Nov. 19 (UPI) — A state of emergency in Buffalo, N.Y., and surrounding areas remained in effect Saturday as the city dug out from a historic lake-effect snowstorm.
The National Weather Service reports 66 inches of snowfall in Orchard Park, N.Y., and 65 inches in southern Blasdell, N.Y., two Erie County cities near Buffalo.
As of 6 a.m. Saturday, a travel ban that had been imposed on certain parts of Buffalo was extended throughout the entire city.
The state of emergency declared by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday also remains in effect across multiple counties in the Great Lakes area.
Two Erie County residents died on Friday while removing snow, prompting Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz to remind residents that the storm is dangerous.
“Please continue to avoid shoveling this very heavy, wet snow – and use caution and avoid overexertion if you must shovel today,” Poloncarz wrote in a tweet on Saturday morning.
The road closures have lead to a significant number of vehicles being stuck on open roads, further complicating the travel conditions, Poloncarz tweeted along with a short clip of the stranded vehicles.
