Winter Weather Watches Issued For Most Of New York State

Just in case you forgot, winter is here, and frigid temperatures are blasting most of the Empire State thanks to polar air that is dipping into North America from the Arctic thanks to another polar vortex blowing into the region.

Places like Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, and New York City are expecting some of the coldest air in years to hit the region, and officials from the government, local news stations, and the National Weather Service are advising people to take proper precautions. They are ringing the alarm and issuing winter weather watches, warnings, and advisories all over New York State. And, of course, if the extreme cold wasn't enough to cause worry, there are also lake effect snow warnings being issued all over Western and Central New York as well.

New York State officials are warning residents and those who need to pass through the Empire State to exercise caution as travel may be treacherous on the New York State Thruway, along with other state and local roads. Extremely low temps reduce the effectiveness of highway treatment tools like road salt, so slick roads and black ice may be possible with the heavy snowfall and below-freezing temps that are expected this week.

Not only will the air temperature be below freezing, but wind chills will be below zero in many areas, causing potentially dangerous conditions if you have to spend any time outside.

These cold temps are so dangerous that Federal officials have moved the Presidential Inauguration indoors for the first time since 1985. Western New Yorkers will remember that week very well as it was the same time Buffalo was hit with the six-pack blizzard, which was 40 years ago this week.