The dangerous lake-effect snowstorm paralysing parts of western and northern New York on Friday is potentially a historic storm.
It’s already halted traffic on major roadways threatened to topple trees, damage property and knock out power as temperatures plunge.
The storm’s severity varied widely due to the peculiarities of lake-effect storms, which are caused by frigid winds picking up moisture from the warmer lakes, and dumping snow in narrow bands.
Residents in some parts of Buffalo awoke Friday to blowing, heavy snow, while just a few kilometres north, only a few inches had fallen overnight and there were patches of blue sky.
“Typical,” Zaria Black, 24, of Buffalo (pictured) said as she cleared several inches of snow from her car Friday morning, as more fell. The Amazon employee expected she’d be outside much of the day and was nervous about the condition of the roads.
“I’m just clearing out my car so I can travel and get to work and go on about my day,” she said. “Right now, it’s looking pretty bad.”
