BUFFALO, N.Y. – A major storm system moving through the eastern third of the country causes another arctic blast as Mother Nature's version of the snowblower kicks in again, dropping 10 inches to 10 inches downwind of the major Great Lakes. It could cause up to 20 inches of snow. Third time in two weeks.
The National Weather Service in Buffalo said heavy lake-effect snow could accumulate several feet east of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario into Friday morning. Strong winds can lead to near-whiteout conditions.
“Travel and society will be significantly impacted during this period.” the agency warned.
According to the FOX Prediction Center, cold air from Canada is expected to flow into the still-warm Great Lakes and continue Wednesday into Friday, bringing increased snowfall to areas in the region along the lake's east and south shores.
“On the flip side of Wednesday's heat wave, very cold and turbulent air is moving into the Great Lakes region, which could develop some pretty impressive snow bands,” FOX Weather meteorologists said. Kendall Smith said.
The combination of high winds and blowing snow is expected to bring near-blizzard conditions, especially Thursday when wind speeds will peak between 25 and 45 mph.
Interstates 90 and 81 in New York are major routes where heavy snow is expected, and travel is expected to be affected.
“If you must travel, keep extra flashlights, food and water in your car in case of an emergency,” NWS meteorologists warned. “Travel will be very difficult as there will be deep snow on the roads and very poor visibility. Visibility will be significantly reduced in areas with blowing snow.”
The relentless snow
More than 70 inches of snow has fallen between Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York since late November, making post-Thanksgiving travel nearly impossible. The winter weather has even produced snowdrifts 4 to 8 feet high, leaving snow removal crews stranded.
A similar situation occurred in upstate Syracuse, New York, where residents spent weeks digging out of the snow beneath their feet.
The incident left several people dead, and health effects related to snow shoveling and vehicle accidents were reported across the Great Lakes.
Significantly warmer temperatures over the weekend and into next week could shut down snow plows, cause snow to melt rapidly and cause flooding problems in the medium- to long-term forecast.
Forecast models predict temperatures in the region will rise 10 to 20 degrees by the end of the week, melting snow that fell over the next few days.
