greens, and Northern Berkshires. This, along with the expectation of above seasonable temperatures (mid 50s to lower 60s) from the passage of a potent warm front associated with the system Saturday, poses a hydro concern, as significant snowpack still exists in these areas with elevated liquid equivalents. Exact impacts are not yet clear, as uncertainty still exists surrounding the timing of secondary precipitation onset Saturday morning. This timing will greatly influence the amount of QPF produced from the storm as well as the high temperatures for Saturday. Conditions will need to be monitored as the storm gets closer, but for now, enough confidence warrants mention of potential hydro impacts. For details, please see the Hydro Discussion below. Longer breaks in precipitation could also aid in the formation of some non-severe thunderstorms throughout the day Saturday. With models indicating modest values of surface-based instability, it is very possible that convective activity could take place. To account for this possibility, slight chance thunder was added to the weather grids for Saturday afternoon when instability will be maximized. As the storm continues to move overhead throughout the day Saturday, a 45 to 50 kt 850mb jet and sufficient pressure gradient will allow winds to become gusty out of the southwest. Magnitudes are likely to exceed 30 kt. A cold front will then push through the region as the system moves north and east of the region through Saturday night into Sunday morning, turning winds out of the northwest and aiding to rapidly drop temperatures. Lingering precipitation will transition to snow or a rain/snow mix especially for higher terrain areas overnight Sunday, though accumulations will be light. Precipitation ends by mid-morning Sunday as surface high pressure looks to build into the region from the west. This, paired with modest upper level ridging, will enforce tranquility to the region for the start of the work week. Another chance for precipitation is hinted by models for Tuesday, though requisite uncertainty in the track and timing of this storm negate the need for details at this time. For now, confidence is increasing that above-normal temperatures and a spring-like pattern will be supported going into next week. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 7:25 PM EDT...VFR conditions at all TAF sites at this time, although a band of rain/snow associated with a cold front is tracking through the region from west to east. This band of precip will impact the TAF sites between 00 and 04 UTC this evening. Precipitation starts as rain but changes to snow shortly after beginning. While snow accumulations will generally remain under an inch at the TAF sites, brief reductions to LIFR vsbys and IFR cigs are expected with this band of precip. Precipitation moves off to the east fairly quickly, and a return to VFR conditions is expected after precip ends. Will see SCT clouds around 4000 ft through most of tonight, but cloud bases rise and clouds diminish in coverage through the day tomorrow. Winds will be from the south at around 10 kt this evening ahead of the cold front, but will switch to the west/northwest behind the front. Winds of 10-15kt with gusts up to or possibly in excess of 30 kt are expected through much of tonight. Winds diminish slightly tomorrow morning, but remain gusty. Winds may actually increase by a couple kts tomorrow afternoon and become more westerly. Winds an gusts may start to diminish towards the very tail end of the TAF period as high pressure builds in from the west. Outlook... Thursday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Friday: Moderate Operational Impact. Breezy. Likely SHRA. Friday Night: High Operational Impact. Breezy. Definite SHRA. Saturday: High Operational Impact. Windy. Definite SHRA...TSRA. Saturday Night: Moderate Operational Impact. Windy. Chance of SHRA...SHSN. Sunday: Low Operational Impact. Breezy. NO SIG WX. Sunday Night: No Operational Impact. NO SIG WX. Monday: Low Operational Impact. Breezy. NO SIG WX. && .FIRE WEATHER... Relative Humidity Values 25 to 30 percent and Breezy Winds Expected Thursday... Near-critical fire weather conditions expected on Thursday as a very dry air mass infiltrates into eastern NY and western New England. Deep boundary layer mixing in the afternoon should support dew points dropping into the single digits with daytime temperatures warming into the upper 30s to low 40s. Breezy west to northwest winds continue with sustained winds ranging 10 to 15mph and gusts up to 25mph. While dew points turn quite low, RH values are only expected to drop to 25 to 30 percent (mainly in valley areas) given rather chilly daytime temperatures. However, sub 30 percent RH values warrant a mention for near- critical fire weather conditions. Morning sun will mix with afternoon cumulus clouds as well. && .HYDROLOGY... What looks to be a potentially significant storm system will impact the region Friday into Saturday, bringing widespread rain to the region. Based on latest guidance, the highest QPF is likely in the Western Adirondacks, Southern Greens, and Northern Berkshires. Here, QPF values look to range from just under an inch to about 0.6". According to NOAA's NOHRSC snow water equivalent products, these areas still have significant snow pack containing substantial amounts of water. Where the snowpack is greatest (at the highest peaks of the Southern Greens), snow water equivalent values are maximized, with highest amounts as great as 14-16". Elsewhere, a broad range of equivalents exists, ranging anywhere from 2-12" with higher values at the highest peaks of the Adirondacks. GEFS and NAEFS ensemble river forecasts show the greatest areas of concern for water levels rising above action stage to be at gauges within the Lake George-Saratoga Region, southern Vermont, and northern Berkshires. With this in mind, dewpoints looking to be on the rise Friday acting to ripen the snowpack, and temperatures likely getting well into the 50s and 60s Saturday, the possibility of flooding is becoming heightened. Will continue to monitor trends as the storm gets closer. && .ALY WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... CT...None. NY...None. MA...None. VT...None. && SYNOPSIS...Speciale/Wasula NEAR TERM...JPV/Speciale SHORT TERM...Speciale LONG TERM...Gant AVIATION...Main FIRE WEATHER...Speciale HYDROLOGY...Gant
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Albany NY 444 PM EDT Wed Mar 29 2023 CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066- 082>084-VTZ013>015-301100- Northern Litchfield-Southern Litchfield-Northern Berkshire- Southern Berkshire-Northern Herkimer-Hamilton-Southern Herkimer- Southern Fulton-Montgomery-Northern Saratoga-Northern Warren- Northern Washington-Schoharie-Western Schenectady- Eastern Schenectady-Southern Saratoga-Western Albany-Eastern Albany- Western Rensselaer-Eastern Rensselaer-Western Greene-Eastern Greene- Western Columbia-Eastern Columbia-Western Ulster-Eastern Ulster- Western Dutchess-Eastern Dutchess-Northern Fulton-Southeast Warren- Southern Washington-Bennington-Western Windham-Eastern Windham- 444 PM EDT Wed Mar 29 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwestern Connecticut, western Massachusetts, east central New York, eastern New York and southern Vermont. .DAY ONE...Tonight. A strong arctic cold front will move across the region this evening into tonight after the evening commute time, accompanied by a line of rain showers and snow squalls with gusty winds. Isolated thunderstorms are also possible. Many areas may experience a brief period of rain, then a quick change to snow with rapidly falling temperatures. Some small hail or graupel is possible. Snow accumulations will be mostly an inch or less with a few inches over the higher terrain, but wet surfaces may rapidly freeze, which may impact travel late tonight into early Thursday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 strong wind, 1 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow squalls. Visibilities less than one quarter of a mile were observed along with wind gusts in excess of 40 mph.
Trees and wires were reported down.
Downed trees and wires were reported blocking a portion of Mang Road.
Trees and wires were reported down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in New York in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in New York, March 2023
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: 1088523, 1087499, 1087500, 1087501.