MA Residents: Warning! “DO NOT” Shuffle Off To Buffalo
Attention Bay state and neighboring tri-state region residents: If you are thinking of heading out west to Buffalo, change your plans IMMEDIATELY as The National Weather Service issued a lake-effect snow warning for the metropolitan Buffalo area and that will remain in place into the weekend. This latest round of winter in November has prompted Mother Nature to interfere with Sunday's NFL match-up between The Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns which is scheduled to kick off at 1 pm EST. Normally, games on the gridiron go on no matter what the elements offer, but in this case, a possible postponement is inevitable. We'll keep you posted.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Erie County from 7 pm on Thursday until 1 pm on Sunday, with the worst of this storm expected for ALL DAY Friday and Saturday as Buffalo and southern suburbs will pick up the direct hit. Forecasters are NOT predicting 12 inches for this one but it is reported anywhere between 2 and 6 feet of the white stuff will blanket the area with snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches per hour and driving will be impossible to handle to handle with whiteout conditions across Interstate 90 and area roads. Travel bans could be implemented for the next few days.
The snow band will likely target Buffalo on Saturday and then further north into Niagara County late on Saturday, before migrating back south on Sunday and weakening. Residents in the City of Buffalo and the nearby south towns of Orchard Park, West Seneca and Lackawanna), will get the brunt of this snowstorm.
Lake effect snow is dependent on change of wind direction which causes the band to shift further than expected or it will just linger and keep dumping an excessive amount of the white stuff as this storm is inevitable and will become reality. According to recent AccuWeather reports on Tuesday, the Buffalo area could see anywhere from 2-6 feet which could fall in the most persistent snow bands, while on Wednesday they reported up to 72 inches was possible for the duration of the storm.
AccuWeather meteorologist Matt Benz is closely watching the maps on this historical winter oriented blast as he gives us a summary of what Buffalonians can expect:
"These early-season events can be potent, as lake water temperatures are still quite mild compared to the middle to the latter part of winter". As of Tuesday morning, waters on the Great Lakes were generally in the 50 degrees F.ahrenheit range. The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in New York and Lake Huron in Ontario. Several feet of snow can occur where snow bands persist over the same location for an extended period of time. Buffalo and its southern suburbs may receive as much as 3 to 6 feet of snow by Sunday as the heaviest snow may fall over two periods -- Thursday night into Friday and then Saturday into Saturday night. These two periods will likely feature the worst conditions of this event."
Travel is strongly discouraged during the height of the event as motorists will run the risk of becoming stranded on the roadways as the snow falls fast and furiously, making it difficult for road crews to keep up with clearing the snow. Experts advise anyone who must venture out (if you dare) to be prepared by having an emergency kit in their vehicle. Sage advice; STAY INDOORS and HUNKER DOWN!!
These snowfall events for Buffalo are NOT uncommon in November and December as Lake Erie is still quite warm with no ice cover this time of the year as the body of water gathers more moisture when cold air moves overhead, helping to produce more intense bands of lake-effect. Roofs on homes and buildings could come down in areas that pick up the most intense snowfall late this week due to added weight. Power outages are also a good bet, as flashlights and a battery operated radio will be two essential pieces of getting by during this nerve wracking experience. Our Townsquare sister stations in Buffalo are standing by to keep their communities informed every step of the way during this "behemoth" storm.
Daytime temperatures will range in the upper 20s to lower 30s F but strong winds off the Great Lakes will make going outdoors feel like the teens and single-digits. The long-duration lake-effect event may not fully wind down until early next week, but there is one piece of good news from forecasters: They do anticipate a shift in the wind direction late in the weekend that would steer the heaviest snow bands away from Buffalo as the next step for residents and property owners is the fervent attempt to dig out from this mess.
Guaranteed, Buffalonians will be in our thoughts and prayers but remember they have experienced similar weather related events and have the stories entrenched in their minds forever in time!