FEBRUARY 19

1960 

The 13.0 inches of snow that fell at the Buffalo Airport on this date was the greatest in 24 hours for the month of February 1960. The New York State Thruway was closed for 19 hours and over 1000 travelers were stranded. Six deaths were attributed to the storm. Some schools housed students overnight because of blocked roads (about 500 in Wyoming county alone). Nearly 1000 plows worked almost continuously to combat drifting. Several medical cases in rural areas were evacuated by toboggan and bulldozers. Emergency situations were widespread and there were many tragedies.

1992 

During the early morning hours, thunderstorms developed over the Niagara peninsula, moved northeast over Niagara county, and produced some hail in Niagara Falls and Lewiston. The lightning display and rainfall from these cells rivaled typical thunderstorms in mid summer. The cells were lit from the east by a nearly full moon, providing an awesome spectacle in the northwestern sky for Buffalo residents who may have been awake at that hour. 

2000

Low pressure moved from the Ohio Valley to the Jersey coast spreading snow across the region. While most areas received a general four to six inches of snow, higher elevations of the Western Southern Tier and Finger Lakes received between six and ten inches.

2006

19th-21st...A long lasting lake effect snow event brought significant snowfalls to the north country region. Lake effect snows began to develop Saturday and continued through early Tuesday morning as a steady cold, westerly flow continued across Lake Ontario. Storm totals included: 35" at Hooker; 30" at Worth; 18" at Lacona; 16" at North Osceola; 15" at Highmarket; and 6-10" at Watertown.

2008

19th-20th...Surge of arctic air followed a secondary cold front which crossed the area Monday night the 18th and soon set off lake effect snowsoff both Lakes Erie and Ontario.  The Lake Ontario activity began Tuesday midday over Jefferson County but soon settled slowly southward as the winds veered to westerly later in the day. The band settled southward across most of Oswego county Tuesday night before lifting north to the Oswego-Jefferson county line early Wednesday and remained there much of the day before lifting north again. Some minor activity redeveloped on a northwest flow Wednesday night further south and west over Wayne County. Total accumulations were a foot or less over most areas due to the transition of the band, but a narrow area of northern Oswego County around Lacona and Pulaski saw accumulations of three to four feet. Specific snowfall reports included: 49 inches at Pulaski, 22 inches at Sandy Creek, 19 inches at Lacona, 16 inches at Mexico and 9 inches at Highmarket. The activity off Erie was most interesting and was highly subject to locations of open water. Although the lake was mostly ice covered, a warm spell and brisk southwest winds opened up an area of open water along the south shore of the lake. Snow showers developed during the afternoon hours but were more of a cellular nature due to the late February sun. This turned into an intense single band during Tuesday evening which extended across Lackawanna to Depew and Darien with 1-2 inch per hour rates. A few more bands developed and dissipated overnight into Wednesday morning with one final band giving several inches to East Aurora and Wales Wednesday morning. Total accumulations ranged up to a foot or a little more just southeast of Buffalo in Depew and Elma, but the gradient was sharp with 4 inches at the Buffalo Airport and only 1-2 inches in Amherst. Specific snowfall reports included: 14 inches at Elma, 13 inches at South Wales and Depew, 11 inches at East Aurora and 10 inches at West Seneca.