East coast winter storms have a major impact on coastal communities in New York. These storms cause more damage than hurricanes due to their frequency. This web site is designed to provide seasonal forecasts and climatological data on east coast winter storms that can be used by managers and other coastal audiences to better prepare for and respond to these events. The site includes information on the following:

  • Historic Analogue Storm: This link provides the storm track and changes in the associated storm surge (as time series plots at selected stations) for historically significant winter storms. An option also allows the user to compare a current forecasted storm to all historical storms and displays the track and surges associated with the most similar historical storm.

Analogue Storm Tracks
  • Storm Climatology: Climatology is the study of weather conditions over an extended period of time. This link provides information on the number of storms in a given year (dating back to 1950 when available) and the associated storm surges based on measurements made at several NOAA tide gauge stations in the area.
Storm  Climatology
Storm Climatology
  • Seasonal Storm Outlook: Forecasts of winter storm and surge activity for the upcoming (current) winter storm season (October to April).

Seasonal Storm Outlook
  • Current Observations: Sites providing real time meteorological and oceanographic data and forecasts related to storms and waterlevels for New York waters.

Current Observations


The data, decision tools and outlooks provided on this website represents a collaborative effort between the NOAA Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC) at Cornell University and New York Sea Grant. Its development and operation was made possible by funds from the NOAA Climate Program Office Transition of Research Applications to Climate Services Program. The basis of much of the information that is research described in Hirsch et al. (2000) and DeGaetano et al. (2002) and DeGaetano (2007).


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Northeast Regional Climate Center
1123 Bradfield Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
NRCC Logo Phone: 607-255-1751
Fax: 607-255-2106
E-mail: nrcc@cornell.edu
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