A History of Severe Weather is arranged as an encyclopedia of important weather events which are listed in chronological order. "Lake Region" is used here to broadly refer to western, central, and north-central New York.

   This index may be used freely for purposes of listing notable weather events. Credit: Bassette, K. (2023.) A History of Severe Weather to the Lee of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in Western, Central, and North-Central New York 1798-2022. Kellen Bassette.

The following events are examined in this work. 

1798, Oct. 29, Lake effect snowstorm, southern Jefferson-northern Oswego counties.

1807, March 31 - April 5, Cyclonic snowstorm, Northeast.

1810, July 18, Severe freeze, Genesee County.

1813, Oct. Snowstorms, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario snow belts.

1816, Anomalous cold, Northeast and eastern Canada.

1820, May, Snowstorms, Lake Region.

1823, June 13, Hail storm, southwest Oswego County.

1824, May, Snowstorms, central and north-central New York.

1824, Oct. 28-29, Snowstorm, Lake Erie snowbelt and higher elevations east of Lake Ontario.

1827, Spring, Cold, snowy spring, Lake Region.

1831, May 8-9, Snowstorm, Lake Region.

1831/32, Severe winter, Lake Region.

1834, May 12-15, Snowstorms, Northeast.

1835, Sep. 30 - Oct. 1, High elevation snowstorm, Northeast.

1835/36, Severe winter, central and north-central New York.

1836, Sep. - Oct. Series of high elevation snowstorms, Northeast.

1838, May 25, Snowstorm, central New York, north-central Pennsylvania.

1838, July, A series of severe weather outbreaks/tornadoes, New York and Pennsylvania.

1839, Jan. 26-28, Nor' easter, Lake Region.

1839, Dec. 27-30, Nor' Easter, Lake Region.

1841, Spring, Late spring, floods, Lake Region.

1842, June, High elevation snowstorm, unseasonable frosts/freezes, Northeast. Hail storms, Cayuga and St. Lawrence counties.

1842, Nov. 17-19, Lakes Erie and Ontario, gale, lake effect snow.

1843, March, Severe winter weather, Lake Region.

1843, June 1, Widespread light snow, Lake Region.

1844, Sep. 28-30, High elevation snowstorm, Northeast. Drought conditions, Lake Region.

1844, Oct. 18-19, Gale on Lakes Erie and Ontario. Catastrophic seiche at Buffalo.

1844, Oct. 27-30, Nor' Easter, particularly heavy snowfall near Lakes Erie and Ontario.

1845, Sep. Series of severe weather outbreaks, New York. Notable tornado(es), western and northern New York.

1850, Oct. 25-27, Cyclone with heavy rain and snow, flooding, Lake Region.

1850, Dec. 22-23, Nor' Easter, Northeast and eastern Canada.

1854, Dec. 1-8, Heavy snows, antecedent drought conditions, Lake Region.

1855, Feb. 4-7, Coldwave, Lake Region.

1855, April 1-2, Ground blizzard, central and north-central New York.

1855, April 18, Severe weather outbreak, hail storms, New York.

1856, Jan. - May, Severe winter/spring, Lake Region. Historic February blizzard, Oswego County.

1856, Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, Lake effect snowstorm, Oswego County.

1856, Dec. 14, Lake Erie gale.

1857, Jan. - Feb. Anomalous cold (January) and warmth (February), Lake Region.

1857, April, A series of major snowstorms, New York.

1857, June, Severe weather, tornadoes, Lake Region, snow at Oswego June 23.

1858, May 17, Snowstorm, Tug Hill/Black River Valley.

1859, Apr. 22-24, Cyclone with heavy rain and snow. Notable snowfall in portions of western New York.

1859, June - July, Widespread frosts/freezes and light snow, Great Lakes, central Appalachians.

1860, May 30, Tornadoes, Cattaraugus County, western Pennsylvania.

1861, Feb. 6-10, Powerful front, temperature fluctuations, New York.

1865, March, Floods, Lake Region.

1866, Feb. 2-4, Lake effect snowstorm, Oswego County.

1866, Dec. Series of snowstorms, Lake Region.

1868, July, Heatwave, New York.

1868, Dec. Snowy month, Lake Region.

1869, April, Black River flood.

1869, Oct. Cold, snowy month, Lake Region.

1870, March, Heavy snowstorms, Lake Region.

1872, June 13, Severe weather outbreak, New York.

1872, Nov. Lake effect snowstorms off lakes Erie and Ontario.

1875, Jan. - May, Severe winter/spring, Lake Region.

1878, Aug. 9, Flooding, north-central New York.

1878, Dec. - 1879, Jan. A series of major cyclonic and lake effect snowstorms, historic January blizzard. Lake Region.

1881, Sep. Wildfires, New York, Pennsylvania.

1883, Feb. 2-4, Ice storm, Eastern Lake Ontario Region, floods, western New York.

1884/85, Severe winter, Lake Region.

1892, Jan. 6-8, Lake effect snow off lakes Erie and Ontario, particularly southern Erie County.

1893, Aug. Severe weather, hailstorms, hurricane remnants, New York.

1894, April 10-11, Cyclonic snowstorm, western New York.

1895, Feb. 7-10, Blizzard, Lake region.

1895, Oct. Snowstorms, Lake region.

1896, Sep. 29-30, Hurricane remnants, central New York.

1897, July, Heatwave, severe weather outbreaks, hail storms, floods, New York.

1897, Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, Lake effect snow storm, Oswego County.

1898, Dec. Snowstorms, Lake Region.

1899, Sep. 30, Widespread snowfall, New York.

1899, Dec. 25-30, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario, particularly the Watertown area.

1900, Feb. 28 - March 2, Cyclonic snowstorm, Oklahoma to Nova Scotia.

1900, Nov. Snowstorms, Lake Region.

1901, April, Snowstorms, western New York.

1902, Feb. 28 - March 3, Flooding, Lake region.

1903/04, Severe winter, Lake Region.

1908, April 30 - May 3, Snowfalls, Lake Region.

1908, Drought, Lake Region.

1912, Jan. - Feb. Heavy snowfalls, blizzards, Eastern Lake Ontario Region.

1913, Nov. 7-13, Gales, Great Lakes.

1913/14, Severe winter, Lake region.

1917, May, 1917/18 Winter, Anaomlous cold, Lake Region.

1919/20 Winter, July, Anomalous cold, dustfall, drought, Lake region, tornado, Allegany County.

1921, July, Anomalous heat, Lake Region.

1925, Jan. 29-30, Nor' easter, Lake Region.

1925, Oct. Cold, snow, Lake Region.

1926, Aug. 6-7, Severe weather, Lake Region.

1927, Summer, Anomalous cold, New York.

1927, Dec. Windstorm, ice storm, lake effect snowstorm, Lake Region.

1929, June, Severe weather, hail storms, Lake Region.

1929, Dec. Snowstorms, ice storm, Lake Region.

1930, Oct. 18-20, Historic early season lake effect snowstorm, lakes Erie and Ontario. Particularly Dunkirk and Gouverneur areas.

1930 - 1931, Drought, Lake Region.

1932, March, Nor' Easter, Lake Region.

1933/34, Severe winter, Lake Region.

1934 - 1935, Drought, Lake Region.

1935, July, Flooding, Lake Region.

1936, March, Cyclonic snowstorm/ice storm, flooding. Lake Region.

1936, July 8-14, Heatwave, New York.

1937, Dec. 8-11, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

1940, Jan. Lake effect snowstorms, Eastern Lake Ontario Region. Particularly the Barnes Corners area.

1942, March 17, Flooding, western and central New York.

1942, Dec. Gale, flooding, Lake Region.

1944/45, Severe winter, Lake Region.

1945, Dec. 14-18, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

1947, Feb. - March, Harsh February snowstorms, particularly in the Eastern lake Ontario Region, historic March blizzard.

1950, Jan. Anomalous warmth, windstorm, New York.

1950, Nov. Anomalous warmth, wind storm, New York.

1951, Dec. 16-18, Lake effect snowstorm off Lake Ontario, particularly the Watertown area.

1954, Oct. 15-16, Hurricane Hazel, East Coast.

1955, Oct. Record wet month, Lake Region.

1956, Sep. 20-21, High elevation snowfall, Lake Region.

1956, Nov. 22-23, Snowstorm, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario snow belts.

1957, Jan. 14-19, Coldwave, New York.

1957, Nov. 21-22, Lake effect snowstorm off Lake Erie.

1958, Feb. Blizzards, Lake Region.

1958, Dec. 5-11, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario. Particularly the Mayville and Oswego areas.

1959, Jan. Major lake effect snowstorm off Lake Ontario, particularly the Altmar area. Windstorm, Lake Region.

1960s, Drought, Northeast.

1961, Feb. 3-5, Nor' Easter, central New York.

1963, Jan. 23-24, Blizzard, New York.

1964, Dec. 3-5, Ice storm, Northeast.

1966, Jan. 27 - Feb. 1, Historic blizzard, particularly southeast of Lake Ontario.

1966, Dec. 1-2, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

1967, Feb. 16, Windstorm, New York.

1967, May, Cold, snowy month.

1967, Nov. Lake effect snowstorms of lakes Erie and Ontario.

1968, Feb. 9-23, Snowstorms, Eastern lake Ontario Region.

1968, Dec. 4-7, Lake effect snowstorms of lakes Erie and Ontario.

1970, Nov. 23-24, Lake effect snowstorm off Lake Erie.

1971, March, Nor' Easter, New York, record snowfalls in the western Adirondacks.

1972, Jan. - Feb. Snowstorms, particularly in the Eastern Lake Ontario Region.

1972, June 20-25, Hurricane remnants, flooding.

1974, Jan. 13, Lake effect snowstorm, Oswego County.

1974, July 3, Flooding, central and north-central New York.

1974, Oct. 2-3, Snowstorm southeast of Lake Ontario.

1975, April 3-5, Cyclonic snowstorm, Lake Region.

1975, Nov. 10-11, Windstorm, Great Lakes.

1976, Jan. 9-10, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario. Particularly the Adams area and central Tug Hill.

1976, March 2-3, Ice storm, Lake Region.

1976, May 18-20, High elevation snowstorm, Lake Region.

1976/77, Severe winter, Lake Region. Historic blizzard Jan. 27-Feb. 1 northeast of lakes Erie and Ontario.

1978, Jan. Historic monthly snowfall totals, particularly in the Eastern lake Ontario Region.

1979, Feb. Coldwave, New York.

1979, Aug. 7, Tornado, Lake Ontario seiche, western New York.

1979, Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, Lake effect snowstorm off Lake Erie.

1980, June 9-10, Widespread snow showers, Lake Region.

1982, Jan. - Feb. Windstorms, lake effect snowstorm, blizzard, ice storms, Lake Region.

1983, April 19-22, Widespread snowstorm, New York.

1983, May 2, Tornado outbreak, Northeast.

1983, Dec. Lake effect snowstorms off Lake Ontario.

1984, Feb. - March, Cyclonic and lake effect snowstorms, Lake Region.

1985, Jan. Blizzard, snowstorms, Lake Region.

1985, Dec. Lake effect snowstorms off lake Erie and Ontario.

1988, Jan. 4-6, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario. Particularly the southern Tug Hill.

1989, May 7-9, Snowstorm, western New York.

1989, Dec. Anomalous cold, lake effect snow, Lake Region.

1990, Feb. 15, Ice storm, western New York. Particularly Niagara and Orleans counties.

1991, March 3-4, Ice storm, Lake Region.

1992, Summer, Anomalously cold and wet July and August, Lake Region.

1993, March 13-15, Blizzard, eastern United States.

1994, Jan. Cold and snowy month, Lake Region.

1995, July 15, Derecho, central and northern New York.

1995, Dec. - 1996, Jan. Lake effect and cyclonic snowstorms, Lake Region.

1997, Jan. 10-14, Lake effect snowstorm off Lake Ontario. Particularly Tug Hill.

1998, Jan. 7-9, Historic ice storm, portions of the Northeast, Ontario, and Quebec. Of particular interest to this work are the conditions observed in Jefferson County.

1998, Sep. 6-7, Derecho, western and central New York.

1999, March 3-7, Cyclonic snowstorms. Particularly the Rochester area.

2000, Nov. Lake effect snowstorms off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2001, Dec. 24 - 2002, Jan. 1, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2003, Jan. - April, Lake effect snowstorms, ice storm, Eastern Lake Ontario Region.

2004, Jan. Snowy month, Eastern Lake Ontario Region. Particularly Oswego County.

2005, Aug. Severe weather, hurricane remnants, New York.

2006, Oct. 12 -13, Lake effect snowstorm northeast of Lake Erie.

2007, Feb. Long running lake effect snowstorm off Lake Ontario. Particularly Oswego County and the southern Tug Hill. Nor' easter, New York.

2008, Oct. 28-29, Nor' Easter with high elevation snowstorm, Northeast.

2010, Jan. 1-4, Combination lake effect and cyclonic snowstorms, Lake Region.

2010, Dec. Lake effect snowstorms off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2012, Anomalous warmth, New York.

2014, Jan. 6-9, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2014, May 13-14, Flash flooding, Finger Lakes Region.

2014, Nov. 17-21, lake effects snowstorms off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2015, Anomalous cold (February) and warmth (January.)

2017, Feb. 1-4, Lake effect snowstorms off Lake Ontario. Particularly Tug Hill.

2017, Lake Ontario flooding.

2017, Dec. 25-27, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2018, Aug. 13-14, Flash flooding, central and north-central New York.

2019 - 2020, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario flooding.

2021, July, Record wet month, Lake Region.

2022, Nov. 16-21, Lake effect snowstorm off lakes Erie and Ontario.

2022, Dec. Lake effect snowstorm, historic blizzard off lakes Erie and Ontario. Particularly the Buffalo area.