Heavy Snow — Southern Cayuga, New York

2018-03-02 · Southern Cayuga, New York

Event narrative

Snowfall accumulated between 5 and 10 inches.

Wider weather episode

A complex area of low pressure tracked from the Ohio Valley and southeast United States during the afternoon of the 1st and intensified into a major winter storm over Long Island by the morning of the 2nd. This intense winter storm remained nearly stationary until the late evening of the 2nd. The storm brought rain during the evening of the 1st in central New York, which changed to snow first in the Finger Lakes and Steuben County before midnight of the 2nd. The rain then turned to all snow across the rest of central New York during the early morning hours of the 2nd. The snow fell heavy at times through the day on the 2nd. High winds combined with the heavy snow during the afternoon of the 2nd leading to blizzard conditions from Otsego and Delaware Counties to Sullivan County, New York. Winds were frequently gusting to 50 mph. The rest of central NY saw near blizzard conditions during this time. The snow tapered down in the evening as the winds continued to cause near whiteout conditions, knocking down numerous trees and power lines from Otsego County to Sullivan County. An estimated 40,000 customers were without power mainly in the Sullivan County area where a State of Emergency was declared. Power was out in some areas for more than one week. Snowfall totals ranged from 1 to 2 feet in most areas with the highest amounts from Oneida County south to the western Catskills in central New York.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 747840. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.