Weather History for January 4

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Western New York Weather History

JANUARY 4

1982

Winds gusting as high as 71 mph ripped through western New York downing trees and power lines. The high winds pushed Lake Erie about nine feet above its low water datum, over a foot above flood level, causing some flooding along the shore near Hamburg. The high waves also did an estimated $1 million in damage to the Buffalo Harbor breakwater as two 150-foot sections were overturned into the Black Rock Channel. Power failures were reported throughout the area with as many as 4,000 customers of both major utilities without electric service. Police were also busy answering calls about downed trees, fallen live wires and businesses` windows blown out.

1994

Low pressure developed over the Southeast U.S. and tracked northeast along the Eastern Seaboard. The low dumped heavy snow across the entire Western New York area. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6-8" over the extreme western counties to 12-18" over the Eastern Lake Ontario Counties. Travel quickly became difficult across much of the region. Numerous automobile accidents, some with fatalities, resulted. The New York State Thruway was closed from Rochester east. States of Emergency were declared in Cayuga, Wayne, Lewis, and Ontario, Counties. Emergency shelters were set up throughout those for stranded travelers and motorists.

2000

Strong winds accompanied the passage of a cold front across the area during the late morning and early afternoon hours. Trees and power lines were downed by the winds. In Rochester, Monroe County, a smoke stack was blown over. In Medina, Orleans County, a downed tree fell onto a house causing structural damage. Gusts of 49 mph at Niagara Falls, 51 mph at Buffalo and 55 mph at Rochester were recorded. Power outages were scattered throughout the area.