BUFFALO, N.Y. — The snow has finally moved out of the Buffalo-region, but is now lingering in the western Southern Tier
Here's the latest information about a storm where the snowfall is expected to be measured in feet, not inches, and which forced the Bills to move Sunday afternoon's home game with the Cleveland Browns to Detroit.
- FORECAST: Storm Team 2 weather outlook for Western New York
- CLOSING CENTRAL: Closings and delays
- STORM TEAM 2 RADAR: Radar map
We will constantly be updating this story with updates below. Come back to this page for updates on weather and travel alerts, snow totals, and safety information.
The most recent information will be found at the top, and the oldest information will be pushed to the bottom.
TUESDAY:
9:48 a.m. Buffalo Public Schools announced that school will resume on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 after being closed for a few days due to the lake effect snow storm.
MONDAY
12 p.m. Travel ban was lifted for Lackawanna, a travel advisory is still in place.
11:58 a.m. The city of Buffalo announced Monday that the travel advisory has been lifted in east, west & north Buffalo. A travel ban remains in the Southern sections of the city including Kaisertown and Lovejoy.
9:43 a.m. The City of Buffalo asked South Buffalo residents to leave cars on the same side they are currently parked on until further notice.
8:55 a.m. People in need of assistance getting to dialysis, medication or other needs can all 716-651-2090.
7:30 a.m. The on ramp to Route 219 from I-90 west has been reopened.
6:50 a.m. Traffic Tracker 2's Dave Cash reported that not every gate for Route 219 has been opened yet.
6:22 a.m. Deputy Commissioner Karen Hoak of Public Works reported that 50 or more vehicles at one point were cataloged at the location at McKinley Mall. She expects the number to go down quickly as road conditions improve.
6:05 a.m. All county owned roads have been cleared, according to Deputy Commissioner Karen Hoak of Public Works.
6:04 a.m. Erie County Commissioner Dan Neaverth from Emergency Services and Homeland Security clarified that Route 219 did open at midnight Monday.
6:01 a.m. Erie County Commissioner Dan Neaverth from Emergency Services and Homeland Security announces the county has an approved FEMA Emergency Declaration, which will help the county get reimbursed for the costs of clean up. It will also help reimbursement for the towns, villages and cities who accrued costs.
6 a.m. Erie County officials clarify that the county is still under a State of Emergency.
5:44 a.m. The NFTA announced that select bus routes would operate outside of areas under a travel ban. Metrorail service will return to normal. Paratransit will operate, but riders are asked to reschedule if possible.
SUNDAY
11 p.m. In a statement released shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, Erie County said "travel bans will be lifted in Orchard Park, Hamburg and Evans; driving bans remain in place for Lackawanna and a portion of Buffalo." Route 219 will also reopen, starting at midnight.
7:27 p.m. A City of Buffalo spokesperson says parking enforcement has been suspended in the South Buffalo and Lovejoy districts as crews continue to remove snow.
6:31 p.m. Orchard Park Police said its travel ban will be lifted at midnight. A travel advisory remains, however, until further notice. Route 219 also remains closed as the state's Department of Transportation works to clear the road and the ramps. Blowing and drifting snow are delaying progress there.
6 p.m. The University at Buffalo says it's going to be back to normal on Monday. Classes and activities will go on, as planned.
3:31 p.m. Erie County said it will not hold a winter storm news conference today. Instead, communication will come from social media and on the county's website. Also, Erie County will continue a work-from-home policy for eligible employees Monday and storm cleanup progresses.
1:45 p.m. The commercial vehicle restrictions for the Thruway from the Pennsylvania state line to Exit 46 has been lifted.
1:37 p.m. The City of Buffalo announced it would be suspending garbage and recycling pickup on Monday. Regular pickup will resume on Tuesday.
1:14 p.m. Kenmore Public Schools announced they will also be closed on Monday.
12:59 p.m. Holiday Valley reported that it received more the 17 inches of snow last night. They still plan on holding opening day on Friday.
