Historic Lake Effect Snow events, For North America~All lakes welcome Options

[WNYLakeEffect]

I wanted to start a thread to document historical lake effect snow events in NA, so I did. I'll try to post info about storms as often as I can and encourage others to post any stories or info about a lake effect storm(s). I'd love to have some SE MI-ers and Chicago-ans post about any lake effect that they've received or know about, along with anyone from the usual snowbelts south and east of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, and if we're lucky someone in the Salt Lake Snowbelt.

I have at least one storm (Veterans Day Storm of November 9-15, 1996 in Ohio, PA, and NY) that I'll try to make a post about in the next few days.



EDIT January 18, 2010:

Hey, yeah, I forgot about this thread...

So, I restarted my 'little' project this weekend and it's quickly grown to a huge monstrous project. My intent has changed some. I will still be doing lake effect events, but will add synoptic (non-lake effect) events in Western New York as well. So why is this so large?

I decided that I going to try and map (and give a synopsis to some) as many notable and un-notable (not a word...) events as I can...going back to the...mid 1890s. Just using Buffalo Airport records from 1922-1998, I've got 179 storm candidates, with another ~30 started. I haven't started going through my town's records (1895-1908, 1922-present), nor have I other towns. I'd estimate I have 250 to 300 storms up the pipeline. Not all will get in due to the extremely disappointing Cooperative Observer records available, but I'll try to make do with what I have. I can't say that the maps that I make will be highly accurate, not only because of the sparse records, but also the frustrating localized nature of WNY snowfalls, synoptic and lake effect. I'll try to make do with what I've got. Counties that I'll be mapping for are in WNY: Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegheny. In NW PA: Erie and Warren.

I've got a lot to do for this. Finding dates and retrieving totals has already proven to a long process. If I stick with this, I'd guess it will take me a year, give or take a month or two. But I think it's well worth it. NWS Buffalo isn't particularly big on pre-1998 stuff. As far as I know, this will be the first time Western New York snow history is ever cataloged. I have 3 or 4 maps already prepared that I'll post soon.

This post has been edited by WNYLakeEffect: Jan 18 2010, 07:25 PM

[kab2791]

LES isn't too big in SE MI, maybe 2-4" on a rare occasion; however the counties along the Lake Huron Shorline can get much LES. For example, earlier in the decade, Port Huron Received a foot of snow due to the perfet NE wind of L. Huron.

[Greg123]

Thanksgiving of 2005 we got over 2 feet of LES at our cabin, NW Lower MI. I live a few miles west of Port Huron and yes, they/we can get some pretty good LES in the thumb of MI. For the most part, S.E. MI gets there LES, the little they get, from Lake MI but up in the thumb they get it from Lake Huron also with a north to north east wind.

[WNYLakeEffect]

Okay, here are the first maps. These are sort of my dry-runs, so I chose relatively simple, synoptic storms. These ones don't have dates on them and one isn't supposed to have the totals. Anyway:

March 17-18, 1936, "The Great St. Patrick's Day Snowstorm of 1936" SWE's were running 7:1 region wide. Up to 5 1/2" of water was recorded. It was followed by another very wet 8-12" a few days later.


Halloween 1993, the most significant early season snowfalls for many places. Very elevation dependent.


The Superstorm, March 13-15, 1993. The last blizzard to occur in WNY. Can you spot the mesoscale banding? Totals ranged from 2" to 24".


November 24-26, 1950, "The Great Appalachian Storm". If you live anywhere in Ohio, Western PA, and SW NY, you should pray for a repeat of this storm. One of only 4 triple phasers confirmed. Snow records in my town are shot, so I had to estimate based on nearby totals, climo, and liquid.


This post has been edited by WNYLakeEffect: Jan 18 2010, 07:54 PM

[WNYLakeEffect]

A post late, but here is my data set:

[WNYLakeEffect]

Today's maps:
December 1-4th, 1966, Long duration lake effect event with very high totals, Spotter from Mayville reported that it was the highest total in over 30 years


November 2-5, 1966, minor, but long duration and very early season


November 3, 1991, small accumulations, but short duration and very early season


November 5, 1982, brief, but very intense, 2nd highest early season storm in Buffalo (behind October 2006)


October 1976, two very early mid month, significant snowfalls. Kicked off a historic winter and complimented a very cold October.

