The second lake effect event of the winter season was one of the most intense and disruptive storms on record for the Buffalo area. It will be remembered not only for its intense and deep snowfalls, but for the incredibly tight snowfall gradient on the northern edge across the most densely populated region of metro Buffalo, attesting to its remarkable steady state, moving less than 3 miles during a 30 hour period. This allowed snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour to fall over the exact same area. The event evolved quickly as a major synoptic storm departed the area. Temperatures on the 1st started the day in the 50s but fell rapidly. A lake plume developed off Lake Erie by early afternoon on a southwest flow and intensified by 3 pm as it rolled into the Buffalo South Towns. The band then lifted north a bit during the early evening and remained pretty much locked in place for the next 30 hours or so. There was the typical thunder and lightning often seen during early season events. The wind fields finally weakened with increasing shear as a surface ridge built in by Friday morning the 3rd, disrupting and dissipating the band.
Snowfall amounts were incredible within the band. A general 30 to 40 inches fell in about a five mile strip which ran from Lackawanna and southeast Buffalo, east northeast across northern West Seneca, south Cheektowaga, Depew and Lancaster over to Alden. Amounts dropped off steadily to the south, with about a foot in Orchard Park and less further south. The real story was the northern gradient though. Amounts dropped from two feet to a dusting in just a 3 or 4 mile distance! This was evident along north-south roads like Transit and Harlem. For example, no measurable snow fell at Main and Harlem, but two feet at Walden and Harlem. The Buffalo Airport was right at the cutoff, with 2 inches at its northwest corner and a foot at its southeast corner! Further west, no snow fell in Buffalo at North Street; four inches at fell City Hall and a foot fell near HSBC arena.
This event had major impact, not only in the 300,000 or so people affected, but from a major backup and shut down of the NYS Thruway from Exit 52 to 54, with hundreds stranded for almost 24 hours.
Reported snow totals:  42��� Depew; 30��� Elma, Lancaster and West Seneca; 23��� Marilla; 17��� Darien; 16��� Wales; 14��� Akron; 11��� East Aurora and Warsaw; and Buffalo trace across North Buffalo to 39��� across the southeast corner of the city.
Activity off Lake Ontario, usually fairly similar to Erie, did not materialize nearly as well this time. There was a broad area of snow showers and heavier snow, but single banding never did develop. Shear was much greater and temperatures a bit milder and marginal. A narrow band of eight inch snowfall fell across areas where the snow persisted longest���just north of Watertown (Calcium) over to Harrisville.

Lake-Effect Snow in SOUTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 15:00:00 to 02-DEC-10 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

Lake-Effect Snow in JEFFERSON, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 21:00:00 to 03-DEC-10 05:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Lake-Effect Snow in NORTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 15:00:00 to 02-DEC-10 19:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Lake-Effect Snow in WYOMING, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 15:00:00 to 02-DEC-10 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Lake-Effect Snow in GENESEE, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 15:00:00 to 02-DEC-10 19:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Lake-Effect Snow in LEWIS, NEW YORK
From 01-DEC-10 21:00:00 to 03-DEC-10 05:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS