Lake-Effect Snow
NOAA Storm Events type · 2,882 records since 1997 · 11 states and territories
The National Weather Service defines lake-effect snow as: "Convective snow bands that occur in the lee of large bodies of water (e.g., the Great Lakes or the Great Salt Lake), when relatively cold air flows over warm water." NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 2,882 lake-effect snow records from 1997 through June 30, 2026, the most in New York (1,291), with 26 deaths recorded.
How the National Weather Service files lake-effect snow
Convective snow bands that occur in the lee of large bodies of water (e.g., the Great Lakes or the Great Salt Lake), when relatively cold air flows over warm water. In extreme cases, snowfall rates of several inches per hour and thunder and lightning may occur.
National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605, Storm Data Preparation (July 26, 2021), Appendix A, entry 28
Source: National Weather Service Instruction 10-1605. Read the instruction (PDF).
Lake-Effect Snow, 1997 to 2026
Records per year (2026 to June 30, 2026).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $10 million
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- $10 billion or more, or 1,000 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 2,8821997 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths
- 2642 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $395Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Counties with a record
- 175of 3,266
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026. Search the record at NCEI.
Where do lake-effect snow records happen?
States
Counties
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers).
When do lake-effect snow records happen?
65% of its lake-effect snow records since 1997 fell in December and January. The busiest month is January.
The values, month by month
Jan 998 · Feb 388 · Mar 90 · Apr 26 · May 1 · Jun 0 · Jul 0 · Aug 0 · Sep 0 · Oct 21 · Nov 483 · Dec 875 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
The deadliest lake-effect snow records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-11-17 | Lake-Effect SnowErie County, NY · forecast zone Northern Erie The epic November 17-19th 2014 lake effect event will be remembered as one of the most significant winter events in Buffalo’s snowy history. Over 5 feet of snow fell over areas just east of Buffalo, with mere inches a few miles away to the north. There were 13 fatalities with this storm, hundreds of major roof ... | 8 | 8 | $1.6M | |
| 2017-03-12 | Lake-Effect SnowMilwaukee County, WI · forecast zone Milwaukee Eight to thirteen inches of snow accumulation. Numerous slide-offs and chain-reaction accidents. Overall, there were 59 crash calls and 68 disabled vehicles during the daylight hours. Four older men collapsed and died while shoveling or snow blowing. | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-11-19 | Lake-Effect SnowErie County, NY · forecast zone Northern Erie Lake effect snow developed over Eastern Lake Erie and Southern Ontario Wednesday (19) evening on a southwest flow. Cloud to ground lightning was noted near Long Point near the onset of the activity. As the cold air deepened and low level winds veered, the lake band pivoted east and aligned itself with Lake Erie, ... | 3 | 3 | $1.6M | |
| 2022-11-17 | Lake-Effect SnowErie County, NY · forecast zone Northern Erie The incipient lake effect bands formed over far southern Erie County early in the morning hours of Thursday, November 17. The much more intense portion of this event really started with a bang on Thursday evening as an incredibly strong dominant band of lake effect snow developed into the Buffalo area. This intense ... | 2 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2017-03-12 | Lake-Effect SnowWashington County, WI · forecast zone Washington Six to sixteen inches of snow accumulation with the lowest amounts in the far northwest portion of the county. Two large chain-reaction accidents involving dozens of vehicles occurred on I-41 from the late morning into the afternoon hours. I-41 southbound was closed from Sherman Rd. and Hillside Rd. in the Town of ... | 1 | 7 | – | |
| 2019-11-11 | Lake-Effect SnowSummit County, OH · forecast zone Summit On November 10, weak low pressure developed across the Upper Midwest, extending a cold front from the Rockies towards the Upper Great Lakes. As the cold front progressed eastward across the Ohio Valley, a secondary low pressure system developed along the front in the Tennessee Valley and tracked northeast, reaching ... | 1 | 5 | $1.4M | |
| 2014-11-19 | Lake-Effect SnowErie County, NY · forecast zone Southern Erie Lake effect snow developed over Eastern Lake Erie and Southern Ontario Wednesday (19) evening on a southwest flow. Cloud to ground lightning was noted near Long Point near the onset of the activity. As the cold air deepened and low level winds veered, the lake band pivoted east and aligned itself with Lake Erie, ... | 1 | 1 | $3.1M | |
| 2014-11-17 | Lake-Effect SnowGenesee County, NY · forecast zone Genesee The epic November 17-19th 2014 lake effect event will be remembered as one of the most significant winter events in Buffalo’s snowy history. Over 5 feet of snow fell over areas just east of Buffalo, with mere inches a few miles away to the north. There were 13 fatalities with this storm, hundreds of major roof ... | 1 | 1 | $355K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, deaths direct and indirect as filed.
The most recent lake-effect snow records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-17 | Lake-Effect SnowOswego County, NY · forecast zone Oswego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-17 | Lake-Effect SnowOneida County, NY · forecast zone Northern Oneida | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-11 | Lake-Effect SnowMadison County, NY · forecast zone Madison | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-11 | Lake-Effect SnowOnondaga County, NY · forecast zone Onondaga | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Lake-Effect SnowJefferson County, NY · forecast zone Jefferson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Lake-Effect SnowLewis County, NY · forecast zone Lewis | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-27 | Lake-Effect SnowOswego County, NY · forecast zone Oswego | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Lake-Effect SnowSt. Joseph County, IN · forecast zone Eastern St. Joseph County | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.