A historic lake effect blizzard occurred northeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario during the Christmas holiday weekend. The combination of high winds in excess of 70 mph and heavy lake effect snow resulted in devastating impacts across western New York and also east of Lake Ontario from December 23 through December 27.
Warmer air initially was in place over the majority of the region with widespread middle and upper 30s being common in the pre-dawn hours on December 23. Bombogenesis occurred with an incoming surface low pressure center that crossed the Great Lakes and brought abruptly colder and vastly windier conditions into the area behind its adjoining cold front. Rain quickly transitioned to snow immediately behind the front, while temperatures and wind chills went into a free fall. This dramatic drop in temperature led to a flash freeze behind the front Friday morning, and by noon, temperatures across western New York were in the teens with wind chills already well below zero.
Temperatures off the surface took a tumble Friday and yielding strong lake-induced instability over the fully open waters of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. This produced ideal lapse rates needed for lake effect processes. Meanwhile, a 240 degree flow over the lakes produced a long fetch, particularly over Lake Erie. Finally, unidirectional winds with speeds of 50-60 knots in a well-mixed boundary layer led to instantaneous blizzard conditions across the Niagara Frontier and Northtowns northeast of Lake Erie and across Jefferson County northeast of Lake Ontario. In fact, blizzard conditions started at the Buffalo Airport at 8:39 AM and at 1:44 PM at Watertown Airport on Friday, December 23. The strong winds led to wider and longer lake bands across the region. Due to the extreme conditions, snowflakes were shredded into fragments as they fell. This led to terrible visibility and impossible driving conditions. The highest wind gusts were recorded Friday morning northeast of Lake Erie and Friday afternoon northeast of Lake Ontario. Some of the highest wind gusts include 79 mph at the base of the Buffalo Skyway, 72 mph at the Buffalo Airport, 74 mph at Niagara Falls, 59 mph at Watertown Airport, and 54 mph at Fort Drum Airfield. The strength of these winds led to widespread power outages northeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario including the cities of Buffalo and Watertown.
The lake bands shifted slightly to the north Friday night, which compounded the impacts across the Buffalo and Watertown Metro areas. Snow added up quickly northeast of the Lakes with totals of 1-2 feet across northern Erie, southern Niagara, and northern Jefferson counties by Saturday morning. A daily snowfall record of 22.3 inches at Buffalo Airport was recorded on December 23. Snowfall rates were very hard to quantify due to the strong winds. The lake band shifted slightly north across Niagara, Orleans, and northern Erie counties Saturday. The backing winds led to a shorter fetch across Lake Ontario, therefore the band weakened across northern Jefferson county Saturday afternoon. After 24.5 consecutive hours of blizzard conditions, the blizzard ended at the Watertown Airport at 2:25 PM, December 24. Meanwhile northeast of Lake Erie, southwest winds continued to blow 50 to 60 mph Saturday with continued blizzard conditions, even for locations just outside of the bands due to blowing and drifting snow. Snowfall totals closed in on 3 feet at the Buffalo Airport by Saturday evening.
The blizzard ended at the Buffalo Airport at 9:54 PM on December 24. By Sunday morning, a shortwave trough moved across the eastern Great Lakes, which finally led to a notable wind shift. Winds further weakened as they veered westerly. This wind shift led to a greater fetch off of Lake Ontario, which allowed for lake effect snow to intensify across Jefferson County and eventually the Tug Hill. Meanwhile, east of Lake Erie, lake effect bands moved south and settled across the Southtowns by late Saturday night. Snowfall rates of two to three inches per hour were persistent east of Lake Erie Saturday night through Sunday. Snowfall rates of three to four inches per hour were estimated across the Tug Hill by Sunday. Snow totals surpassed 2 feet across Jefferson County by Sunday evening. The rising sun showed the impact of the historic blizzard across the Northtowns Sunday morning. Scenes included high drifts of snow, ongoing power outages, untouched roads, closed interstates, and hundreds of stranded cars.
A deep trough persisted across the eastern United States with cold air still providing conditions ideal for lake effect processes across the eastern Great Lakes Sunday night into Monday. Boundary layer flow backed to the west-southwest across Lake Erie late Sunday night, and the lake band moved back north through the City of Buffalo with snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour. The band continued to move north and weaken due to an increase in wind shear and shorter fetch. An intense lake band persisted east of Lake Ontario with three to four inch per hour rates across southern Jefferson and Lewis counties Sunday night into Monday. A wind shift to the southwest weakened and moved the lake band into northern Jefferson County by Monday afternoon. The last hurrah came Monday night when synoptic moisture reinvigorated the lake bands northeast of both Lakes. By Tuesday morning, the lake effect event ended as strong subsidence moved into the Great Lakes region. Storm total snowfall amounts exceeded 50 inches northeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
The historic blizzard and lake effect snow event spanned five days and included the Christmas holiday. This high impact event led to school and government closures on Friday, December 23, impossible travel, and widespread power outages across the Buffalo and Watertown Metro areas. The blizzard led to the loss of lives in Niagara and Erie counties. The halt to the transportation sector included closures on the New York State Thruway (I-90) from Rochester, NY, to the Pennsylvania state line and travel bans across Niagara and Erie counties that lasted 1-2 days after blizzard conditions ended. The Buffalo and Watertown Airports closed for multiple days during the holiday weekend.
Selected storm total snowfall reports from this five day event include 59.7 inches in North Tonawanda, 51.9 inches at the Buffalo Airport, 48.3 inches at Henderson Harbor, 47.2 inches in Watertown, 50.8 inches in Deferiet, 14.4 inches in Highmarket, 9 inches in Richland, 8.2 inches in Brockport, 19.3 inches in Warsaw, 16 inches in Batavia, 44.6 inches in Lake View, 37 inches in Orchard Park, 32.5 inches in Kenmore, and 9.6 inches in Mayville.
Additionally, with the extremely strong wind gusts, the fourth largest seiche on record on Lake Erie occurred. A notable seiche was evident on Lake Ontario, as well. Heavy freezing spray from the lake ensconced lakeshore homes with ice, and water ended up closing Route 5 in Hamburg. Lake Erie at Buffalo peaked at 10.7 feet and was in flood for 17 hours. The seiche on Lake Ontario likewise raised the water level 2 feet at Cape Vincent.

