Millions are heading back from the holiday facing snow and an artic blast
The First Big Snow Over the Lake Erie Area and a New Record for the Most Snow in a Day in the Last Four Seasons
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The first big snow of the season blanketed the Lake Erie area in the middle of the busy holiday travel and shopping weekend. There were predicted to be dangers next week in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions because of cold and heavy snow.
South Texas and Florida will get some rain and storms, while parts of the country will not. Normal or above-normal temperatures for this time of year are expected to prevail in the rest of the country.
The FAA’s National Airspace System listed Erie International Airport as closed until 12 noon Saturday. More than 2,300 flights on Friday have been delayed into, within and out of the United States, according to FlightAware.
“If you must drive, clear ice & snow from your car, pack an emergency kit, drive slowly, and leave extra space between vehicles,” the agency said in a post.
Southern states are also expected to feel “subfreezing” temperatures in the morning stretching from the Atlantic coast in the southeast to the Gulf Coast, including possible frost in northern parts of Florida, the NWS says. The cold can harm crops as well as damaging outdoor plumbing, according to the NWS.
An arctic blast will bring the “coldest air since last winter” to Eastern portions of the county, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on Friday. The air mass from the Arctic is moving across the U.S. and will stay for the weekend, while the northern Plains will see temperatures in the single digits and teens.
Gaylord, Michigan, set a new record for the most snow in a day on Friday with 24.8 inches (64 centimeters), according to the weather service’s Gaylord office. The previous record of 18.0 inches (43 centimeters) was set in 1942.
Chapman said the lake-effect snow could accumulate to more than a foot (30 centimeters) over the eastern Upper Peninsula by the time it stops on Monday morning.
The heavy snow led to a state of emergency declaration in parts of New York and a disaster declaration in Pennsylvania, with officials warning of dangerous conditions for Thanksgiving travelers trying to return home.
Part of I-90 in Pennsylvania was closed, as were westbound lanes of the New York Thruway heading toward Pennsylvania. There was 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in parts of New York, Ohio and Michigan and 29 inches (75 centimeters) in Pennsylvania’s northwestern tip.
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. Vehicles got stuck and were blocking streets as a result of the snow and slippery conditions and people were asked to shelter in place and allow crews to clear neighborhoods during the storm.
With roads in some parts impassable in northwestern Pennsylvania, scores of people took refuge overnight in the lobby and hallways of a fully booked Holiday Inn near I-90. 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.
The Buffalo Bills are asking people to shovel at the stadium this season in preparation for the game against San Francisco on Sunday night. The team said it would pay $20 per hour and provide food and hot drinks.
The Snowfall at the Treetops Resort: How Much Snow is Snow on the Southeast Faces of Ironwood, Munising and Ironwood?
She said that there was 27 inches (63 centimeters) of snow on the ground just northeast of Ironwood. Another 2 feet (61 centimeters) fell in Munising, in the eastern part of the peninsula.
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 boosted the base that snowmaking machines will be adding to in the coming days before the resort opens for the season next weekend.
“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. Natural snowfall definitely helps, but we are close to being able to pull thetrigger on skiing.
US’ Gaylord, Michigan set a new record for the most snow in a day on Friday with 24.8 inches (64 cm), according to the weather service’s Gaylord office. The lake-effect snow could accumulate to more than a foot (30 cm) over the eastern Upper Peninsula by the time it stops on Monday morning. New York has declared a state of emergency.