State of Emergency Declared for Buffalo Ahead of Latest Storm

Before the first flakes in Western New York’s third storm of the season even began to fall, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Central New York, and the North Country regions to help provide additional staffing and resources to keep residents safer. 

As of Wednesday night, the city of Buffalo was expected to get at least a few inches of snow, with total accumulations of between 8 and 20 inches in the most persistent lake effect snow bands. Coupled with wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour, the National Weather Service warned that whiteout conditions could be possible as the storm settles over the region from late Wednesday until early Friday afternoon. The heaviest accumulation is expected south of Buffalo and deep into southern Genesee County. Areas east of our two Great Lakes might see up to three feet of snow. 

Gov. Hochul directed the Thruway Authority to preemptively call for a ban on tandem and empty tractor trailers in both directions on the Thruway from exit 53, the split for downtown Buffalo and north to Canada, west to the Pennsylvania state border until further notice. Additionally, the state Department of Transportation is implementing the same tandem and empty trailer ban from midnight Thursday on Route 5 from NY 179 to the 190 in Erie County, Route 219 from the 90 to I-86 in Erie and Cattaraugus counties, Route 400 from the 90 to Route 16 in Erie County, and I-86 from 219 to the Pennsylvania line in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties. 

“We are deploying resources and working alongside our partners in government as we prepare for every possibility—I encourage all New Yorkers to stay alert, stay off the roads if possible, and keep in contact with family and friends as we move through the next 48 hours,” Hochul said Wednesday.