Lakeshore Flood in CHAUTAUQUA, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:30:00 to 24-DEC-22 01:42:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Lakeshore Flood in SOUTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:30:00 to 24-DEC-22 01:42:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Lakeshore Flood in NORTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:30:00 to 24-DEC-22 01:42:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Lakeshore Flood in NIAGARA, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:48:00 to 23-DEC-22 16:24:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Blizzard in NIAGARA, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 09:06:00 to 24-DEC-22 13:30:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Blizzard in CHAUTAUQUA, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 11:50:00 to 23-DEC-22 15:56:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Blizzard in GENESEE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 10:25:00 to 24-DEC-22 02:15:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Blizzard in JEFFERSON, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 13:44:00 to 24-DEC-22 14:25:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Blizzard in ORLEANS, NEW YORK
From 24-DEC-22 00:20:00 to 24-DEC-22 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Blizzard in SOUTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 24-DEC-22 20:35:00 to 24-DEC-22 23:45:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Winter Storm in CHAUTAUQUA, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 07:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in NORTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 02:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Winter Storm in CATTARAUGUS, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in GENESEE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 09:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 02:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in WYOMING, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 09:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 00:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in MONROE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 10:00:00 to 25-DEC-22 02:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Winter Storm in JEFFERSON, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 13:00:00 to 27-DEC-22 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in LEWIS, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 13:00:00 to 27-DEC-22 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Winter Storm in OSWEGO, NEW YORK
From 24-DEC-22 02:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

High Wind in JEFFERSON, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 00:40:00 to 23-DEC-22 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: 911 Call Center

High Wind in OSWEGO, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 00:40:00 to 23-DEC-22 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: 911 Call Center

High Wind in LEWIS, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 00:40:00 to 23-DEC-22 06:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: 911 Call Center

Blizzard in NORTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:39:00 to 25-DEC-22 01:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 15.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Winter Storm in SOUTHERN ERIE, NEW YORK
From 23-DEC-22 08:00:00 to 26-DEC-22 02:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer