Rochester, New York, USA – Video recorded by aviation and weather enthusiast Joseph Frascati captures punishing winter storm conditions and ongoing aircraft operations at Rochester International Airport during heavy snowfall on January 19 and 20, 2026.

The footage shows the airport buried under snow as strong winds drive thick flakes across runways and aprons beneath gray, overcast skies. Visibility drops sharply at times, producing near-whiteout conditions.

One scene focuses on a United Airlines Boeing 737 positioned on the apron or a de-icing pad. A tall de-icing truck raises an operator in a high-visibility basket, spraying bright green and orange de-icing fluid over the wings, engines, tail, and fuselage. The fluid pours off the aircraft in drifting mist as snow blows sideways in the wind. Another aircraft sits nearby, partly obscured by the swirling snowfall.

Additional clips show aircraft taxiing cautiously across snow-covered taxiways. Tire tracks cut through the white surface, but conditions remain slick as wind-driven snow lashes the tarmac. The harsh scene is summed up with the comment, “Looks beautiful but it’s brutal out there.”

A dramatic takeoff sequence captures an aircraft accelerating down the runway, its engines blasting loose snow into a massive plume. The cloud of powder surges backward and reaches the observer, filmed from an elevated position, illustrating the raw power of takeoff thrust in deep snow.

Runway lights, distant terminal buildings, and aircraft silhouettes fade in and out through the haze. Wind noise and drifting snow dominate the scene. The poster remarks, “I feel sorry for the guys up in the basket out in the wind,” and points to the influence of the Polar Vortex.

The footage highlights the relentless challenges of winter operations at ROC during a major mid-January 2026 snow event affecting the Great Lakes and Northeast. Heavy lake-effect snowfall, strong winds, and freezing temperatures force continuous de-icing to maintain safe departures. No incidents are shown, but the scenes underline the severe conditions faced by crews and aircraft during the storm.

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