We’re all used to lake-effect snow in this part of the country, even a couple of feet at a time. But a truly extraordinary lake-effect event that may stand out in your mind took place 15 years ago this month.

What You Need To Know

  • Snow began on Feb. 3 and did not stop for nine days

  • Redfield picked up the most snow with 141 inches in total

  • The National Weather Service in Buffalo calls this an "epic massive event"

Beginning on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, snow developed off of Lake Ontario and it did not end until nine days later on Monday, Feb. 12.

Ahead of an arctic cold front, snow began off the northeast end of the lake on Feb. 3, impacting the Watertown area.

After the aforementioned front moved through that day, the wind shifted. Suddenly, intense snow was moving southward into northern Oswego County on Feb. 4 after dropping a foot of snow in Watertown.

The band of snow then continued heading to the south into central and southern Oswego County, narrowing some as it did so, on Feb. 5.

The snow was once again on the move north on the 6th after dumping upward of three feet in many parts of central Oswego County. It then slid back south and actually diminished considerably on radar imagery early on the 7th.

It organized and intensified again as the band traveled back north throughout Feb. 7, and the snow would continue its oscillating jog northward and southward several more times—gaining and losing strength in the process—over the next few days.

By the time Feb. 12 came around, the band made one more trip south toward southern Oswego and northern Onondaga Counties before diminishing that evening.

The National Weather Service office in Buffalo declared this “epic massive” lake-effect event their “longest ever” with the “highest totals.”

Redfield, atop the Tug Hill Plateau and no stranger to extreme snowfall, picked up a jaw-dropping 141 inches of snow over the nine-day period.

States of emergency were declared and many schools were closed for days.

Roads and sidewalks remained clogged with snow, and it became increasingly difficult to navigate around the massive snowbanks when people were able to manage to get out and about. 

This fairly localized storm made headlines across the major broadcast networks, The Weather Channel and even The New York Times.

We haven’t seen anything quite like this lake-effect snow event in the past 15 years, but you never know when history may repeat itself!

Do you have memories of the February 2007 snowfall? Share them with me on Facebook and Twitter!