Lake-effect snow buries portions of Buffalo, Great Lakes under feet of snow over weekend
Many areas in western New York measured more than 2 feet of snow, with localized areas picking up over 3 feet. As much as 41.3 inches piled up in Hamburg, while 41 inches was measured in Derby.
Travel bans starting to lift in upstate New York after receiving nearly 2 feet of snow
After snow bands moved out Buffalo Bills fans are helping to shovel snow at Highmark Stadium, which received more than a foot of snow. FOX Weather Storm Chaser Mark Sudduth provides an update on the shoveling efforts and the lake-effect snow.
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Heavy bands of lake-effect snow buried parts of the Great Lakes region and interior Northeast under feet of snow over the weekend, leaving travel bans in place and even forcing the postponement of an NFL playoff game.
The FOX Forecast Center said that because the Great Lakes remain free of ice and water temperatures are well above freezing, significant bands of heavy snow developed and created dangerous travel conditions across the region. Winds gusted up to 65 mph in some areas, including Buffalo, creating blowing and drifting snow.
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Officials issued a travel ban for a good portion of western New York on Sunday as near-blizzard conditions and zero visibility made for dangerous driving. In some bands of lake-effect snow, the NWS estimated that snow was falling at 1-3 inches per hour.
"For those of you who are wondering why there may be a driving ban, I’m in the town of Cheektowaga," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a video posted to X Sunday morning. "It’s rough. It’s pretty bad out here. You can’t really see more than in the front of the hood of your car."
Slippery roadways and gusty winds were a bad combination for trucks on major highways. This was just one semi that jackknifed and blocked all lanes of Interstate 90 near the New York-Pennsylvania state line. In Buffalo, the NWS clocked a wind gust of 64 mph.
A truck jackknifed on Interstate 90 in the Buffalo area, blocking all lanes.
(New York State Thruway Authority / FOX Weather)
Over 3 feet of snow in some spots
The Buffalo Airport measured 8.6 inches of snow on Sunday, breaking a daily record set in 1963. Overall, the storm total reached just over 13 inches, but many areas in western New York measured more than 2 feet of snow, with localized areas picking up over 3 feet. As much as 41.3 inches piled up in Hamburg, while 41 inches was measured in Derby.
(FOX Weather)
The New York State Department of Transportation reported that it had 1,599 large plows, 148 medium plows, 37 snow blowers and 13 tree crew bucket trucks at the ready.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS, BUFFALO BILLS GAME POSTPONED DUE TO HEAVY SNOW, WIND
Heavy snow forces delay in Buffalo Bills' playoff game
The heavy snow in the forecast for Orchard Park, home of the Buffalo Bills' Highmark Stadium, forced the NFL to postpone Sunday's Wild Card matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers until Monday – and the blizzard conditions pummeling the stadium over the weekend showed the forecast verified.
Once the snow stopped, it was a mad scramble to clear the stadium of several inches of snow.
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"Of course, for our Bills Mafia viewers, the Bills are actually looking for people to help them shovel out Highmark Stadium today," FOX Weather Meteorologist Katie Byrne reported from Buffalo Monday. "Today, you’re going to get paid $20 an hour if you can do it. There’s going to be free food, but it’s ‘BYOS’ – bring your own shovel."
Shirtless snow shoveler before Buffalo Bill's game
Don't try this at home! Near blizzard conditions and heavy snow forced officials to postpone the Wildcard game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers until Monday. The team put out a call to all fans for help shoveling snow. In return, the shovelers get $20 per hour and free food. The temperature never made it out of the low 20s and with wind gusts maxing out at 60 mph, the wind chill barely made it above zero.
The game on Monday went as scheduled, with the Bills defeating the Steelers 31-17.
A similar threat of heavy snowfall in 2022 forced a regular season game between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills to be moved to Ford Field in Detroit.
Watch: Whiteout conditions due to snow, wind in New York state
Video recorded in Cheektowaga, New York, shows whiteout conditions due to heavy snow and wind. Portions of the Great Lakes region, including Buffalo and Watertown, could pick up feet of snow due to relentless bands of lake-effect snow.
More heavy snow comes this week to western New York
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There is no rest for the snow weary. While the Bills got their game in on Monday, it was a narrow window as another round of lake-effect snow is on the way from Tuesday through Thursday.
(FOX Weather)
A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect from later Tuesday through Thursday for as much as 1-3 feet of snow on top of many of the same areas that were buried over the weekend.