(WNY News Now) – Governor Kathy Hochul urged New Yorkers to prepare for a lake effect weather system that is expected to dump more than a foot of snow in locations near Lakes Ontario and Erie starting Monday and continuing into Tuesday evening.
New York – For areas near Lake Erie, a widespread 6-12” of snow is expected beginning Monday morning in areas south of Buffalo, with up to 18” possible in parts of southern Erie, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties. For areas near Lake Ontario, beginning Monday afternoon, a widespread 6-12” of snow is expected in areas east of the lake and up to two feet of snow possible in the Tug Hill area. Snowfall rates could reach up to three inches per hour where the snow is heaviest, and wind gusts up to 35 mph are possible in these locations through Tuesday. The rest of Western New York, including the City of Buffalo, and the Finger Lakes regions are expected to receive up to six inches of snow in some locations. New Yorkers should use extra caution when traveling in impacted areas, especially during commuting hours, as weather conditions will likely cause blowing snow and reduce visibility on roads.
“The most hazardous weather conditions will be in the areas where lake effect snow bands form and produce a lot of snow in a short period, which will hamper travel in some places for the next day or so,” Governor Hochul said. “There is still some uncertainty where and when snow bands will form and the heaviest snow will fall, so use extra caution when traveling and stay on top of the forecast throughout this event so you can plan your travel and other activities accordingly. My team will monitor this weather system and its impacts throughout this event and are ready to assist partners at the local level as needed.”
A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect Monday through late Tuesday night for southern Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Wyoming, Oswego, Jefferson, and Lewis counties. A Winter Storm Watch for possible heavy lake effect snow is also in effect Monday afternoon through late Tuesday night for northern Oneida, northern Herkimer, and Hamilton counties. Through Monday, most of the rest of the state is forecast to receive up to an inch of rain and higher elevations could see a few inches of snow, causing Monday morning commutes to be potentially unsafe in some places.
For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at https://alerts.weather.gov. New Yorkers are 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.
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