Buffalo area endures lake effect whiteout
Well over 100 miles of the state Thruway remained closed to trucks and other commercial vehicles Sunday afternoon as a powerful winter storm pummeled western New York.
The Thruway was closed to commercial vehicles in both directions from Exit 46 near Rochester to the Pennsylvania state line. Much of central Erie County including the city of Buffalo also remained under a blanket travel ban that came into effect at 9 p.m. Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday afternoon.
By 4 p.m. the local driving ban had been lifted for Grand Island, Tonawanda, Amherst, Clarence and Newstead, Hochul said.
Additionally, a “soft ban” on all traffic was in effect on Interstate 1-90 from south of Buffalo to north of Niagara Falls, a Thruway Authority spokesperson said late Sunday afternoon.
Blizzard conditions were expected throughout Sunday as local, county and state officials urged the public to take precautions and exercise vigilance. The Buffalo Bills playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium was postponed until 4:30 p.m. Monday because of the storm.
Lake effect snow bands were passing over the Buffalo metro area around 8:30 a.m., Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said in a post on X. Buffalo is expected to receive well over a foot of snow, with the greatest accumulations expected in southern Niagara and southwest Orleans counties, the National Weather Service said.
Snow in the city had largely subsided by Sunday afternoon with most areas receiving between 6 and 8 inches, Brown said.
He cautioned that wind and blowing snow could still produce whiteout conditions at times.
Meanwhile, much of the Adirondacks were also feeling the effects of the storm Sunday with snow totals over a foot recorded at Whiteface Mountain, Tupper Lake and Piseco.