Lake-Effect Snow — Northern Cayuga, New York

2019-01-09 to 2019-01-10 · Northern Cayuga, New York

Wider weather episode

A cold front crossed the region and pushed a milder air mass that had resided across the area eastward, allowing for wintry weather to return. Temperatures behind the cold front at 850 hPa dropped to -12 to -14C over the open waters of the lakes that were around -3C. Layer moisture was sufficient for the formation of lake snow bands, which helped to overcome the shorter wind fetch of northwesterly flow. Snow along the passing cold front did not manage to account for much, however lake effect snow bands behind the front, with upstream connections to the upper Great Lakes prompted warnings downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. While northwest upslope flow resulted in largely synoptic snows over the North Country, snows from Oswego County to the south and west were largely lake effect. Snow totals included 13.5 inches in Cattaraugus, 9.5 inches in Sardinia, 22.5 inches in Celoron, 10 inches in Osceola, 9 inches in Port Byron, 7.4 inches in Macedon, 16.6 inches in Redfield, 7.6 inches in Wyoming, and 10 inches in West Carthage.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 801100. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.