Parts of the Northeast and Midwest are expected to get more lake effect snow
A record-breaking weekend of snowfall on Gaylord, Michigan, forecasted through the Great Lakes and the Northern Hemisphere
Meanwhile steady winds that trained snow bands Friday on Gaylord, Michigan, dumped 24.8 inches (63 centimeters), setting a new single-day record for the city, which sits in a region dotted by ski resorts, said Keith Berger, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Gaylord office. The previous record of 17.0 inches (43 centimeters) was from March 9, 1942.
The Great Lakes region will likely see another round of lake effect snow during the week, with some areas potentially getting more than one round until the end of the week, by the National Weather Service.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The first big snowfall of the season occurred on Saturday in the middle of a busy holiday travel and shopping weekend. Numbing cold and heavy snow were forecast to persist into next week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions.
The state of emergency in parts of New York was declared due to heavy snow and officials warn that it’s dangerous for Thanksgiving travelers to return home.
“Whiteout conditions are expected and will make travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening,” the NWS warned, adding that residents should prepare for “rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions.”
Northwestern portions of Pennsylvania have received significant snowfall, including the Erie County area, which has received between 24 to 30 inches of snow since Saturday.
The city of Erie, Pennsylvania, said travel was being limited to emergency responders and essential employees and cases of medical emergency until further notice due. The snow and slippery conditions resulted in vehicles getting stuck and blocking intersections and streets, officials said, and people were urged to shelter in place and allow crews to clear neighborhoods during a lull in the storm.
The Holiday Inn near I-90 had rooms booked out all the way back to December and so many people took refuge in the lobby and hallways. Hotel staffer Jeremiah Weatherley said dozens of people rolled in as the snow piled up, and workers opened the conference room and gave them blankets to sleep on the floor.
In Buffalo, officials with the NFL’s Bills asked people to sign up to shovel at the stadium this season, including the expected heavy snowfall ahead of Sunday night’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. The team said it would pay $20 per hour and provide food and hot drinks.
The Upper Peninsula had 2 feet of Snow, but it’s Getting Closer to the Ski Area, and the Cleveland County Snow Forecast is Forecast for 20 to 18 inches
The weather service said that this week’s blast of frigid air brought temperatures to the Northern Plains to 20 degrees below average, prompting chilly advisories for parts of North Dakota.
She said that there was 27 inches of snow in the western part of the Upper Peninsula. The eastern part of the peninsula was the place where 2 feet (64 centimeters) fell.
The snowfall was good news for Treetops Resort, which features 80 acres (32 hectares) of ski hill terrain among its 2,000 acres (809 hectares), said Doug Hoeh, the resort’s director of recreation. It is expected that snowmaking machines will be on their way to the resort in the next couple of days to make more snow.
“Obviously when you get that much snowfall, it’s great for the snow hills, but it’s bad for the parking lots, so we’re kind of digging out,” Hoeh said. We’re close to getting ready to ski, but the natural snowfall definitely helps.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency for several counties, including Erie county, where the city of Buffalo is located, and is urging residents to “avoid unnecessary travel.” Some highways have restrictions for commercial vehicles, according to the state’s department of transportation.
Weather officials caution that parts of the state, including the Watertown area, could see more snow Wednesday night to Thursday night, with wind gusts over 40 miles per hour.
Snow is also blanketing parts of Ohio and lake effect snow warnings will continue through Tuesday morning for cities like Cleveland and surrounding Cuyahoga County. Cleveland weather officials said the Northeastern parts of the county are forecast to receive between 6 and 18 inches of snow that could lead to whiteout conditions and potentially life-threatening.
State trooper response to heavy lake-effect snowfall in Erie county, Pennsylvania: Interaction with local officials and stranded motorists
Lt. Adam Reed of the Pennsylvania State Police communications office said that state troopers were responding to “weather related crashes” and also helping stranded drivers.
“Our teams at PEMA, the Pennsylvania State Police, and PennDOT have been on the ground overnight to help their fellow Pennsylvanians as the impacts of heavy lake-effect snow hit Erie County,” Shapiro said in a statement. Stay off the roads if you are safe, and follow instructions from PEMA and your local authorities.
Heavy snowfall will continue to bury portions of the Northeast and upper Midwest this week as officials warn of travel impacts and dangerous conditions.
The snow that has covered parts of the US Midwest and Northeast has left thousands of people without power, with some areas expecting as much as 20 cm of snow over the next couple of days. At least two deaths have been reported due to the winter storm in New York state, including that of a woman who died of carbon monoxide poisoning.