11:50 a.m. County officials reported that people have been evacuated from buildings and there are five collapse sites in the county. Crews are out identifying structures at risk and moving individuals until the building is made safe again.
11:47 a.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said they have had many reports of snow blowers breaking from the amount of snow.
11:41 a.m. Officials reiterated that as many people as possible should remain off the roads. While roads may be clear in places with travel bans, those bans are in place to make sure officials can get through.
11:39 a.m. Every road in Orchard Park is reported to be cleared with at least one path, according to a briefing from Erie County. Officials reiterated that as many people as possible should remain off the roads. While roads may be clear in places with travel bans, those bans are in place to make sure officials can get through.
11:30 a.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz reminds people that record snowfall means that snow will not be cleared right away.
11:12 a.m. The Hamburg Central School District and the Orchard Park Central School district also announced that school will be cancelled for Monday and Tuesday.
10:25 a.m. Buffalo Public Schools announced that it will be closed on Monday for safety concerns. No remote classes will be held.
9:24 a.m. The NFTA announced that it would immediately resume limited bus service. Metrorail will only be operating underground. Paratransit is still running as normal, however people are asked to reschedule if possible because of the extreme weather
9:23 a.m. A Code Blue has been issued for the City of Buffalo and southern Erie County.
8:14 a.m. The Erie County Department of Public Works shared that five county plows are working in the Auror District, which is dealing with 20-25 mph winds. The street are covered in hard pack, but the sun and traffic are helping clear the roads.
8:12 a.m. The Erie County Department of Public Works announced that in Clarence most hard pack areas had been addressed. There are currently 4 county plow trucks working that area.
7:49 a.m. The Erie County Department of Public Works shared that five county plows are at work in the Hamburg District. That area saw another 4-6 inches of snow overnight, but blowing snow continues to make the area difficult to navigate.
Roads in the area are snow covered and hard packed.
7:00 a.m. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown says the city plans to start plowing side streets beginning at 8 a.m.
6:08 a.m. Schools will also be meeting with officials to discuss if schools will be reopened.
6:06 a.m. Deputy Commissioner Karen Hoak of Public Works reported that DPW was able to assist the Ten Lives Club get to their building and feed the cats at the shelter.
Hoak also reported that crews are still out working, and that good progress has been made good progress.
6:04 a.m. At a morning press conference, Erie County Commissioner Dan Neaverth from Emergency Services and Homeland Security announced that at 7 a.m. NYSDOT will reevaluate the closure of the 400. The 219 is likely to remain closed for longer.
6:03 a.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz shared on Twitter that no new deaths have been reported related to the storm.
A call was also put out during the night for tow drivers to help with the efforts of clearing out stranded cars.
4:01 a.m. The Erie County Department of Public Works reported that overnight four county plow trucks were in the Hamburg district. While it had stopped snowing, conditions were still challenging because high winds were causing snow drifts.
SATURDAY
9:57 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz took to social media to provide maps showing the travel bans.
9:33 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was asked about schools on Monday again. He says if there's a travel ban still in effect Monday morning in a given community, those districts will not have school.
9:25 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says one reason so many travel bans, such as in Cheektowaga and East Aurora, have been lifted is because most streets have been cleared.
9:22 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says the Bills game Sunday afternoon could help keep people off the roads. He's hopeful that "we'll be back to business on Monday," and that they'll have a better idea Sunday. He's hearing from parents about schools.
9:12 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says road cleanups have been doing well, and he thanked people for staying off the roads, allowing crews to clear the snow.
9:05 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says the county will remove the travel ban in West Seneca, Cheektowaga, Lancaster, Alden, Marilla, Wales and more. A travel ban will be only in Evans, Hamburg, Orchard Park, Lackawanna, and in South Buffalo, starting at midnight.
9:02 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz begins the final news conference of the day. He opens by laughing about Orchard Park's snowfall equaling Josh Allen's height. States of emergencies are still in effect in many places, though it's been lifted in Amherst.
