Multiday lake-effect snow event could bury parts of New York in up to 3 feet through weekend

02:12

Full throttle lake-effect machine burying parts of New York

Strong northwesterly winds on the southwest side of a low pressure system lingering over southeastern Canada will lead to continued lake-effect snow bands downwind of the Great Lakes through the end of this week and into the weekend.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No rest for the snow-weary downwind of the Great Lakes as another multi-day lake-effect snowstorm buries towns in inches to feet of snow through the weekend. 

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Strong northwesterly winds on the southwest side of a low-pressure system lingering over southeastern Canada have already brought 2-3 feet of snow to parts of western New York and 5-10 inches to northwestern Pennsylvania, and will lead to continued lake-effect snow bands downwind of the Great Lakes into the weekend. 

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01:09

Heavy lake-effect snow hits Utica, New York

Lake-effect snow hit Utica, New York, on Thursday as weather officials warned travel could be difficult to impossible Footage from X user @James7576884387 shows snow blanketing a backyard and streets in Utica.

The FOX Forecast Center said the heaviest snow showers will remain downwind of Lakes Ontario and Erie. Snow will be measured in feet from northeast Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania and western New York (south of Buffalo) to the Tug Hill and even as far south as the Syracuse metro area. 

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On Thursday, the snow moved into Syracuse and areas to the north and east. Communities such as Montague, New York, on the Tug Hill Plateau east of Lake Ontario, will likely see another 1-2 feet of snow over the weekend with gusts to 45 mph on top of the feet of snow that has already accumulated through Friday. 

00:45

Flakes fly again in western New York as the lake-effect snow machine cranks up

Video from Exclusive FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic shows snow beginning to fall in Westfield, New York, on Lake Erie.

Snowfall rates in these areas of 1-2 inches an hour are expected, with more than 3 inches an hour possible in the bands hitting Tug Hill and central New York. 

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The FOX Forecast Center said drivers should expect extremely dangerous to impossible travel and widespread road closures.

The Lake-Effect Snow Warnings still stretch from Ohio to New York and include cities like Cleveland in Ohio, Erie in Pennsylvania and Syracuse and Watertown in New York. The warnings remain in effect through Sunday evening. 

WHAT IS LAKE-EFFECT SNOW?

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Erie has received 7 inches of snow so far with another 3-6 inches likely through the weekend. The town has had over 70 inches of snow so far since late November.

Forecasters are also watching the band off of Lake Ontario this weekend. Models indicate a "mega band," one with connections to Lake Huron and Lake Superior, may develop and potentially impact the Syracuse area, which has already had several inches of snow and may see another 10 inches or more. 

Holiday travelers in western New York are facing a challenging return trip due to severe winter weather. I-86 in Salamanca is snow-covered, and a Lake-Effect Snow Warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday.

(FOX Weather)

Some moderate to locally heavy snowfall will also be possible downwind of Lakes Superior and Michigan, though this should taper off by Saturday.

Since October, some parts of western New York, including the Tug Hill Plateau and an area outside of Dunkirk, have received over 10 feet of snow.