Air Quality Concerns; Fire Weather in the West; Flash Flooding in the Southeast

Wildfire smoke continues to result in poor air quality from the Upper Midwest into the Northeast. Multiple days of hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to bring fire weather concerns for portions of the Four Corners region into the central Great Basin and Rockies. Heavy rainfall and a flash flooding threat continues in the Southeast. Severe thunderstorms continue across the Northern Plains Read More >

Western New York Weather History

JANUARY 22

1994

A narrow lake effect cloudband dropped over a half a foot of snow over a small area of Oswego county.

1996

Rapid snowmelt of one to two feet of snow combined with heavy rainfall of one to two inches to produce significant flooding from the 19th through the 22nd. In Erie county, nearly 200 homes were damaged by flood waters and an estimated $.5 million damage. Worse flooding and heavier damage occurred across the Southern Tier where damage was estimated in the millions. Eleven counties of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes were declared federal disaster areas.

2004

2005

Low pressure over the Ohio Valley moved to the Virginia coast and then lifted northeast off the Atlantic Coast. The system brought widespread snowfall to the entire region with eight to fourteen inch reports. Isolated reports of 20" were received due to lake enhancement. The winds, gusting to 40 mph, produced blizzard-like conditions in blowing and drifting snow. In several counties, travel was restricted to emergency vehicles only. Flight delays and cancellations occurred at the Rochester Airport and commercial bus lines also reported schedule delays. Specific storm totals included: 25" at Cassadaga; 23" at Stanley; 22" at Victor; 21" at Hamlin; 17" at Fairport, Walworth and West Monroe; 16" at Brockport; 15" at North Chili, Clyde, Cato, Parish, and Palermo; 14" at Mendon, Penfield, Palmyra, Hannibal, Arcade, and Phelps; 13" at Middleport, Greece, Newark, W. Monroe, Forestville, Perrysburg, and Cattaraugus; 12" at Webster, North Osceola and Alden; 11" at Minetto, South Wales, Kenmore, Portageville, Dunkirk and Livonia; and 10" at Lyndonville, Mannsville, Batavia and Friendship.

2008

22nd-24th...This lake effect episode occurred as the region remained entrenched in an arctic air mass. A cold front crossed the region early on Wednesday the 23rd and a moist westerly flow set up almost immediately during the morning. Light disorganized lake enhanced developed near daybreak in the Buffalo area and drifted south to southern Erie and Wyoming counties by late morning and blossomed into an intense single band which remained in place through the afternoon and evening. The snow band was narrow but focused in a ten mile wide strip from Dunkirk to Collins to Boston/Colden to Warsaw, all receiving over a foot. This band weakened overnight. Off Lake Ontario, a similar scenario ensued, although the initial activity was a bit stronger over Jefferson county Wednesday morning before drifting south by midday and early afternoon and continuing through the night into early Thursday within a ten mile strip from the Jefferson-Oswego county border to the central Tug Hill. Over three feet fell in a narrow band from Sandy Creek to Redfield.

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