7:24 p.m. The New York State Thruway Authority announced Saturday night that it has lifted travel bans that had previously been in place for I-90 and I-190. The Thruway is now open to all traffic.
6:33 p.m. Julianne Pelusi can confirm that the Bills have arrived safety in Detroit, ahead of Sunday's 1 p.m. game with the Cleveland Browns.
6:21 p.m. Too much snow Friday night caused the roof to collapse at Braymiller’s Lanes, a bowling alley in Hamburg. It’s been in business since 1942. Danielle Church has more in the video below.
5:19 p.m. The Skyway is now open in both directions.
5:02 p.m. Here's a time-lapse video of 2 On Your Side photojournalist Franco Ardito clearing off his car, or at least trying to do so.
3:29 p.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul says she believes everyone will be at home, and not on the roads, at 1 p.m. Sunday "watching the Bills." Moments later the news conference ends.
3:21 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says he believes a number of driving bans will be lifted later today. He also thanks public works crews for making sure that main roads remained open despite the overnight snowfall.
3:18 p.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul says she will sign a federal emergency declaration to help Western New York dig out from the storm. She's been in touch with FEMA and says she will sign the paperwork following the news conference.
3:15 p.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul says there are now 721 power outages across Western New York and about 1,600 statewide. She reminds people that driving bans remain in effect and urges people to stay safe.
3:13 p.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul said there have been "no turf battles," that people from many different communities have been helping each other.
3:09 p.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul's news conference in Hamburg begins with her thanking crews that have been out clearing the roads, including one crew that came from Long Island. She says because leaders acted proactively with the storm approaching, lives were saved.
1:07 p.m. Mayor Byron Brown announced at a press conference that plows will now start working on side streets. Additionally, the driving ban will be lifted for all parts of the city except South Buffalo at 2 p.m. A travel advisory will go into effect for those areas.
A travel ban will remain in effect for South Buffalo because of the amount of snow it has received over the past couple of days.
11:45 a.m. The National Guard arrived in Erie County to help take dialysis patients in to get treatment.
10 a.m. The City of Lockport issued a travel advisory that will be in effect from 9 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.
9:50 a.m. 2 On Your Side's Lauren Hall spoke with the City of Buffalo that announced the GPS system tracking plows is maulfuncting, so that service is no longer available.
9:37 a.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told 2 On Your Side's Heather Ly and Pete Gallivan live on Daybreak that 400 tickets have been written for people who have violated the travel ban. He also reported that significant progress has been made along McKinley Parkway.
9:33 a.m. The National Weather Service reports that a record daily snowfall of 16.1" of snow fell at the Buffalo airport Saturday. That breaks the previous record of of 7.6" set in 2014.
9:30 a.m. The NFTA announced that the Buffalo Niagara International Airport has reopened. You are still advised to check with your airline for your flight status.
8 a.m. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she has deployed the National Guard to the southtowns to help with snow removal. About 70 National Guard members will be here in WNY.
7:49 a.m. Wyoming County has lifted their travel advisory
7:37 a.m. The NFTA announced that all bus service has been suspended until further notice. Metrorail will have limited service and paratransit has not been suspended, but riders are asked to reschedule if they can.
6:49 a.m. The City of Buffalo just announced that a driving ban is now in place for the entire city as the snow band moved north and made travel difficult.
6 a.m. Erie County Emergency officials say Buffalo Airport received over a foot of snow overnight in Cheektowaga. They are working to clear the snow away. Several flights have been cancelled.
FRIDAY
10:58 p.m. Snow arrived in time for rooftop weather at 11.
10:28 p.m. 2 On Your Side's Nate Benson got a good look at the lake effect wall during the past hour.
10 p.m. Elyse Smith and Carl Lam had a Facebook Live forecast from the Channel 2 roof.
9:27 p.m. Mark Poloncarz says in some ways, this storm is stronger than the one that hit in 2014 because more snow has fallen over less time.
9:24 p.m. Mark Poloncarz said a person in a Cape Cod-style house was rescued during a Hamburg home collapse and that the person survived.
