The first significant snowfall of the season posed a threat to towns in New York near lakes Erie and Ontario over the busy holiday travel and shopping weekend.
In Michigan, heavy lake-effect snow in the northern regions of the state was expected to persist throughout the weekend, as per the National Weather Service in Gaylord.
Certain areas in the Upper Peninsula could experience up to 3 feet of snow from Sunday night into Monday, stated National Weather Service meteorologist Lily Chapman.
As snowflakes started falling on Friday, New York state forecasters cautioned that Watertown and other areas east of Lake Ontario could see 4 to 6 feet of snowfall through Monday.
Following an unusually mild autumn, accumulations of 2 to 3 feet of snow were possible along Lake Erie and south of Buffalo from lake-effect bands known for their heavy snowfall rates.
Lake-effect snow occurs when warm, moist air from a body of water mixes with cold, dry air above.
“The lake is 50 degrees. We’re about six degrees above where we should be this time of year, that’s why we’re seeing these heavy lake-effect events,” stated Erie County Public Works Commissioner William Geary. “The outlook for the next two weeks into December, we’ll probably see some more.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency for the affected counties, enabling state agencies to mobilize resources.
Deteriorating conditions on Friday led to closures along Interstate 90, with bans on tandem and commercial vehicles on Interstate 86 in western New York and much of state Route 219 starting Friday afternoon.
“There’s a significant number of vehicles going off the road on the 219 currently,” mentioned Gregory Butcher, Erie County deputy director for preparedness and homeland security, during an afternoon briefing.
ATVs and snowmobiles were being strategically positioned around the county to assist first responders if needed, Butcher added.
The Buffalo Bills requested volunteers to potentially clear snow at Highmark Stadium, where over 2 feet of snow was anticipated before the game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night.
Last year, a significant lake-effect storm forced the NFL to reschedule the Bills’ wild-card playoff home game against Pittsburgh from Sunday to Monday.
“It’s going to be slow going, there’s no doubt about that,” mentioned Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, stating that the heaviest snowfall is expected to be over by kickoff.
Meanwhile, the team was preparing to compete in any conditions.
The Bills are currently 9-2, their best start since 1992, and a victory on Sunday would secure their fifth consecutive AFC East title.
Lake-effect snow also covered parts of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in a system expected to linger through the weekend.
The region was already blanketed in snow by Friday afternoon, with some areas already reporting over a foot of snow.
“We’ve got this westerly, northwesterly flow regime and this chilly air mass over the UP,” explained Chapman of the National Weather Service. “So it’s a pretty good setup for this long duration lake-effect snowfall event.”
Gusty winds, especially near the Great Lakes, have affected visibility in Michigan, prompting Chapman to advise caution on the roads.
Joe DeLizio, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Gaylord, mentioned that road visibility was low, but no major accidents had been reported so far.
“Haven’t heard too much in terms of problems, but obviously travel is quite difficult,” DeLizio stated.
