Severe Thunderstorms, Heavy Rainfall and Dangerous Heat

Severe thunderstorms are expected today and Friday from the upper Midwest, central Great Lakes into the Ohio and mid-Mississippi Valley's. In addition, heavy rainfall threat increases on Friday across the Ohio Valley. Meanwhile, early summer-like heat wave across portions of southern Texas with new daily records are forecast today and through the weekend; The heat spreads across the Gulf States. Read More >

Western New York Weather History

DECEMBER 6

1962

A major winter storm began as heavy rain on the 6th then changing to heavy, wet snow on the 7th. From 5am to 9pm of the 6th, 1.15 inches of rain was recorded at the Buffalo airport. The hardest hit areas extended from southern Erie county southward where 3 to 4 feet accumulated in a series of lake effect snowstorms

1984

Winter Storm Warnings were posted for all of western and central New York on the 5th as low pressure over the deep south was forecast to move northeast and spread large amounts of moisture into the region. Snow had begun over most of western and central New York by the evening of the 5th and by the morning of the 6th, some areas had reported 5 to 6 inches of new-fallen snow. The official reading at Buffalo International Airport was 6.3 inches, but up to 10 inches of snow were reported from some areas of the western Southern Tier counties.

1997

5TH-6TH…Cold air crossing the warm waters of Lake Erie produced lake effect snow squalls southeast of the lake. Up to 14 inches of snow fell over parts of the western southern tier. The heavy snow caused the closing of the New York State Thruway from Ripley to the Pennsylvania state line. Numerous auto accidents were blamed on the heavy snow. One woman was killed in an auto accident when she lost control of her car on a snow-covered road. Several other injuries also occurred in car accidents. Off Lake Ontario, lake effect snow squall dropped up to 20 inches of snow. Several auto accidents were blamed on the snowy road conditions.

2002

Lake effect snow bands developed over Lake Ontario in a westerly flow and pushed inland across Oswego county early in the morning of the sixth. The activity became better organized and became intense for a few hours in the early afternoon where it remained nearly stationary along the Jefferson-Oswego county border. Sandy Creek reported 12 inches of snowfall; 8" in Adams and Pulaski; and 7" at North Osceola.

2005

6th-7th An upper trough cross the Great Lakes reinforcing the arctic air over the region. Lake effect snows fell downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. Off Lake Erie, the activity focused on northern Chautauqua, northern Cattaraugus, southern Erie and southern Wyoming counties. Over 20 inches fell in a narrow band along the three county line. Reports from spotters included: Perrysburg 29"; Arcade 24"; Chaffee 22"; South Dayton 15"; Dunkirk 13"; Colden 8"; and Ellicottville 7". Off Lake Ontario, the lake snows began over central Jefferson and northern Lewis counties settling south over the Tug Hill and eventually across southern Oswego county. Reported snowfall totals included: Mexico 17"; Highmarket 16"; Constantia 14" and Oswego 12".