5 Frozen Moments in March When New York Looks Like Winter Won’t Let Go

March may mean the beginning of spring but if history is any indication, Mother Nature isn't done with winter just yet. At least not in New York. Remember the ice house 5 years ago or the ice storms of the century in Watertown and Rochester?

Lake Ontario Ice House

Living by the water is nice in warmer weather but it has a downside. 5 years ago in West Webster, New York a home along Lake Ontario became an ice house. A destructive wind storm caused so much damage the house had to be torn down in 2021 to make room for a new cottage.

Ice Ice Baby

It wasn't just homes. Everything along the shores of Lake Ontario was coated in thick layers of ice. Zack Parker captured a few pictures of the devastation.

Pulaski Ice House

3 years ago a summer cottage at Romona Beach in Pulaski, New York was covered in 4 feet of ice. Maureen Morgan Whelan owns the home that has been in her family for more than 8 decades and said the high water levels are so bad something needs to be done. "50 years of living there nothing like this never happened."

Back to Normal

The Whelan family members and friends spent a weekend in early March back in 2019 chipping ice off the Summer home to minimize the damage.

Lake Erie Ice House Row

Two years ago Hoover Beach along Lake Erie in Hamburg, New York had a row of ice houses. About ten days later the ice melted away and damage was minimal for most according to the homeowners' photographer John Kucko spoke with.

Buffalo Ice Car

When winds are high and temperatures are low, it's a good idea to avoid parking anywhere near any lake in New York. Just ask the guy who found his car covered in ice 6 years ago. I think he may have needed something a little more than a scrapper to clean that off.

Ice Storm of Century in Rochester

31 years ago on March 1, Rochester woke up to the 'Ice Storm of the Century' that caused $375 million in damage. Three-quarters of million people lost power for a week, 12 counties were declared natural disaster areas.

Thousands of utility and tree removal trucks from all over the eastern U.S. traveled to Rochester in 1991 to help with cleanup efforts that took several weeks.

1998 Ice Storm in Watertown

Watertown had its own 'Ice Storm of the Century' 21 years ago. Utility trucks and clean crews from as far south as the Carolinas, traveled to Upstate New York to help restore power and get the area back on its feet after the devastation in January 1998.

March 20 may be the first day of spring on the calendar, but in Central and Upstate New York it can be anytime from early April to late May.