Storm hazard · NOAA Storm Events Database
Lake-Effect Snow in the United States
National statistics for lake-effect snow events from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025): how often they occur, where they hit hardest, and the human and property toll.
- 1,387
- Events recorded
- 13
- Fatalities
- $117.5M
- Property damage
- 10
- States affected
How dangerous are Lake-Effect Snow events in the U.S.?
NOAA's Storm Events Database has catalogued 1,387 lake-effect snow events across 10 states and territories between 2015 and 2025. The cumulative human toll is 13 fatalities and 26 injuries, and the financial footprint reaches $117.5M in combined property ($117.5M) and crop ($0) damage. On a per-fatality basis this places lake-effect snow events at a moderate severity tier relative to other tracked hazard types in the NOAA catalog.
The geographic footprint is uneven across the country. The three states absorbing the largest share of events are NY (847 events, 6 fatalities), PA (174 events, 0 fatalities), MI (169 events, 0 fatalities), largely a function of local terrain and settlement patterns rather than any single cause. At the other end, states such as NV, MN, CA report far fewer events, a sign of lower exposure, though absence of a recorded event is not proof of zero risk.
Year-over-year trends reveal the event's volatility. The peak year on record was 2025, logging 326 events and $4.8M in property damage in a single calendar year. The most recent year in the dataset is 2025 with 326 events recorded. Across the full 11-year window, annual event counts reflect ordinary seasonal variability more than any clear multi-year trend.
How to interpret this data
NOAA storm event data is filed by local National Weather Service forecast offices, so reporting intensity can vary by jurisdiction and should be interpreted alongside FEMA disaster declarations for a fuller picture.
For household and business preparedness, this state-and-year view should be paired with local-level FEMA National Risk Index ratings, flood-zone maps where applicable, and up-to-date NWS watch/warning information, population exposure and asset value matter as much as raw event frequency for estimating real-world risk.
Lake-Effect Snow by State
| # | State | Events | Fatalities | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York NY | 847 | 6 | $70.6M |
| 2 | Pennsylvania PA | 174 | 0 | $35.1M |
| 3 | Michigan MI | 169 | 0 | $15.0K |
| 4 | Ohio OH | 126 | 1 | $11.8M |
| 5 | Indiana IN | 34 | 1 | $0 |
| 6 | Wisconsin WI | 24 | 5 | $0 |
| 7 | Illinois IL | 6 | 0 | $0 |
| 8 | Nevada NV | 5 | 0 | $0 |
| 9 | Minnesota MN | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| 10 | California CA | 1 | 0 | $0 |
Lake-Effect Snow by Year
| Year | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 326 | 0 | 10 | $4.8M |
| 2024 | 124 | 0 | 1 | $5.5M |
| 2023 | 28 | 0 | 0 | $0 |
| 2022 | 176 | 6 | 0 | $61.0M |
| 2021 | 49 | 0 | 0 | $100.0K |
| 2020 | 67 | 0 | 0 | $155.0K |
| 2019 | 78 | 1 | 5 | $1.3M |
| 2018 | 56 | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 2017 | 169 | 6 | 10 | $31.1M |
| 2016 | 251 | 0 | 0 | $9.8M |
| 2015 | 63 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lake-effect snow events have occurred in the US?
Which states are most affected by lake-effect snow events?
How much damage do lake-effect snow events cause?
What year had the most lake-effect snow events?
How dangerous are lake-effect snow events?
Which states have the fewest lake-effect snow events?
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (2015-2025) For informational purposes only
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.