Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Southeast Warren, New York

A deep upper level trough swept across the southern US and turned northeastward offshore of the east coast from the morning of January 3 through the morning of January 4, 2018. The interaction between the cold upper trough and the relatively warmer Atlantic waters resulted in tremendous intensification of a surface low pressure system that tracked from around Miami, FL to just offshore of Cape Cod on January 3 and 4. A good deal of moisture wrapped into this system and was lifted across much of the East Coast, resulting in a broad area of moderate to heavy snowfall. A heavy band of snow impacted portions of the Taconics from the late morning through the afternoon hours of January 4, resulting in snowfall rates up to 3 per hour and total snowfall amounts mainly in the 7 to 15 inch range. To the west of the heavy snowband across the Hudson, Mohawk, and Schoharie Valleys, a widespread 3 to 7 inches of snowfall occurred. Gusty northerly winds occurred with this system as well, with gusts of 30-45 mph recorded. The winds and falling snow contributed to reduced visibility and blowing and drifting of snow. The snowfall tapered off in the evening of January 4.

As the system pulled away, brutally cold Arctic air rushed southward into New York, resulting in an extended period of extremely cold conditions from January 5 through January 7. The coldest wind chills occurred during the mornings of January 6 and 7, when frigid air combined with westerly winds gusting to 30-40 mph resulted in widespread wind chills as low as 20 to 40 degrees below zero. High temperatures on January 6 were mainly in the single digits above and below zero. One confirmed fatality from hypothermia resulted from the stretch of cold weather as a 46-year old woman was found dead in front of her home in Glens Falls. Many warming shelters were opened across the state.