Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 10 to 12, 2025

Name: Winter Storm and Lake-Effect Snow in New York, December 10 to 12, 2025
Start: 2025-12-10T05:00
End: 2025-12-12T00:15
Location: New York

December 10 to 12, 2025 · NWS BUF · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A passing surface low and cold front brought rain and snow to the area starting on the morning of December 10th. Snow ahead of the cold front was mostly found for areas east of Lake Ontario.

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
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Heat and drought
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Fire, smoke and dust
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
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 passing surface low and cold front brought rain and snow to the area starting on the morning of December 10th. Snow ahead of the cold front was mostly found for areas east of Lake Ontario. Behind the passing cold front, any remaining rain changed to snow as temperatures quickly cooled. Widespread snow transitioned to lake enhanced and then lake effect snow east and then southeast of both Lake Erie & Ontario. Winter Storm Warnings were in effect for areas east of Lake Ontario due to the combination of widespread snow and lake effect. Lake Effect Snow Warnings were issued for areas southeast of both Lake Erie & Lake Ontario where snow was from the lake response off of both lakes. Snowfall amounts of 8-12 inches of snow fell in most areas where warnings were in effect, with the hardest hit areas reaching upward of 20 inches.

Some of the notable snowfall amounts include: 20.5 in Kennedy, 14.7 in Franklinville, 13.8 at the Highmarket, 9.6 in Barnes Corners and 8.5 in Boston.

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 Dec 10, 2:49 AM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 10, 2:49 AM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 10, 3:21 AM EST, 1 hour 39 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 winter storm, 3 lake-effect snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Lewis

When: December 10, 5:00 AM EST to December 11, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Lewis forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.785, -75.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Oswego

When: December 10, 5:00 AM EST to December 11, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Oswego forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.464, -76.209 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When: December 10, 7:00 AM EST to December 11, 10:00 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.999, -76.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Chautauqua

When: December 11, 3:30 AM EST to December 12, 12:15 AM EST
Where: Chautauqua forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.303, -79.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Cattaraugus

When: December 11, 5:30 AM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where: Cattaraugus forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.249, -78.679 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lake-Effect Snow, Southern Erie

When: December 11, 5:30 AM EST to 9:30 PM EST
Where: Southern Erie forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 42.758, -78.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
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

Every storm in New York in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in New York, December 2025

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: 1307781, 1308129, 1307780, 1307782, 1307784, 1307785.