Buffalo, New York, USA – Rare thundersnow was captured in north Buffalo on January 22, 2026, as a powerful lake-effect snowstorm intensified across Western New York.

Video filmed by meteorologist Mike Doyle shows heavy snow falling at extreme rates in a residential or urban neighborhood, with strong winds blowing large flakes nearly sideways and rapidly covering roads, vehicles, and surrounding surfaces.

The footage reveals multiple bright lightning flashes erupting within the snow bands, immediately followed by loud thunder claps. The sudden bursts of light illuminate the blowing snow in rapid succession, highlighting the unusual and dramatic nature of thundersnow.

Dark, low clouds hang over the area as near-whiteout conditions develop. Trees, houses, power lines, and streetlights fade in and out of view as wind-driven snow reduces visibility and creates blizzard-like scenes.

The video captures the explosive character of the storm, with lightning striking amid heavy snowfall and thunder booming shortly after. The moment reflects the excitement described as “can’t believe I got it on video.”

The event occurred during a major lake-effect snow episode off Lake Erie impacting Western New York on January 22, 2026. Snow squall warnings were in effect, with rapidly deteriorating travel conditions expected. While uncommon, thundersnow can form in intense convective lake-effect bands, where instability allows thunderstorms to develop within heavy snow. North Buffalo is known to experience extreme snowfall during such setups, with embedded storms increasing danger and intensity.

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