Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio

Events

215

Deaths

2

Injuries

5

Damage

$30 million

• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Ohio, November 11 to 12, 20191 death · 8 injured · $1.7 million · 6 eventsOn November 10, weak low pressure developed across the Upper Midwest, extending a cold front from the Rockies towards the Upper Great Lakes.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 7 to 8, 20061 death · $355,000 · 7 eventsDuring the morning hours of the 7th, a strong cold front moved through the area bringing a period of synoptic snow to the region. After the cold front moved through, winds shifted to the northwest and then north causing lake effect snow to develop across northeast Ohio.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 1 to 5, 2010$3.3 million · 8 eventsA strong cold front moved east across Northeast Ohio late on December 31st. Cold north to northwest winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to develop by midnight on the 1st. Intermittent snow showers were then reported for several days.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 4 to 8, 2010$2.8 million · 9 eventsPersistent cold northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie resulted in a prolonged period of moderate to heavy lake effect snow in Northeast Ohio. Lake effect snow showers developed during the late evening hours of December 4th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 12 to 15, 2010$2.2 million · 8 eventsAn area of strong low pressure moved up the Ohio Valley on December 12th. This low shifted to New England by early on the 13th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 8 to 10, 2016$1.8 million · 5 eventsCold winds blowing across Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop during the morning hours of December 8th. Winds were initially close to being parallel to the south shore of the lake which kept the heavier snow confined to the lake shore areas.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 14 to 16, 2016$1.4 million · 6 eventsA cold front moved across northern Ohio on December 14th. Cold westerly winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to develop by late evening on the 14th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, February 3 to 4, 2009$1.3 million · 3 eventsCold northerly winds blowing across Lake Erie caused intense bands of lake effect snow to develop around midnight on February 4th. The snow bands started over Lorain County and then spread east across Cuyahoga and Medina Counties.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 24 to 27, 2017$1.3 million · 3 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across the upper Ohio Valley on December 24th. This low moved into western Pennsylvania during the evening hours.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, November 29 to 30, 2024$1.1 million · 4 eventsA prolonged, crippling, and in some places historic lake effect event took place across the Northeast Ohio snowbelt to end November and start December in 2024.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 17 to 19, 2016$1.1 million · 4 eventsAn arctic cold front moved east across the Great Lakes Region on Sunday January 17th, ushering the coldest air of the season into the area.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, November 13 to 14, 2014$900,000 · 5 eventsCold west to northwest flow across Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop just before daybreak on November 13th. The snow showers picked up in intensity during the daytime hours of the 13th with periods of heavy snow throughout the day.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 21 to 22, 2008$800,000 · 2 eventsA strong area of low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the morning hours of December 21st. A strong cold front trailing this low swept east across Northeast Ohio.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, October 23 to 25, 2013$750,000 · 2 eventsUnseasonably cold air moving across warm Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop during the evening of October 23rd. The snow briefly tapered off during the middle portion of the 24th and then picked up again during the afternoon.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 29 to 30, 2017$650,000 · 4 eventsCold northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie caused snow showers to develop before daybreak on January 29th. At that time a band of moderate to heavy snow stretched across Lake and Ashtabula Counties.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, February 9 to 11, 2016$600,000 · 4 eventsCold northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop during the evening hours of February 9th. The snow began to intensify during the early morning hours of the 10th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 30 to 31, 2007$525,000 · 5 eventsA strong cold front moved east across northern Ohio on January 30th. Cold westerly winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to develop during the morning hours of the 30th and persist into the 31st. Some of the heaviest snow fell during the afternoon of the 30th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 27 to 29, 2009$550,000 · 4 eventsA cold front moved across northeastern Ohio during the evening hours of December 27th. Cold northwest winds behind this front caused lake effect snow showers to develop late in the evening.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, March 8 to 9, 2018$550,000 · 4 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across the Upper Ohio Valley early on March 7th. The low quickly shifted off the East Coast and the slowly drifted east on the 8th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 29 to 31, 2017$550,000 · 3 eventsAn area of weak low pressure over the northern Great Lakes at daybreak on December 29th moved southeast and eventually passed to the north of Lake Erie during the early morning hours of the 30th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 24 to 25, 2007$500,000 · 4 eventsAn arctic cold front moved southeast across Northeast Ohio on January 24th. Very cold northwest winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to develop on the 24th and persist through most of the 25th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, January 1 to 3, 2012$450,000 · 6 eventsAn area of strong low pressure passed well to the north of Lake Erie on January 1st. A strong cold front trailing the low swept east across Northeast Ohio late on the 1st.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, December 1 to 3, 2024$450,000 · 4 eventsAfter a brief break in the lake effect during much of the day and into the night of November 30th, lake effect returned by early in the morning December 1st as winds shifted out of the west-northwest, directing lake effect bands back onshore across the primary snowbelt of far…
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, November 20 to 22, 2008$450,000 · 3 eventsAn area of low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the morning hours of November 12th. A cold front trailing the low swept east across Northeast Ohio by midday.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Ohio, February 10 to 12, 2012$375,000 · 4 eventsCold north to northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie caused lake effect snow showers to develop over Northeast Ohio late on February 10th. This snow shower activity intensified during morning hours of the 11th.

Lake-Effect Snow everywhereEvery kind of event in Ohio

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.