Parts of western and northern New York were rendered inoperable on Friday by a severe lake-effect snowstorm that dumped nearly 2 feet (0.61 meters) of snow in some locations before midday, with the possibility of much more falling.
Residents in Buffalo woke up to blowing, heavy snow, and intermittent thunderclaps.
South of the city, the snowfall was the hardest thus far.
In numerous locations around Lake Erie’s eastern end, the National Weather Service reported more than 2 feet of snow, with bands of heavier precipitation sending about 34 inches (86 cm) of snow to Hamburg, New York.
Schools were closed down. Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Depew Amtrak stations were closed on Thursday and will remain on Friday. The Buffalo Niagara International Airport was closed, and several flights into and out of it were canceled.
Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Depew Amtrak stations were closed on Thursday and will remain on Friday.
There were numerous canceled flights into and out of Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
The NFL declared it would move the Sunday home game between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns to Detroit even before the snow started to fall. By midday on Friday, there had been a 2-foot (61 cm) fall at Orchard Park, where the teams play.
After our 4:30 a.m. live shot, our car got stuck, Rios tweeted.
They told her that Buffalo residents “usually come together when someone is in need,” and at one point, “around six people gathered together to assist us out.”
Due to the quirks of lake-effect snow brought on by chilly air absorbing enormous amounts of moisture from the warmer lakes, snowfall totals were anticipated to vary significantly.
It was expected that areas of New York farther from the lakes would receive little to no snow.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul proclaimed a state of emergency on Thursday for areas of western New York, including towns along the eastern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Eleven counties are included in Hochul’s state of emergency, and commercial truck movement is prohibited on the part of Interstate 90.
Beginning Thursday night, shortly after a heavy snowfall accentuated by thunder and lightning rolled into Buffalo, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz imposed a driving ban.
On Friday, the city of Buffalo’s no non-emergency vehicles on the order of the road was modified to an advisory, but certain other portions of the county were still under the order, according to Poloncarz.
The heaviest snowfall was predicted to linger through Friday night, with further snow expected on Saturday and Sunday.
Additionally, the eastern edge of Lake Ontario in northern New York and several areas of northern Michigan were forewarned of accumulations of 2 feet (0.6 meters) or more of snow through Sunday.
Additionally, lake-effect snow was accumulating in several areas of Pennsylvania.
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