Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania

Events

255

Deaths

0

Injuries

3

Damage

$47 million

• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, January 7, 20152 deaths · 10 injured · 2 eventsNorthwest flow and a crossing upper trough helped to produce lake effect snow bands downwind of Lake Erie during the day on the 7th. Near white-out conditions were encountered in snow squalls which caused a 17-car pileup on Interstate 80 in Clarion County.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 24 to 27, 2017$25 million · 2 eventsAn historic lake effect snow storm impacted Erie County on December 24th through the 27th. A 24 hour Pennsylvania snowfall record of 50.8 inches is believed to have been set during the period from 7 am on the 25th through 7 am on the 26th at Erie International Airport.
• Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Weather in Pennsylvania, November 27 to 29, 20257 injured · $210,000 · 11 eventsA potent area of low pressure across the northern Great Lakes tracking into southern Canada allowed for enhanced westerly flow to begin during the early morning hours of November 27, 2025.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, November 29 to 30, 2024$3.0 million · 3 eventsA prolonged, crippling, and in some places historic lake effect event took place across the Northwest Pennsylvania snowbelt to end November and start December in 2024.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 21 to 22, 2008$1.0 million · 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 Northwest Pennsylvania.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 1 to 5, 2010$1.0 million · 2 eventsA strong cold front moved east across northeastern Pennsylvania late on December 31st. Cold north to northwest winds behind the front caused lake effect snow showers to develop early on January 1st. Intermittent snow showers were then reported for several days.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 4 to 9, 2010$800,000 · 2 eventsPersistent cold northwest winds blowing across Lake Erie resulted in a prolonged period of moderate to heavy lake effect snow in northwestern Pennsylvania. Lake effect snow showers developed during the late evening hours of December 4th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, November 20 to 22, 2008$725,000 · 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 northwestern Pennsylvania by midday.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 17 to 19, 2016$700,000 · 3 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 Pennsylvania, December 29 to 30, 2017$600,000 · 2 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 Pennsylvania, December 27 to 29, 2009$550,000 · 3 eventsA cold front moved across northwestern Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, December 8 to 10, 2016$550,000 · 3 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 Pennsylvania, December 6 to 7, 2008$550,000 · 2 eventsAn Alberta clipper passed to the north of Lake Erie early on December 7th. A strong cold front trailing this low swept east across the lake during the evening hours of the 6th. Cold westerly winds behind this front caused lake effect snow showers to develop.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 12 to 15, 2010$550,000 · 2 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 Pennsylvania, February 9 to 11, 2016$500,000 · 3 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 Pennsylvania, December 10 to 11, 2009$500,000 · 2 eventsAn arctic cold front moved across the region on December 9th. Cold westerly winds behind this front caused lake effect snow showers to develop across northwestern Pennsylvania just before daybreak on the 10th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, February 19 to 20, 2009$500,000 · 2 eventsAn area of strong low pressure moved across Lake Erie during the evening hours of February 18th. A cold front trailing the low swept east across northwestern Pennsylvania and ushered much colder temperatures into the region.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 30 to 31, 2007$475,000 · 3 eventsA strong cold front moved east across northwestern Pennsylvania 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.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 12 to 14, 2012$450,000 · 3 eventsAn area of strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the evening hours of January 12th. Cold northwest winds behind the low caused lake effect snow showers to develop just before midnight on the 13th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 6 to 7, 2015$450,000 · 3 eventsAn Alberta Clipper moved east across the Central Great Lakes on January 6th. A cold front trailing this low swept across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 7th. Snow began around midday on the 6th ahead of the front but transitioned to lake effect snow behind the front.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, November 16 to 17, 2008$400,000 · 2 eventsAn area of strong low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie on November 15th. Persistent northwest flow behind this system ushered much colder air into the region.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, January 11 to 13, 2016$400,000 · 2 eventsA very deep area of low pressure passed to the north of Lake Erie during the morning hours of January 12th.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 1 to 3, 2024$350,000 · 3 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 Northwest Pennsylvania.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, December 15 to 16, 2017$350,000 · 2 eventsAn area of low pressure moved across the central Great Lakes on December 15th. Cold air behind this system caused lake effect snow showers to develop downwind of Lake Erie.
• Lake-Effect Snow in Pennsylvania, March 14, 2018$350,000 · 2 eventsDeep low pressure off the coast of Nova Scotia maintained a cold west to northwest flow across the eastern Great Lakes. Lake effect snow bands developed downwind of Lake Erie late on March 13th.

Lake-Effect Snow everywhereEvery kind of event in Pennsylvania

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.