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Gov. Hochul declares state of emergency in 15 N.Y. counties with winter storm imminent

• Updated: Jan. 12, 2024, 6:22 p.m. |
• Published: Jan. 12, 2024, 5:40 p.m.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for some parts of New York state, ahead of a potentially dangerous winter storm hitting communities along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Saturday night.(Associated Press) AP Photo/Hans Pennink, File

• Kayla Simas | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N .Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for some parts of New York state, ahead of a potentially dangerous winter storm hitting communities along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Saturday night.

Hochul’s office is expecting “blizzard-like, whiteout conditions” upstate starting Saturday night and lasting through Monday morning, where temperatures are expected to drop into single digits.

The state of emergency applies to the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego and Wyoming.

Strong wind gusts are expected to increase to 70 mph, and will likely cause power outages, freezing cold wind chills, and lake effect snow with a foot or more possible.

“My administration and I are monitoring the forecast as well to see whether that will be necessary for the North Country,” said Hochul. “During this time, it is important to check in on vulnerable friends and family, and do whatever you can to stay safe and warm.”

Hochul’s administration noted that travel in these areas will be difficult to impossible at times, and New Yorkers are urged to pay close attention to the weather and make plans accordingly to stay safe, especially those planning to attend the Buffalo Bills game Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“New Yorkers are being encouraged to enjoy the game from home. However, if they are planning to attend the game, they should travel with extreme caution and pay very close attention to weather and travel updates throughout the weekend,” the governor’s press release states.

In addition to the state of emergency, there will be a travel ban for empty trucks and trailers, as well as all tandem trucks.

Starting Saturday at 9 a.m., the New York State Department of Transportation and New York State Thruway Authority will be issuing a ban on the following routes:

• I-90 Exit 46 – PA line
• I-190 (south of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Buffalo Skyway (NY 5)
• I-190 (north of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Kensington Expressway (NY 33)
• I-86 in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County

NEW YORK CITY FORECAST

While Staten Island is not listed within the state of emergency, the New York City area is expecting a blustery rain storm Friday night.

The storm is expected to blow in Friday night, and pound New York City and much of the New York state with high, damaging winds and heavy rain. Winds will increase to 28 mph overnight into Saturday morning, and New Yorkers can expect wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

Saturday, New York City will see sunny skies, and Sunday will see a small chance of snow showers possible.

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Saturday brings more snow, leaving some areas buried under 6 feet

On Friday, the National Weather Service expected snow totals of around two feet. Now, on Saturday, snow totals have already reached 77 inches in Orchard Park (6.4 feet) and 73.7 inches (6.14 feet) in Hamburg.

While NWS is reporting only 3.3 inches in Tonawanda, as of Erie County's 6 a.m. update, the expectation is that the snow is now moving northward, and areas that were not hit as badly Thursday and Friday can expect more snow Saturday.

• Lake Effect Snow Warnings are still in place through Sunday for several counties including Erie and Niagara
• Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for Wyoming, Allegany, Orleans, and McKean (PA) counties through Sunday.
• A State of Emergency in Erie County continues indefinitely
• A Travel Ban is in effect for most of Erie County— but has been downgraded to just an advisory in several locations.

Erie County Travel Ban

As of 3 p.m. travel ban is in effect for the City of Buffalo south of William Street, Hamburg, Evans, Eden, Boston, Orchard Park, Aurora, Wales, Marilla, Elma, West Seneca, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, and Alden. All other parts of Erie County are under a travel advisory.

"We are making progress in the city of Buffalo, but there is still a long way to go. We have had a snow ban set up for an extended period of time, as you know, in South Buffalo, dumping over four feet of snow," Mayor Byron Brown said.

Another eight to 10 inches are expected through 1 a.m. Sunday in the City of Buffalo.

"So we are coming to the end, hopefully, of this event, if the forecasts that we've received are correct," Brown added.

Erie County continues to provide updates every few hours on their YouTube channel.

“The vast majority of Erie County residents have done the right thing and stayed off the roads,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a tweet Friday. “Unfortunately, it only takes one to two vehicles to tie up plow and first responder crews. Please stay home.”

WNY Travel Bans & Advisories

Niagara County: No travel advisories are in effect and there are no plans to institute any, according to Niagara County Director of Emergency Services Jonathan Schultz.  

“We will continue to closely monitor the storm and be prepared to take any actions regarding travel and safety should they be deemed necessary,” Schultz said in a statement.  