9:19 p.m. Mark Poloncarz stresses that cleared roads are not for you to drive on, but for first responders to get to where they need to go. He added that county officials are not aware of any more deaths, other than the two men they announced during the 3 p.m. news conference.
9:15 p.m. Mark Poloncarz announced that emergency warming centers will be open for those who need it.
9:09 p.m. Towed vehicles are being taken to the former Sears lot at the McKinley Mall. Vehicles that are being abandoned are among the cars being taken there.
9:09 p.m. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia says about a dozen people were stranded near along Maple Road, and in another situation, one person was stranded, got lost, and is now recovering at a hospital.
9:06 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says Routes 5 and 20 are in the process of being cleared following incidents.
9:05 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz continues to urge people to follow the travel ban, saying people who have gotten stuck have prevented emergency crews from being able to do their jobs.
9:01 p.m. The Erie County news conference is underway, with Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz saying the travel ban remains in effect for Buffalo, south of William Street, as well as towns south of the city. He reminded employees that employers cannot force people to violate travel bans.
7:56 p.m. Was it a record-setting day in Orchard Park?
5:30 p.m. In case you were wondering about the size of the lake effect bands, as well as its impact, Storm Team 2's Elyse Smith crunched the numbers.
4:23 p.m. The latest snowfall numbers are in, and Orchard Park is tops in Western New York with 54 inches.
3:31 p.m. The Erie County news conference has ended.
3:29 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said he was concerned about trucks violating the state's commercial ban on the state-controlled Thruway.
3:20 p.m. Erie County health commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein shared her concerns about people having cardiac events and other health issues while clearing out snow. She also advises people to stay safe when using generators and other equipment.
3:17 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said two men have died during this storm as a result of cardiac events while shoveling.
3:16 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz shared his concern about National Weather Service projections and said he hopes it's not accurate. He said a building collapsed in the Town of Hamburg because of the snow.
3:13 p.m. Erie County transportation officials said McKinley Parkway was a particularly troublesome area for public works crews.
3:09 p.m. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia thanked the Buffalo Bills for moving Sunday's game from Orchard Park to Detroit and eliminating a lot of safety concerns.
3:08 p.m. Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said about six cars went off the road on the 400, forcing a deputy to respond. He says it's important not to put the lives of first responders in danger ands urging people to stay home.
3:05 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says according to "men and women in the field," more than 4 feet of snow has fallen in many Southtowns communities. He said even snow plows are getting stuck. "If you get stuck, you're calling for help, and we're not sure we can get there," he said.
3:01 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz starts a news conference by saying the worst part of the storm is by the Hamburg-Orchard Park line, as well as in West Seneca and Wales. He reiterates that the travel ban remains in effect in the City of Buffalo, south of William Street, as well as Lackawanna, Cheektowaga, Alden, Marilla and many more communities.
2:26 p.m.: There are several cancelations for this evening and weekend. Get the latest updates on Closing Central.
12:31 p.m.: Plows are getting out on the I-90 near Hamburg. That portion of the thruway still remains closed while crews work to clear the highway.
11:15 a.m.: The City of Buffalo has initiated a travel ban for South Buffalo, south of William Street from downtown to the city line.
10 a.m.: The New York State Thruway Authority has shut down the I-90 from exit 53 (I-190) to exit 59 (Dunkirk) due to dangerous travel conditions and heavy snow. You will not be able to enter the thruway in that area.
Snow totals (as of 9AM). Please note that these are very preliminary and snow will continue to accumulate rapidly under the lake effect bands. These are from NWS-Buffalo, and their trained weather spotters.
Hamburg 33.9"
Orchard Park 25"
Blasdell 25"
West Seneca 24"
Elma 22"
South Cheektowaga (near West Seneca) 19"
North Boston 19"
South Wales 17.1"
Dunkirk 10.5"
Kenmore 5"
8:09 a.m.: Erie County has updated their travel advisories. A travel advisory in effect for City of Buffalo and Towns of Brant, Colden, Collins, Concord, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia. This also includes Grand Island, City of Tonawanda, Town of Tonawanda, Clarence, Newstead and Amherst. Travel bans still are in effect for many towns in the county that are currently under the lake effect snow band.
