The Once-in-a-Generation Buffalo Blizzard and Lake Effect Event of December 23-26 2022

On December 23-24, 2022, a 37 hour blizzard, complete with whiteout conditions from winds gusting to 79 mph, pummeled portions of Western NY. Lake effect snow then continued to wreak havoc by adding additional snow across the region during Christmas Day, before finally ending on December 26, 2022. There were numerous fatalities. Many were from hypothermia inside cars, outside in the cold, and even inside homes due to extended periods without heat or electricity. At one point, there were no emergency services available across the City of Buffalo and surrounding towns, as roads could not be plowed due to the severe winter conditions. Additional fatalities resulted as ambulances, fire trucks, and police vehicles were immobilized by massive drifts of snow. They could not respond to desperate requests for help.

NWS Buffalo, NY issued increasingly dire statements that garnered national attention, including using the phrase “once in a generation storm” a full 3 days prior to the start of the event. Many took life-saving steps to remain safe. Schools were proactively closed, travel advisories and commercial travel bans were put into place ahead of the event. Although some dismissed this as hype, or noted that the Buffalo region can handle this type of weather, others, while aware of the warnings, did not fully comprehend the dangers of the storm.

This presentation will cover the synoptic background that led to the increasingly ominous forecasts, along with a Blizzard warning with over 24 hours lead time, as well as background to why the phrase “once in a generation” made sense. Public messaging and social media messages will be presented leading up to the event. Data from climatological analogs and comparisons to past events are shown that suggest that this was indeed a generational storm, possibly even a once in a lifetime storm.