Lake-Effect Snow — Lewis, New York

2024-12-12 to 2024-12-13 · Lewis, New York

Wider weather episode

Cold air poured into the region on Wednesday December 11, allowing widespread rain to change to a little wet snow before ending. The airmass became marginally cold enough to support the start of a weak lake response by the evening of December 11. A secondary cold front then crossed the eastern Great Lakes overnight, bringing a much colder airmass into the area, coinciding with the start of a much more robust lake response.

The heaviest lake effect snow fell Thursday through Thursday night December 12, when the coldest air and most favorable lake effect parameters aligned. Winds were strong enough, when combined with added forcing from the passage of the secondary cold front to allow for unusually strong inland extent of lake effect snow bands, with significant accumulations spreading far inland off both lakes.

Notable snowfall report amounts include: 42.5 inches in Eden, 41.2 inches in Hamburg, 41.8 inches in Worth, 33.0 inches in Barnes Corners, 28.0 inches in Copenhagen, 29.6 inches in Warsaw, 28.4 inches in Attica, 25.0 inches in Alexander, 17.5 inches in Dunkirk, 16.5 inches in Redfield and 9.3 inches in Perrysburg.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1225599. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.