Funviralpark Forecasters also raised the estimated total snowfall for some areas around Buffalo, including the eastern and northeastern suburbs, to 50 to 55 inches by Sunday night.
According to meteorologist John Hitchcock, the storm will weaken slightly on Saturday, but will be strong enough to create blizzard conditions through Saturday night.
Areas with lake-effect snow will make travel nearly impossible for the next 24 hours, Hitchcock said.
The wind blows holiday flags in Orchard Park on Friday, December 23, 2022.
(updated at 18:15 on Friday)
The lake effect zone will probably oscillate a bit, Hitchcock said, but the worst storm would cover the area from the city of Buffalo to the airport and Cheektowaga, along with the southern half of Lancaster, Clarence, Akron and Amherst.
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There were reports of power outages caused by fallen trees throughout the area. By mid-afternoon, more than 30,000 of his homes in Erie County were without power.
“Absolutely stay indoors,” said Phil Pandolfo, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
Courtesy of the National Weather Service
Snowstorm warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, and Chautauqua counties.
The warnings for Chautauqua are primarily for the areas closest to Lake Erie, Hitchcock said.
Erie, Niagara, Orleans, and Genesee counties still have travel bans in place.
Wind chill temperatures are expected to drop to 20-25 degrees below zero.
Strong winds with sustained winds of nearly 50 mph and gusts of up to 75 mph are expected into the night, creating near impossible driving conditions and knocking down trees.
In addition, strong winds are causing “seiche” on Lake Erie, pushing water across the lake to the shore and into the upper reaches of the Niagara River. Areas along the banks of Lake Erie and the Niagara River in Niagara, Erie, and Chautauqua counties are under a lakeshore flood warning from 7 a.m. Friday through 7 p.m. Saturday.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicted waves of 15-20 feet on Lake Erie and 19-24 feet on Lake Ontario. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, very high wave motion will cause significant erosion of the coastline, creating frozen spray along the lake shores.
A “bomb cyclone” outbreak has issued warnings to tens of millions of people from Washington to Maryland, according to the US National Weather Service. The storm will affect much of the country, but the most severe impact will be a blizzard in the Midwest on Thursday and Friday, as detailed by CNN meteorologist Jennifer Gray.
Winds will ease slightly but continue to create blizzard conditions with sustained winds of up to 40 mph and gusts of 60 mph. Cold weather will continue in the Buffalo metropolitan area with daytime highs of 15 degrees Celsius.
Wind chills are still bitter, dropping to minus 25 degrees.
Heavy lake-like snow and winds will continue into the night. The blizzard is expected to continue.
The heavy snow warning is set to end at 7:00 am on Sunday.
By Christmas morning, the lake effect zone should have drifted south, possibly over Southtown, and possibly further south. The snow is expected to continue through Tuesday.
– News staff reporters Stephen T. Watson, Harold McNeil, and Samantha Christman contributed to this article.
