'Life-Threatening' Lake Effect Snow Targets Western NY

BUFFALO, NY — Winter is arriving in full force in western New York as a lake-effect snowstorm could bring up to six feet of snow to the area over the next several days, significantly impacting the cities of Buffalo and Watertown and making travel nearly impossible.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for 11 counties ahead of the storm, which is supposed to start in earnest Thursday afternoon. During a morning news conference, Hochul called the storm an "extreme event" and said parts of western New York could see anywhere between 4 to 6 feet of snow through Sunday.

The region can also expect an "extraordinary" 3 -4 inches of snow to fall per hour, Hochul said, adding the National Guard, snowplows, and thousands of utility workers are on standby ahead of the "life-threatening" storm.

"When (snow is) coming down at the rate, it’s almost impossible to clear the roads," Hochul said. "It will not be safe for a considerable amount of time. That's the message I want to make loud and clear."

Lake effect snow warnings and winter storm watches were implemented Wednesday morning and will remain in place through Sunday evening for several counties in the regions of western New York, Finger Lakes, central New York and the North Country.

For a complete listing of weather watches and warnings in your area, visit the National Weather Service website.

According to the National Weather Service, colder air will pour across the region, resulting in a prolonged snow event that will last through this weekend. Snow will target areas east of Lake Erie before shifting northeast Thursday night into Friday. This is when the heaviest snow will impact the Buffalo and Watertown areas, according to the NWS.

Lake snows will then shift north and west of these cities Saturday before dropping back southward Saturday night.

Lake effect snow is common across the Great Lakes region during the late fall and winter. It happens when cold air, often originating from Canada, moves across the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, according to the NWS. The result is narrow bands of snow that produce 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more.

This week's event has already dropped flurries in some areas while parts of western Michigan, northern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania have picked up as much as 10 inches.

On Thursday, state officials announced a commercial truck ban will take effect on the New York State Thruway starting at 4 p.m. Thursday until further notice.

All commercial vehicles will be banned from the following highways:

• Interstate 190 - Route 62 to I-90
• Interstate 290 - full length
• Interstate 990 - full length
• Route 33 - full length
• Route 219 - Route 39 to I-90
• Route 400 - full length
• Buffalo Skyway Route 5 - full length
• I-81 - Exit 33 to the Canadian border. Trucks use the right lane only.

More on the state's response to the storm can be found on the governor's website.

To find the latest traffic and travel conditions, call 511 or visit www.511NY.org.