A significant lake effect snowstorm is poised to disrupt travel across Western and Central New York through the holiday weekend, with weather advisories warning of several feet of snow in localized areas east of Lakes Erie and Ontario. The National Weather Service (NWS) offices in Buffalo and Binghamton have issued urgent updates, highlighting potential challenges for holiday travelers.
NWS Buffalo predicts intense snowfall, driven by extreme instability over the region’s unusually warm lakes, and warns of snowfall rates of up to three inches per hour in the hardest-hit areas. These conditions may also produce thundersnow in localized bands.
Colder air sweeping in from Canada is expected to activate long-duration lake effect snow bands beginning Friday morning. In Western New York, Chautauqua, Erie, and Cattaraugus counties are forecast to receive the brunt of the storm, with peak accumulations exceeding multiple feet through Monday. The NWS cautions that shifting winds may cause snow bands to oscillate, leading to sharp snowfall gradients and challenging driving conditions.
Meanwhile, Central New York is bracing for heavy snow showers and squalls, particularly in higher elevations such as the Tug Hill Plateau and parts of the Finger Lakes region. NWS Binghamton highlights the potential for snow squalls that could rapidly reduce visibility and produce sudden bursts of accumulating snow, complicating travel during one of the busiest weekends of the year.
“This storm has the potential to bring highly disruptive weather to the region,” the Buffalo NWS office noted. “With strong winds gusting up to 35 mph and blowing snow, even areas outside the heaviest snow bands may experience hazardous conditions.”
Both offices emphasize that lower elevations may see reduced snowfall due to rain or mixed precipitation, but icy roads and patchy fog remain concerns. The transition to widespread snow showers Friday night will worsen travel across the region.
For travelers, the combination of heavy snow, strong winds, and holiday traffic heightens risks on major routes like Interstate 90 and the New York State Thruway. Authorities urge residents and visitors to avoid unnecessary travel and to remain prepared for sudden weather changes if venturing out.
The storm system is part of a broader pattern of Arctic air entrenched over the northeastern United States. By Sunday night, a northwest flow may expand snow showers into areas southeast of the lakes, including Rochester and parts of northern Pennsylvania.
Officials remind residents to check weather updates frequently and to take precautions, such as carrying emergency supplies and allowing extra time for travel.
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