Snow totals (as of 8AM). Please note that these are very preliminary and snow will continue to accumulate rapidly under the lake effect bands.
7:50 a.m.: Crews continue to work to remove snow from roadways, as well as parking lots. 2 On Your Side's Heather Ly saw this payloader removing all the snow from a parking lot in Orchard Park this morning.
7 a.m.: Update from Storm Team 2: Snow totals: Please note that these are very preliminary and snow will continue to accumulate rapidly under the lake effect bands.:
- Hamburg 20"
- Orchard Park 18.5"
- Airport (Cheektowaga) 12.5"
- Elma 12"
- Fredonia 6.5"
6:30 a.m.: Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown provided an update on snow removal efforts. He tells 2 On Your Side that South Buffalo has been hardest hit. They currently have plows working on the main and secondary roadways, which look good he says. They are also working with private contractors, county and state crews. They have about 50 pieces of equipment working to remove the snow.
6:10 a.m.: All NFTA bus routes are cancelled, except bus routes 50, 52, 55, and 59, which operate only in Niagara County. The Metro Rail is still running.
6 a.m.: Effective immediately, Erie County has updated the travel ban to a travel advisory for Grand Island, City of Tonawanda, Town of Tonawanda, Clarence, Newstead and Amherst. A travel ban remains in effect for those towns south of downtown Buffalo. Erie County DPW Commissioner Bill Geary says there are 35 plows on the roads right now.
5:40 a.m.: Orchard Police Chief Pat Fitzgerald spoke to 2 On Your Side's Heather Ly about the heavy snow conditions. The town has issued their own State of Emergency and driving ban as the lake effect snow continues to bring large amounts of snow to Orchard Park
4:20 a.m. 2 On Your Side's Heather Ly is in checking out roads and came across this vehicle off the road on the I-90 and 219 split. Police and a tow truck are on the scene.
4 a.m.: The snow band is now south of the City of Buffalo, snowing 2-3" per hour. Downtown Buffalo is clear at the moment according to Storm Team 2 Meteorologist Patrick Hammer. He says about a foot of snow has fallen in Hamburg so far.
Midnight: NITTEC reports Route 5 is closed from Route 179 in Hamburg to I-190 in both directions due to weather.
THURSDAY:
10:59 p.m. Bus service has been suspended across Erie County on Friday, the NFTA announced, citing unsafe weather conditions. "The only bus routes that will be operated will be the 50, 52, 55, and 59, which operate solely within Niagara County. The Metrorail will remain operational at this time," the NFTA said in a statement late Thursday night. All essential NFTA employees will still work.
9:43 p.m. Storm Team 2 meteorologist Elyse Smith provided a snowfall update from the rooftop in downtown Buffalo.
9:33 p.m. The Village of Lancaster declared a state of emergency, which will remain in effect until further notice.
9:23 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was asked about the county's proactive approach to this storm. He said the county learned from 2014, implementing a travel ban earlier than waiting until it's too late.
9:09 p.m. The City of Buffalo announced a state of emergency and a travel ban are now in effect. "Only authorized personnel are allowed to travel. Please stay off the roads at this time to allow snow plows and emergency vehicles to clear streets and respond to calls," the city said in a statement Thursday night, announcing the news.
9:07 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz cautioned that more than two feet of snow could be on the ground by 7 a.m.
9:03 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz stepped to the podium to provide the latest update, including the countywide travel ban, and a NYSEG power outage impacting more than 2,000 customers in West Seneca.
8 p.m. A travel ban was issued Thursday night in Erie County, starting at 9 p.m. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz made the announcement on social media ahead of his 9 p.m. news conference. He issued a State of Emergency at 8 p.m., allowing for the travel ban to go into effect.
7:40 p.m. The snowfall isn't significant just yet, but it has arrived in downtown Buffalo.
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