Heavy Snow — Tompkins, New York

1996-03-03 to 1996-03-04 · Tompkins, New York

Wider weather episode

Arctic air poured into central New York on gusty west winds producing lake effect snow squalls across the eastern Finger Lakes and western Mohawk Valley, and scattered snow showers elsewhere. Nezr zero visibility in snow squalls forced the closure of many roads throughout central and southern Oneida County, including part of the New York State Thruway from Verona to Utica. About 4,000 customers in northern Onondaga County were left without power due to the gusty winds. A young woman was killed and one person injured in Tompkins County when the car they were riding in crashed on Route 79 in the town of Ithaca during whiteout conditions in a snow squall. The highest snowfall totals were found across Oneida County, where 8 inches of snow fell in Rome and Forestport, 9 inches in Point Rock, and 10 inches in Ava.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5545851. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.