Genesee County: No travel advisories are in effect, but the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to stay home so that emergency personnel can travel more easily.

 “Please remember that even if it is not snowing where you are, the destination you are traveling to may have poor visibility and heavy snow accumulation,” Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron said in a statement posted to Facebook. “The best and safest option for you and your loved ones is to stay home until the snowstorm passes.”  

Chautauqua County: No travel advisories are in effect, but officials are reminding Chautauqua County residents to postpone or cancel non-essential travel, drive slowly, keep 200 feet behind snow plows and keep an emergency kit and cell phone with them if driving, according to a Thursday news release .  

“With this storm, drivers should be prepared for areas of snow-covered roads and poor visibility,” Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone said in a statement. “If you must travel, drivers are urged to slow down and use caution when traveling on slick or snow-covered roads.” 

You can find more information for your county by clicking here:

• Erie County - http://www2.erie.gov/
• Niagara County - http://niagaracounty.com/
• Chautauqua County - http://chautauqua.ny.us/
• Cattaraugus County - http://www.cattco.org/
• Orleans County - http://www.orleansny.com/
• Wyoming County - http://www.wyomingco.net/
• Allegany County - https://www.alleganyco.gov/
• Genesee County - http://www.co.genesee.ny.us/

NFTA & Colleges

As of Saturday morning, the NFTA says buses are not running in Erie and Niagara counties, except for Paratransit but the NFTA is asking riders to reschedule if possible.

Erie County Community South Campus is being used as a snow dump by the county, and North Campus is being utilized for staging rescue crews.

National Guard Deployed & State Efforts

Governor Kathy Hochul has deployed the National Guard to assist in Erie County's efforts.

The National Guard has arrived at @ErieCountyNY 's Emergency Operations Center. They are being sent out to pickup and deliver people whom require dialysis. Thanks @GovKathyHochul for calling them up to help with the response efforts. pic.twitter.com/jPlxXk8biF — Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) November 19, 2022

In advance of the storm, Gov. Hochul on Thursday urged residents in Western New York to stay home

“We’re expecting upwards of two to four feet. It’s not just the volume, two to four feet the first night, we could possibly see anywhere from four to six feet between now and Sunday. It is the rate of snow that is most concerning,” Hochul said.

Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories

Hochul declares state of emergency, partial WNY travel ban ahead of blizzard-like conditions along Lake Erie & Lake Ontario

Travel ban for empty and tandem trucks/trailers to begin Saturday morning on thruway and other state roads in Western New York

√ Governor deploys 100 members of New York National Guard to WNY to support emergency response operations

√ People ‘Encouraged to enjoy Buffalo Bills’ game from home’; those planning to attend should pay close attention to weather and travel updates

√ New Yorkers can subscribe for emergency alerts here

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday declared a state of emergency ahead of potentially dangerous and life-threatening blizzard-like conditions forecasted to impact communities along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Areas adjacent to both lakes are forecast to be impacted by strong winds with gusts up to 70 mph that will likely cause power outages, freezing cold wind chills, and lake-effect snow with a foot or more possible in some areas. Blizzard-like, whiteout conditions are possible, especially Saturday night and much of Sunday, and wind chills are forecast to dip into the single digits on Saturday night and remain there through mid-week.

Lake-effect snow is expected for both lakes Erie and Ontario starting Saturday afternoon and continuing through Monday morning, with areas in Western New York and the Watertown area receiving up to a foot of snow. Travel in these areas will be difficult to impossible at times, and New Yorkers are urged to pay close attention to the weather and make plans accordingly to stay safe, especially those planning to attend Sunday’s Buffalo Bills’ game.

New Yorkers are being encouraged to enjoy the game from home; however, if they are planning to attend the game, they should travel with extreme caution and pay very close attention to weather and travel updates throughout the weekend.

“In anticipation of the upcoming storm, I have declared a state of emergency for Western New York, and my administration and I are monitoring the forecast, as well, to see whether that will be necessary for the North Country,” Hochul said. “During this time, it is important to check in on vulnerable friends and family, and do whatever you can to stay safe and warm.”

The state of emergency applies to the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego and Wyoming.