[WNYLakeEffect]

February 20-21, 1924, minor, longer duration, synoptic storm.


December 21-23, 1924, moderate, but somewhat intense at times, lake effect storm.


November 28-30, 1965, long duration event with high accumulations in the Boston Hills and the high population area around Erie, PA, extending inland to the Chautauqua Ridge/Sherman area.


November 11-13, 1977, relatively quick, moderate, early season event, first significant snowfall of the winter. I forgot to turn off the #s layer, so sorry for the numbers.

[dmc76]

My greatest memories was in Jan 97 skiing in Traverse City,MI area. It Snowed 34 inches in 4 days due to LES.

[dmc76]

LES isn't too big in SE MI, maybe 2-4" on a rare occasion; however the counties along the Lake Huron Shorline can get much LES. For example, earlier in the decade, Port Huron Received a foot of snow due to the perfet NE wind of L. Huron.

Had 6 inches from Huron in Feb 07. It was amazing for this area.

[Removed_Member_OHweather2_*]

For the time of year, this storm was extremely intense and long duration. And it is very close to the perfect setup for heavy LES in the Ohio Snow Belts. Had the ratios been higher 50" amounts probably would've been common:

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[WNYLakeEffect]

Lots today.

January 20, 1925, synoptic, minor,


October 1925, unusually snowy October in the region,


December 11-12, 1944, region wide blizzard with heavy snow. Significant snow had already fallen earlier in the month in the Western Southern Tier. Made for one of the snowiest Decembers ever,


November 8-9, 1933, first in a series of 3 snow storms during 11/1933 that produced near-record or record snowfall in the Southern Tier. These storms were pretty fascinating in that they all were particularly hard hitting in Jamestown. Snow records are scattered at this time, so I tried to gradient the best I could with climo (for all storms),


November 10-11, 1933, second storm, unusual inland extent and snow in Niagara county,



November 15-16, 1933, third storm, classic, early season elevation storm with Buffalo swing,


January 19-23, 1985, "The Blizzard of '85", legendary lake effect blizzard that crippled the Buffalo area, which still had '77 fresh in their memory, wind chills at times approached -60F, winds gusted to 50mph or more, and drifts reached 8 feet, it was one of the greatest Buffalo storms ever,


May 7-8, 1989, the most significant late season snowfall on record region wide,


November 27-28, 1952, brief, intense Buffalo squall,



November 20-22, 1957, textbook South Towns storm, quick and intense snow with a fairly long duration, daily totals in Elma were 2.5", 14.5", and 16.0".

[wxdude1964]

November 24-26, 1950, "The Great Appalachian Storm". If you live anywhere in Ohio, Western PA, and SW NY, you should pray for a repeat of this storm. One of only 4 triple phasers confirmed. Snow records in my town are shot, so I had to estimate based on nearby totals, climo, and liquid.
Reduced 9%

Yes, that was an epic storm. My father was nine years old and living in WV at the time.
He said it was a dream come true for a nine year old! The record snowfall for WV occurred
in this event, 57 inches in Pickins, WV. A general 30-40 inches fell across the Potomac Highlands/Greenbrier Valley area. In the town I live in now, it was the largest Nov/Dec
snowfall on record, at 28.5 inches. This past Dec 18/19 came close to that with 23.6 inches.

Very cool stuff! I know its lots of work, but I for one greatly appreciate it!

[WNYLakeEffect]

Haven't forgotten this thread.

Bunch of October storms:




















Next up is November. I've got at least 44 storms lined up for that month, and then 87 in December, 52 in January, 40 in February, 62 in March, and 36 in April. 321 total. I plan to eventually organize them by season and map some of the smaller ones.

This post has been edited by WNYLakeEffect: Mar 13 2010, 06:26 PM