WeatherFanatics: Feet of Snow to Bury Western, Upstate New York This Weekend

Friday, January 9, 2015

Feet of Snow to Bury Western, Upstate New York This Weekend

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

January 9,2015; 11:08PM,EST

The latest round of lake-effect snow will deliver up to a few feet of snow on parts of New York state, in areas south of Buffalo and near Watertown, New York, through the first part of the weekend.
While the snow will not be as persistent as that of November, the arctic air will produce heavy streamers of moisture off Lake Erie and Lake Ontario into Saturday.
The bands of snow will shift around enough to prevent another 6-foot episode of snow. Road closures will likely remain an impact as the heaviest snow persists.

Lake-effect snow forced the closure of western New York Routes 219, 400 and Skyway as well as portions of the Thruway and I-190 on Thursday night, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "Heavy lake-effect snow will shift back to the north into the Buffalo South Towns and perhaps into the city for a time Saturday night."
Where roads remain open, travel within this shifting band of snow and the other band east of Lake Ontario will be difficult, if not impossible, for a time with whiteouts and snowfall rates up to several inches per hour.
A few communities in western and upstate New York will receive 2-4 feet of snow into Saturday evening.
Bands of locally heavy snow will also fall along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and east and south of lakes Superior and Huron.

The squalls can suddenly reduce the visibility and coat roads quickly.
"Regardless of whether or not your path is crossed by an intense band of lake-effect snow, extensive blowing and drifting of the snow on the ground can bring very low visibility and dangerous travel conditions," Abrams said.
Winds will gust to 40 mph at times through Saturday and will contribute to AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures dipping to between minus 30 and zero F at times.
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Abrams urged people who must travel to make sure they have a survival kit in their vehicle as there is a risk they may get stranded in the frigid conditions.
Traveling in conditions such as this not only puts you and your occupants at risk, but also your would-be rescuers.
The lake-effect snow, squalls and flurries will diminish late Saturday night. However, a storm moving up from the south has the potential to bring a few inches of snow across much of the eastern Great Lakes region to New England Sunday night into Monday.

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