NEWS

How much snow did Rochester get in winter storm? The latest

Victoria E. Freile
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

How much snow has the latest winter storm dumped in Rochester so far? 

In about a 36-hour span, 11.2 inches of snow fell at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport as of Friday afternoon. 

Just over 10 inches were on the ground at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport by  1 p.m. Friday. And the largest snowfall in western New York was 16.8 inches of snow measured at 10 a.m, in Perrysburg, Cattaraugus County, followed by 16.5 inches of snow tallied in Lockport, Niagara County.

For Wayne County residents, the snow isn't quite over yet. A winter weather advisory is in effect between 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday as lake effect snow is predicted to bring another 3 to 6 inches to the area.

Here are some other storm totals as of 10:45 a.m. on Friday:

Monroe County

  • Greece - 12.2 inches
  • Brighton - 11.2 inches
  • Penfield - 11 inches
  • Pittsford - 10.7 inches
  • Honeoye Falls - 10.6 inches
  • Churchville - 10 inches
  • Brockport - 9.1 inches
  • Scottsville - 7.1 inches
  • Fairport - 6.7 inches

Genesee County

  • Batavia - 12 inches
  • Stafford - 8.9 inches

Livingston County

  • Dansville - 9.4 inches

Ontario County

  • Geneva - 6.8 inches

Orleans County

  • Medina - 10.1 inches
  • Lakeside - 8.3 inches

Wayne County

  • Marion - 14 inches
  • Macedon - 9.2 inches
  • Palmyra - 7 inches

Wyoming County

  • Wyoming - 10.6 inches
  • Silver Springs - 9.5 inches
  • Arcade - 7.5 inches
  • Warsaw - 7.5 inches

School closings in Rochester NY 

As snowflakes fell Thursday evening, numerous school districts throughout the region  canceled Friday classes and after school activities. Students will receive the coveted Friday snow day, creating a three-day weekend. 

By Friday morning, most public and private schools in the Rochester region closed for the day due to the weather. Many day care centers also delayed Friday starts or closed for the day.

Monroe Community College canceled classes at all of its campuses for Friday, however online courses will take place as scheduled.

Closings in Rochester NY due to the storm

Snow-covered trees along Sweet Fern Road in Irondequoit, NY, look like drawings on Feb. 3, 2022.

The City of Rochester has closed all of its R-Centers, city branch libraries, the Central Library downtown and the Rochester Animal Services Center on Friday due to the winter storm.

Also, ice rinks at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park at Manhattan Square and Genesee Valley Sports Complex as well as the Rochester Community Sports Complex will be closed.

Road conditions in Monroe County NY

Snow coming down and the lack of visibility makes pedestrians on the street look like shadows, like this man does on West Avenue in Rochester, February 3, 2022.

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello on Thursday afternoon issued a "no unnecessary travel" advisory for the county and urged residents to be careful if driving on Thursday or Friday. The advisory expired at 6 a.m. Friday.

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, main roads in Monroe County are snow-covered but passable. Expect longer commutes times on Friday morning.

"Please drive carefully and give yourself plenty of time to arrive safely," an early morning news release from Bello's office stated.

Timing for winter storm in Rochester NY

The snow started falling around midnight Thursday, dropping only tenths of an inch on the ground by daybreak, but with steady but light snow falling throughout the morning, the community felt much like a snow globe.

Snow intensity increased to a rate of a half-inch to and inch per hour late Thursday afternoon, Thomas said.

The heaviest snow fell Thursday evening, between 4 p.m. and midnight, he said. The storm is a long-duration snow event with snow fall that is more manageable.

As of 4:30 a.m. Friday, most of the predicted snow was already on the ground, but another 1 to 3 inches of snow was expected to fall "as the event winds down," Thomas said.

Some areas to the east of Rochester, including Wayne County, may see 2 to 3 inches of lake effect snow Friday night into Saturday, with some scattered snow showers expected throughout the Rochester region, he said. Little accumulation is expected from those flakes.

More storm-related coverage from Rochester NY

Winter storm affects millions

The snow is part of a massive storm working its way across the nation, depositing snow, ice, rain and sleet in communities that span three time zones. More than 90 million people were under a winter weather alert Tuesday. Detroit declared a snow emergency.  

"The storm is a marathon, not a sprint," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Justin Povick said.

Contact Victoria Freile at vfreile@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @vfreile and Instagram @vfreile. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.