Travel Ban for Empty Trucks/Trailers and All Tandem Trucks

Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, the New York State Department of Transportation and New York State Thruway Authority will be issuing a ban on empty trucks/trailers and all tandem trucks on the following routes:

• I-90 Exit 46 – PA line
• I-190 (south of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Buffalo Skyway (NY 5)
• I-190 (north of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Kensington Expressway (NY 33)
• I-86 in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County

Precipitation is expected to begin late this afternoon with areas in New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson seeing rain, while areas to the north and west should see a period of wet snow or snow/sleet mix. Western New York and valley areas in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Capital regions should see snow accumulations before turning to rain. Elevations above 1,500 feet are forecast to receive heavy, wet snow tonight with snowfall rates up to 1 inch per hour at times and wind gusts up to 50 mph, which could lead to downed trees and branches and result in power outages.

In addition, damaging winds with gusts up to 65 mph are expected across Western New York into the Tug Hill, as well as parts of the Mid-Hudson, tonight into Saturday. Winds will be strong across the state with gusts reaching up to 55 mph in places, which will likely result in downed tree and branches – especially where trees are weakened from recent storms.

Western New York will be windy through the day Saturday into Saturday night with gusts up to 70 mph in Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee and Monroe counties, which will likely result in more widespread power outages.

A winter storm watch for heavy lake-effect snow has been issued by NWS Buffalo from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning for areas east of Lakes Erie and Ontario, including parts of Western New York and the North Country. A foot or more of snow possible in the most persistent lake effect bands, and blowing and drifting of snow is likely due to winds gusts up to 70 mph on Saturday afternoon and evening.

In addition, for New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson regions, multiple flood and coastal flood alerts have already been issued for several locations through Saturday. The ground is saturated from recent storms and any additional rainfall may lead to renewed river flooding throughout the day today.

The National Weather Service has issued several additional watches, warnings and advisories for this storm. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at  https://alerts.weather.gov.  New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert at  https://alert.ny.gov,  a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer.

See also >> State agencies prepare as strong winds & lake-effect snow may cause blizzard-like conditions this weekend

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UPDATED: Current WNY travel bans and advisories

A State of Emergency has been declared in Erie County. More info here.

Cleanup efforts continue Wednesday. Residents are being reminded by county officials not to drive in ban areas. It will hinder the work of heavy equipment operators working to clear the areas of snow.

CLOSURES (PER NITTEC ):

• Rte. 5 Eastbound - Closed at Tifft Street to I-190 (3.2 miles).
• Rte. 5 Westbound - Closed from I-190 to Tift St.
• Rte 400 Southbound - Closed from I-90 to Olean Rd. 
• Rte 400 Northbound - Closed from Olean Rd to I-90 (15.0 miles).
• Rte 219 Northbound - Closed from Rte 39 to Ridge Rd.
• Rte 219 Southbound - Closed from I-90 to Rte 39.
• I-90 Westbound - Closed from Exit 46 (Henrietta) to PA line.
• I-90 Eastbound - Closed from PA line to Exit 46 (Henrietta).
• Ramp I-290W to I-190S - Closed
• I-290 Eastbound - Closed at Exit 6 (Sheridan Drive) to I-90 (1.9 miles).
• I-190 Southbound - Closed from Exit 16 (I-290) to I-90
• Rte 20 Eastbound, Silver Creek to Irving, in Town of Hanover is closed to commercial traffic

ADVISORIES:

• Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming and contiguous counties - State of Emergency
• Northern Cattaraugus County - Travel Advisory
• Genesee County - Travel Advisory
• Town of Newstead - Travel Advisory
• Village of Akron - Travel Advisory
• City of Dunkirk - Travel Advisory
• Brant - Travel Ban
• Town of Boston - Travel Ban
• Eden - Travel Ban
• Sloan - Travel Ban
• Corfu - Travel Ban
• Darien - Limited Travel Ban
• East Aurora - Travel Ban
• Aurora - Travel Ban
• Alden - Travel Ban
• West Seneca - Travel Ban
• Orchard Park - Travel Ban
• Cheektowaga - Travel Ban south of Genesee Street
• Village of Lancaster - Travel Ban
• Village of Depew - Travel Ban - Transit, Walden and Broadway shut down. More than 100 cars stranded
• City of Lackawanna - Travel Ban
• Town of Marilla - Travel Ban
• Town of Elma - Travel Ban
• Town of Evans - Travel Ban
• Town of Hamburg - Travel Ban
• Village of Blasdell - Travel Ban
• Buffalo - Travel Ban in South Buffalo, everything south of Clinton Street

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